Unexpected Experiences

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW CALEDONIA | Full Guide 2023

Jessica Bauman

Follow an island girl’s adventures across the world while she discovers herself along the way!

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Jessica Bauman

New Caledonia, alias the “Caillou” (=Rock), is a very small French island lost in the South Pacific Ocean. This unique archipelago is protected by the World’s Largest Coral Lagoon paired with the second largest Barrier Reef; it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While there, discover all the mysteries the New Caledonian “Caillou” has to offer; be astonished by the modern and entertaining Nouméa; the gorgeous picture-perfect islands nearby; the startling underwater beauty of the East Coast; the West Coast’s lush, green forests, and the South’s unusual red dirt terrain.

Prepare to be awed by majestic views, countless waterfalls, breathtaking mountains and the down-to-earth authenticity of New Caledonia… and I’m not just saying this because I grew up there!

There are many misconceptions about this remote paradise, which must be addressed before I can get started:

Yes, it does rain in New Caledonia. Yes, we do have Wi-Fi. No, most people don’t climb up banana or coconut trees to earn a living. Yes, the water from the tap is drinkable. And yes, we do get a proper education!

Now that these silly questions I’ve had to answer too many times are out of the way, let me tell you everything you need to know about New Caledonia.

Barrier Reef Nouméa New Caledonia

 

WHERE IS NEW CALEDONIA AND HOW BIG IS IT?

New Caledonia is a tiny French island located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It’s only a 2 to 3-hour plane ride from Australia, less than 3 hours by plane from Auckland, New Zealand and at least a 25 hour journey from France.

Nouméa is the capital of New Caledonia. This tropical island is in fact composed of several islands – the mainland (la Grande Terre) and the Loyalty Islands (les Iles Loyautés) Maré, Lifou, Tiga and Ouvéa + many other rather small ones around. This makes it an archipelago.

The land surface is 18,519km2 (7,172 mi2), and the population of New Caledonia, as of 2023, is over 292.000 people (with a density of 16 people per km2).

 

HOW TO GET TO NEW CALEDONIA

Flying to New Caledonia is your best option. Daily flights are available to fly into Nouméa, mostly through the national airline Aircalin. Other flight companies such as Air New Zealand, Qantas and Air Vanuatu also reach this airport. One very popular way to visit New Caledonia (and mostly Nouméa) is by cruise ship. A lot of tourists use this option, which in my opinion is far from being the best one. You can read here why.

Prices for flights are not cheap… I know, we’re in the middle of nowhere! Prices range from €1500 Paris-Nouméa round trip to €400 round trip from Auckland to Nouméa. Obviously, the closer you are, the cheaper. However, booking your flights in advance is always the best option, which could really help you save a considerable amount of money.

Bear in mind that La Tontouta Airport, where you will fly into, is located about 45min from the city centre. The best option is either getting a taxi, catching a shuttle bus for 280XPF/€2.30, or just renting a car directly from the airport.

As soon as you land in New Caledonia and the plane door opens, the humid air will slap you right in the face – which is also how soon you’ll realize that you’ve arrived in your tropical destination! YAY!!!

Booking a cruise is also a very popular option for tourists. Many people from Australia and New Zealand choose to cruise into the beautiful New Caledonia. Click here to check out one of the main cruise companies. 

Coconut Tree

 

WHAT LANGUAGE DO THEY SPEAK IN NEW CALEDONIA?

The official language in New Caledonia is French. The Kanaks (locals) have 28 official dialects also but still, everyone speaks French. A few of these dialects are optional in high school: Paicî, Ajië, Nengone and Drehu.

You will hear a lot of local words while in New Caledonia, even coming out of Caledonian or Metropolitan people’s mouths.

The English language is well-known in the capital, especially in the tourism industry, but it could become difficult to find English-speakers as soon as you leave Nouméa.

Here are a few words that can facilitate your communication in New Caledonia, and also show that you are making an effort:

  • Bonjour – Hello
  • Au revoir – Goodbye
  • Merci – Thank you
  • S’il vous plait/ S’il te plait – Please
  • Où se situe… ? – Where is … located?
  • Tal/ Tal toul – See you later (slang)
  • Casse pas la tête ! – Take it easy! (very slang, locals will love you if you say this)

 As you can see, the Kanak and Caldoche culture is still very present in New Caledonia! This really adds to its charm, but can sometimes create certain issues.

For example, the 2019-2021 Referendum (a 3 consecutive year vote for New Caledonia’s independence), created a lot of conflicts between the New Caledonian locals (who wanted their independence) and the Metropolitans (who wanted to stay under France’s government).

 

SHARK ATTACKS IN NEW CALEDONIA

No swimming is allowed in the beaches in Nouméa, until further notice – at least December 2023. Too many shark attacks have happened this year, which is very unusual for New Caledonia. A law just recently passed stating that “swimming is temporarily forbidden in the 300m demarcation”. All of the beaches in Nouméa are forbidden to swim in :

However, water activities are still permitted in Nouméa, and still many beaches and islands are still accessible for a swim all over New Caledonia.

Here are some alternative options I recommend:

Read here all the detailed activities available in New Caledonia.

These attacks have been very sad stories to hear about and authorities in New Caledonia are doing everything in their power to protect their community. Dates are reserved for the set-up of nets, raising community awareness, figuring out why sharks have appeared all of the sudden and so close to the shore… Let’s hope this is only temporary.

 

MONEY IN NEW CALEDONIA

The currency in New Caledonia is not the €, it’s the Pacific Franc/CFP/XPF.

It is based on the Euro; €1.00 = 120CFP (for reference: $1.00 = 109CFP). The island still uses a lot of cash, but most places in town like hotels and restaurants accept credit cards. Many ATMs are fairly easy to find in the bigger cities and most of them don’t charge any fees. It is still very common for people to pay with their check-books.

Keep in mind that outside Nouméa and especially on the islands, having cash with you is highly recommended. Depending on which islands you go to or what remote village you’re staying at, ATMs are nowhere to be found.

Check out my full island guide here!

Leaving a tip is not common in New Caledonia, prices already include tax/service charges but you are still welcome to leave one and make someone’s day!

 Quick math hack: multiply your € x 120 to get your price, and multiply your $ x 110 to get your price. Same numbers for the other way around, just divide instead of x.

Anse Vata Beach New Caledonia

 

WEATHER IN NEW CALEDONIA – WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO NEW CALEDONIA?

The weather is very tropical, which means there are only two seasons: the hot season and the “cooler” season, let’s say.

Basically, it’s hot and humid all year-long. It just gets cooler from the end of the month of May to the beginning of September, with temperatures averaging 15°C to 27°C. In peak summer time, from December to February, be prepared to sweat! The temperatures don’t get real high, averaging 30°C/34°C, but the humidity gets to you: 80% to 90%, even at night.

It is very common to have ACs in public places, or very powerful fans. (Don’t worry, there are ACs in all the hotel rooms!)

The best time to go to New Caledonia is from September to December.

The weather is not at its excruciating hottest, it isn’t peak tourist season so you won’t be surrounded by a lot of people, and it isn’t the summer holidays… that means that during the week, you will have a lot of places to yourself.

December to March is also a great time to go, but beware, it’s also the tropical cyclone + peak tourist season, and the hottest months!

Baie des Citrons New Caledonia

 

VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CALEDONIA

If you’re headed to New Caledonia on holiday for 3 months or less, most nationalities don’t require a Visa.

Ask your local embassy for more information regarding this matter and/or you can visit the New Caledonian’s visa requirements page here.

 

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN NEW CALEDONIA?

If you’d like to see most of New Caledonia’s beauty, I recommend staying 3 weeks there.

You’re going to want to see the beautiful South and explore its waterfalls for 2/3 days, maybe even camp there, roam around Nouméa and the nearby islands for 5/6 days, and head up North on a road trip for about 1 week.

You will not want to miss out on visiting the big islands Maré, Lifou, Ouvéa and the Isle of Pines, which can take up a lot of your time (you’ll want to spend many days there).

3 weeks is the strict minimum to visit New Caledonia, and I can assure you, you will never get bored. Read my full article on activities to do in New Caledonia here! I would even recommend staying one full-month to enjoy this island at its fullest and with no rush.

If you’re only seeking for a beach holiday, 1 week to 10 days in New Caledonia is enough.

Read my full article on Activities in New Caledonia here.

 

IS NEW CALEDONIA EXPENSIVE? IS IT RICH OR POOR?

This is one of the questions I’ve been asked the most, and I’m sad to say that yes, New Caledonia is expensive. Studies have shown that the cost of living there is 20% to 37% higher than Australia or New Zealand.

Since many, many things are imported and the closest lands are pretty far away, it makes sense that the prices have a lot of importation taxes added to them. Local products can be cheaper, especially if you go directly to the producers, or to the morning market, but it’s still more expensive than average, because people still need to earn decent wages.

The wealth or poverty of New Caledonia depends on what you consider rich and what you consider poor. Its economy is definitely doing well thanks to these three main sectors:

–       The mining industry; New Caledonia is the 2nd biggest producer of Nickel in the world (around 20% GDP)

–       Fiscal transfers from France (around 15% of GDP)

–       Tourism (31,000 tourists in 2020, pre-covid)

I can assure you that New Caledonia is rich in beauty, unicity, peace, and kindness. And if you consider a country rich by how expensive it is, then New Caledonia is DEFINITELY rich!

New Caledonia is a great holiday destination for families, with activities available for all ages, you can be sure you’ll find something fit to everyone. Check out my list of activities to do in New Caledonia here.

ilot maitre new caledonia hilton hotel
source photo: booking.com

 

ACCOMMODATION IN NEW CALEDONIA

New Caledonia offers accommodation for all budgets, from 0€ a night if you want to camp out on an island, to 120,000CFP/1000.00€ a night in a luxury resort.

I’ve selected the best for every category, especially in Nouméa and on the nearby islands, as the quantity can get overwhelming. On the rest of the island, you can find a lot of options on AIRBNB, a few more on booking.com. Make sure you read my full article on accommodation in New Caledonia here.

New Caledonia luxury accommodation: hotels and resorts

Who doesn’t dream of staying in a top notch hotel on a heavenly island? Here are the best luxury hotels all over New Caledonia, if they’re too high for your budget, I still recommend trying to scrunch in one night or two in one of these, you will not be disappointed:

  • Le Méridien Nouméa ***** – great location on the beach, luxurious facilities, amazing buffets, really nice, big pool…
  • Hilton Ilot Maitre **** – on an island 20 min away from Nouméa; rooms are available o land or on bungalows over the water; great pool + buffet – so relaxing
  • Sheraton Bourail ***** – fairly new luxurious options around 2h away from Nouméa, near La Roche Percée

 Check out the full list of 5-star resorts in New Caledonia here!

Mid-range accommodation in New Caledonia

These hotels cost a maximum of €110.00/$120.00 for 2pax/night. They are very classic yet nice places to stay at:

Cheap accommodation in New Caledonia

If you’re traveling on a budget or just don’t want to spend too much money on accommodation, these places will be the perfect fit. AIRBNB has the most options and also the cheapest ones. Here are my favorites (for 2 pax/night):

Free accommodation in New Caledonia

–       Camping: If you’re into camping, you will love it in New Caledonia even more! As you may not know yet, the mentality is very “casse pas la tete” (= take it easy) there, so this translates also into how lenient they are on camping restrictions.

–       “Dormir à la belle étoile” (sleeping under the stars): the weather is so hot that sleeping outside is a very suitable option for two or three nights (or the whole time if you love it), you get connected with nature, the sky is beautiful with little to no pollution… Just sit back, relax, buy a couple of beers + some snacks, and enjoy!

Concerning these two options; PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING TRASH BAGS AND PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF.

–       Workaway: For the moment, only a few options are available.

Baie des Citrons Nouméa

 

MOVING AROUND IN NEW CALEDONIA | TRANSPORTATION

Renting a car in New Caledonia

Renting a car to travel around New Caledonia is your best option. If you’re only planning on staying in the centre of Nouméa and going to beaches, walking around etc, you won’t need a car, you can just use public transportation. If you’re planning on exploring Nouméa and the rest of the island, you will definitely need one, don’t consider any other options! While taxi boats are easy to catch, buses are not. You will either have to wait a while or the bus won’t show up, especially as soon as you get out of the capital. Invest more in a car to make your journey so much more enjoyable. Plus, the rental fees are surprisingly not that expensive:

For 2 weeks, the prices range from 550€ minimum, to €800 for a 4X4, to €1100 for a Pick-Up Truck.

Just rent a car, you’ll thank me later.

Plane/Ferries to the islands

Three websites are a must if you want to visit the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines:

There are some bigger islands that are further away that you HAVE to visit, which I talk about more in detail here, are Maré, Lifou, Ouvéa and last but certainly not least, Isle of Pines. There is a domestic airport located on the mainland in a town called Magenta. It’s not far from the city centre, and has daily flights scheduled for these remote locations.

 

BUDGET FOR NEW CALEDONIA

As mentioned before, New Caledonia is a pretty expensive destination. But, there is a way to avoid major activity expenses (yes, even without being a local; come on that’s what I’m here for 😉 ).

The round trip flights and accommodation will be your biggest expenses, so the rest (activities, restaurants…) will be up to you. Giving you a daily budget would be dishonest and misleading, but what I can do is tell you the approximate prices of food, grocery stores, activities (…) and also everything you can do for free.

Activities

  • FREE beaches: Anse Vata, Baie des Citrons, Cote Blanche, Plage de Magenta, Plage du Kuendu Beach…
  • FREE : watch the sunset/sunrise
  • FREE : play pétanque with the locals and chill on La Place des Cocotiers

This is obviously a short list of activities you can do in New Caledonia. There are so many other things which I will wrote a full article about here.

Food

I’m going to be blunt, there is no way getting around the food expenses, they are going to be PRICEY! Restaurants aren’t cheap, grocery stores aren’t either… but remember, everything is imported! Fortunately, I do have a couple tips for you to spend a little less if you really are on a tight budget.

On average, the cheapest meal you can get at a restaurant starts at 2500XPF/€21.00 and can escalate easily to 5000XPF/€42.00.

For reference, you can expect to see these prices for basic products in grocery stores:

  • 1L of milk: 112 XPF/€0.94/$1.00
  • 12 eggs: 590 XPF/€4.90/$5.40
  • 1.5L water: 112 XPF/€0.94/$1.00
  • 1kg white rice: 180 XPF/€1.50/$1.60
  • 1kg bananas: 675 XPF/€5.60/$6.10

Water

As I clearly stated in my intro, the water from the tap is drinkable in New Caledonia. Just like in many countries, it is quite common to filter it anyway.

The locally produced Mont-Dore water is the best you can find. It’s 100% natural spring water, doesn’t undergo neither treatments nor does it have additives. It goes into your body just as Mother Nature has gifted it to us. The best part? It’s great for the planet, the bottles are easily recyclable + their carbon footprint isn’t high at all since only a few km are traveled to deliver this pure water.

Price/L averages at 70CFP/€0.58/$0.63, they also produce sparkling water and flavored water. You’ll love it!

Promenade Pierre Vernier Nouméa

 

SIM CARD AND WI-FI ON THE ISLAND

In New Caledonia, your best option will be to get a SIM card with the OPT/NCL MOBILIS. I’m joking – it’s your only option. Yup, there is only one phone operator on the whole island! Talk about having no competition, huh? Which explains the rather high prices, get ready to take a jump back in time with these “Liberté” cards:

The tourism pre-paid SIM card costs 3,000CFP/€25.00, including a credit of 1,500CFP/€12.50, and is valid for 3 months. With this credit, you can choose your plan after installing your new SIM inside your phone; how many GB of Internet you’d like and for how long.

  • 1min of local call costs 44.52CFP
  • 1 local SMS costs 12.72CFP and 42.40CFP for international

These fees are deducted from your credit which is rechargeable when necessary, shops that sell them are very easy to find.

Wi-Fi is largely available, of course you can expect to find it in hotels and Airbnb’s, but even some cafes and restaurants have it, especially in Nouméa. As soon as you leave the city centre, don’t expect to find a Wi-Fi connection in food establishments.

I’ve addressed all the questions you might be asking yourself before heading to New Caledonia, just make sure you read the rest of my articles if you’d like more details on every topic. Please feel free to contact me if you have more questions.

 

I hope you’ll enjoy this paradise!

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