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Bonjour, Nouvelle Caledonie
  • Beth Vogelzang
  • Beth Vogelzang

Bonjour, Nouvelle Caledonie

Traveling to New Caledonia for exploration, and a little R&R on the Isle of Pines... Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 27, 2018
  • Beth VogelzangBonjour, Nouvelle CaledonieBeth Vogelzang

    Koulnoue

    April 28, 2018 in New Caledonia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    A bit of a trek on treacherous roads (wild dogs, chickens, rats, kids, and sundowning Kanaks) and we have finally arrived on Cote Est at our resort village. A lovely room. Settling down to a bevvy (see pic!), and about to have dinner. The Pacific Ocean is lapping outside our window. Just here for a night, then heading to the Cote Oest to the Sheraton.

    Not impressed with QANTAS tonight. Our plane was late by an hour, as they loaded 9 clients on wheelchairs. The only reason I say that, is the scrubber gate clerk told us a dozen times, and (I feel) beached their privacy by saying, "and they all gave their own wheelchairs and they take so long to load!" Anyway, my main gripe, is that our bags were left on the tarmac. In the rain. My bag on top. Everything is wet! My leather hiking shoes are soaking. Not impressed. A letter to follow!

    I have a couple of pics from the plane congrats in to Noumea. The evening view from outside our room. I have some gorgeous sunset pics, will post from camera, later!    Read more

  • Beth VogelzangBonjour, Nouvelle CaledonieBeth Vogelzang

    Koulnoue to Poé

    April 29, 2018 in New Caledonia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    I'd like to say we slept well, but no...no reason, just a bit fitful. However, sleep we did, cos at 7am the resort wake up ass clocked on. Yes, it is not every holiday resort offers this service, but here is a picture of hours. He (let's call him Jack) was about 20 metres from our room, not that we saw him last night, but we sure heard him, bang on 7am...

    So, now we were awake, we decided it was time for a dip. We first jumped in the resort pool, but it was quite col so we walked the extra 5 metres to the beach. It is coarse grey sand, volcanic looking with pumice, coral and stones. The water was warmer and very nice. The beach is really steep, and drops off suddenly. I did see something long swimming underneath me, so I decided to hop out and get ready to move on!

    We drove a little north, into the town of Hienghené itself...being Sunday, there was not a thing open, but we did see lots of locals in colourful dresses heading off to church. The is something very abundant in this country - churches and schools. Hienghené has outcrops arising from the water like volcanic plugs. Reminiscent of those at Phi Phi Island in Thailand.

    From there, we headed back across the mountain range, the spine of the country.... Around 1pm, we found a petrol station that was finally open, and we were hungry. It was an awesome stop, as they had freshly baked crunchy husband-beater baguettes, and ham and cheese. Just what we wanted, so we found a picnic table, at the Province Nord Hotel de Ville - the local seat of government. Glorious! Armed with fresh juice, we were energized.

    The weather came in though, as you could see, and the temperature dropped markedly. We headed slowly to our resort, stopping here and there. Stopped at the Baie de Tortes - Turtle Bay. It also had a strong surf, and deep rock pools at the waters edge that folks were swimming at. There were two local women on watch, again in their colorful dresses, who were on watch - life guards. The beach did have big warning signs - understandably , but ignored.

    We then went to a point that overlooked the beach. Very pretty. Tired, cold and a little weary, we headed for our digs for the night - the Sheraton Resort Deva, at Poé. Huge, and we have an amazing room, with a bigger than king size bed. Haha.

    Waiting for our golf buggy to come collect us for dinner now. It’s cocktail time!    Read more

  • Beth VogelzangBonjour, Nouvelle CaledonieBeth Vogelzang
    2

    Poé to Ile des Pins

    April 30, 2018 in New Caledonia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Left the Sheraton at Poé and headed south, towards Magenta Airport, for our flight to Ile des Pins. We had a few slight see spots along the way, but at lunch, we stopped near Tontouna, the International airport, at a wonderful family restaurant. Our maitre d’hotel was a wonderfully engaging young lady, and her madman was the cook. Madman was from Bordeaux, so everything was cooked Nouvelle Caledonie, but in the French style. We started with a curried shellfish pate, on baguettes, followed by abalone in garlic butter. I had a local fish, grilled in a garlic sauce (not to my taste, but it was ok). Paul had seafood au gratinoise...looked fab! The best bit though was the home grown mango juice with fresh passionfruit, picked off the vine growing beside our table! Yum!

    We arrived at the airport, and dropped off the rental car(“just park it anywhere”), and checked in for our Air Caledonie flight. It was a 60 person plane, and pick any seat.... Flight time was only 25 mins, so very nice. The Isle of Pines from the air is divine...surrounded by reef, and crystal clear bright blue water...

    We were collected at the airport, and arrived at the dodgiest lodging...haha, can’t win em all...We are here for two nights, and then move to a beautiful (and suitably expensive) resort, where we will spend 36 hours chilling...

    We did a 5km hike around our area, found a gorgeous beach, and got some gorgeous sunset pics...

    We walked through a woodland between two beaches where the most amazing trees grew.

    We found a very nice restaurant for dinner...I had seafood ravioli in a divine creamy sauce. Paul had stuffed chicken in a cream sauce which was equally lovely.

    We had a little hike back to our lodging, and finally slept like rocks...    Read more

  • Beth VogelzangBonjour, Nouvelle CaledonieBeth Vogelzang

    Ile des Pins

    May 1, 2018 in New Caledonia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Today we woke early and scavenged breakfast at a very ordinary restaurant - $40 for two slices of toast, two bowls of cereal juice and awful coffee from a machine. Ugh.

    Then we picked up a hire car, found a supermarket and bought a couple of baguettes for lunch, and headed off to explore the island. Our first stop was The Norte Dame of the Ascension church, built in the 1800’s. It was huge inside, and the type of church one could imagine Jake Blues cartwheeling down, while the congregation were fanning themselves and shouting Hallelujah!

    Next stop was a lookout over a beach, with a monument to the war dead. There are a lot of these in New Caledonia - I guess the Pacific campaign had a lot of casualties...

    We then stumbled in the Natural Pool...like an oasis, but near the ocean...it was an enclosed coral reef, quite unique. Quite a hike to get to, but once there, we swam as the water was crystal clear and an amazing blue. We left our snorkel gear in the car, however...big mistake! Paul very obligingly trekked the 1km back over the coral (i forgot my reef shoes too) and pick up our gear, and lunch. You can see some of the hike through the pics of trees...

    So glad he did, as it was like snorkeling in a marine aquarium...very beautiful!    Read more

  • Beth VogelzangBonjour, Nouvelle CaledonieBeth Vogelzang

    Oure Tera Lodge, Isle of Pines

    May 2, 2018 in New Caledonia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    So we ditched the dodgy digs, and relocated here ... Chalk n cheese. Have an amazing bungalow that opens on to the beach. We spent the morning snorkeling the reef just outside our door. Divine coral, tropical fish aplenty. Cute wrasse, parrot fish, angels, gourami, ribbon fish, and dozens of others I don't know the names of. Then we lazed and read our books... Wonderful to do that, neither of us have time any more to read, so it was divine!

    The tide went far out, exposing a rock shelf which we walked after putting on our reef shoes, as the rocks were sharp. Here we saw rock pools, left by the receding tide, full of life. They were perfect marine tanks, coral, fish, crustaceans, sea slugs. Very beautiful. There were very unusual crustaceans that looked like fossil trilobites, but living, clamped to the rocks. We walked maybe 750 meters along the rocks shelf (pics to follow) before we decided we'd better turn back before the tide turned, and we were stranded.

    We then jumped into the cold, but refreshing piscine (swimming pool).

    Now, it is time for a Number One - the local brew... Very nice.    Read more

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