Just over a couple of hours by plane from Australia’s east coast is the French territory of New Caledonia comprising the main island of Grande Terre, the Isle of Pines, Loyalty Islands and a number of smaller outlying islands – all up a slice of Pacific island paradise just waiting to be discovered by newcomers.
Last month I wrote about New Caledonia’s capital, Nouméa, and some of the coastal areas. Now it’s time to explore the islands that make up the rest of this nation.
The Loyalty Islands form an archipelago of their own within the main archipelago and contain the four islands Lifou, Maré, Tiga, and Ouvéa. Situated some 100 kilometres or so to the east of Grande Terre, the archipelago spans a huge 2,000 square kilometres. The Isle of Pines stands alone, closer to Grande Terre and to the south.
Before the pandemic, the Isle of Pines and Lifou were rated in the Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards as the best cruise destinations in the South Pacific region. The Isle of Pines received the rare score of an average 4 out of 5, based on more than 219 reviews (including 135 awarding it the maximum score), while Lifou also reached a score of 4 out of 5 with 98 reviews (including 60 awarding it 5/5). This was the third year that the Isle of Pines had dominated the rankings but the first time that Lifou had been recognised.
History of the islands
In 1774 Captain James Cook and his crew, sailing on HMS Resolution, were the first European arrivals at Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines during their second voyage in search of terra australis. However, Cook missed the four islands that make up the Loyalty group. These were not discovered until 1793 when, separately, French Admiral Bruni d’Entrecasteaux and Cook’s fellow British navigator, William Raven, captain of the whaler Britannia, spotted Ouvéa and Maré respectively.
Inhabited by Melanesians, these islands were not suited as colonies of France at that time so they were designated as native reservations, a status that preserved the islands and their culture. To this day, local Kanak customs remain strong and are practised in daily life. Visitors to these islands experience a truly authentic culture without the tourist trappings.
The Loyalty Islands are also well endowed with beautiful landscapes, beaches, lagoons and coral. Both the culture and natural attractions make these islands great places to explore, but they’re not for those who need their creature comforts at all times.
Each island has its own character
Although New Caledonia’s islands sit in relatively close proximity to one another, each boasts its own unique character and attractions and therefore reasons to visit. Following is a brief rundown of the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines and what makes them so special. Note that while French is the common language across New Caledonia’s islands, each has its own vernacular language.
You may hear Ouvéa (pictured above and below) described as the island closest to paradise and think that it’s just another travel cliché. But it’s more than that, it is a tribute to one woman who fell in love with the island and inspired others to visit.
In the 1970s, Katsura Morimura, a young Japanese writer, spent some time on Ouvéa. Delighted by the romantic setting and the warmth of the people she encountered, she wrote a novel entitled The Island Closest To Paradise, a love story about a young Japanese woman visiting Ouvéa and a local man of Japanese descent. Although a strong seller in Japan, the book was never translated into French (or any other language) and will likely fade into obscurity as the author is no longer alive. Nevertheless, it remains an enchanting story, serves as a reminder of the joy that travel can bring and probably continues to boost Japanese visitor numbers to Ouvéa by a considerable amount.
Ouvéa displays a fabulous beach of white sand stretching for almost 25 kilometres, majestic coconut plantations and extraordinary diving sites, especially around the Pléïades Reef. At the Mouli Bridge (above) connecting Lékiny to the main island, you can usually see turtles and eagle rays making their way through the channel, a rewarding sight for both visitors and locals.
The largest of the Loyalty Islands, Lifou (above and below) is perhaps the one that demonstrates the greatest contrasts, from the vanilla plantations that are open to the public to the impressive diving and hiking sites. Lifou is characterised by its variety of scenery, combining immaculate beaches, steep cliffs, deep forests and dark caves. In common with all of the dispersed islands of the archipelago, Lifou is formed from raised coral covered in dense scrubland.
As for Maré, the image below of a sea turtle swimming just off the coast of the island says more about the local environment than any number of words could. The intense, wild beauty of its scenery and the deep connection that the Mareans have with nature have given this island a very personal identity. Maré used to be called one of the archipelago’s best kept secrets, but whenever that phrase is used habitually it usually spells the kiss of death for the secret.
House on the island of Maré.
Life on Tiga (above), the smallest of the Loyalty Islands, is largely traditional, offering a window into life across the region in days gone by. Home to just a shop, church and post office, this is a destination that offers the perfect disconnect from modern life, with no shortage of natural beauty and a local Melanesian tribe that calls the island home. With no restaurants, hotels or electricity, Tiga is a bridge too far for most outsiders but is an authentic slice of island paradise situated midway between Maré and Lifou.
Farther south, the Isle of Pines (below) is considered by some to be Ouvéa’s greatest rival for the title of the island closest to paradise. The Oro, Kuto and Kanumera Bays dazzle with their tropical beauty, while the remnants of the island's penal colony testify to a bygone age.
Island character photos courtesy of New Caledonia Tourism
Named for the towering pine trees scattered across the island, it remains among the most popular destinations for New Caledonia’s visitors, offering plenty of things to do and sights to see. The beachfront Restaurant Kou-gny at Oro Bay is worth a visit for its great seafood.
In the interests of balance I should point out that not all here is idyllic. Unfortunately, New Caledonia’s coral reef has not escaped the bleaching that has occurred in tropical waters in many parts of the world. It had been one of the few reefs in the world considered to be in relatively good health but in 2016 was hit by a dramatic warming episode. The resulting damage was not as bad as expected, but the area remains vulnerable to rising sea temperatures.
The islands of New Caledonia enjoy an extremely pleasant climate with average temperatures between 22°C on Maré and 24°C on Ouvéa, and seasonal variations of no more than 6°C. In addition, since there are no mountains to pull in and retain the clouds, there is very little rain.
Getting there
The Loyalty Islands are a long way from Grande Terre so if you want just a quick trip the only way is to fly from Nouméa. Air Calédonie is the domestic airline and it serves the three main islands of the Loyalty group.
Another local airline, Air Loyauté, provides inter-island services including flights to the smaller island of Tiga. Much of the accommodation on the Loyalty Islands is of the homestay type, as can be seen here.
Getting to the Isle of Pines is much easier as it’s closer to Grande Terre and has a wider range of accommodation, including the five-star Le Meridien.
New Caledonia has its own flag carrier, Air Calin, which serves Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, French Polynesia and Japan directly. Worldwide destinations are served in collaboration with partner airlines. For example, Air Calin in partnership with Air Tahiti Nui provides a one-stop service from Los Angeles to Nouméa via Papeete. A similar partnership with Air France provides a service from Paris to Nouméa via Tokyo.
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