Unexpected Experiences

LOYALTY ISLANDS AND ISLE OF PINES FROM NOUMÉA, NEW CALEDONIA

The Loyalty Islands are the biggest islands surrounding the “Grande Terre” (mainland). Maré, Lifou and Ouvéa are situated on the right-hand side of the mainland and are easily accessible by boat or flight. The Isle of Pines is in the Southern part of the archipelago.

The Loyalty Islands are very presevered locally and some terrains require having a guide to be able to visit them, because of the many customary restrictions.

I’ve written a detailed article on how much you can expect spending heading to these islands here.

Scroll down to see my tips before heading to the New Caledonian islands!

 

1)    Lifou island

Lifou is the middle Loyalty Island, the largest, and most populated island among the three. Renting a car is the best way to go if you want to take full advantage of the Lifou island. Check out my full article on transportation in New Caledonia here.

Visit typical “cases”, where the locals live and learn about the Melanesian culture, only with their permission. People from Lifou are very friendly and accommodating. Lifou is best known because of its picturesque beaches, its iconic vanilla beans, and the unforgettable caves. Minimum recommended time: 3 days, 2 nights.

What not to miss while in Lifou:

North of Lifou

–       Tingeting cave

–       Jokin waterfall

–       Chateaubriand Bay

–       Snorkel in the Jinek Bay

Central Lifou

–       Local’s favorite central Lifou beach: Peng

–       50km long Bay of Santal

–       Hapetra village

–       Wedrumel cave

South of Lifou

–       Luengoni beach – secret spot!

–       Vanilla cultivators along the South roads

–       Mu beach

–       Xodre – where ocean and cliffs meet.

 

2)    Maré island in New Caledonia

Maré isn’t as popular among tourists but is still worth the detour. You can choose to either take advantage of this island by renting a car, or a bicycle. 29 tribes are present on the island and Maré is best known for its delicious avocados (avocado festival in May), palm tree beaches, and natural swimming pools. Minimum recommended time: 2 days, 1 night.

What not to miss while in Maré:

North of Maré

–       Bone natural hole

–       Roh

–       Roche village – Melanesian art expositions and local market

South of Maré

–       Popular beaches for relaxing and amazing snorkeling views: Patho-Kurine, Shini and Pede

–       Wabao Bay

–       Yedjelé beach

–       2h30min trekking to Shabadran – unreal picnic spot!

–       Pethoen cave and its stalactites and admire the natural pool full of fish and turtles – no swimming!

–       Hnidenod – burial of the iconic independentist Yeiwéné, killed in 1989.

 

3)    Ouvéa island

Ouvéa is one of the most beautiful atolls in the South Pacific, which features an endless 22km long white sand beach. Relaxing while sipping on a coconut while catching up on your tan, is the thing to do in Ouvéa. Ouvéa is mostly populated with Wallisians (another South Pacific Island) who are either fishers or marines.

And, in the 70s, Ouvéa was famously named “the island closest to paradise”. The lagoon of Ouvéa is part of the 6 places registered in the UNESCO heritage. Minimum recommended time: 3 days, 2 nights. Accessible with a bicycle.

What not to miss while in Ouvéa:

North of Ouvéa

–       Look for the Ouvéan parakeet in Saint Joseph

–       Saint Joseph’s local market

–       Saint Joseph’s church

–       Buy local souvenirs in Saint Joseph such as soap, coconut oil, vanilla beans, Kanak sculptures…

Central Ouvéa

–       Hanawa’s light blue hole

–       22km white sandbank from Wadrilla to Mouli – New Caledonia’s longest beach

South of Ouvéa

–       Lekiny’s bay and cliffs – no swimming because of Customary restrictions – hire a guide to explore the path

–       Mouli bridge – gorgeous views from there, good place to spot some eagle rays, turtles, barracudas, and sharks.

 

4)    Isle of Pines island in New Caledonia

If you only have time to see one bigger island on your trip in New Caledonia, the Isle of Pines should be at the top of your list! It is the most gorgeous island I’ve ever seen in my life; the island is very popular among locals and tourists to have a sweet escapade there, but it remains very well-preserved and peaceful. The isle of Pines if filled with a rich fauna and flora, clear blue natural pools surrounded by columnar pine trees, and breathtaking snorkeling views. Don’t miss going to the Isle of Pines while you’re in New Caledonia! Minimum recommended time: 4 days, 3 nights.

Accessible by car (recommended) or bicycle if you have more time on the island.

What not to miss while on the Isle of Pines:

North of Isle of Pines:

–       The Oro Bay and natural pool – accessible by short forest walk: this place is magical

–       Queen Hortense’s cave – learn about the story behind its name

–       Crabes’ bay and Gadji bay – amazing diving spots

Central Isle of Pines:

–       Ouaméo Bay – great diving spot and contact a local diving center on site for guided snorkeling tours

–       Troisième cave – slippery access to this hidden gem filled with stalactites, stalagmites and a breathtaking natural pool

–       Taste the escargots, a local specialty

South of Isle of Pines:

–       Book a traditional canoe ride around the Upi Bay – lasts several hours, breathtaking colors

–       Trek the 262m high N’gâ pic – gorgeous views of the lagoon

–       Vao church and glowing bell tower

–       Kanuméra Bay

–       Swimming and sunset watching at Kuto Bay

 

8 TIPS TO VISIT THE BIGGEST ISLANDS IN NEW CALEDONIA HASSLE FREE: THE ISLE OF PINES AND THE LOYALTY ISLANDS

1)    Bring cash with you

Even though hotels and some gites accept credit cards, local markets and activity centers won’t. So, make sure you withdraw enough money in Nouméa before heading to the Loyalty islands and Isle of Pines.

2)    Don’t take photos without knowing if you’re allowed to or not

Respecting the locals’ customs doesn’t only mean asking before entering a “case” or “gite”, it also means not assuming you can take pictures of anything and everything without having permission to. Please watch out for signs in front of cultural places, or just ask someone if you’re in doubt.

3)    Choose your accommodation like a pro

I’ve written a full article on the best accommodation options in the Loyalty Islands & Isle of Pines so make sure you check it out here.

4)    Avoid wearing little clothing

The Kanaks on the Loyalty islands are mostly Catholic conservatives. Because of that, make sure you respect their islands by dressing appropriately whenever leaving beaches or water excursions, so you won’t offend anyone.

5)    Bring little gifts with you for customary purposes

If you’d like to enter local Kanak tribes or cases/gites, the customs require to give a gift to the chief of the tribe. It might not always be mandatory, but locals will be very grateful if you do. So here are some gift ideas: sarongs, fruit, spices…

6)    Don’t forget your diving equipment

Wether you’ve got a license to scuba dive or want to discover the underwater views with a mask & tuba, don’t forget to bring it with you, because you will not want to miss the seabed in the islands!

7)    Reserve in restaurants 24h before

Because of how small these islands are, there aren’t many hospitality options. So, make sure you reserve in advance to secure that superb restaurant you heard about from locals or tourists.

8)    Book your car or bike in advance!

I’ve written a full article on where to rent a car in New Caledonia here.

 

Make sure you check out all my articles on EVERYTHING you need to know before heading to New Caledonia here!