Port guide: Noumea, New Caledonia

A little bit of France floating not far from Australia, combined with indigenous culture and lovely scenery: what’s not to like about this South Pacific port?

Who goes there

Noumea is a regular port of call for cruise lines offering round-trip South Pacific cruises from Australia, such as Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean. It also features on South Pacific cruises (such as Celebrity and Oceania) and world cruises from companies such as Cunard and Seabourn. Expedition ships sometimes call in while on Melanesia cruises.

Sail on in

Come on, rouse yourself early because aren’t arrivals one of the great pleasures of cruising? Balmy tropical breezes are felt as you approach Noumea, which is flanked by a huge lagoon and sits on a convoluted peninsula, with the rugged hills of New Caledonia beyond. Once you get up close, however, the waterfront is rather more work-a-day and lined with uninspiring warehouses.

Berth rites

The Gare Maritime Terminal is at Quai Jules Ferry, a short walk from downtown. The ground floor has various services such as tourist information, while the upper floor has shops selling local handicrafts. There are several restaurants and cafes on the waterfront nearby. Larger ships will sometimes dock at the container terminal a short shuttle ride to the cruise terminal, and the biggest ships may have to anchor offshore.

Going ashore

While it isn’t full of big sights, Noumea has a lovely setting across several hillsides popping with jacaranda and flame trees and flanked by peacock-blue bays. French-colonial heritage buildings centre on Place des Cocotiers. Aquarium des Lagons displays superb coral (some fluorescent) as well as stonefish, stingrays, seahorses, sea snakes and turtles. It’s one of the few places you can see the rare nautilus shellfish, a living fossil from the deep.

Don’t miss

The striking, ultra-modern Tjibaou Cultural Centre is inconveniently located eight kilometres from Noumea centre, but worth a visit for its indigenous-inspired architecture, the work of starchitect Renzo Piano. Inside are excellent exhibits that highlight Kanak and Oceanic arts and cultures, including sculptures, wooden masks, ritual art and elaborate ceremonial costumes. The museum sits in parkland and is flanked by mangrove swamp.

Get active

Walk around Noumea’s compact bays and peninsulas to Ouen Toro lookout, which will take you 90 minutes from the cruise terminal. You can enjoy all manner of water sports, including swimming, snorkelling and jet-ski tours in the world’s largest lagoon. Little island Ilot Maitre has good scuba diving and is a notable kite-surfing destination. Another option is a big-game fishing excursion for giant trevally, wahoo, marlin and yellow-fin tuna.

Best bites

Anse-Vata Bay is the place for seafood restaurants. Large blue prawns and coconut crabs are the local delicacy but all the seafood is outstanding. Adventurous eaters should try civet de rousette or bat stew in a red-wine marinade. Indigenous dish bougna sees chicken or fish and root vegetables cooked in banana leaves over a fire. For some do-it-yourself flavours, head to the market (best in the morning) at Port Moselle, where you’ll find baguettes and croissants, good coffee, tropical fruit and a whole lot more.

Further afield

A wide variety of half-day or full-day excursions will keep you busy with everything from kayaking on the Dumbea River to go-karting with the kids. Parc Zoologique et Forestier, or Zoological and Forest Park, provides meandering pathways and ponds in the hills above Noumea. Among many bird species you’ll see the rare flightless cagou, the kiwi of New Caledonia. For a watery escape, head to Duck Island for white-sand beaches and fish-filled waters, or to Escapade Island to enjoy resort facilities.