Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Short stopover in New Caledonia. Would appreciate your opinion... Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / New Caledonia
taekyon2 21:41 UTC 22 Aug 2012 | Already having done a fair amount of research, I’d like to ask your opinion about the pros and cons of the following options I have during my short stopover (4.5 days) in New Caledonia in mid-October. 4,5 days just for Noumea, perhaps including an excursion to one of the nearby islands, seems a bit too long for me. I like to keep busy and be active when I’m travelling solo. Option 1 would be to spend 1,5 days in Noumea and 3 days on Ile de Pines, going there by plane, and returning by Betico. Option 2 would be to spend a couple of days in Noumea and then rent a car to explore the southern part of Grande Terre. Option 3 would be to rent a car and take a roadtrip to Grande Terre’s center, as far as my curiosity takes me, before my time runs out. I understand each option has its merits, and right now I’m leaning towards IDP, simply because I’ve read that 3 days would be a good amount of time to spend, and obviously because I’ve heard much good about its beauty and good range of activities as well places to visit. I do, on the other hand, enjoy road trips, so Option 2 and 3 also have appeal. Without planning to do any trekking, is it fair to assume that the most interesting/beautiful parts of Southern Grande Terre can be visited in one long day? Thanks in advance for your opinions! |
yesjoshua 22:49 UTC 28 Sep 2012 | Indeed, I would say Option 1 seems to be the most appealing and yes, in one looong day you can see some of the best of south Grande Terre. Have a great trip! | 1