New Caledonia Road Trip

ROUTE:

Noumea to Kone 270 km

Kone to Malabou Beach 157km

Malabou Beach to Hiengheve 275km

Hiengheve to Pondimie 50km

Pondimie to Noumea 299km

Koniambo Hotel Kone

After four relaxing days on the lovely Ile Des Pins we collected our hired Europcar at Magenta airport and headed north for Kone a distance of 270km. Driving in New Caledonia is on the right so negotiating roundabouts and freeway on ramps was a bit of a challenge at first and for the first half hour we found ourselves constantly heading in the wrong direction to where we wanted to be but with a little extra patience and logic we eventually found ourselves heading north. The road conditions on this section were very good and the dual freeway extends almost to the airport some 45 Kms from Noumea. It seems though that the speed limit is seen as a challenge to many motorists but in our little mini Peugeot we were no match for the big boys in their oversized Utes so merely trundled along without apparently aggravating anyone coming up behind us at breakneck speed. Not one hoot so far! The countryside is magnificent and to the eye pristine and un spoilt. Soaring mountain ranges are a feature of the the island topography and at times these give way to gentle rolling hills and grasslands. All evoking nostalgic thoughts of places previously lived and favourite places of natural beauty. I discovered that New Caledonia is home to 3,332 plant species 2,551 of which are endemic and as we travelled we marvelled at the variety of trees, shrubbery and grass varieties.

On arrival in Kone we soon found our roadside hotel The Koniambo. A pleasant enough motel type of establishment, clean and moderately comfortable. The staff were great and put up with our hesitant French. Dinner was buffet style in a brightly lit dining hall, the quality of fare was good with a fairly wide choice.

The next day a shorter drive to Malabou Beach the roads still good with evidence of up grades along the way. The vegetation gave way to a more arid look than the south with smaller rocky hills and more stunned vegetation. Poum is the northern most town and appears to have little going for it and feels rather sad and neglected but it was a Saturday afternoon.

Malabou Beach Resort is 10 minutes south of Poum. The resort overlooks a large lagoon and comprises lovely beach bungalows thatched in palm leaves. Interiors are modern and clean if somewhat compact and some bungalows have small private pools. The beach is not great, a very narrow slice of sand with lots of natural debris along the shore. A walking trail from the resort takes you through the mangroves and up to the top of the peninsula for lovely panoramic views. The environment is pristine, natural and serene. You can also explore the lagoon on a kayak from where you can appreciate this piece of paradise. Overall the resort is well run with friendly staff. The restaurant offers a reasonable a la carte menu, we were visiting out of season and realised that this place undoubtedly has more to offer at peak times. A few days here though is adequate as the surrounding area offers little more of interest to visitors.

Malabou Beach Resort

Malabou Beach to Hienghene (Hyehen)

Driving south for around 40km we took the turnoff at Chagrin in the direction of Ouegoa. This cross country road twists and turns through rolling hills and over small mountain passes, the road is generally in good condition but you cannot do this short distance in a hurry and why would you want to? The scenery along the way is magnificent and once more we were struck by the diversity of plant life, evergreen hardwood trees and tree ferns clustered in small forests and then open country with conifers and a variety of flora. The leisurely pace allowed us to enjoy the passing scenery but concentration is needed in negotiating the many winding climbs and descents. Finally cresting a steep hill the magnificent turquoise waters told us we had reached the other side of New Caledonia which at its widest point is only 55km. Driving south we hugged the rugged coastline passing through small settlements and farms with the Kanak people waving us on with a friendly smile. The road in this stretch is not great and care is needed approaching the one way bridges of which there are many. The ferry crossing over the Ouaieme river which flows through central NC is the last remaining barge in the country and it comes upon you without notice, a steeply winding road drops you into the valley with its breathtaking view of Mount Panie and all of a sudden a stop sign signals your arrival at the crossing point. The barge man calls from his small cabin for you to proceed and whilst you cannot understand his orders you instinctively know where to stop on the barge to avoid going over the edge, not much attention to health and safety here but you need to remember that this is after all 'island life'. The barge service is free and works on demand with no waiting for a full load, our barge man took off with only us on board and then suddenly reversed to pick up two more vehicles who arrived as we left the shore.

Barge crossing

On arrival in Hienghene (Hyehen) which means 'cry while walking' due to the villages violent history there is a pharmacy, mooring dock and information centre and no other shops. We stopped at the surprisingly modern information centre  to ask directions to our next stop Koulnoe Village Resort and at the same time to learn of any attractions in the vicinity. The main attractions here are the Tao waterfall around 30 km north of the village and Les Roche Noires de Linderalique (Limestone rocks) in the beautiful bay. One of the noticeable features of our journey in New Caledonia is the scarcity of convenience stores to buy basic grocery needs. Snack bars or take away establishments are as rare as hens teeth and we soon learned that if we wanted a supply of snacks or even to do a bit of self catering that we took our opportunity when we stumbled upon it, choices are limited with a dearth of fresh produce which is surprising given the pastoral aspect of the country. The resorts generally are fixated on buffets and you are held hostage to the relatively high price you need to pay even if you are only looking for a light meal. There simply is no alternative but perhaps this adds to the authenticity of country kept as it is in its natural state with minimum human intervention.

Koulnoe Village Resort

Hiengheve viewpoint

Hiengheve Bay

The Hotel Teiti in Poindimie is positioned overlooking tranquil seas and does have a beach but not anything too get excited about although the waters are calm and fine for swimming, the beach is long enough for a longish walk and the shoreline offers up a variety of sea shells and broken coral.

Hotel Tieti Pondimie

Lovely beachside bungalows

Beach at Hotel Tieti

The final leg of our trip from Pondimie continued down the eastern shore crossing the mountains from east to west turning at Houailou heading from Bourail and southwards to Noumea and our destination hotel Nouvata at Baie De L' Anse Vata

Beautiful church near Pondimie

Heading to the mountain passes

Our mini Peugeot

New Caledonia is a gentle and relaxing place to visit. The New Caledonians are warm and welcoming and although this is a French speaking country many people can converse in English and will patiently tolerate any hesitant French you may have to offer. Our trip was entirely d.i.y from Air bookings and car hire to the hotels and resorts we stayed in. Readers of this blog are invited to contact me for any information they may need should they be planning a trip to this small but unique country only a few hours from Sydney but yet offering a unique mixture of Melanesian and European culture. We have merely brushed the surface and feel that there is more to explore and local culture to experience in this interesting archipelago.