Hotels in Noumea

It is very expensive for young families to holiday as i had my nieces with me. So be mindful that your AUD doesn't go far. Cant compare to Bali for value for money. It is amazing water and sea life very beautiful

We absolutely loved our holiday in Noumea - we travelled as a family of 5 (our 'children' are aged 20, 18 & 14). I would definitely recommend hiring a car while you are there as we got to explore so much more than we could have with public transport (they do drive on the opposite side of the road and car than in New Zealand). Lemon Bay is the nicest beach to swim at - it's just stunning with clear water and no waves. A trip to Amedee Island was the definite highlight of our trip - I can't recommend it highly enough. It was pretty expensive, so we just paid for the boat ride rather than the catered trip. The staff are fantastic and most spoke excellent english. The island is incredible, we swum with so many turtles and the fish and coral was beautiful too. There are stunning sandy beaches and if you can conquer the stairs... the lighthouse has wonderful views!! Duck Island was more of a disappointment, as it's just a very small island with a restaurant on it - not really much of an experience. It's also completely surrounded by coral, so I would recommend water shoes if you go. If you have a car, the Tjibaou Cultural Centre was definitely worth a visit. The staff were so friendly and it was a great way to learn more about the New Caledonian culture. The building is incredible and the views outside are beautiful. It also has huts that you can explore and it was an enjoyable morning with great photo opportunities. We went at Christmas time, and the light festival in downtown Noumea was awesome. Food is really expensive, but there are lots of bakeries that have delicious fresh croissants and bread which is a cheaper option while you're there. The weather was stunning and we loved every minute of our holiday in Noumea.

Public transport, local buses, could be better explained. Buses are very clean and practical when one understands the system. More pass selling outlets or pass refilling machines are needed. If you have a kitchen, we definitely recommend visits to the supermarkets like Auchan, Casino or Geant as they offer a variety of typical french products (cold meats, tins, cheeses, wines etc...) not available in Australia. The seafood section of the main market also offers a very wide range of local fresh fish and live crustaceans. The Aquarium is worth a look. The town is clean, and feels very safe. For swimming, Baie des Citrons is more sheltered and therefore the water is clearer than Anse Vata. L'Ilot Canard in Anse Vata offers pleasant and safe reef snorkelling just a short boat ride from Anse Vata beach.

Although we travel often, and prefer to escape NZ winters by visiting islands, it is not often that we still talk, dream and think about our holiday nearly two months afterwards. Thus, what can we say?! It was amazing. Loved the culture, the fact that the whole place is basically a marine reserve, which makes snorkeling an unforgettable experience! The people are friendly, the sights are worth it, and we explored a variety of experiences and accommodation options: and enjoyed ALL of it. Totally recommend Noumea as a holiday destination.

Noumea offers so much to the holidayers : excellent cuisine, variety of restaurants, not a crowded place and cars stop willingly for pedestrians on a crossing, lots of activities to choose from between sight-seeing, nautical sports, lovely weather and warm temperatures from winter to summer.

The landscape, beaches, snorkeling, Blue River National Park & bakeries were all brilliant. The lagoon is magnificent, beautiful & very special. Having a rental car was well worthwhile to see more on Grand Terre (main island). We found dining out very expensive so were pleased to be able to self-cater in our accommodation.