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Photo credit: ©Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

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The FREE Weekly Conservation Post and Jobs List

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Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.

Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.

If you are interested in contributing or getting involved, email us Here. 

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SEVENSEAS FEATURED TRAVEL

Below are a few of our favorite tour centers and operators. Be sure to mention SEVENSEAS Media for special rates and discounts when making your inquiry.

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Dive the World’s Largest Lagoon 

From beginner divers to excursions for experts, New Caledonia boasts diving spots that are each more magical than the next. Under the water’s surface, coral pinnacles shelter multicoloured fauna that is often accessible even without wearing a tank. With reefs, passes and slopes, and the right equipment, divers can meet face-to-face with the big ocean-dwellers.

Flippers, mask and a snorkel

No need to dive for a long time to enjoy the splendours under the surface. With only a mask, flippers and a snorkel, a swimmer can also meet up with butterflyfish, triggerfish, parrotfish and clownfish, plus many more. The underwater path at Ilot Canard (Duck Island), the depths off the coast of the Amédée Island, the lagoon of Poé, the waters off Hienghène or the Loyalty Islands, or wherever you are, you can snorkel and be amazed. 

Magical diving spots

Shipwreck diving

New Caledonia’s barrier reef has ‘surprised’ many navigators throughout the years with a number of ships sinking. Nowadays, those shipwrecks offer the perfect diving spots for locals and international divers alike. At Amedee Lighthouse, the ‘Dieppoise’ is a famous site, as well as the Sun Burnt Country one, near Goeland Islet. If you want to scuba dive around New Caledonia, you will be spoilt for choice between shipwrecks but also mythical spots such as Poindimie and its forests of Gorgonian corals, the underwater caves near Poum or the Crystal clear water of the Isle of Pines!

Freediving

New Caledonia is a paradise for freedivers. The breathtaking clear water of the Caledonian Lagoon guarantees fantastic dive trips out. Moreover, the fact that the lagoon isn’t overcrowded with humans means that its inhabitants are far from being shy with the divers. You will be as happy as a clam!

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Discover the seabed

Dive into the heart of a shipwreck

As soon as you have access to traditional diving equipment, the prospects are endless. From the barrier reef to the pits and natural caves, you won’t get tired of diving in New Caledonia. Even more so if you go exploring shipwrecks, habitat for an extremely dense fauna and flora. The Dieppoise at the Amédée Lighthouse, the Humboldt near the Dumbéa channel, or even the Arrogant at Boulari or the Sun Burnt Country towards Goéland Islet… Make your choice!

Island diving

The waters around the Isle of Pines and Lifou are renowned for their exceptional richness, but the islands also offer cave diving where the atmosphere is necessarily different. The gallery of caves around Lifou remains largely unexplored. Don’t venture out alone, and trust your provider. This service is intended primarily for experienced divers and caving enthusiasts.

Night diving

Most providers will offer an exceptional opportunity, diving at night. Renowned for its mysterious atmosphere, night diving is real exploration, open to all. Be careful, thrills are guaranteed! It’s also an opportunity to observe a rare natural phenomenon and fascinating curiosity, fluorescent coral.

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Discover Islets and Beaches

With white sand, sunshine and the sea, this is the idealised image that everyone is looking for when setting off for the tropics. In New Caledonia, this postcard becomes a reality, is present everywhere and is a symbol of well-protected nature. This peaceful, romantic image is available everywhere. On the beaches, on the coast and the islets scattered over the surface of the lagoon, relaxation and lounging are the top of the list in the Caledonian archipelago. 

City beaches

Although your first contact with New Caledonia is naturally the city of Nouméa, a 21st-century city, you can still find the peace of the Pacific. On a peninsula whose first stones were laid to face the horizon, Nouméa keeps its feet in the water and its inhabitants enjoy its welcoming beaches daily, a place for Sunday rest, a walk after work or a family dip. The beaches that border the hotels and restaurants are only a preview of the other jewels of the territory.

Countless beaches and islets

Infinite sweeping sand

As soon as you leave the capital city and its outskirts, the beaches quickly take on another appearance, wilder and more protected. At the entry to Bourail, the beach at Poé extends over more than 10 km of white sand, bordered by an azure lagoon. You’ll never be overwhelmed by visitors since the seaside has so much space. The island of Ouvéa also promises tranquillity as one of the Loyalty Islands whose 25 km is almost all luxurious beaches themselves.

Coves almost are hidden from view

Those who love small areas hidden from view will also love the small coves and accessible beaches found all over New Caledonia. In the west, the small bays of Tortues (Turtles Bay) and Amoureux (Lovers’ Bay) keep their mysterious atmosphere. In the east, the length of the Forgotten Coast is still accessible by boat. There’s also Lifou, where you can easily find small beaches hidden away from the main roads. Don’t forget the Isle of Pines, where long bays alternate with small coves.

Beaches out to sea

Beaches are everywhere, even in the middle of the lagoon. Off the coast of any town, many islets are accessible to those with a boat. And some of them are so infrequently visited that you’ll feel like Robinson Crusoe, far from the hustle of the city. Still be careful not to set foot on some prohibited islands, which are sanctuaries for endangered plants and animals and given entirely to nature.

SURF!!!

Although surfing isn’t the most common board sport in New Caledonia, it’s still widely enjoyed, especially now that between traditional surfing, shortboarding and longboarding and other options, you won’t have a hard time finding the board/spot right for you!

Find your wave

Hit the waves

Let’s admit it: surfing isn’t as easy as windsurfing or kitesurfing, not because of the technique involved but because of the accessibility of the surfing spots. To surf in New Caledonia, you’ll need to take a boat to reach the barrier reef to reach the waves and navigate the passes and dead-ends. These constraints do indeed require time but save energy for those who are willing. Once you’re in place, you won’t miss a single wave!

Great conditions

New Caledonia is still one of the best destinations for surfing thanks to its location. The swells are particularly nice, generated by depressions that form between Australian Tasmania and the territory of New Zealand. Between May and September, conditions are ideal to create nice waves up to 4.5 m tall with almost perfect wind conditions. In the mid-summer, swells are smaller but still make for great sessions.

The dream spot at Bourail

One of the most reputed spots is at Bourail, off the beach of La Roche Percée, with a panel of surfing waves at the pass. Genaro and Snorky are two right-breaking spots, but you can also surf the three left-breaking spots at Secret, les Ronfleurs and Ile Verte. But other sports are also available nearby, perfect for beginners and a bit calmer.

Surfers who love the lagoon

Surfers who set out from the Roche Percée are also fully aware of the fragility of the site and love to appreciate its wonders. Do like they do and don’t disturb the sea turtles that come in to lay, and if you have the chance to admire one from afar, later you can enjoy watching the babies rush into the sea.

Surf clubs in New Caledonia

• Gouaro Surf Club in Bourail
• Big Banana Surf Club in Bourail
• Nouméa Surf Club
• Association Calédonienne de SUP in Nouméa

Learn more at https://www.newcaledonia.travel/

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Photo Banner credit: ©Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

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If you haven’t quite made up your mind to take a trip to New Caledonia, here are 20 good reasons to convince you!

1. Some 60% (15,000 km²) of New Caledonia’s lagoon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the marine environment is one of the most beautiful in the world, sheltering hundreds of underwater wildlife species and a breathtaking diversity of corals and plant species.

2. New Caledonia is a melting-pot of ethnic communities, with a richly diverse cultural heritage: the Kanak people, the earliest inhabitants who settled here over 3,000 years ago, the European inhabitants (known as Caldoches or, in the case of recent arrivals, Z’oreilles), Asian communities (from Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam…) and peoples from other islands (Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Reunion Island). A unique and vibrant ethnic mix!

3. New Caledonia is a biodiversity hotspot with a level of endemism, per square kilometre, seen almost nowhere else on earth. 76% of the country’s plant and wildlife species are only found in New Caledonia.

4. The sublime white sand beaches of Lifou, Ouvéa and the Isle of Pines easily rival the world’s most famous beaches.

5. The inspiring Tjibaou cultural centre was designed by world-famous architect Renzo Piano as a showcase for Kanak art, culture and tradition.

6. The view from the top of the lighthouse, inaugurated in 1865 on Phare Amédée, an idyllic islet off the coast of Noumea, is absolutely stunning.

7. The Déva Estate at Bourail is the site of New Caledonia’s largest surviving area of dry forest, home to an outstanding diversity of plant and wildlife species.

8. The sun shines all year round in New Caledonia, which enjoys a wonderfully balmy climate with an average annual temperature of 25°C.

9. Parc des Grandes Fougères nature reserve in the region of La Foa is a haven for rare species of tree fern, some of which were first seen on Earth nearly 350 million years ago.

10. Oro, Kanumera, Upi: Three bays of ethereal beauty… Once you’ve set eyes on them, you’ll see why the Isle of Pines is known as “the island closest to paradise”. A sobriquet shares with Ouvéa!

11. A powered paraglider flight at sunrise, floating high over the barrier reef off the Bourail and Moindou coastline, is an exhilarating once-in-a-lifetime experience.

12. New Caledonia is home to Amborella trichopoda, the most ancient and sole surviving sister species of all other living flowering plants. It first appeared about 200 million years ago and is endemic to New Caledonia. 

13.The rock outcrops known as the Hienghène “Hen” and the Bourail “Bonhomme” (Old Man) form, together with the Jokin cliffs in Lifou, some of New Caledonia’s most spectacular rock formations.

14. Locally farmed New Caledonian blue prawns are heavenly and highly sought after by top chefs from Europe to Japan.

15. Celebrated aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand brought the Heart in Voh to the eyes of the world. Tomorrow, you could be the one photographing this unique mangrove formation from on high!

16. New Caledonia boasts a wealth of unusual wildlife species, from emblematic Kagus to Rusa deer and from flying foxes to Imperial Pigeons.

17. On the East Coast, the road from Hienghène to magnificent Tao Waterfall via the Ouaïème River ferry crossing offers stunning photo opportunities every 30 seconds!

18. New Caledonian vanilla is celebrated worldwide for its exquisite taste. Its subtle savour enhances many local specialities and you can use it in your favourite baking recipes back home. Yummy!

19. Parc de la rivière Bleue nature reserve, stretching over 9,000 ha, boasts spectacular scenery including a drowned forest, a thousand-year-old kauri tree and a crystal clear river. Take a deep breath of fresh air! 

20. No visitor can resist the sparkling bays lining the seafront in New Caledonia’s capital Noumea. Anse Vata, Baie des Citrons and Promenade Pierre Vernier are all delightful, whether you fancy a leisurely stroll, a refreshing dip or a bit of retail therapy.

For more information visit: https://www.newcaledonia.travel/en/why-new-caledonia

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Photo credit (Banner): ©Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

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