VISA AND OTHER PROCEDURES
As a French territory, you only need a Citizen's Card to enter New Caledonia. But since you will be stopping over in other countries to get there, it is advisable to bring a passport valid for at least another six months.
HEALTH CARE
The New Caledonian authorities require a Yellow Fever vaccine certificate if you arrive in the territory from countries at risk of transmitting this disease or if you have spent more than 12 hours at airports in these countries. There is no risk of contracting malaria but the risk of contracting Dengue Fever justifies all possible care to avoid mosquito bites.
TRIP TO NEW CALEDONIA
A Star Alliance fly from Lisbon to Noumea with TAP tel.: 707 205 700, at Thai Airways and Air New Zealand, via London, Bangkok and Auckland
INTERNAL FLIGHTS
The airline Air Caledonie fly to Île des Pins, departing from Magenta – Noumea airport, for from €130 (round trip).
The most distant Loyauté islands can be visited by air for a minimum of €150 (round trip) for the Nouméa-Lifou route and a maximum of €180 (round trip) for flights between islands (from Ouvéa to Tiga) .
CAR RENTAL
A rental car is the most practical way to discover all the islands. Expect to spend a minimum of €40 per day in high season to rent an economy car. On the Île des Pins, almost all hotels and resorts rent cars.
SHIP
the ferry betico establishes two or three daily calls from Noumea to Isle of Pines for €70 (round trip).
The best time to visit Grande Terre and New Caledonia in general is the coldest and driest season from mid-June to October. From November to May, temperatures remain at around 30º and the humidity is quite high. This is also cyclone season, and while it's not one of the worst-affected territories in the South Pacific, New Caledonia also has its dose.
The currency of New Caledonia is the Comptoir Francais du Pacific (XPF). Like other French overseas territories, New Caledonia is an extremely expensive destination. There are several ATMs in Noumea and other larger towns on Grande Terre. Payment with credit cards is almost widespread.
ACCOMMODATION
It will cost you a minimum of €60 to €80 per day, per person, in a double room, in the simplest hostels. The best resorts on the Île-des-Pins and Loyauté make the most of the tropical beauty of the surrounding scenery and charge high prices, sometimes comparable to those in French Polynesia: €300, €400 per night and so on.
FOOD
Even the humblest and smallest meals for sale in the caravans, bars and cafes you can find easily cost €10. The cost increases almost exponentially with the sophistication of the restaurants.
INTERNET
Hotels and resorts often have free access to an internet service which – outside of Noumea and even worse on the islands off Grande Terre – can be slow and choppy. An hour of browsing an internet café can easily cost €10.