.svg/250px-New_Caledonia_in_France_(zoomed).svg.png) | |
| Capital | Noumea |
| currency | Pacific Franc (XPF) 1 XPF = 0.0084 EUR |
| population | 278,500（2017） |
| Power Systems | 220 volts / 50 Hz (European plug, Schuko) |
| country code | 687 |
| Time zone | UTC 11:00 |
| Language | French |
| Emergency call | 112 |
| Edit on Wikidata | |
New Caledonia, Located near the Tropic of Capricorn, isFranceAn offshore territory in southwestern Oceania. The area as a whole is mainly composed ofNew CaledoniawithLoyalty Islandscomposition. As one of the overseas territories of France, in addition to the official languageFrenchIn addition, Melanesian and Polynesian languages are also commonly used here.
area
city
Other destinations
learn
Language
French.
arrival
Some items are restricted by customs and biosafety regulations. For more information, please consult the official leaflet (in French).
By plane Noumea Thongtutta Airport (Nuita), located in Paita, 52 kilometers northwest of the capital Noumea 687 35 11 18. Air France offers codeshare flights from Paris via Tokyo, Osaka or Seoul. As New Caledonia is very popular with Japanese people, you can take regular flights by Air Carlin from both Tokyo and Osaka. Air New Zealand and Qantas also serve the airport. There are also flights from Pacific countries, New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia. However, there are not many flights in general, so be careful if there are seats available. Noumea Magenta Airport (GEA IATA), 4 kilometers from the city center, 687 25 14 00. Serves all domestic flights within New Caledonia, such as the Loyalty Islands (Maryé, Tiga, Lifou, Ouvéa), from Songdo in the south to the Belep Islands in the north of the mainland, and Koné and Koumac on the west coast and east Touho on the coast. Noumea by boat is a popular port where people sail in the Pacific, although most dare not sail during the hurricane season.
transportation
go sightseeing
Activity
Dining
Food is one of the highlights of New Caledonia: as part of France, French cuisine can be found everywhere, and it is usually of very high standards. However, eating out will save you a lot of money: you can easily save 10,000 francs if you prepare a sumptuous dinner for two in a resort with a beach view or a hotel restaurant.
To reduce costs, pay attention to snacks (economy restaurants). These snacks offer a limited menu of hot sandwiches but are inexpensive, such as croque madame (ham, cheese, and egg toast) and more Asian-influenced cuisines such as porc au sucre ( Sweet soy sauce pork), served with rice or half a baguette, usually less than 1,000 francs. The local bakeries (p'tisserie) and crèperies are also a good choice, just go for cheap ones.
The cheapest method is self-catering. Most of the food in most supermarkets is imported from France, which means that cheese and meat have amazing choices, but they are expensive. A cheaper option is to go to the local market (March), where there are local produce and fresh seafood such as tuna, shrimp and crab, but opening hours are limited (weekend mornings are usually your best choice).
Safety
New Caledonia is quite safe, but it is wise to take the following precautions:
When snorkeling, avoid contact with sea urchins and coral structures that are usually poisonous, because coral structures can cause scratches, which can swell severely and take a long time to heal. Sea otters (tricot rayé) are commonly found in shallow lagoons and have potentially deadly venom. However, bites are rare because they are threatened when they are not aggressive, leaving alone and only when attacking. There are sharks, some of which are quite large, although great white sharks are rare. Avoid shark attacks: Do not carry fish caught in the water (which may be bleeding) to face the shark, making you look big, vertical and difficult to bite. New Caledonia has no native crocodiles. No more than two crocodiles have been observed on the island in the past 200 years, and they may have been swept out of the Solomon Islands.
healthy
Iodine or similar disinfectants are invaluable for fighting small infections, which usually occur on most wounds and scratches.
Some mosquitoes carry the dengue fever virus. There is no vaccination in this area, so it is important to prevent mosquito bites as much as possible. Consult your doctor for more information.