The Cube

This is in the order of places in city centre, followed by order of visit. 

Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 5am to 11:30am.

It is identifiable with the hexagonal blue roofs. It is not a big market but one can find meat, veges, fruits, cooked food and souvenirs. I got a couple of croissants (1 plain and 1 with ham and cheese), crossed the road to the garden, plonked myself on a bench and ate them for my late breakfast. 

This is the city square and at the top is a band rotunda from the late 1800s. There's free wi-fi throughout the square and many benches to sit so a good place to take a break. 

Built in 1888 by convict labour and is one of Noumea's landmarks. I went on a Sunday and did not coincide with any scheduled Sunday masses time so it was closed. 

Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm. Entry fees: 300XPF for adult

The musuem is housed in a refurbished Quonset hut originally built by the Americans in 1943. Between 1939 and 1945 New Caledonia joined free France. The musuem itself isn't big but the exhibits were interesting and informative on New Caledonia's participation in WWII. As the exhibits are in French, I was handed a hand held device, sized of an ipad to listen to the audio guide. This was the only museum I entered in Noumea. 

Cyclone season is from November to April. May to August is considered high season as tropical heat dips to cool season and passed cyclone season. I went during last week of April as it coincide with a public holiday, my passport is approaching the 6 months mark and needed to be renewed, flights on sale and I thought it was close enough to May. There were some rainy days, but manageable except one of the days when I was in Ile des Pins. It rained pretty much the whole day. 

Currency for New Caledonia is Pacific Franc (CFP) or XPF. It is pegged to euros at a fixed exchange rate of 100 XPF = €0.838 euros. Duty free on Air Calin is charged in euro. 

Public buses route can be planned using the bus website - https://itineraires.taneo.nc/en/

The single trip Taneo ticket (300 XPF) is literally single trip, no transfer. A day trip ticket (900 XPF) is only activated when you tapped on the bus, so you can pre-buy some (if you need) when you come across a ticket vending machine. I've only seen ticket vending machine at Place Moselle and Desmazures. So if you are staying near one of those smaller stops and needed a day pass (and dont have any), you will have to pay for a single trip to town center and get one. Single trip can be bought from bus driver. Bus ticket fare is at a flat rate. 

Bus ticket is tap on and tap off. There are electronic sign board in the bus to indicate the next station so you would know when to press the bell to get off. 

New Caledonia is not a cheap destination, but cost for food can be reduced by getting food from supermarket instead of eating out. Casino Supermarket that I went to (Casino Port Plaisance) stocks more French food versus the other supermarket in the neighbourhood that I went to (Auchan) but both sells hot food too. 

I see ATMs in Noumea and there's one in Vao in Ile des Pins but I didn't use any. I exchanged some XPF prior to travelling and used cash. 

On checking in to my flight, one of the questions asked was if I had booked my accommodations. I was told that I might be asked that on arrival in Noumea. 

I book an airport shuttle on arrival as public buses have stopped running by the time I arrived, but there are public buses to and fro the airport, however, they are very infrequent service. I used Arc en Ciel. For some reason, my transactions using mastercard were rejected. I managed to book using a visa card. I put in the address of the airbnb accommodation that I booked and was pleasantly surprised that they sent me right to the gate!

There are 2 airports in Noumea. The international airport, Tontouta Airport and domestic airport, Magenta Airport. Magenta Airport is closer to town and the 2 airports are not near to each other. Public bus service can get to both airports. Airport shuttle cost 2,500 XPF one way versus 300 XPF for public bus (if you don't need a transfer).

I contemplated to get a phone card (mobilis) but ended up didn't. If you don't have a phone card and needed data for any reason, there is free wifi at Place des Cocotiers.

Camping sites are cheapest but you'll have to bring your own tent. I stayed in a gite - a small, very modest hotel and booked their safari tent lodging. 

If you own a snorkelling set, bring along so you don't have to hire one. If you are going to Ile des Pins, pack along reef shoes if you have one. 

 

I stayed in airbnb in Noumea so I tried to boil water for consumption. I had tap water when I was in Ile des Pins as I booked a safari tent. According to Lonely Planet, published Dec 2016, water is safe to drink throughout New Caledonia except on Ouvéa.

I can't speak French but most of the locals speak English. I tried to at least learn to say, "Bonjour, parlez-vous anglais?" and hope for the best. 

New Caledonia is an overseas territory of France, located in the South Pacific. New Caledonia is about 1,500 km east of Australia. The country is made up of islands, the main island being Grande Terre. Loyalty Islands of Mare, Lifou and Ouvea are 3 islands in a line, about 100km off the east coast of Grande Terre. Another island - Isle des Pins is 110km southeast of Noumea. 

Most of my flights are to the left of Australia but this round it was to the right. There used to be direct flight from Melbourne but it probably has been discontinued. On my way there, I had a transit in Sydney and a transit in Brisbane on my way back. Not intentionally but based on cheapest flight fare. My initial flight that was scheduled to arrive in the evening in Noumea got cancelled and I was rescheduled on a later flight that day. 

I am not a big beach holiday person so this was a bit out of the norm country of choice to visit to. However, it checked the boxes of short flights (disregarding transit), short holiday, I've not been and flight ticket sales. New Caledonia, however, is not a cheap holiday destination. 

The itinerary is very simple, just a week in Noumea and Ile des Pins. I stayed in Airbnbs (Motor Pool before Ile des Pins and Val Plaisance after) in Noumea and a gite in Ile des Pins. The other place I would want to visit in New Caledonia that I didn't would be The Heart of Voh.  

22/04, Day 00 - Sydney, arrived in Noumea* at night

23/04, Day 01 - Noumea*, walking around Central Noumea

24/04, Day 02 - Noumea*, hiking at Mont Dore

25/04, Day 03 - Noumea*, visit Tjibaou Cultural Centre and Museum of World War II

26/04, Day 04 - Flight to Ile des Pins* (Gite Nataiwatch)

27/04, Day 05 - Ile des Pins*

28/04, Day 06 - Flight back to Noumea*

29/04, Day 07 - Noumea*, around Anse Vata

30/04, Day 08 - Flight back to Melbourne

Hifumiya by day, Jigoro by night. I've been to Hifumiya during one of my visits to Perth but didn't realise by night, the udon shop transformed into an izakaya. We went out for dinner to celebrate sis's birthday. I find their menu very cute. The kids find ramune very interesting. 

When I visited Kumo Desserts in Perth, they haven't had an outlet in Melbourne yet but they have recently opened up in Melbourne. Their souffle pancakes are quite big portion so best to share. There was a queue when we arrived but luckily we didn't have to wait too long, maybe about 15-20 minutes and we got an outdoor seating. 

I know cheese foam has been around for a long time but I have not tried it. This creamy hojicha came with cheese foam, and it was tasty. 

Most of the time I was home at sister's place but on one of the the days I was out so just randomly walked around in Perth CBD. 

Index page for my 3 weeks trip to Northern Europe. 

Breakdown of travel days and links to accommodation

Day 1-3: Christmas period in Stockholm

Day 4: Stockholm, travelling to Helsinki

Day 5: Day trip to Tallinn

Day 6: Helsinki, Santa Claus Express train to Rovaniemi

Day 7-9: Rovaniemi

Day 10: Travelling day from Rovaniemi to Kiruna

Day 11: Overnight in Kiruna, then shuttle from Kiruna to Abisko

Day 12-14: Abisko

Day 15: Arctic Circle train from Abisko to Tromsø

Day 16-17: Tromsø

Day 18: Flight from Tromsø to Oslo

Day 19: Oslo