After returning from Waterhouse Island Ilot Maitre, we embarked on a two-day in-depth exploration of Noumea. We took a small train to tour the entire town. First, we explored the central area, where notable spots include the Central Fountain, Chinatown, and The St. Joseph Cathedral. Next, we visited the Morning Market (next to the port, open from 5 am to 11:30 am), where we could buy local souvenirs. The seafood market offered a dazzling array of freshly caught tropical fish.
Following that, we strolled along the seaside to the liveliest and most tourist-populated area, Lemon Bay, which happens to be my favorite. There, we enjoyed drinks and meals. The street is lined with restaurants, bars of various sizes, and clubs that come to life at night, making it the main street of Noumea. The seafood dishes they offer are not only fresh and delicious but also reasonably priced. (It’s worth mentioning that the prices here are comparable to those in Australia. If someone is used to spending around a dozen dollars for a meal in Australia, they might find the expenses here relatively high. So, it’s all about perspective.) After filling up, we continued to stroll along the beach back to the hotel and spent the afternoon at the pool.
We stayed at Le Meridien, where some rooms had just been renovated, and the pool was beautiful with fewer people. The nearby Hilton had more tourists, and personally, I found it a bit small and outdated in appearance. However, if we come with our child next time, we will choose a hotel in Lemon Bay. Black pearls are abundant here, but our driver mentioned that most of the pearls purchased by tourists are fake. It’s better to buy them at the airport duty-free shop or on the plane.
Overall, Noumea Island in New Caledonia is a 3-hour flight from Sydney and a 2-hour flight from Queensland. It feels like arriving in a small French town 🇫🇷 and is definitely worth visiting again.
