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Sign in with FacebookLatest Île des Pins hotel reviews
Pro
Stunning scenic beauty
Con
expensive
In a nutshell
A Jewel in the crown of the South Pacific.
hunwagner Says: If you find Oro Bay a bit too crowded for your taste, a half hour's hike across the forest takes you to less visited Upi Bay.It may not be quite as stunning as the better-known beaches around the island, but is still not bad...
hunwagner Says: Perhaps the most picturesque corner of an island that seems to be beautiful wherever you look, Oro Bay with its "natural aquarium" and standing rock attracts more visitors than anywhere else on the island and is the only spot that gets close to what could be called...
hunwagner Says: Just north of St. Maurice Bay, this bay has a collection of the traditional pirogues the island is famous for. Such traditional watercraft have mostly disappeared from the rest of New Caledonia, but here tourism has demanded their preservation! ;-)
hunwagner Says: One of the most-photographed images of the island is the line of carved posts surrounding an ugly, silver-coloured statue of Jesus (left off the photos) here.They stand on the shores of St. Maurice Bay, only about 500 metres from the church in Vao.
hunwagner Says: Vao is the main settlement on the island, dominated by a fine church.It also has New Caledonia's most photographed carvings, yet because most tourists stick to the beaches it is very quiet most of the time.
hunwagner Says: Incredibly, this gorgeous island was once the site of a penal settlement.There are a few crumbling ruins from that era, such as this thick wall that once separated the administrative areas and the military from the convicts.
hunwagner Says: A large, overgrown limestone rock jutting out into Kanumera Bay and connected to it by a narrow sandbar is one of the most popular scenic wonders of this island.Old guidebooks warn that it's on private land where trespassers are not welcome, but these days it seemed to be...
hunwagner Says: Just south of Kuto, separated from it by a narrow isthmus that forms the entrance to the Kuto Peninsula, Kanumera Bay rivals Kuto in terms of beauty, and is home to some of the island's best snorkelling spots. It also has two *relatively* inexpensive resorts.
26 Opinions
2 Reviews and 92 Opinions Lovely bar lounge where you can relax and unwind........with a $10 cocktail !!
local gite, local hut/open-air restaurant: Savor the Tastes of the Island!
WideWings Says: My husband is native to New Caledonia and we have visited on Ile-des-Pins-- I find it odd that the author of the tip was warned not to try the traditional dishes. Definitely find a place to have some Bougna! This is a traditional dish that is cooked in a pit in the ground,...
lou31 Says: Restaurants will be hard to find and very expensive. I wondered into a beach side resort and paid $15 for a bowl of hot chips!! The staff were not too friendly either and I was more tolerated than anything. However I was pleasantly surprised when a group of local native...
hunwagner Says: There are several flights to the island from Noumea daily.Note that the airport is in the "remote" interior of the island far from any of the beaches and not served by public transport, so you may be in for an expensive taxi-ride if you arrive here.More convenient is...
Maximilian21 Says: Its wonderful to see some of the villagers fishing in the surrounding bays, it truly looks like an incredible lifestyle. If you have the opportunity see if you can hitch a ride on one of the boats on a fishing trip or hire one to expolre the lagoon and maybee do some fishing...
Helpfulness
Just as you get off the jetty there is a cute little stall selling sarongs. The French lady is very friendly and the sarongs are eyecatching. I paid $20 for one and it is very well made. I wish I had've bought more for gifts. They came in the most beautiful colours of blue, green, pink or apricot etc.
What to buy: Sarongs and post cards.
What to pay: Around $20 for sarongs.
Updated Oct 9, 2004
Address: Just off the main jetty in Kuto Bay
Helpfulness
From what a saw or heard the main language here is French. I was taken back to find that the local women who were selling the hot dishes had little knowledge of English. Even simple phrases were not understood. May be I just tried talking to the wrong ones.
Written Sep 4, 2004
Helpfulness
The Rock at Kanumera Bay, is a sacred area and although it is ideal for snorkelling around its base in the crystal clear waters, The Rock is sacred ground to the local villagers who believe that the souls of their ancestors are now the plentiful "Striped T-shirt" snake.
As a mark of respect I would suggest that you do not climb onto this rock....not to mention the hundreds of snakes that inhabit the island! the snakes are docile however if they are provoked into attack they will prove to be deadly!
Updated Sep 28, 2005
Helpfulness
Photo Equipment: I do not like digital cameras so I always travel with my Minolta SLR camera with 2 lenses (1x 35/80 and 1x 75/300 zoom), a two times converter, a polariser for both lenses, a spare battery and 10 spare rolls of 400 asa film (36) with 1 loaded into the camera. I find you do not have to worry about the expensive batteries required for the remote areas you can find yourself in or finding power for the battery recharger.
Written Sep 28, 2005
Helpfulness
The main island is surrounded by a scattering of uninhabited, smaller islets.
Perhaps the most inviting of these is Ilot Brosse with its own dense pine forest, ringed by seemingly perfect white-sand beaches.
To reach any of these islands you will have to charter a boat of some sort - though I haven't done it, I would be willing to guess that it won't be cheap!
Written Jul 11, 2006
hunwagner Says: The island's crystal clear waters are irresistable for snorkellers, with Oro Bay's "Natural Aquarium" and Kanumera Bay being the most popular, readily accessible spots.That said, I must admit that while there was plenty of coral here, diversity seemed pretty low.Maybe I am...
hunwagner Says: There are various interesting hiking trails around the island.Perhaps the most popular is the one leading from te Kuto area up to Pic N'Ga, the island's highest point, which offers good views.For forest walks, the east coast seemed better, with narrow trails through...
Helpfulness
Favorite thing: One feature that was conspicuous by it's abscence was rubbish bins. We walked around for ages until we found an odd structure which proved to be on closer inspection - a rubbish bin. A raised platform 4-5 feet off the ground and about 5 feet square. Obviously built to deter local dogs or wild life.
Written Sep 4, 2004
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