The Ultimate Island Roadtrip

Thick bamboo boughs droop over the highway that slices through the spine of New Caledonia’s mainland, Grand Terre. The mountain in front looks like a green tablecloth, pinched in the centre and left to slope into folds. Up ahead, a dog stands in the middle of the highway and stares unflinchingly at the oncoming tyres. “No stress,” says my French guide Gilles, for the fourth time today.
It’s all par for the course in this laid-back country. The most startling noise in the sedate interior is the car horn and it is reserved for greeting locals who stand beside the road. In New Caledonia what we might consider a sign of road rage is little more than a Pacific pleasantry.
It plays out like a game. On one occasion, a local gets their wave in first and I lunge out the window to overcompensate for my tardiness. Mostly I make the first move and the wave is met with befuddlement as the walker considers whether they know me. It is magic when they realise that I am just a friendly stranger. An arm lurches skyward, a smile beams and an overhead swinging wave ensues long after I have driven by.
Due to the popularity of Noumea among tourists, much of this stunning and rugged landscape is regrettably overlooked. A self-drive holiday, however, allows your clients to experience the real New Caledonia; to connect with local Melanesian tradition and see that there is much more to the third largest island in the Pacific than its picturesque capital.
Noumea is the place to begin the island road trip. The capital could easily be mistaken for a small city in France but for the coconut trees and hibiscus flowers that line the streets. Lunch is a two hour affair, bread is served with every meal, road names are written white on royal blue signage, just like in Paris, and petanque is played at the end of the day. Petanque began in the south of France and every afternoon at 5pm along Anse Vata beach in Noumea, old and young, men and women, French and Melanesian, converge in the battle of ball lobbing. Ricard liquor, a French tipple of aniseed, fuels the verbal jostling that is essential to the game.
New Caledonia is French down to the ground, which means you will be driving on the right side of the road or the wrong side to you and I. But once you sort out your left from your right the roads are easy to navigate. The speed limit in Noumea is 50km per hour and outside the city it is 110km per hour. But merely half an hour outside Noumea the speed limit is rarely reached. The pace forcibly slows as the road snakes through valleys and mountains studded with banyan trees and flame trees. Around every bend is a photo begging to be taken.
On this road trip windows should be kept open to capitalise on the fresh breeze of New Caledonia. If you could bottle the scent of the island, newly chopped grass would be the fragrance. This is thanks to legions of men in fluorescent yellow and orange visibility vests who tackle the roadsides with roaring whipper snippers. The grass grows so quickly that the same patch of ground needs to be recut within a few weeks.
The same lush climate that makes the grass grow so rapidly is also responsible for the verdant enclave of Sarramea, a town two hours drive from Noumea. Mango and banana trees line the only road through the village and a pebbly stream trickles through it. A twenty minute walk through cow paddocks and an insect filled rainforest leads to a waterfall called Treu Feillet. Nicknamed the Wine Vat, the falls create a deep circular pool that most swimmers reach by sliding down smooth rocks.
The best swimming beach en route is located on the west coast at Turtle Bay, where pine trees slope on obscure angles and tower above the sand. Two central pines cross over, creating a natural pergola. At the corner of the bay is La Roche Percee – a solitary rock shaped like a spinning top and engraved with thin notches. This stunning and eccentric vista is perfect for a swim and a picnic. To this end, visitors should make the most of roadside stalls selling roast chicken, cooked in a glass cabinet rotisserie. Petrol stations and supermarkets sell great baguettes while fruit and vegetable stalls are commonplace, mostly serviced by an honesty box. These stalls are set up by members of local tribes.
Most roads cut through tribal areas and are marked by engraved signs of red wood. There are more than three hundred tribes on Grand Terre and all are friendly and amenable to pre-arranged visits. The animals on New Caledonia are just as welcoming. There are no deadly snakes or spiders so tourists can walk through long grass and explore without fear. It is safe to be intrepid on Grand Terre.
Water features heavily on this road trip. If I’m not driving alongside the sapphire ocean, I am passing over an olive green river or past a frothy waterfall. The most spectacular part of the drive is the traverse of the mountains that divide the west coast from the east coast. Named Col des Roussettes in French, the name translates as Flying Fox Saddle. This name is particularly apt given that the highest point is some 400 metres above sea level.
The mountains fold and layer over one another so intricately that it looks otherworldly. There are several occasions where I take my eyes off the road in order to count the peaks that form a furrowed horizon. This journey doesn’t cover a long distance but the corkscrew turns slow the drive down. My car is often the only one on the road and when I finally pass another driver I am met with a steering wheel salute. In less than two hours the cross over ends and the mountains I have just passed shadow the oceanfront drive along the east coast.
Northbound, the first marker of the town of Hienghene is the Linderalique rocks. These are a series of black monoliths that jut out from the turquoise water. The raised limestone has tightly bound shards with green trees that grow erratically between the spikes. Hienghene is renowned for the natural fortresses, and one features on the 500 Pacific Franc banknote.
Despite this fame your clients will not have to share the view. I was the only one at every lookout. The Belvedere lookout is the best vantage point for the final two Linderalique Rocks – the Hen and the Sphinx. I expect to be unconvinced by these natural structures, but I am quickly converted. The Hen has a sharp beak while the Sphinx has a curved head and a concave patch for an eye. “If this scenery was in Thailand, we would be surrounded by tourists,” says Gilles.
The beauty of Grand Terre is that it feels undiscovered by tourists and embraced by locals. The road trip finishes back in Noumea and arriving in the capital on a Friday evening the traffic is backed up, but heading in the direction I have just come from. There is a wealth of startling scenery beyond Noumea and the locals are off to enjoy it.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Latest News

NYC Tourism + Conventions announces two exciting new events
NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced ‘NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025’ and ‘Value Family Activities’ events lined up for this year. NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025 2-for-1 ticket sales for this event have begun with this season’s program featuring 29 Off-Broadway performances, including 18 new participants. The twice-yearly program runs from 17 February through 9 March with […]

Engine delays plaguing Air New Zealand as carrier set to suspend Incheon-Auckland route
We never liked being at the back of the queue, and this is a big one to jump.

Australia’s aviation future takes flight: An exclusive with Simon Westaway
As you walk through your next Australian airport, from ABX to YWYY, remember this face, he may be there.

Destination Vancouver brings World Chef Exchange event to Sydney
We are sure that with Mark Best in the kitchen, there was more on offer than poutine and fries.

Jeju wins bid to host 2028 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has successfully secured the 14th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC14) for Jeju in November 2028. This was achieved in partnership with the Korean Society of Microscopy, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Convention Bureau, and Jeju International Convention Center. Korea was selected as the final host after strong competition at the 13th […]

Envoyage-hosted National Travel Group joins Luxury Travel Collection
As this market continues to grow, make sure you get along to our own Travel Weekly Luxury Roadshow.

Airports Council International labels Newcastle Airport most sustainable in Australia
Newcastle says it will be the green gateway into Australia, maybe the football team needs some new colours to match.

Vintage Rail Journeys’ unique Bathurst Race’N Rail packages now on sale
You might not get there as fast but you are guaranteed to save on fuel on the way there.

Patricia Piccinini’s skywhales return to tour Australia
These freaked us out when we first saw them, almost as bad as the contents of the fridge after we returned from leave.

David Fraser returns to Accor as VP of operations for Sofitel Pacific
We hope Monsieur Fraser is catching up on his French as he will no doubt be dealing with HQ.

A foodie adventure at Disneyland Resort in California: Snack Attack on the Go
As far as levels of cuteness go, Disneyland Resort's Mickey beignets take the cake or should that be churros.

Minor Hotels unveils Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur, its first property in India
Treated like a Raj for a few hundred a night, we like the sound of that. Just don't mention the cricket.

Four Seasons announces new luxury resort and private residences in UAE
These resorts are built on reclaimed land made with sand, fortunately there is plenty of it.

Oceania Cruises sets new standard for onboard dining: one chef for every 10 guests
Oceania Cruises, renowned for The Finest Cuisine at Sea, has set a new standard for onboard dining with an exquisite new menu evolution in The Grand Dining Room. Launching on its newest 1,200-guest ship, Allura, in July 2025, the reimagined menus introduce over 270 brand-new recipes, from curated Signature Eggs Benedict breakfast selection to a chic French […]

MSC Cruises announces MSC World Asia Webinar
Let's hope the words 'You are on mute' will never be uttered ever again.

Legendary Italian hotel, Il San Pietro di Positano, opens new clothing and accessories boutique
Anyone planning a trip to Italy this northern summer should leave room in their Louis Vuitton luggage.

AAT Kings’ NT boost with air credits
AAT Kings really dominates travel in the Top End and news like this only adds fuel to the fire.

Camino Women and Laos’ Khiri Travel announce new mountain trail for Australian women
Responsible tourism starts with one foot in front of the other. This trek sounds like there are a few more steps.

Thousands of dollars worth of prizes on offer through ATIA’s ‘Rockstar Renewal’ campaign
Of course it's nice to be called a rockstar, but we'd like to be a part of the superstar surge personally.

Sally Miles joins Linkd Tourism’s trade team
Having lived in the US and Japan, Sally will no doubt thrive in this role!

Maximise your Emirates journey with complimentary hotel stays in Dubai
Any freebie is a good freebie, but a free hotel in Dubai has to be pretty high on the list.

Celebrity Xcel unveils ‘The Bazaar’ set to transforms onboard experiences
No word if Xcel will make its way to Australian shores - we'd expect koala cuddling and kangaroo boxing.

CT Partners expands focus on business meetings and events
AIME is looking like it will be bigger than Ben Hur... it was a movie? Charlton Heston? Never mind.

South Africa’s The Royal Portfolio appoints Nigel Pace as executive head of sales to ultra-luxury portfolio
First job on the list is to visit all the luxury properties in the portfolio. Next, he'll be perusing all the menus...

Radisson Hotel Group concludes record-breaking year
40,000 keys is a lot of keys. We wonder if there is a master key to all of these.

Countdown underway for 2025 Visit USA Expo in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne
The two-week countdown is on, but we've been counting down for nearly 50 weeks since the last one!

WA Labor commits $500,000 to a study for future Broome cruise passenger terminal
Given the emerging popularity of cruising in this part of the world, another stop is welcome.

Maximum Occupancy New Zealand conference to return to Auckland in March
If we were to take a stab in the dark we'd say this one's all about getting those rooms full... Just a guess!

NRMA’s Turtle Sands Nature resort officially opens
For some of us, sometimes there is a bit too much nature. Try explaining to the little ones why mum buries the kids.

Outrigger appoints new sales & marketing head for Kaua‘i Beach and Kona resorts
As anyone who has worked on a resort will know, stress-free paradise is for the guests only.

Five new food and beverage guides for Coral Coast road trippers
From fresh oysters to the perfect steak, The Coral Coast is a foodies dream. We're sure you can find a good wine too.

Aboard the Palau Paradise Express, Qantas’ new direct route to remote Pacific island
There are plenty of 'hooks' for this story and our roving correspondent will soon tell us all about it.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge celebrates 25th anniversary with new adventures
Baillie Lodges has announced that it is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge with a range of new helicopter experiences for the 2025 season. Kicking off on 22 May, the 2025 season promises five months of generously inclusive luxury adventures for guests in nature’s own playground where black bears forage shoreside, whales, […]

Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is set to open on in April
First cab off the rank is getting our pronunciation of this new venue right, so we can tell the cabbie.

Moreton Bay region presents exciting events for 2025
There's more than just the bugs to look forward to if you're in Moreton Bay in 2025.

Mint Payments unveils new layer of financial protection for travel industry
Mint is here with all the tips of financial safety. Rule #1: No buying gift cards for cold callers.