In a travel feature published by Nine, a writer details a week-long journey through New Caledonia, arguing that the French Pacific territory offers a tropical paradise comparable to the Bahamas or the Maldives just a three-hour flight from Sydney.
The journey began with a flight from Sydney to Nouméa, followed by a mountain-clad drive from the airport. The writer notes that the territory features white-sand beaches, overwater bungalows, marine life including sea snakes, and welcoming residents. While a long weekend suits Nouméa’s beaches and restaurants, exploring outside the capital reveals a more enchanting side across multiple islands.
A short boat ride from Nouméa led to the DoubleTree by Hilton Nouméa Îlot Maître Resort on Îlot Maître, an island surrounded by protected marine waters where the writer was greeted with a warm chocolate chip cookie and numerous sea turtles. The resort features overwater bungalows, a swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar with a buffet dinner.
The island of Lifou, the largest of the Loyalty Islands with a population under 10,000, served as a prominent stop roughly a 40-minute flight from the main island. Lifou features French, English, and the Indigenous language Drehu. The writer stayed at a beachfront resort featuring 50 rooms and suites, explored secluded beaches and secret caves, and attended the annual Sandalwood and Honey Festival.
The festival celebrates local culture, traditional crafts like weaving, and community heritage. Stalls offered award-winning honey, sandalwood products, and local produce, alongside meals sold by local kids raising money for trips to Australia and New Zealand. The writer also visited the House of Vanilla to learn about the process of growing and transforming vanilla vines, and sampled bougna, a traditional Kanak feast dish made with yam, taro, coconut milk, and meat or seafood wrapped in banana leaves and cooked underground.
In Lifou, the writer stayed at Chez Jeannette Ihage, a guesthouse run by Jeannette. After offering a small gift as a customary sign of respect, the writer was welcomed with a meal of yam and prawns and spent a night in a traditional round Kanak hut. These huts are built using centuries-old techniques and locally sourced materials, featuring communal eating areas and a larger hut where Jeannette’s family sleeps around a nightly fire.
Another destination on the itinerary was the Isle of Pines, known for its dense pine trees and clear waters. The writer stayed at Hotel Kou Bugny near Kuto Bay and toured Queen Hortense’s Cave, where the young princess hid during tribal wars of succession, guided by Elaine, the hotel’s owner. Additional stops included a traditional outrigger trip, the natural swimming pool at Oro Bay, and sampling giant snails, a local delicacy.
Returning to the main island, the writer stayed at the Ramada Hotel Nouméa near Anse Vata and visited Marmite et Tire-Bouchon for French cuisine featuring large wheels of brie. Other locations included Le Domaine Nouméa and Te Mana Lodge in Tomo, where the writer experienced a quiet night near the airport featuring home-cooked meals and mango juice made from local fruit trees before flying back to Sydney.
| Location | Key Highlights | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| Îlot Maître | Protected marine lagoon, sea turtles, overwater bungalows | DoubleTree by Hilton Nouméa Îlot Maître Resort |
| Lifou | Sandalwood and Honey Festival, House of Vanilla, traditional Kanak huts | Wadra Bay / Chez Jeannette Ihage |
| Isle of Pines | Queen Hortense’s Cave, Oro Bay natural pool, Kuto Bay | Hotel Kou Bugny |
| Nouméa | French cuisine, Anse Vata waterfront, local markets | Ramada Hotel Nouméa / Le Domaine Nouméa |
