The Natural Scenes That Every Tourist Will Love To See

With the limpid lagoons to the vast dry forest region, from the colourful underwater reef world to the peculiar shaped reefs –the natural wonders of New Caledonia is endless. You can spend hours relaxing on the white sandy beaches of the Isle of Pines, Lifou and Ouvea or explore the rarest of the fern species in the Parc des Grandes Fougeres. There are the rocky outcrops at Jokin Cliffs, again the Heart of Voh scores hearts with its perfect shape. While planning your quest in diversified nature of New Caledonia, you need to keep a few things in mind. Learn more about the facts to remember while visiting New Caledonia.

There are five eco-regions in New Caledonia with their distinct natural beauty. Let’s have a look at them –

Apart from the cultural centres, aquariums, beaches and markets, Noumea is popular for the following –

Amedee Isle –Known for the towering white metal lighthouse flanked by verdant palm groves and white sand, the Amedee Isle is not only historic but also one of the largest in the world from top of which you can see the Caledonian lagoon teeming with corals and reef fishes.

Noumea Islets –Besides Amedee, the islets of Goeland, Laregnere, Signal, Sainte-Marie, Canard and Maitre are famous for their coastline and marine life. Canard with its underwater trail and Maitre for its underwater life is worth visiting.

Ouen Toro –Dominating the southern region and offering a panoramic view of the city with lagoons and foothills, the Ouen Toro hill with lots of nature parks is like “green lungs”.

From a lenticular cliff to riverbanks, hiking trails to forested region –the natural wonders of West Coast are –

• Dumbea –The Fayard River, Dumbea River with natural cavities and potholes and Mount Koghi for its views of primal forest
• Voh –Probably the best attraction of west coast with its natural mangrove plant formation in heart shape, named Coeur de Voh
• Farino –The waterfall trail and the park filled with towering ferns.
• Paita –Hikes to Mount Humboldt and Mount Mou
• Boulouparis –The magnificent Caledonian Lagoon with the vibrant corals
• Sarramea –The hike to the Dogny plateau and La Cuve Du Trou Feillet for its waterhole surrounded by bushes
• La Foa –Learn about the fragile mangrove ecosystem while passing through the trails of Ouano’s Mangroves
• Bourail –Poe Beach by the lagoon, the tranquil NY Waterfalls, endemic dry forest region at Deva Estate, Bonhomme rocky outcrop, double reef flanking Green Island and Three-Bay trail covering Turtle Bay, Lovers’ Bay and La Roche Percee.

From the mountainous region of Grande Terre to the thin coastal strip meeting ocean, the east coast boasts of natural diversity –

• Skin-diving at Mwara beach will offer a less-explored and exotic coast of Thio
• Poindimie’s Tibarama Islet is dubbed as the most beautiful in New Caledonia, thanks to its long stretch of beach and well-preserved corals in the lagoon where ribbon eels are found
• Hienghene is famous for the magnanimous Tao Waterfall and the widely known rock formation in the shape of a Brooding Hen and a Sphinx.
• Houailou is not only famous for the lychees but also the Ba Waterfall which can be reached via a hiking trail during October through May

Mont Dore and Yate being the two attractions of the Great South has a number of nature reserves and plateaus where hiking and biking will be perfect options.

• From the Mont Dore Summit to the Ouen Isle with its Humpback Whales, Green Sea Turtles and distinct Ouenite rocks, diversity in nature is perfectly depicted here.
• Waterfalls of La Madeleine with its enormous size, hike through the Maquis shrubland and the underwater living fossils are notable in Yate. The Blue River Park, on the other hand is distinct for its hundreds of drowned bleached logs, the old growth forestry full of Cagous and the Jurassic-age landscape will take your heart away.

Bordering the New Caledonian mainland, the five islands will never cease to mesmerize you with their uniqueness.

l’Île des Pins –The Isle Of Pines with its long stretch of sandy beaches flanking the four bays namely Kanumera Bay, Oro Bay, Upi Bay and Kuto Bay looks stunning, thanks to the turquoise waters creating contrast with the powdery sand.

Ouvea –Not only is Ouvea listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site but also it is dubbed as the island close to the paradise. No urban touch is found in the white sandy beaches and the glistening atolls. The Hanawa Blue Hole surrounded by dense forestry, the shallow shark nursery and the azure blue Pleiades du Nord will be breathtaking to behold.

Lifou –Known as an island with many faces, Lifou is characterized by the pinkish sand kissed by the indigo blue water at the Luengoni Beach and the towering Jokin Cliffs overlooking the bluish green water where Manta Rays are lucky sightings.

Mare –Many legends pass about Mare where the rugged Warrior’s Leap is famous for cliff jumping. Shabadran terraces are famous for the coral reefs emerging over the vibrant waters and the Natural Aquarium carved from coral along with the Pethoen Cave in the Tropical Forest is famous for the limpid water.

Tiga –A hotspot for traditional lifestyle with the native inhabitants, Tiga is a dome-shaped island by the Coral Sea. Surrounded by corals and the confluence of blue and green waters, Tiga is famous for deep canyons, reef flats and abundance of shellfish.

So, which one among the above enchanted you the most?

It is hard to choose any one from so many natural wonders, but as each part of the archipelago has different natural vistas, you can definitely choose one from the five.