New Caledonia

Getting around

Boat

The Betico, a fast passenger ferry, sails three times a week between Noumea, the Loyalty Islands and Île des Pins. Betico sails from Noumea to the Loyalty islands on average twice weekly either on Monday or Tuesday and on Thursday or Friday. It sails to Île des Pins three times a week on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be bought at the Gare Maritime des Îles (26 01 00; commercial.betico@mls.nc; 1 av James Cook, Noumea at the Ferry Terminal; 7.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 6am-10am Sat) on the way to Nouville, opposite the red bingo sign on rue Jules Ferry.

A one-way economy-class ticket from Noumea to the Loyalty Islands costs 6200 CFP and to Île des Pins 4700 CFP. Going between islands costs 3300 CFP. An Île des Pins day trip costs 8200 CFP. Return fares are double. Children pay around half-price.

The Havannah, a slower cargo boat, is operated by Compagnie Maritime des Îles (27 36 73; cmisa@lagoon.nc; Ferry Terminal), which has an office at the dock on Quai des Caboteurs at Baie de la Moselle. Havannah runs on Mondays between Noumea and Maré and Lifou in the Loyalty Islands (one way 5120 CFP).

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Car & motorcycle

Car, scooter & campervan

Touring New Caledonia by car or campervan allows you to explore places that are off the beaten track and aren't easy to reach by bus. Car-hire rates are reasonable. New Cale- donia's major roads and most of its minor ones are all sealed and in good condition. Occasionally, road signs are missing so a good map is essential.

Hire

Car-rental companies abound in Noumea and the larger ones also have desks at the airport. The visitor information centre in Noumea has a list of companies.

Most companies charge about 1200 to 2000 CFP per day (on average) for a small sedan. In addition, there's a charge of 20 to 36 CFP per kilometre. For free 150km per day or unlimited kilometres it costs between 3500 and 5000 CFP per day. Some companies offer good deals such as one-week's all-inclusive rental from 20, 000 CFP, excluding petrol.

In the Loyalty Islands and Île des Pins prices are much less competitive than in the capital (5000 to 8000 CFP per day with unlimited kilometres).

Car-rental companies in Noumea:

ADA (28 85 02; www.ada.nc; 49 rue Georges Clémenceau, Noumea)

Discount Location (27 26 99, 77 54 42; discountloc@lagoon.nc; 135 rte de l'Anse Vata, Noumea) Along with regular vehicles, also rents camping cars (two-/five-/seven-person vehicles per three days 45, 000/55, 000/60, 000 CFP, 600km included). Also has an office at Tontouta airport (35 39 28).

Location Camping Remorque (46 93 42; www.camping-remorque.nc; rte de la Roche Blanche, Mont Mou; per day/Sat & Sun/Mon-Fri 4500/9500/25, 000 CFP) This place in Païta rents fully equipped camping trailers. It also offers free airport transfers and helps to organise car hire.

Noumea Fun Ride (26 96 26; noumeafunride.org@canl.nc; Gare Maritime) Rents bicycles (per hour/half-day 1100/1300 CFP), scooters (per hour/half-day 2300/2700 CFP) and scootcars (miniature cars; 2700/3800CFP).

Point Rouge (28 59 20; www.pointrouge.nc; 75 av du Maréchal Foch, Noumea) Also rents scooters for 1800 CFP a day.

Insurance

No extra insurance is required when hiring a car. Some companies charge a security deposit of 100, 000 CFP.

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Bus & tram

Bus

Nearly every town on Grande Terre is connected to the capital by bus, all leaving from Noumea's old gare routière (bus station; 24 90 26; 36 rue d'Austerlitz; Noumea; 7.30am-noon & 1.30-4pm) next to Ciné City. It is best to book in advance, especially if you are travelling on Friday or Sunday.

Carsud (25 16 15; Gare de Montravel; rue Edouard Unger; Noumea) operates buses between Noumea and the greater Noumea region. Buses operate roughly between 6am and 6pm and go as far north as Tontouta (400 CFP), passing through Dumbéa (320 CFP) and Païta (360 CFP), and south to Plum in Mont-Dore (400 CFP).

Noumea is the only town in New Caledonia with an urban bus system; on the other islands there are practically no buses, aside from school buses, and it's best to prearrange transport or hitchhike.

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Air

Airlines in New Caledonia

New Caledonia's only domestic airline is Air Calédonie (Aircal; 28 78 88; www.air-cale donie.nc; 39 rue de Verdun, Noumea; 7.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 11am Sat), not to be confused with the international carrier Aircalin. Air Calédonie operates out of Magenta airport in Noumea and flies to Koné, Touho and Koumac on Grande Terre, to each of the Loyalty Islands and to Île des Pins. There are no direct flights between the Loyalty Islands as all inter-island flights transit in Noumea. There are Air Calédonie agencies at all flight destinations, and a ticket office (25 21 77) at Magenta airport.

Fares quoted below are return peak fares and include a 1050 CFP tax. Off-peak fares cost 8% to 22% less. Fares for children under 12 are half-price.

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Bicycle

You have to be pretty eager to cycle round 400km-long Grande Terre. However, each of the Loyalty Islands, in particular Ouvéa, and Île des Pins are ideal for cycling. Bikes can be transported on the Betico and Havannah ferries.

There are few bike lanes in Noumea, and drivers both in the capital and elsewhere are not necessarily courteous to cyclists, so you need to be vigilant.

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