NOU Airport

Welcome to New Caledonia, country number 23!

Landed at La Tontouta Airport, which is New Caledonia’s international airport, about a 40 minute drive from the capital, Nouméa. There was what I assume was a French governmental plane just getting ready to leave the gate as we were disembarking, quite an imposing plane.

Already, just stepping into the airport, it’s nice to be in a more developed country. As New Caledonia is still part of France, there’s a lot more development here, the airport is cool and clean, the roads are paved and smooth.

I passed through customs, no problem with the passport, and got my bag and passed through biosecurity. I then had a shuttle waiting for me that I booked, as it’s really the only way to get into town at this hour. Not cheap (~CA$35) but not nearly as much as a taxi would be all the way into town. And they even had someone waiting with my last name written at the arrivals gate. It’s technically a shared shuttle, but because I was one of the last ones out, one had already left and I had this one to myself!

The roads here are super good, like being back in New Zealand, but with French influences. Nice to speak French again as well. I got dropped off at the hostel that I’ll be staying at for the next 4 nights!Read more