WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2013

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The People of New Caledonia Melanesians were here first. The Kanaks, as they’re called, still account for more than 40 percent of the archipelago’s population of around 250,000. Tribes own about a third of the land. The French came in the latter half of the 1800s – prisoners, prostitutes, widows and orphans mostly. The former penal colony remains a French territory. A good number of Japanese and Indochinese came on contract in the 1890s to work New Caledonia’s rich nickel mines – which still hold about 25 percent of the world’s known nickel reserves. Americans? More than a million spent time here during World War II, when New Caledonia was an important Allied base. These days only about 1,000 U.S. citizens visit the archipelago each year. “Americans come mostly for the diving,” said Jean-Michel Foutrein, director of New Caledonia Tourism. “When you dive here, you find everything just as it was a thousand years ago – or even 150,000 years ago. You dive and see no other boats around; you don’t share the reef with a thousand other tourists.” But even those who don’t dive, find plenty to see and do in New Caledonia. Explore from Noumea Noumea, the capital and only sizable city, is a good base from which to explore the main island, Grande Terre. Save time to visit some of the other islands in the archipelago, including Isle of Pines. For early risers, the Noumea Market, a short walk from the cruise terminal, is a great place to start. It opens at 5 a.m. and operates until around noon daily. Buy everything from smoked sea salt to sarongs, from vegetables to videos. “It’s also an excellent place to mingle with locals,” said guide Francois Tran of Caledonia Tours. For a bit of historical perspective, walk a few blocks to the Noumea Town Museum, the city’s oldest building (from 1874), steps from Wine Dine & Travel Fall <strong>2013</strong> | 58
Noumea Town Square (known locally as Coconut Tree Square). Don’t miss the museum’s basement war room for a look at what the U.S. did here during World War II. About five miles northeast of Noumea, find the Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, named for the leader of the Kanak independence movement who was assassinated in 1989. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the stunning complex was inspired by Melanesian tribal huts. It celebrates Kanak civilization – and in Piano’s words, is a place that will “pass on their memory to their grandchildren.” Hikers’ paradise Hikers will love New Caledonia. At Giant Ferns Park Botanical Reserve about 90 minutes north of Noumea, get lost on trails that meander around and under giant tree ferns that stretch 60 to 70 feet high. Or drive about 45 minutes east to the surreal landscape of Blue River Provincial Park, where the earth is so iron-rich it has the look of powdered rust. Park visitors will find the eerie remains of a rainforest that drowned when the Yate River was dammed a half century ago; the forest still stands, a haunting dry skeleton of its former self. Visitors also find hundreds of plants and animals that date to primeval times. “The park is a living museum for the old plants of our planet,” said tour guide Tran. “Ninety percent of the plants you’ll find here are found nowhere else on Earth – because the soil is so alkaline. “Not even worms can live in this soil, but carnivorous plants can,” he added, demonstrating the predatory mechanics of a carnivorous green pod that was growing near a delicate white orchid. The region’s fauna are unique, too. The cagou, a flightless bird and the country’s emblem, is the fifth rarest bird in the world – with only about 800 left in the wild, all in New Caledonia. We spotted two in the park. The boardwalk Back in Noumea, reserve time to walk the boardwalk at sunset. See families packing up after a lazy day at the beach; watch men gathering hollow metal balls after an afternoon of petanque play; be awed by the gravity defying acrobatics of kite surfers. Ahhh. Then ponder dinner. French cuisine, of course. The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre was designed by Renzo Piano.On opposite page, fresh fruit is center stage at the Noumea Market; water toys line the beach along Noumea bayfront. If You Go: New Caledonia Getting There: Aircalin, also known as Air Caledonie, is the international airline of New Caledonia. It offers flights from LAX, SFO (and South Pacific locales) to Tontouta International Airport in Noumea. www.aircalin.com Staying There: Chateau Royal Beach Resort & Spa. A former Club Med reopened in 2011, offers 108 contemporary apartment-style units, pool, spa, gym, restaurant, bar, WiFi. Rates start at about $260 per night, including breakfast. www.office-tourisme.nc/en/ ch%C3%A2teau-royal-beach-resort-spa Le Meridien Noumea. 245 rooms, pool, gym, business center, four restaurants, bar, free WiFi. Rates start at about $215 per night, including breakfast. www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien. Guide Service: Francois Tran can be contacted at caledoniatours@ lagoon.nc or phone +687 786 838. Know Before You Go: The best time to visit is April through December. Summer (mid-November through March) temps average 78-86. Winter (June through August) temps drop to the mid 70s during the day, about 60 at night New Caledonia uses the French Pacific Franc (XPF). Credit cards are accepted by most major retailers; US dollars are not. Don’t be surprised to find long lines at Noumea ATMs; machines often run out of money by afternoon. The official language is French, but English is widely spoken. Tap water is generally safe to drink. Tipping is not customary. More Info:.www.visitnewcaledonia.com winedineandtravel.com | 59
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WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2013

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