Destination Profile
Plonked smack bang in the midst of a glowing South Sea lagoon and beset by mountains that are laced with scented pines and tropical palms, there's something otherworldly about this off-the-beaten-path archipelago nation. For Kiwis, cheap flights to New Caledonia from New Zealand can help you swap the buzz of Auckland for white-sand beaches on the stunning Îlot Maître bay in just a few hours, thanks largely to regional airlines that run the route without stopovers. Most arrivals will go to the big airport in the capital of Noumea. A nearby domestic airport offers short-haul flights to smaller isles in the country from there, while a few ferry connections from the town's harbor open up other bays and resorts.
Lifou is for diving into coral-filled lagoons, for seeking out lonely beaches framed by rock arches, and for hiking trails through waxy rainforests.
Delve into the Isle of Pines to find lanky evergreen trees and forest trails, all next to tropical lagoons of see-through ocean water.
The island capital of Noumea promises to be a great welcome to New Caledonia. It's got museums chronicling Kanak heritage, beaches, and lively maritime areas.
No airlines fly non-stop to New Caledonia from New Zealand.
The best airline to fly to New Caledonia from New Zealand is Qantas Airways.