New
Caledonia is a perfect place to tour on
bicycle. There is little traffic, beautiful
scenery, and the roads have great surfaces;
and, unless you cross the central mountain
range, the gradients are generally gentle.
Grande Terre is the main island. One of
the largest islands in the Pacific, its
terrain consists of coastal plains with
interior mountains. The highest point is
Mont Panie (5,340 ft/1,628 m). More...
New
Caledonia is a perfect place to tour on
bicycle. There is little traffic, beautiful
scenery, and the roads have great surfaces;
and, unless you cross the central mountain
range, the gradients are generally gentle.
Grande Terre is the main island. One of
the largest islands in the Pacific, its
terrain consists of coastal plains with
interior mountains. The highest point is
Mont Panie (5,340 ft/1,628 m).
Grande Terre is rich in minerals, and is
an important source of many ores. The outlying
islands are coral-based and have stunning
white sand and palm trees. Some of the most
popular islands to visit are Ile des Pins
(Isle of the Pines) and the Loyalty Islands,
which are served by fast ferry and by airplanes.
The population of New Caledonia is about
200,000, with more than half of the population
living in and around Noumea, the country’s
capital, located in the south of the Grande
Terre. The rest of the population is scattered
throughout the 250 miles/400 km long main
island and on several of the outer islands. More...
When
to Visit
The best time
to visit New Caledonia for cycling is between
late May and mid October when the weather
is calm and temperatures are mild. Avoid
the rainy cyclone season from December to
March, since it is hot and humid during
that time and not pleasant to cycle. Less...
Climate
and Weather
New Caledonia
has a semi-tropical climate influenced
by southeast trade winds. During the southern
hemisphere summer, it is often hot and
humid and during this period the islands
are subject to tropical cyclones, most
frequent from November to March. However,
during the winter (April to August) the
daytime temperature is around 22 degrees;
and it is relatively dry and comfortable,
a perfect climate for cycling.
The prevailing winds are from southeast,
which is good to know when you plan to
tour the island by bicycle.
Forming the central spine of the main
island (the Grande Terre), the high mountains
influence the weather, making the west
coast drier and warmer than the east coast,
which has more precipitation and is lusher. Less...
How
to Get There
Several
airlines serve New Caledonia. From Australia
and New Zealand there are several direct
flights per week on Qantas Air, Air New
Zealand, and AirCalin.
For North American cyclists, Air New Zealand
has direct/non-stop flights which operate
several times a week from Los Angeles
and San Francisco to Auckland. From Auckland
there is a direct flight on Air New Zealand
to New Caledonia.
From Europe and from Asia Air France and
AirCalin fly several flights per week
to New Caledonia. Less...
Accommodations
Accommodations
in New Caledonia are quite expensive.
Once outside of Noumea, the capital of
New Caledonia, hotels, motels and gites
(New Caledonia’s Bed&Breakfast)
are infrequent. For that reason it is
recommended that you bring light camping
gear as a backup, even if you are not
planning to camp on this tour.
Camping is permitted in campgrounds, but
if you cannot find one, it is ok to break
a camp on the beach or at a resting area.
Do not camp on tribal lands unless you
ask for permission first.
You can pick up a free accommodation guide
book at the airport and in any tourist
information center in New Caledonia. This
Address Book offers an extensive list
of lodging from campgrounds to hotels.
Alternatively check the New
Caledonia Tourism web site for lodging
throughout New Caledonia. Less...
What
You Need to Know
New Caledonia stretches over 250 miles/400
km from south to north. It consists of
the main island called Grande Terre and
several smaller out islands, the Ile des
Pins (Isle of the Pines), and the Loyalty
Islands.
More than a half of New Caledonians live
in the largest city of Noumea.
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's
known nickel resources. Only a small amount
of the land is suitable for cultivation,
and food accounts for about 20% of imports.
In addition to nickel, the substantial
financial support from France and tourism
are keys to the health of the economy.
New Caledonia's traffic drives on the
right. If you like to use rear view bicycle
mirror, whether helmet-mount, handlebar-mount,
or other, please be sure you make necessary
adjustments or purchase one for the left
side of your helmet.
The Kanaks are the New Caledonia's natives
and their culture is intertwined with
New Caledonia's history and many of the
landmarks and parks have Kanak's names.
The official language is French, and it
is difficult to find English speakers
outside of Noumea. In Noumea, French,
English, and Japanese are widely spoken
at hotels, restaurants, and shops.
New Caledonia is very expensive, since
much of the food needs to be imported.
There is no culture of bargaining and
attempting such might cause offense.
Electricity in New Caledonia is 220 Volts,
alternating at 50 cycles per second, same
as in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
If you travel to New Caledonia with a
device that does not accept 220 Volts
at 50 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter.
Cycling helmets are not required by law
in New Caledonia but are recommended.
If you are planning on camping and/or
hiking through grassy or bushy areas inland
or along the coast, make sure you bring
effective insect repellent.
The local currency is French Polynesian
Franc (XPF).
Drinking and driving is very common and
you must watch out for drunken drivers
on the road on weekends and any public
holidays. Less...
Recommended
Maps
There are
numerous maps available for New Caledonia
and can be found in supermarkets throughout
New Caledonia.
The Vanuatu & New Caledonia travel
book from Lonely Planet is a great resource
for detail information on New Caledonia. Less...
New
Caledonia is a perfect place to tour on
bicycle. There is little traffic, beautiful
scenery, and the roads have great surfaces;
and, unless you cross the central mountain
range, the gradients are generally gentle.
New Caledonia stretches over 250 miles/400
km from south to north. It consists of
the main island called Grande Terre and
several smaller out islands, the Ile des
Pins (Isle of the Pines), and the Loyalty
Islands.
