Have you ever been stuck in a foreign country with a baby and realised that you forgot the stroller? Run out of disposables? Discovered that your baby won't eat the tropical fruit that you thought they would love?  Well, luckily most international tourist destinations have shops that stock what you forgot to bring, and sometimes you may even come home with more than you left with. If you find yourself in Port Vila, Vanuatu, there's a charming little baby shop that will remain in your memory for quite a while.

If you find yourself in Port Vila, Vanuatu, there's a charming little baby shop that will remain in your memory for quite a while. It's one of those shops that you walk in, look around, fall in love with a particular soft bug/bear/fish, decide that you don't need it, but find yourself back in the shop a few days later, forking over the cash, in this case, the Vatu.

Valerie Raynaud, the French owner of 'Bebe Roi' in Port Vila, arrived in Vanuatu 17 years ago and sells baby good to tourists (like those who forget to bring the pusher), other expatriates as well as to the local Ni-Vanuatu people. Apart from the basics, including porta-cots, prams, car seats and mosquito nets designed for prams, this small shop stocks a gorgeous range of imported French soft toys and French baby clothes.

I walked out with a small, divinely soft, velvet 'Moulin Roty' bee. It's only when I got home and look at my bank statement that I realised that it cost $40 but I have big plans for this lime, dark green, orange and pink bee. It's special, because it's French, from Vanuatu, and, if I get my way, it's going to be my eight-month-old's comfort toy.

Valerie's Baby Roi shop also stocks Kaloo, Katu, Babysun and of course Petit Bateau clothes. There's the familiar Bonds line, as well, if you want to stay 'local'. Given the high tax on goods in Vanuatu, shopping here is much more expensive than in Australia. The Port Vila market has some basic baby and child-sized Hawaiian clothes for under $10, but in the Au Bon Marche supermarkets, baby food is around $2.50 a jar. Keep your fingers crossed that your baby prefers the 50 cent mangoes!

I wanted to come home with the baby croquet set, a gorgeous mini mobile, some coloured rattles, and a Spot the Dog style bath book focussing on the sea and written in French, as well as a bear in a box, but could I fit that in my suitcase? Could I afford it? And was it for my son, or really for me? I know for sure that if my son's not interested in his 'Moulin Roty' bee then it's going in my bed!

Bebe Roi is located in Port Vila 2, opposite the Au Bon Marche supermarket on the Lini Highway, near Rue D'Anjou.

Article courtesy of Jayne D'Arcy (freelance writer)

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