New Caledonia : General Info

Most shops and offices open from 7:30 - 11:30 am and 1:30 - 6pm closing for lunch. Banks and the Post Office stay open during lunch but close earlier at 3:45 pm. Some shops open on Saturday and supermarkets open on Sunday morning. The Noumea Market with its local produce is held daily at the Baie de la Moselle. It opens from 5am-11am and is closed the 3rd Monday of the month.

Updated December 2008.

Money

French Pacific franc (CFP Fr) of 100 centimes. It has a fixed rate to the Euro [1 Euro = 119.332 CFP).

Communications

New Caledonia has a modern satellite communications system allowing direct calls overseas. Most places have mail, internet and telephone facilities.

Updated December 2008.

Transport

La Grande Terre, Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines all have an excellent network of roads. Major roads are all sealed. Drivingis on the right hand side of the road and rental cars are widely available. A valid driving licence is required to rent a car - the visitor centre has a list of companies. Taxis, mopeds and motorbikes are also available.

Updated December 2008/

Diplomatic Missions

Noumea is a good port to obtain Australian, New Zealand and Indonesian visas. In Nouméa:

Australia: 19-21 Ave du Maréchal Foch. Tel. (687)272414.

Indonesia: 2 rue Lamartine. Tel. (687)232881, Fax:(687)278435, Email kgrinoum@offratel.nc

New Zealand: 4 Boulevard Vauban. Tel.(687)272543, Fax:(687)271740, Email nzcgnou@offratel.nc

United Kingdom: 14 rue du Général Sarrail, Mont Coffyn. Tel. (687)232881, Fax:(687)285144, Email:gbconsul@offratel.nc

Emergencies

Police: 36, rue Sébastopol-(quartier Latin), dial 17. Ambulance (SAMU) and SOS Médecins dial 15. Maritime Police: dial:16. Municipal Police 10, rue Galliéni-(Town center), Tel:(687)252323. Fire: dial:18.

Publications

IMRAY AND ADLARD COLES PILOT BOOKS are available at a discounted price for Noonsite.com users via World Cruising Club

CRUISING IN NEW CALEDONIA by Marc Rambeau

CRUISING GUIDE TO NEW CALEDONIA: Electronic cruising guide available on CD, for more information visit www.cruising-newcaledonia.com,
ISBN: 798295083059 3rd Edition (2001). Status in print and available. An anchorage and general yachting guide to this South Pacific island. dventure. Covers arrival and departure formalities, general information on New Caledonia, transportation, where to buy fuel, food and lodging, diving and fishing, conservation of marine reserves, health, weather, tides and currents, aids to navigation, anchoring, and more.
Available at a discounted price for Noonsite.com users via World Cruising Club

BONJOUR CALEDONIE by Claude Tessier, mail@bonjourcaledonie.com Website:www.bonjourcaledonie.com

SOUTH PACIFIC HANDBOOK by David Stanley

LANDFALLS OF PARADISE by Earl Hinz

THE PACIFIC CROSSING GUIDE by Michael Pocock

SOUTH PACIFIC ANCHORAGES by Warwick Clay

Links

Loyalty Islands Tourist Office.

Cruising Guide to New Caledonia.

Gryphon's Around the World in Eighty Megabytes. Log of six years sailing with photographs, short movies and slideshow plus Jeff's trip to Antarctica. Raine & Jeff Williams.

Circumnavigation website. Left Brussels in March 1997 on a 44-feet sailing boat. See our website www.minuit.net both in English and French(plus newsletters and film). Ghislaine (nickname Gigi).

Project Bluesphere. Join Namaste's circumnavigation in an interactive, travel adventure show.

Meteo France New Caledonia
http://www.meteo.nc/
Special bulletins (BMS, Bulletin Météo Spécial) in the event of bad weather are given in both French and English. Previsions Metéo France: Tel:(687)366711.