Isle of Pines New Caledonia
Isle of Pine New Caledonia
Isle of Pines
The Isle of Pines is one of the more secluded islands in the New Caledonia archipelago. If you look at a map of Isle of Pines, you will find that it is located just southeast of the main island of New Caledonia, Grande Terre.
The Isle of Pine is one of the most spectacular and stunning islands of the Pacific. The island is covered with beautiful pine trees and hence the name. It is called the jewel of the Pacific and is embellished and ornamented by Turquoise lagoons and white sands.
The Isle is the best escape to live in bliss. It is nicknamed as the “The Closest Island to Paradise”. The Paradise is glorified by the beautiful, colorful and vibrant corals and fish
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers about Isles of Pines New Caledonia
The isles of pines in New Caledonia is about 15KM in length and 13KM in width.
Isles of Pines is located in the Southern Hemisphere at around 22°37′S 167°29′E, Isle of Pine is a part of New Caledonia, French – Pacific Territory.
It lies 100km to the south east of Noumea (New Caledonia capital). It is 15km by 13km in area. Therefore it is quite easy to explore by car or bicycle.
As it is surrounded by water on all sides, the diurnal temperature range is very minimal. Isle of pines has a pleasant weather throughout the year. However, to enjoy the pristine beauty, one should visit in the months of May to December. It is windy in November.
January to March are the hottest months of the island and it also rains heavily here. The temperature is in the range of 19 degree to 24 degree Celsius. The temperature is ideal to swim all year round.
The Kuto Bay is the Cruise port of Isle of Pines. The tender boats of the bay land here. The beach is pristine with turquoise water and white sand. It is a photographer’s dream rather than snorkelling spot.
Currency used in Isles of Pines is Since is Central Pacific Franc (CFP). Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs. Notes come in denominations of 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 francs. However the locals here accept Australian Dollars but charge a little extra for it.
Yes you can use Australian dollars in Isles of Pines but small fees may apply.
There are only 2 ways to reach Isle of Pine; by air and by sea.
Yes you can get wifi in isles of pines. Many hotels, bars and restaurants now provide guest Wi-Fi services good enough for you to check messages and emails or download/upload documents.
How to get to Isle of Pine?
Flights from NOUMEA to Isle of Pines
Tontouta, the country’s only international airport is 50 km from Noumea. Therefore, one has to give space of at least 1 to 2 hours of road travel to reach Noumea airport. There are public buses and also rented vehicles available connecting the airports.
There are no international airports in the Island of Isle. One has to reach Noumea and get a domestic flight to reach Isle of Pine.
The Island has no public transport. Therefore one has to rent vehicles to traverse after reaching the island.
There are also helicopters servicing to the island
The approximate cost for a same-day return trip is 16000CFP on Air Calédonie
BOAT TO ISLE OF PINES FROM NOUMEA
Several boats operate between Noumea and Kuto Bay of Isle of Pines. One of the best is the Betico 2.
The travel time is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
There are sea charters for 4 to 10 person group
Apart from boats and yachts, there are also cruise services in the Island. There are cruise services available around the Isle of Pines that cover all the spots around the island in 7 to 9 days. Cruise call in the island happens four to six times a month.
Cruise port of isle of pines island : Kuto Bay
The island is included in many large itineraries of Australia and South Western Pacific cruises.
The Kuto Bay is the Cruise port of Isle of Pines. The tender boats of the bay land here. The beach is pristine with turquoise water and white sand. It is a photographer’s dream rather than snorkelling spot.
Near the Kuto Bay is the Kanumera bay at a distance of one minute walk. The bays are connected by a thin strip of land making it the iconic sight. Kanumaera bay is ideal for snorkelling. One can snorkel around the sacred rock Rocher de Kaa Nue Mera, which is connected to the mainland by a narrow sandbank, ideal for kids. One can also swim around the rock
The water between the bay and the rock has variety of fascinating marine life
There are beachfront resorts that are shady and ideal for a noon drink
As the rock is tied to the culture and beliefs of the island prior permission is required to reach there which usually is taken care of by the tourist guide.
New Caledonia Isle of Pines
New Caledonia Isle of Pines is a fairly small island. It measures 15km by 13km, which is substantially smaller than Grand Terre. There is an airport on the island.
You will not be able to take an international flight to the Isle of the Pines, however. Instead, you will need to take one of the domestic flights which flies from the Noumea domestic airport (it is different to the international one!)
The Isle of Pines is unique to Grand Terre. This is because the majority of the population will be the native Melanesian Kanaks. The island has very little in the way of French influence. Of course, there still will be some, this is a French dependency of course, but there is very little in comparison to the main island.
This means that the Isle of the Pines is the perfect place to head if you wish to experience some of the local culture. The population of the island is only 2,000. This should give you an idea as to its size.
weather in Isle of pines
The weather on the Isle of Pines is roughly the same as the main island. This means a sub-tropical climate. Since you are going to be in the southern hemisphere here, the best time of the year to travel will be September through to December.
As it is surrounded by water on all sides, the diurnal temperature range is very minimal. Isle of pines has a pleasant weather throughout the year. However, to enjoy the pristine beauty, one should visit in the months of May to December. It is windy in November.
January to March are the hottest months of the island and it also rains heavily here. The temperature is in the range of 19 degree to 24 degree Celsius. The temperature is ideal to swim all year round.
February to March :While you can travel throughout January and February, many people find that the weather is far too hot. This probably is not going to be all that bad if you are just heading to the area to explore the reef, but if you are looking to do some physical activities on the main island, then you are probably going to want to wait until Spring or Summer rolls around. It is going to be far too hot for you.
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