New Caledonia is located 2 hours flying time from Australia, 2½ hours
from New Zealand, 9 hours from Japan, 14 hours from Los Angeles and 21
hours from France.
No vaccinations are required unless travelling from
an infected area. Noumea has modern medical facilities
if required.
No visa is required for EEC, USA, NZ, or Australian
passport holders for stays of up to three months. A
valid passport and onward or return airticket is required
upon arrival. For other nationalities, visa information
is available from the nearest French Embassy.
New Caledonia is an affordable destination, however
it may not appeal to the budget traveller. Many packages
now offer a selection of meal and air passes and a visit
to the supermarket to buy food items is both interesting
and economical.
New Caledonia uses the French Pacific Franc (XPF).
Travellers cheques in XPF do not exist. Visitors to
New Caledonia are advised to take some local currency,
NZ/Australian/US Dollar travellers cheques or international
credit cards. If this facility has been prearranged
before departure, funds can also be withdrawn by credit
card at ATM machines located in and around Noumea. The Euro exchange in XPF is free of charge.
Tontouta International Airport is located approximately 50 km from the city of Noumea. At Tontouta Airport, shuttle buses or mini-buses and taxis offer regular transfer services to Nouméa (45 km from the airport) in 50 minutes. Car rental is also available. It is recommended to organise bus transfers or hire a car prior to arrival in New Caledonia.
International flights arrive and depart from Tontouta
International Airport. Domestic flights depart from
Magenta Domestic Airport located in the city of Noumea.
Most people involved in the tourist industry speak
English and a majority of tourist brochures are written
in English however a few phrases in French are always
welcomed by the locals.
The mainland of New Caledonia is 400km long and 50kms
wide. Visitors should allow around four days for a fly/drive
itinerary. The Isle of Pines and Loyalty Islands are
accessible by domestic airline.
The roads are in excellent condition and well signposted.
In New Caledonia, cars are driven on the right side
of the road. A current drivers license is required to
rent a car.
For use by international passengers, the Air Calédonie Pass facilitates the discovery of several destinations at preferential rates.
Applicable only to non resident tourist passengers in possession of an international airticket visiting New Caledonia for a stay not exceeding three months.
Ticketing for the Air Calédonie Pass package is handled by Air Calédonie agencies, by local approved agencies and by IATA travel agencies or via Internet.
The inter-island ferry service between the islands (lsIe of Pines, Lifou, Maré and Ouvéa) is operated by a high-speed catamaran referred to as "Le Betico".
For further information, please call (687) 26 01 00 or send a fax (687) 28 98 97.
New Caledonia is described as the land of eternal spring.
It boasts a pleasant semi-tropical climate all year
round. The wet season is from January to March and according
to the statistics it pours more during February. During
the cooler season the temperature varies between 20
and 26 degrees Celsius. Click here to view the current weather in Noumea.
New Caledonia is renowned for its designer label shopping,
including a range of toiletries and perfumes not available
in other Pacific countries. Souvenirs, foodstuffs and
wines should also be on the visitor's shopping list.
The duty free allowance into New Caledonia for alcohol
is 2 litres still wine plus 1 litre of spirits (more
than 22%) or 2 litres still wine plus 2 litres of spirits
(less than 22%). Like other islands in the Pacific,
no primary or dairy foods, fruit and vegetables or raw
meat products are permitted into New Caledonia. Processed
or tinned foods are generally allowed.
New Caledonia has three international golf courses:
Tina International Golf Course in Noumea, Dumbea International
Golf Course (10kms from Noumea) and Ouenghi Golf Course
(1 hour's drive north of Noumea).
Port Moselle is the port of entry into New Caledonia. This is the mandatory port for all
pleasure crafts entering the territory. The Capitainerie can be contacted on VHF 67, (indicatif "Port Moselle"),
daily from 7am to 6pm. The first night's mooring on the quay is free for any boats waving the yellow quarantine flag and arriving from another country. The length of stay is determined depending on the availability at the port. In any case it may not exceed one month. The "Capitainerie" is responsible for notifiying Customs, Border Police and biosecurity services as soon as the pleasure craft arrives at the visitor pontoon. Further information relating to entry and stay formalities in New Caledonia is available on the company's website : www.sodemo.nc
Customs formalities can be carried out at Pandop (Koumac) and at Wé (Lifou) however, yachties must complete the other administrative formalities in Nouméa.
CAPITAINERIE DE PANDOP
8, pointe Pandop - 98850 Koumac
Ph/Fax: (687) 47 34 34
E-mail: marinakoumac@lagoon.nc
MARINA DE WE
BP 50 - 98820 Lifou
Ph: (687) 45 10 62
Fax : (687) 45 10 59
email : marinawe@laposte.nc
CERCLE NAUTIQUE CALEDONIEN - C.N.C
2, rue du Capitaine Desmier
Baie des Pêcheurs
BP 235 - 98845 Nouméa Cedex
Ph: (687) 26 27 27 - Fax: (687) 26 28 38
E-mail: administration@cnc.asso.nc
Website: www.cnc.asso.nc
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| Facilities include 600 moorings, club house with bar and restaurant, dry dock with travellift up to 40 tonnes. The "Espadon" branch for deep sea fishing and the "Alizés" branch for yachting activities are both very active within the club. The sailing school provides lessons for beginner or advanced levels to teenagers (over 13) and adults. |
Noumea Yacht Services
Contact : Jean-Marie Demaret
BP 1263 - 98845 Nouméa Cedex
Ph/fax: (687) 24 01 23
E-mail: nys22s@hotmail.com
Website: www.noumeayachtservices.com
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| Noumea Yacht Services, a professional team that can take care of all your needs. Complete provedoring, from fuel at the best rates to provisions, spare parts locally or internationally, repairs and maintenance services and all adminitrative or touristic services. Before your arrival in New Caledonia or during your stay, do not hesitate to contact Noumea Yacht Services. |
Yes and the two best spots are: Ilot Ténia which
is in front of Moindou, about one hour from Noumea and
Bourail - Roche Percé - which is about two hours
from Noumea.
New Caledonia is very popular for windsurfing. In 1999,
the world windsurfing championship took place in Nouméa.
New Caledonia offers a vast array of accommodation
options from 5 star hotels to simple rural lodgings. You can view a list of recommended accommodations by clicking here.
For an official wedding, one of the future spouses must be residing or have at least one month's continuous residence (at publishing date) in the commune chosen for the marriage (Article 74 of the Civil Code).
To overcome this constraint, marriage celebrations are organised for non-residents. These are ceremonies, which are usually endorsed by a marriage certificate which has no legal value. The foreigners who opt for this formula have already got married legally in their country of residence.
The New Caledonia Post and Telecommunications Office (OPTNC) has branches located throughout the Territory with a network of 50 agencies and shops. It provides the services and products in its 3 activity sectors : mail, banking services and telecommunications.
In general, a letter posted in New Caledonia takes approximately four to five days to reach metropolitan France by airmail (three days for Australia and New Zealand). Postal stamps, telephone cards and first day covers are very colourful and well illustrated and are greatly sought after by stamp collectors and tourists. The New Caledonia Post and Telecommunications Office was world champion for philately in 2003.
When dialing overseas, dial 00 for the international network, followed by the country code after the tone then the phone number requested. For example, for Australia, dial 00 + 61 + area code (without the 0) + telephone number.
For more information contact the Telecommunications Commercial Agency, 9 rue Gallieni in Nouméa and in all the OPT agencies. By telephone at 1014 (call free).
The Mobilis "Liberté" service is contract free and provides domestic and international telecommunications. This service is based on the pre-pay system by purchasing a quota of communication minutes. Rechargeable cards are sold for 1,050 XPF, 3,150 XPF and 5,250 XPF (tax included).
The roaming system is available in New Caledonia. It provides the possibility of using your mobile telephone on the Mobilis network of the OPT-NC which is different from the one you have subscribed to, without changing your telephone number.
For Mobilis clients who travel and who want to use their mobile overseas, they just need to subscribe in advance to the travel option in an OPT agency (free option)
The Post Office has agreements with the following telecommunications companies:
| Metropolitan France: | | France Telecom Mobile Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom |
| New Zealand: | | Vodafone NZ |
| Australia: | | Optus, Vodafone Australia and Telstra |
| French Polynesia: | | Tikiphone |
| United Kingdom: | | Vodaphone UK |
| Hong Kong: | | Hutchison Telephone |
| Switzerland: | | Swisscom Mobile |
| Liechtenstein: | | Telecom FL |
| Spain: | | Telefònica Mòviles España |
| Vanuatu: | | Telecom Vanuatu Limited |
| Italia: | | Vodafone Omnitel Italie |
| Fiji: | | Vodafone Fiji Limited |
| Japan: | | Vodafone KK and NTT DoCoMo |
| Belgium: | | Mobistar |
| Canada: | | Rogers Wireless |
Subscribers to these networks can benefit from the same advantages in New Caledonia and can also use their mobile telephone on the Mobilis network.
Foreigners must obtain an authorisation from the Government of New Caledonia.
Contact: Haut-commissariat / Service des étrangers
Ph: (687) 26 63 00 - Fax: (687) 24 18 43
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