Andi takes you to New Caledonia

I didn’t say which Andi…hee-hee…

Today’s guest post is from Andi P of My Beautiful Adventures. We met when Andi commented on my blog, and of course, I had to go check her out. We all know someone with the name Andi must be special (wink-wink). Since then we have emailed back and forth and we always get a giggle when we write “Dear Andi”. Andi loves to travel and writes a great blog on her beautiful adventures, make sure you check it out! I was thrilled when Andi said she would guest-post and even more so when she suggested, New Caledonia, a French territory that I have yet to visit.

A view of Isle of Pines from the airplane.

My first foray into the South Pacific was to an archipelago that is unknown by most. While New Caledonia is less than a 5 hour plane ride away from Australia, it is like stepping into a whole other world and a surprising one at that, because physically it could not be more any more exotic, however it is a French territory and has a distinct French feel. The national language is French, the currency is the Franc, and the cuisine has a strong French influence; making this a dream-come-true for francophiles. It is quite an interesting mix!

To get to New Caledonia, one must fly into the capitol city of Noumea. Noumea is considered to be the most westernized capital in the South Pacific. Although Noumea is incredibly charming, the real New Caledonia exists in the outlying islands. Only having a few days to explore, I chose to visit Isle of Pines, which is only a 25 minute plane ride away.

Isle of Pines is often nicknamed l’île la plus proche du paradis, or the closest island to Paradise. I know that too often travelers claim that they have found “the most beautiful place on earth” and that phrase has now become cliché. Fortunately, sounding cliché does not bother me, thus without hesitation I say the same about this 8 mile long island.

The view of the New Caledonia Barrier Reef from the Le Meridien.

The place to stay is Le Meridien and to call it a luxury resort is an understatement. It is nestled amongst a lagoon and has private access to a glorious part of the New Caledonia Barrier Reef.

Isle of Pines gets its true name from the fact that it is saturated with pine trees. The rich smell of pine in the air is intoxicating, especially while floating in the tranquil warm water of the ocean.

I spent most of my time snorkeling and simply just soaking up everything that the island had to offer. Time truly stops when you are there.