Thoughts on Noumea, New Caledonia

[BEENSAILING]

DH and I will be on the Explorer in October 2016 Seattle to Sydney. One of the ports we stop at (for a day) is Noumea, New Caledonia. I have read thru CC port reviews as well as excursion reviews for Noumea. Can someone who has been there please make some recommendations as to what we shouldn't miss (or should...) This will be our first time there.

 

Royal has made deals with one of the tour operators there for "exclusive" on several of their tours - which means tours usually offered by a certain tour operator in Noumea can only be purchased through Royal on the date we are there.

 

Also trying to find out info on "Hop On Hop Off" and not having success.

 

I thought about booking a private tour but the concern is "what happens if the van breaks down..."

 

Thanks to all in advance for suggestions...

[OzKiwiJJ]

The Hop On Hop Off bus leaves from the Ferry Terminal, where the ship's shuttle bus drop off and pick up. Tickets can be purchased inside the building - back right hand corner. They take AUD.

 

If you want to get local currency there is an ATM at the Casino supermarket diagonally across the road from the Ferry Terminal. Most of the tourist shops will accept AUD or credit cards, but smaller shops will only accept Francs.

 

The HoHo bus goes south, past the markets, over the hill, past the Aquarium, through Lemon Bay and Anse Vata Bay, then turns around and comes back, looping though the main part of the town before arriving at the Ferry Terminal again.

 

Can't help with excursions. So far we've just enjoyed puttering around Anse Vata and Lemon Bay. There are some good restaurants at Lemon Bay. I recommend La Mediterranee for classic French cuisine.

[BEENSAILING]

The Hop On Hop Off bus leaves from the Ferry Terminal, where the ship's shuttle bus drop off and pick up. Tickets can be purchased inside the building - back right hand corner. They take AUD.

 

If you want to get local currency there is an ATM at the Casino supermarket diagonally across the road from the Ferry Terminal. Most of the tourist shops will accept AUD or credit cards, but smaller shops will only accept Francs.

 

The HoHo bus goes south, past the markets, over the hill, past the Aquarium, through Lemon Bay and Anse Vata Bay, then turns around and comes back, looping though the main part of the town before arriving at the Ferry Terminal again.

 

Can't help with excursions. So far we've just enjoyed puttering around Anse Vata and Lemon Bay. There are some good restaurants at Lemon Bay. I recommend La Mediterranee for classic French cuisine.

 

Thanks. Do you happen to know the AUD price person? Does the HOHO bus run a regular schedule? Do you know if they have a website? Do they have the headphones with narration recorded in different languages? (I know - lots of questions...) If there is anything you ever want to know about Chicago....

[Blue Elephant]

I used a Hop on Hop off bus a few years ago in Noumea. I don't recall the bus having headphones or commentary. I also thought that the frequency of the buses wasn't quite enough for my liking. As a result, I did not get as much out of my day in Noumea as I would have liked.

[SinbadThePorter]

Thanks. Do you happen to know the AUD price person? Does the HOHO bus run a regular schedule? Do you know if they have a website? Do they have the headphones with narration recorded in different languages? (I know - lots of questions...) If there is anything you ever want to know about Chicago....

 

It's just a normal private bus, no tourist frills. Sometimes the driver will speak English and other times not. You hop on and hop off at any of its stops. The Aquarium is nice, but it's shut on Mondays. Quite a few things seem to be shut on Mondays. There are also local metro buses, but unless your French is up to it, I wouldn't try it. From memory a ticket is AU$15. I think that the HOHO buses were roughly half an hour apart.

 

For more info I would try Tripadvisor.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g294130-i4308-k8271743-Hop_On_Hop_Off_Bus-Noumea_Grand_Terre.html

 

Are there any cruises around the Great Lakes? I've always wondered if you could go from Duluth to Chicago by ship and how long it would take.

[BEENSAILING]

It's just a normal private bus, no tourist frills. Sometimes the driver will speak English and other times not. You hop on and hop off at any of its stops. The Aquarium is nice, but it's shut on Mondays. Quite a few things seem to be shut on Mondays. There are also local metro buses, but unless your French is up to it, I wouldn't try it. From memory a ticket is AU$15. I think that the HOHO buses were roughly half an hour apart.

 

For more info I would try Tripadvisor.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g294130-i4308-k8271743-Hop_On_Hop_Off_Bus-Noumea_Grand_Terre.html

 

Are there any cruises around the Great Lakes? I've always wondered if you could go from Duluth to Chicago by ship and how long it would take.

 

Thanks for the trip advisor link. No cruises around the Great Lakes...there is a ferry that goes from Wisconsin to Michigan. If you are in Chicago you can go on a boat on the Chicago river and then out onto Lake Michigan and see the magnificent skyline. Or just go on a cruise boat on Lake Michigan along the city's waterfront.

[mr walker]

Four cruise visits to Noumea.

 

1st - did ship Tchou Tchou train tour - very enjoyable. Have read that is cheaper when bought at the Terminal building.

 

2nd - did ship 3 hour coach tour City, Bays & Countryside - great way to see around Noumea area. Covered the things you see on the train plus more

 

3rd & 4th - took HOHO bus (A$25 at Terminal Bldg) - did a loop and on second loop got off at Lemon Bay and swam and then had lunch & drinks at local bar/restaurant right across road from beach. On last trip got off bus and walked to the supermarket for some supplies, before getting shuttle back to ship.

Note: each time the driver spoke good English and pointed out the various POI and gave instructions on where to catch bus etc

 

Have often read that the people in Noumea were rude & not friendly - not our experience at all

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

We have been to Noumea more then 10 times and always enjoy it.

As others have said there are local tours available at the terminal.

I would suggest the Tchou Tchou train which I think goes for 2 hours and shows you all around. It is a good way to get your bearings if you decide to do to HOHO bus. I can really recommend the aquarium and a swim at Lemon Bay, where you can even catch a boat ride to Duck Island.

Our last cruise we arrived at 3pm on a Sunday and nothing was open,so we walked through the marina and stopped at a bar and had a few pints of Number 1 the local beer and watched the sunset which was also very pleasant.

We were a bit disappointed that we did not get to do any shopping. If that is your thing Chinatown has some nice clothes, bags and shoes.

The supermarket is quite interesting and good if you want to take some snacks back on board. Last time we got 5 different types of twisties where in Australia we only get 2.

[Gwendy]

The cultural centre, can't remember full name, starts with T..... Is fantastic. Please look it up on google or trip advisor. It is a little way out of town but we caught the little yellow bus near Coconut Square for a few francs. Check in the main terminal building when you get off the ship, they will probably have tours going there or at least some info.

Always found tours, from terminal good value, people nice. The little train is interesting, takes you to top of hill for a great view.

Just walking around is nice, they have a China town now.

As always, keep your wits about you and be careful with your belongings.

Some of the locals come from very poor rural areas and the arrival of the big white ATM with all those tourists who have much more than they have is a temptation.

[Gwendy]

Tijbaou cultural centre. Beautiful building/s, great exhibits and lively grounds, about 8 km from Noumea.

[ozscot01]

I read a lot of very negative reviews on Noumea before our trip. Perhaps some regular cruisers are just jaded as its a fairly standard port on all Pacific Island cruises.

We took the Tchou Tchou train tour from the terminal. Booked on arrival rather than through the ship. The cost was around $45 pp and significantly cheaper than onboard. The ship's Tchou Tchou collects you from the ship at the container wharf, by booking yourself you will at least get the shuttle in to town to make up your own mind.

While it was not our favourite port of call, we really didn't venture too far out of town to make a fair judgement. And the locals were exceptionally friendly, tooting and waving to the train as we passed.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks. Do you happen to know the AUD price person? Does the HOHO bus run a regular schedule? Do you know if they have a website? Do they have the headphones with narration recorded in different languages? (I know - lots of questions...) If there is anything you ever want to know about Chicago....

 

I think it's about AU $15pp. No website. It's supposed to run every 20 minutes but it's often a bit more irregular than that. No headphones. Sometimes the driver or a "guide" will give some commentary in English, sometimes not.

[avalon007]

If you snorkel then a half day trip out to the UNESCO World Heritage listed lagoon for some reef snorkelling is worthwhile.

 

I always find Noumea has the best T-Shirt designs anywhere on the South Pacific cruises so recommend to buy them there if you want any. The small shops near the main square are the best I've found.

 

Lost of people rave about the day trip to Amedee Island not cheap but may be of interest - here is the link to Royals day trip info.

Edited June 3, 2016 by avalon007

[CupcakeSusie]

I haven't been there, but it's one of the ports on my upcoming January cruise.

 

Friends and family have recommended Lemon Bay very highly. We've already booked in for the world heritage site snorkel (cross your fingers for us, I really really hope to see sea turtles). We've also booked paddle boarding, because my brother spent a couple of weeks paddle boarding in New Caledonia last summer and loved it. I've done a lot of paddle boarding here in Australia so it will be good to compare the two locations.

[2016USAHoliday]

1st Time: Bought the HOHO ticket at the terminal. We were given an hour long tour first then dropped off to where we wanted to go. Travelling with little kids, so the playground was first followed by snorkeling at Lemon Bay.

 

2nd Time: Booked a tour through Alfred. Google Gateway Tours NC. He has a number of options to choose from. We went to Escapade Island. Had a great day and well worth it.

 

3rd Time: HOHO bus again. This time straight to the Morning Market (shuts at 11 I think), back on the bus to the Aquarium, and then crossed the road to swim at Anse Vata. Back on the bus again to go back to the terminal.

 

Upcoming 4th Time: Was going to go to Duck Island, but the lagoon sounds interesting!

[2016USAHoliday]

If you snorkel then a half day trip out to the UNESCO World Heritage listed lagoon for some reef snorkelling is worthwhile.

 

Have you any info on this tour?

[BEENSAILING]

Four cruise visits to Noumea.

 

1st - did ship Tchou Tchou train tour - very enjoyable. Have read that is cheaper when bought at the Terminal building.

 

2nd - did ship 3 hour coach tour City, Bays & Countryside - great way to see around Noumea area. Covered the things you see on the train plus more

 

3rd & 4th - took HOHO bus (A$25 at Terminal Bldg) - did a loop and on second loop got off at Lemon Bay and swam and then had lunch & drinks at local bar/restaurant right across road from beach. On last trip got off bus and walked to the supermarket for some supplies, before getting shuttle back to ship.

Note: each time the driver spoke good English and pointed out the various POI and gave instructions on where to catch bus etc

 

Have often read that the people in Noumea were rude & not friendly - not our experience at all

 

Thank you so much for the reply.

[BEENSAILING]

We have been to Noumea more then 10 times and always enjoy it.

As others have said there are local tours available at the terminal.

I would suggest the Tchou Tchou train which I think goes for 2 hours and shows you all around. It is a good way to get your bearings if you decide to do to HOHO bus. I can really recommend the aquarium and a swim at Lemon Bay, where you can even catch a boat ride to Duck Island.

Our last cruise we arrived at 3pm on a Sunday and nothing was open,so we walked through the marina and stopped at a bar and had a few pints of Number 1 the local beer and watched the sunset which was also very pleasant.

We were a bit disappointed that we did not get to do any shopping. If that is your thing Chinatown has some nice clothes, bags and shoes.

The supermarket is quite interesting and good if you want to take some snacks back on board. Last time we got 5 different types of twisties where in Australia we only get 2.

 

Thank you for the reply.

[BEENSAILING]

If you snorkel then a half day trip out to the UNESCO World Heritage listed lagoon for some reef snorkelling is worthwhile.

 

I always find Noumea has the best T-Shirt designs anywhere on the South Pacific cruises so recommend to buy them there if you want any. The small shops near the main square are the best I've found.

 

Lost of people rave about the day trip to Amedee Island not cheap but may be of interest - here is the link to Royals day trip info.

 

Thanks...

[BEENSAILING]

I haven't been there, but it's one of the ports on my upcoming January cruise.

 

Friends and family have recommended Lemon Bay very highly. We've already booked in for the world heritage site snorkel (cross your fingers for us, I really really hope to see sea turtles). We've also booked paddle boarding, because my brother spent a couple of weeks paddle boarding in New Caledonia last summer and loved it. I've done a lot of paddle boarding here in Australia so it will be good to compare the two locations.

 

Thanks.

[BEENSAILING]

1st Time: Bought the HOHO ticket at the terminal. We were given an hour long tour first then dropped off to where we wanted to go. Travelling with little kids, so the playground was first followed by snorkeling at Lemon Bay.

 

2nd Time: Booked a tour through Alfred. Google Gateway Tours NC. He has a number of options to choose from. We went to Escapade Island. Had a great day and well worth it.

 

3rd Time: HOHO bus again. This time straight to the Morning Market (shuts at 11 I think), back on the bus to the Aquarium, and then crossed the road to swim at Anse Vata. Back on the bus again to go back to the terminal.

 

Upcoming 4th Time: Was going to go to Duck Island, but the lagoon sounds interesting!

 

Thanks.

[BEENSAILING]

Tijbaou cultural centre. Beautiful building/s, great exhibits and lively grounds, about 8 km from Noumea.

 

Thanks.

[Redhatnana10]

We were in Noumea in April and thought it was beautiful. Did the 3 hour City, Bay and Countryside tour and really enjoyed it. Comfortable bus, good driver and wonderful tour guide, plus a reasonable overview of the island.

[BEENSAILING]

We were in Noumea in April and thought it was beautiful. Did the 3 hour City, Bay and Countryside tour and really enjoyed it. Comfortable bus, good driver and wonderful tour guide, plus a reasonable overview of the island.

Thanks...

[robinph]

We were in Noumea 2 weeks ago for the second time this year. It is a nice city as long as you get out and about, so many people say they don't like it, but you have to get away from the cruise terminal area. I would recommend any of the previous suggestions. Local tours, Tchou Tchou train and HOHO bus can all be picked up at the cruise terminal which you will be bussed around to from the ship, they all accept Aussie dollars and are all run by reputable tour guides, so do not feel you need to book tours through the ship for safety reasons unless there is something specific you wanted to do. There are also small market stalls upstairs that accept aussie dollars also. Most shops in town require French Francs. Whatever you do enjoy. Robin:)