Less than three hours by air from Australia's east coast is the French overseas territory of New Caledonia comprising the main island of Grande Terre, where the capital, Nouméa, is situated; the Isle of Pines, Loyalty Islands and a number of smaller outlying islands.
The Isle of Pines and the Loyalty Islands in particular are especially popular with South Pacific cruise ship passengers and blue water sailors.
Above from title picture: Cruising around Lifou, Isle of Pines waters, Lifou, Ouvéa's Mouli Bridge, blue water sailing.
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.
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 if you're looking for somewhere a little different.
The Loyalty Islands
You may hear Ouvéa 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 1960s, 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 Heaven, a love story about a young Japanese woman visiting Ouvéa and a local man of Japanese descent. A film adaptation was released in 1984. 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 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 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 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 Maréans 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.
Life on Tiga, 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 or hotels, and limited motor vehicles and electricity, Tiga is a bridge too far for most outsiders but is an authentic slice of island paradise situated midway between Maré and Lifou.
Isle of Pines
Farther south, the Isle of Pines 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.
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 Kougny at Oro Bay is worth a visit for its great seafood.
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.
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 Méridien. You can fly from Nouméa (30 minutes) or take a ferry (2½ hours).
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.
Title picture and additional photos courtesy of New Caledonia Tourism.