Discover New Caledonia - a truly unique South Pacific destination.

A blend of French and Melanesian cultures intertwined offering contrast, splendour and excitement.  

Comprising the Northern, Southern and Loyalty Island provinces, New Caledonia offers islands, rich in beauty and history. Enjoy the diversity of landscapes, flora and fauna, mountains and lush forests.

Glen Armstrong headed off there recently to practice his French as he enjoys the culture, restaurants and nightlife of the bustling city of Noumea….

A natural harbour, inner city beaches, numerous seaside restaurants and an abundance of offshore islands and reefs. Could be anywhere, but it’s the French influence that gives away the fact that we are holidaying in Noumea.

We are very relaxed as we shelter from the afternoon sea breeze on the beach at Baie des Citrons. Must be time to hop over the road for a waffle and a coffee! The wind is dropping so we decide to take a stroll along the beach back to our hotel to catch some late afternoon sun. We can’t help stopping at Anse Vata Bay to watch the kite surfers skim across the ocean, they go so fast and are fascinating to watch. Continuing on with our stroll we decide to stop for a beer at one of the beachfront cafes.

Time to head back to the hotel to relax then it’s out for dinner. Dining in Noumea is fantastic with a good selection of restaurants, many offering French influenced cuisine. Tonight it seems that most of Noumea are dining at Baie des Citrons, so we decided on ‘Saladisimo’ a well priced restaurant offering a variety of salad dishes, hence its name!

My French is not as good as I thought, but it gets us through. Knowing the local language is certainly not essential but helps us get on the correct bus the next day for our visit to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. This architectural wonder of the South Pacific really is a must see.

A visit to Noumea isn’t complete without spending some time out on the magnificent lagoon. We joined a day trip out to the Amedee Lighthouse, an hour from downtown Noumea by fast cat. The water was as blue and clear as you would imagine and the coral was better than I expected. During lunch we were entertained with some local dancing and then went further up the reef to feed the reef sharks - a fantastic experience, though the photos don’t do it justice!

We really enjoyed our “French” experience and look forward to the next time!