New Caledonia

Travel Story

Now it’s time to explore my island home together!

I had already travelled my country by car, but it was a first time to do it by bicycle. This is a great way to explore the island that offers a more authentic experience. You get to interact with the locals, discover hidden places and have fresh local tropical fruits.

There was a sad part during this trip that I feel important to share though. We cycled during the summer season. That year, it was especially dry. Everyday we would ride across bush fires, tap water was cut because of the drought and in some areas, the firemen did not have enough water to fight against the fire.

There was no restrictions for the peole living in the capital city and thoses staying at the hotels. The most impacted people were the ones that were living in the bush and whose lives relied on subsistence agriculture.

Climate change is an actual issue for us, people of the Pacific, and we need to remember our way of living can make a difference.

We don’t pretend to be perfect either, but we do believe that the way we travel helps with reducing our carbon footprint.

Overall feel

What we appreciate

• Beautiful untamed nature
• Laid back atmosphere
• Having fruits from the trees everyday
• People are nice and friendly

What we dislike

• English is not spoken
• The temperature is high
• The countryside is not well-developped, so make sure to double-check your gears before leaving Nouméa

In details

Stats

• Way of travelling: Mainly bicycle
• Starting date: November 28, 2019
• Duration: 23 days
• Distance: 1,250 km

Crossing the border

You can only enter New Caledonia by plane. It can be expensive because it is far from most of the continents.

Fab 🇫🇷

For French nationals, it’s like a domestic travel. Just bring your passport. ID cards will not allow you to pass the borders.

Mina 🇯🇵

As a Japanese, you are allowed to stay three months when you enter the country, without requesting a visa. The New Caldonian border officers are used to Japanese visitors.

Road condition

It’s not perfect but definitely rideable. If you follow the coastline, there is only one main road. You cannot lose your way even without a map. On the East coast, the road is almost empty and the drivers will give you enough space to cycle. The West coast is a little bit more busy. Between Nouméa and Bourail, it can be especially dangerous because of the drivers.

Accommodations

We have no idea about the hotels since we never used them. We mainly used the official campgrounds where prices would range between 1000 ~ 2000 XPF (8 ~ 17€) for one tent per night. Most of them have only minimum facilities. But the experience of freedom is real. You can forage food, make a fire, have a bathe in nature… but remember to ask the owner first!

Freedom camping

Freedom camping is almost impossible. The land is either a private property or is part of the Kanak territory. In the Kanak territory, you always need to ask permission for almost everything. If you are not used to the local customs it is better to avoid doing freedom camping to avoid troubles.

Facilities

Apart from the main towns, the countryside has only the essential facilites, not much more. However, you will find a petrol station at least every 50km. There you can find toilets, food and water. The local shops are not obvious and can look like someone’s house. Don’t hesitate to ask the locals, they will guide you to the nearest shops.

Communication with the locals

Although most of the time, you will need to speak French, it’s possible to communicate with your body language. Actually, in New Caledonia the body language is an important part of their communication. For example, eyebrows’ movements and head-nodding can replace a whole sentence. Don’t be suprised if you cannot hear the locals’ voice when they try to interact with you. People are very nice and helpful but it is easy to break a Kanak rule without noticing it. So if you are not sure, we suggest you not to venture too deeply in the tribes’ territory.

Food

Fresh tropical fruits are to find everywhere. We were having self-collected mangos and coconuts from the trees everyday. In the countryside, people are used to grow and eat their own food. Also, hunting and fishing is part of their daily life. Mina really enjoyed the seafood from our blue lagoon.

If I have a suggestion, carrying a short machete is convenient for foraging fruits from the wild.

Restaurants are particularly expensive, more than Paris actually. Most of the time the quality doesn’t follow. In general expect the goods to be more expensive than France because they are imported.

Vegetarian friendly:

⭐⭐☆☆☆

Let’s face it, the vegetarian diet is not pouplar in New Caledonia. You need to explain what is a vegetarian diet and sometimes you even to specify that bacon and fishes are not acceptable options.

Otherwise, you have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables at the local markets (not at the restaurants).

What we eat:

• Tropical fruits
• Baguette bread
• Rice (imported)
• Coffee
• Honey
• Bats hunted by the locals (for Mina)
• Roots vegetables

⭐ Fab's favourite:

Coconuts! But I actually enjoyed collecting them more than having them.

⭐ Mina's favourite:

Angel shrimps. They were the best shrimps I have ever had!

5 memorable places

Yate’s Dam	scenery and the crystal clear blue pond
The North road between Ouega and Arama through the dry wetlands	Difficult but unseen landscapes
The heart of Voh	Easy hike until the viewpoint to see the heart-shaped mangrove
Farino	Beautiful national park where you can see cagous (endemic birds)
The Loyalty islands	It’s heaven!