Day 1: First a review, here’s what New Caledonia is like. Located east of Australia and north of New Zealand, New Caledonia is a French overseas territory surrounded by a World Heritage lagoon. The official language is French, and the currency is the French Pacific Franc (CFP). Tipping is not customary. New Caledonia is accessible from Japan by direct Aircalin flights in about 8.5 hours. Departing from Narita Airport in the late afternoon, the flight arrives in Noumea after 23:00. At the local Tontouta airport, I was surprised to see Japanese next to French and English. On the first day, we just went straight to the hotel and slept. You can start your activities the next morning after you have recovered from the fatigue of traveling. The time difference is 2 hours. There is almost no need to worry about jet lag, so it is ideal for your first trip abroad in a long time. You may think that it will get colder and colder in the southern hemisphere. You may think that it will get colder and colder since it is in the Southern Hemisphere, but this is actually not true. With an average annual temperature of around 24°C, New Caledonia is neither too cold nor too hot, and has a refreshing early summer-like climate throughout the year. There is no definite off-season, and you can think of it as always on-season. Key Points for Day 1 ・Air Caran’s direct flights depart from Narita at 11:00-12:00 (depending on the season and day of the week).
Arrival in Noumea is after 23:00 (local time).
Time difference is 2 hours.
Day 2: The city of Noumea, a moderate mix of Melanesian and French cultures The capital Noumea, located at the southern tip of the main island, shaped like an elongated French bread, is the economic and tourist center of New Caledonia. About 100,000 people out of a total population of 280,000 are concentrated in the city, but since the population density is low to begin with, there is no congestion or traffic jams. Walking around the city, my first impression was that it was laid-back and easy to live in! That was my first impression. The official language is French, so signs and signs in town and restaurant menus are basically in French. Of course, English is also spoken at hotels and other places, but the greeting is “bonjour” instead of “hello. New Caledonia is the “closest France to Japan! A good starting point for a stroll in Noumea is the Place des Cocotiers, a place of relaxation for local people. The streets are laid out like a grid, and it is a good-sized town that you can get around on foot. You can enjoy shopping at mission robe stores, select stores of French goods, high quality black pearl stores, natural cosmetics boutiques, and so on. There are also many nice cafes where you can stop by if you get tired of walking around town. A popular spot for tourists is the marche (market) in town. Here and there, you will see locals shopping for bread, vegetables, etc. with their marché baskets. If you stay at a condominium hotel with a kitchen, you can buy ingredients and enjoy cooking. There is also a café inside the marché that tourists can use. I will never forget the morning breakfast of baguette and café au lait I had here after skipping breakfast at the hotel. On weekends, you can find stalls outside selling handmade accessories, soaps, and New Caledonian honey and vanilla beans. Noumea offers a wide variety of gourmet foods, from authentic French cuisine to traditional local dishes, Vietnamese casual restaurants with many immigrants, and Indian cuisine. French cuisine consists of an appetizer, main dish, and dessert, but the portions are a bit large for Japanese people. In particular, I had the impression that the sweets at the end of the meal were generous, as is the French way of enjoying sweet things. If you are interested in the Kanak, the indigenous people of New Caledonia, why not visit the “Tjibaou Cultural Center” in the suburbs of Noumea? It is a cultural facility in a novel building where you can learn about Kanak culture. Also, Kanak traditional dish “Bunya” is a gourmet dish that you should try at least once during your stay in New Caledonia. Points of interest on Day 2 ・Walk around town and visit historical sites in Noumea
Shopping and dining in the city or at the Marche
Domestic flight to Ildepan
Day 3-4: Ildepan, a remote island called “the jewel box of the sea,” is a little paradise that will soothe your soul. If you are going to visit New Caledonia, you should visit a remote island in addition to your stay in Nouméa. I visited Ildepan, a popular remote island that can be reached from Noumea by domestic flight in about 30 minutes. You can take a day trip by plane, but if you want to fully enjoy the rustic charm and unspoiled nature of the remote islands, you will want to stay a few nights. For those who have more time to spare and are more budget minded, there is also the option of taking the ferry, which takes 2.5 hours one way. We checked into Le Meridien Ile d’Epang, a 15-minute shuttle ride from the airport. It is the only five-star resort in Ildepan, surrounded by the beautiful lagoon of Oro Bay and a forest of nangyo cedar trees. Here we stayed in a bungalow suite surrounded by palm trees. The hotel’s quiet private beach is only 10 seconds away from the terrace with daybeds! For nature lovers, this hotel is like heaven. With a population of about 2,500, the island has only a small grocery store and no downtown area with cafes, restaurants, or stores. Meals on the island are basically taken at the hotel where you are staying, and I was surprised at the high quality of taste and service at all of them! You can enjoy excellent gourmet food that is a good mix of traditional cuisine, French cuisine, and island ingredients, and the friendly and helpful staff made a good impression on me. If you visit Ildepan, you must go to Pissinne Naturel. The calm cove, which was formed by coral reefs that have risen up from the sea, has no waves, and the water is surprisingly clear! Snorkeling at Pissenne Naturelle, which means “natural pool” in French, is a very popular activity. Pissenne Naturelle is a 20-minute walk from Le Meridien Ile d’Epin, the hotel where we were staying. This time, however, we took the long way around and headed there after enjoying a leisurely cruise on a pirogue, a traditional Melanesian sailboat, followed by a little wild bushwalk for an hour. We arrived at Pissinne Naturel, a secret place tucked away in the midst of unspoiled nature. I put on a snorkel set rented from the hotel and went into the water to see many colorful fish swimming in the water! It was like a natural aquarium, and I was so absorbed in the water that I felt like a child again. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at SNACK LE KOUGNY, a small restaurant by the sea, where we tucked into Ildepan specialties such as escargot, lobster, semi-shrimp, and other seafood. Escargot, which is forbidden to leave the island, is a special ingredient that can only be found in Ildepan. Covered with a rich sauce made with garlic and butter, it was a perfect match with the rice. Ildepan, which is about the same size as Miyako Island, has a 40-km paved road around the island, but there are no public transportation services such as buses. If you want to see around the island, you should book a rental car at your accommodation or join a tour of the island organized by the hotel to visit tourist spots. At Le Meridien Ile d’Epang, where I stayed, I met a Japanese woman who said she was a repeat visitor. When she told me that she was planning to spend a few days alone on the island, I thought, “What? Here all by herself? I was surprised to hear that she was planning to spend a few days here alone, but now I understand. Once you visit Ildepan, you will want to go back again and again. I was also fascinated by the great nature that gently healed my body and soul. Key Points on Days 3 and 4 ・Stay on the remote island of Ildepan
Snorkeling and sailboat cruises in Pissinne Naturel
Enjoy gourmet food such as escargot, which can only be found on the island
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