French flair meets South Pacific relaxation on the world’s largest lagoon – and here’s what visitors to New Caledonia should consider doing.
What is Noumea like?
Noumea is an intoxicating swirl of contradictions. Urban, but with an island time vibe; in the South Pacific, but with character traits from the other side of the world; beachy but surrounded by thickly-forested mountains.
It also has a strong timewarp factor. It could be a forgotten French resort city from another era, a carefree place uninterested in chasing the latest fads and fashions.
By far New Caledonia’s largest settlement, Noumea’s businesslike centre brushes against a yacht-filled marina, then gives way to beachside neighbourhoods and green hills. From the top of them, looking out over the world’s largest lagoon, Noumea’s exceptional natural beauty becomes apparent.
Top things to do in Noumea: Parque Natural d’Ouen Toro
The Parque Natural d’Ouen Toro is the prime port of call to take things in. The hill, dotted with old military guns and crossed by walking trails, rises up from the restaurant-lined Anse Vata beach. From here, the panorama reveals the spindly green arms of Grand Terre, New Caledonia’s main island, reaching out into the turquoise-teal waters. Below are little islets, laid out with sunbeds, beach bars and watersports gear. Ilot Maitre and Île aux Canards are a short boat trip away.
Noumea activities: Boat trips on the lagoon
Slightly further out, to the south, stands the giant lighthouse of Amédée, a justifiably popular islet for day trips. The Mary D cruise boat heads out to Amédée’s white sand beaches, close-to-shore snorkelling spots and glass-bottomed boat coral viewing outings.
Just beyond Amédée is the reason for the lighthouse – a small opening in the reef that surrounds Grande Terre, creating the world’s largest lagoon. And it’s this that gives Noumea its looks.
Noumea’s waterside market
Its personality, though, has strong influences from France. It’s a city of bistros, bakeries and wine shops, while the waterside market in the centre will sell Breton pancakes alongside fresh mullet, mudcrabs and pineapples plucked straight from the trees.
Noumea must-sees: The Tjibaou Cultural Centre
But the indigenous Kanak culture is by no means crowded out, and the architecturally extraordinary Tjibaou Cultural Centre is the best place to dip into it. World-renowned architect Renzo Piano has created a striking masterpiece, with ten supersized reinterpretations of traditional cases (houses) lining the horizon like giant warrior’s shields. Inside are thoughtful displays on Kanak heritage, exhibitions of art from across the Pacific Islands and multimedia libraries.
Exploring New Caledonia: Parc Provinvial de la Rivière-Bleue
If this gives a taste for how New Caledonia was before the French arrived, then taking a drive around the south of the island should add to the flavour. It’s mountainous, roads are often rugged, and the human touch is light. The Parc Provincial de la Rivière-Bleue is home to towering kauri trees, and several rare bird species, including the comically Mohican-crested indigenous cagou. The waterfalls at La Madeleine, meanwhile, act as a mini-Niagara.
Drinks in Baie des Citrons
After getting close to nature, Baie des Citrons is the closest Noumea gets to wild. It’s more a relaxed glass of wine kind of place than a hub of raucousness, but here cocktail bars and microbreweries line up along the promenade opposite the beach. It’s relaxed, convivial and unpretentious – and facing in precisely the right direction for watching one of those archetypal island sunsets over the lagoon.
More Pacific Islands travel
For a selection of tours and experiences in New Caledonia, head this way.
Other Pacific Islands travel stories on Planet Whitley include:
- Visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave in Samoa.
- Why I don’t want to go back to Palau.
- Is Muri in the Cook Islands the perfect holiday town?
- Learning the story of the Pacific Islanders at Te Ara on Rarotonga.
- Cruising on the lagoon in Aitutaki.
