TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER LONELY PLANET. regions at a glance. Efate. City Life 33 Adventure33 Islands 333

Transcription

1 Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All you ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go! Get the right guides for your trip TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER LONELY PLANET PLAN YOUR TRIP Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip welcome to Tropical weather brings light and life to sandy beaches and azure waters. Throughout the islands, strong communities show off their country s attributes to a soundtrack of drumming and dance. Vanuatu & New Caledonia Life in the Tropics 7 11 In Vanuatu and New Caledonia you ll 8Ànd a touch of the exotic in the everyday. Life here is always entertaining, whether you re being surprised by turtles peeking out of the sea, sidestepping crabs at the market, or eyeing up unruly mounds of kava before it gets pounded up at a kava bar. Getting around the islands where these gnarly roots are grown may not be simple, but you re guaranteed a welcoming smile, basic lodgings and an insight into local life if you do visit. Wherever you go, take in the little pleasures that pop up each day, whether it s bright Áowers strewn on your bed, fresh coconut milk ready for the FRANCK GUIZIOU / CORBIS THOR VAZ DE LEON / LONELY PLANET IMAGES These two different pacific countries, located a hop, skip, and jump away from each other, offer travellers excellent experiences; decide what you re looking for (Volcanoes? Dugongs? Adventure?) and suss it out island by intoxicating island (the main ones are listed below). Vanuatu, away from its smooth-faced resorts, has a rugged side to it; get Grande Terre s Southern Sights Pirogues & Feasting on the Île des Pins The far south is adventure central it s here you ll Ànd accommodation literally hanging from trees (yep, rock yourself to sleep in a suspended canvas cocoon, p000). Go on a moonlit kayak through a forest of drowned kauri trees at the 80-sq-km Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue (p145) then head to the former convict settlement of Prony (p147). It s one of the more unusual villages in New Caledonia: a mixture of rivers, crumbling stone ruins, historic houses and ocean-fronting beach, all on a surprisingly miniature scale. Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue, New Caledonia Start the day watching local craftsmen build pirogues (outrigger canoes) at Baie de St Joseph (p169), then sail around the area with thanks to the wind and the skills of your boatman. There s a snorkel-friendly natural aquarium (La Piscine Naturelle, p170) in the northeastern corner of the island and, if you follow the nearby river, you will Ànd some of the best outdoor restaurants in the country within walking distance. Dine under shady trees and indulge in freshly barbecued lobster before returning to your traditional Kanak bungalow (or luxury resort) to rest. Langouste 8 Efate City Life 33 Adventure33 Islands 333 Looking for other travel resources? 9 City Life There are activities galore straight off Port Vila s shore, and terrific produce and souvenir markets to explore. Bars come alive in the evening, but during the day check out the waterfront cafes and watch life go on UNDERSTAND GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP VANUATU & NEW CALEDONIA can make sense of what you see Learn about the big picture, so you New Caledonia New Caledonia Today... History... Environment... Traditional Kanak Culture... Art & Architecture... New Caledonia s Local Food... LONELYPLANET.COM For travel information, advice, tips & digital chapters 70 languages spoken by our writers seconds pass between posts on our Thorn Tree travel forum EBOOKS Guidebooks for your reader lonelyplanet.com/ebooks MAGAZINE For travel stories, inspiration & ideas lonelyplanet.com/magazine 100,000,000 Lonely Planet guidebooks sold, and still counting 190+ countries covered by a Lonely Planet guide STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact APPS Location-based guides for the street lonelyplanet.com/mobile Lonely Planet in numbers ISBN vanuatu-new-caledonia-7-cover.indd 2 PHRASEBOOK 9 regions at a glance Vanuatu Vanuatu Today... History... Environment... Traditional Village Life... Art & Music... Vanuatu s Local Food... COUNTRY COU CO UNTRY UN TRY Y & MULTICOUNTRY M L MUL MU LTIC LTICO COU OUNT U RY Y Th original i i l The Comprehensive Adventurous drinking, or being in town during a ha vest festival. Take the kids to Vanuatu; the ni-va children are a lot of fun, and there s a ways beachside hermit-crab action f entertainment. Letting the young u peer into a live volcano will give a who new meaning to future geography classe There s plenty to do for adults, too. Par in Noumea and practice your French. D cover the world s second-biggest reef o a few dives. Yachties Áock to the PaciÀ and the ni-vans in particular know ho to put on a good welcome. Sound li too much work? These countries are al ideal for anyone keen on doing nothin but relaxing. OLIVER STREWE / LONELY PLANET IMAGES Welcome to Vanuatu & New Caledonia... Map Top Experiences... Need to Know... If You Like Month by Month... Itineraries... Which Island?... Diving... Travel with Children... Regions at a Glance... YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council standards. FSC promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world s forests. AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011 % , fax twitter.com/ lonelyplanet USA 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA % , toll free , fax facebook.com/ lonelyplanet UK Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ % , fax lonelyplanet.com/ newsletter 31/07/2012 4:17:13 PM

2 ON THE ROAD YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips Vanuatu p50 New Caledonia p130 SURVIVAL GUIDE Vanuatu Directory A Z Transport VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP New Caledonia Directory A Z Transport Health Language Index Map Legend THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Jayne D Arcy

3 Look out for these icons: Our author s o recommendation A green or S sustainable option No payment F required

4 See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book. On the Road VANUATU EFATE Port Vila & Around White Sands Beach Eton Takara Siviri Havannah Harbour West Coast Offshore Islands Nguna & Pele EPI TANNA Mt Yasur & East Tanna West Tanna MALEKULA The Dog s Head Lakatoro Uripiv & Uri Lamap The Maskelynes AMBRYM SANTO Luganville & Around The East Coast Road Ambae REMOTE NORTHERN ISLANDS Maewo Gaua (Santa Maria) Vanua Lava Motalava & Rah Torres Islands PENTECOST VANUATU TODAY VANUATU HISTORY..98 VANUATU ENVIRONMENT TRADITIONAL VILLAGE CULTURE..109 ART & MUSIC VANUATU S LOCAL FOOD VANUATU DIRECTORY A Z VANUATU TRANSPORT NEW CALEDONIA GRANDE TERRE Noumea The Far South Boulouparis La Foa & Around Bourail & Around Northwest Coast The Far North Northeast Coast LOYALTY ISLANDS Maré Lifou Ouvéa ÎLE DES PINS Vao Kuto The West Coast Baie d Oro & Around NEW CALEDONIA TODAY NEW CALEDONIAN HISTORY NEW CALEDONIAN ENVIRONMENT TRADITIONAL KANAK CULTURE ART & ARCHITECTURE NEW CALEDONIA S LOCAL FOOD NEW CALEDONIA DIRECTORY A Z NEW CALEDONIA TRANSPORT

5 Vanuatu & New Caledonia 165ºE 166ºE Hiu 167ºE 168ºE 169ºE 170ºE Metoma Luna Tegua TORRES Loh Lunaragi ISLANDS Toga Ureparapara Mota Lava Vanua Lava 14ºS Waterfall Bay Mota Vureas TORBA Bay PROVINCE Gaua BANKS ISLANDS (Santa Maria) Losalava Merig S O U T H P A C I F I C e SANMA Mere Lava Cumberland PROVINCE O C E A N Espiritu Santo 15ºS Pesena PENAMA PROVINCE Sakao Port Olry Naone Maewo Ambae s Crater Lakes C O R A L S E A Betarara Hog Harbour Nasawa Find crater lakes Mt Kotamatam Mt Lombenben (1879m) Saratamata through misty clouds (p92) (1496m) Mt Tabwemasana Luganville Asanvari (1747m) Walaha Redcliff Tasiriki Tutuba Ambae Pentecost Aore Mt Valmat Pentecost 16ºS Malo (946m) See the original Vao Baravet Santo bungee jumping (p94) Pangi Bunlap WWII ruins and natural Malua Norsup Poinkros underwater beauty (p83) Ambrym Lakatoro Ranvetlam Ambrym Craig Cove Mt Marum Mt Penot (879m) Buy original carvings MALAMPA Lamap Maranata Liro (1270m) Malekula from local artisans (p79) Paama Lopevi PROVINCE South West Lamen Bay 17ºS Bay Maskelynes Epi Mt Pomare (833m) Valesdir Tongoa Ewose Tongariki Emae Makura SHEPHERD ISLANDS km Mataso Wot 0 60 miles Nguna Pele SHEFA Tranquillity Island Emao PROVINCE Paonangisu 18ºS Lelepa Mt MacDonald (647m) ELEVATION PORT VILA Pango Eton Erakor Efate 1200m 800m 400m 19ºS Espiritu Santo VANUATU Malekula PORT NEW VILA CALEDONIA 20ºS Grande Terre 21ºS Loyalty NOUMEA Mt Lolohoe (1547m) 200m 0 170ºE Pentecost Ambrym Islands Efate Erromango Tanna 20ºS Sola Ablow Mt Sere'ama (921m) Mt Garet (797m) Tanna Heat up at Tanna s awesome volcano (p68) Mt Santop (886m) Potnarvin Dillons Bay Pongkil Bay Ipota Erromango Aniwa Lenakel Isangel Tanna Port Resolution Mt Yasur (361m) TAFEA PROVINCE Isia Futuna Port Patrick Mystery Is Aneityum Anelcauhat

6 Île Pam Top Experiences Île Pott Waala Île Niénone Île Art Noumea Gaze at the Tjibaou Cultural Centre (p133) Baie de St Vincent Loyalty Islands Beaches, seafood, swimming and snorkelling (p158) Passe d'amoss Baie de Néhoué Passe d'anemata Baie de Châteaubriand Grand Terre s Far South Walk, cycle and kayak in nature reserves (p145) Île des Pins Feast and frolic on this idyllic island (p167) Baie de l'allier Passe du Duroc Passe Popinée C O R A L S E A C O R A L Baie d'harcourt Île Yandé Poingam Passe de Yandé Poum 164ºE 165ºE 166ºE 167ºE Îles Daos du Nord Koumac Île de Cook Balabio Ouégoa Kaala- Gomen Pouébo Mont S E A Grande Passe de Touho Panié (1629m) Passe de Coëtlogon Baie du Santal Passe du Bayes Voh We Passe de Thio Népoui Hienghène Touho Koné Pouembout Massif du Boulinda Poya Poindimié Ponérihouen Kamerö (1508m) Houaïlou Kouaoua Canala Bourail Farino Sarraméa Moindou Poro La Foa Thio Passe de Pouembout Passe de Poya Boulouparis Atoll de Beautemps-Beaupré Passe de Yaté Tontouta Passe de Ouaraï Païta Fayaoué Massif du Panié Grand Borendi Mont Humboldt (1618m) Dumbéa Ouinné Yaté Passe St Vincent NOUMEA Port Boisé SOUTH la Sarcelle Passe de Mont-Dore Plum Prony Ouara Lifou PACIFIC Passe de Boulari Passe de Dumbéa Vao Îlot Nié Îlot Dudun Toka Maré Tadine Wabao 168ºE ÎLES BELEP des Français La Roche 20ºS L O Y A L T Y des Nénéma Nord Pléiades du de Poum Ouvéa I S L A N D S Pléiades du Sud ELEVATION de Koumac Deverd de Mathieu Pouma Plateau de Koniène de Tao Kuan Doïman de Mengalia s Astrolabe Îlots d'harcourt GRAND TERRE 21ºS 22ºS Massif du Humboldt Kué Île Ouen Bernadin de Flotte des Pins Île des Pins Tiga Boyer La Côte Oubliée m 0 900m 600m 300m de Gatope 80 km 50 miles Extérieur Têtembia Dumoulin d'abore Rossel St Hilaire Aimé Martin Pointe Lefèvre Escarpé Yves Merlet Réserve

7 OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end broke but inspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony s belief that a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse. OUR WRITER Jayne D Arcy New Caledonia, Vanuatu Jayne started her travels with overland Asia trips, but has discovered that overland in the South Pacific can offer up similar diversity and excitement (with more French imports). Aside from the French influence, Jayne digs the coral reefs, astounding lagoons and serious Survivor opportunities that the area has in abundance. When she s not researching for Lonely Planet (this is her 17th guide), Jayne writes for the Age in Victoria, Australia. Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN th edition Nov 2012 ISBN Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs as indicated Printed in China Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

8 22 itineraries Whether you ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet. com/thorntree to chat with other travellers. CORAL SEA OUVA Houloup Baie de Jinek Baie de Jokin Wanaham Wé LOYALTY ISLANDS GRANDE TERRE LIFOU Le Saut du #f La Guerrier Roche Tadine RShabadran MAR Eni Beach #_ NOUMEA SOUTH PACIFIC One Week Exploring the Loyalty Islands You can explore New Caledonia s three Loyalty Islands in a week; begin by flying from the domestic airport in Noumea to Ouvéa. Stay three nights, soaking up the sun on the island s 25km of white-sand beaches. Spend one day on an organised day trip that offers snorkelling off an uninhabited island, a fresh-fish barbeque and a peek at the local shark population. Check out the turtles from Ouvéa s only bridge and keep an eye out for more sharks. There s scuba diving here, too. Waterlogged, fly to Lifou (landing at Wanaham) and enjoy more island life, spotting turtles in its southeastern bays, visiting stunning beaches on its west and east coasts and enjoying the great snorkelling at Baie de Jinek in its northwest. After staying at the nearby cliff spot of Baie de Jokin, head down to Wé to catch the ferry to Tadine on the little-explored Maré. Pick up you hire car from Tadine s ferry port and head south to the lovely Eni Beach. Whales pass by here between July and September. Stay the night before heading to the island s east and hiking Shabadran with a guide. Gaze at the spectacular Le Saut du Guerrier (Warrior s Leap) near La Roche before dropping of your hire car and catching a flight back to Noumea.

9 23 CORAL SEA ESPIRITU SANTO Leweton Cultural Village Luganville Champagne #Ù Beach Oyster Island Million Dollar Point NGUNA PELE EFATE Hideaway Island #_ PORT VILA Iririki Erakor Island Island SOUTH PACIFIC PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES Five Days Vanuatu s Beaches & Islands Start exploring Vanuatu s watery delights with a visit to all three of the almost football-field sized islands off Port Vila. On day one, don a snorkel and fins and send a postcard from the underwater mailbox at Hideaway Island. Spend day two enjoying lunch on Erakor Island, followed by a paddle in its calm shallow waters. Then, as the sun goes down, hop on the regular ferry to Iririki Island for dinner. Each island has its own resort but you don t need to stay at them to visit. If manicured-resort fatigue kicks in, travel north by public transport or hire car and take the short boat trip to the islands of Nguna or Pele. Experience hospitality ni-van style while staying in a rustic bungalow by the beach. It s very chilled out; your entertainment will most likely be hermit-crab watching. Head back to Port Vila to catch a plane north to Luganville, the capital of Santo. Get straight into the action by exploring the underwater WWII dumping ground of Million Dollar Point and dive the wreck of the luxury liner USS President Coolidge. Once the diving s done, make your way north to recover on comfortable and fun Oyster Island. For a change from beaches, borrow one of the resort s kayaks and paddle your way to its nearby blue hole. You won t be able to resist diving into its luminous bright blue water once you get there. Return the kayak and venture further north by road to Champagne Beach, which is one of Vanuatu s most impressive beaches. Its cuticle shape holds in whiter-than-white sand and clear turquoise waters. It s a cruise-ship favourite but, if you re lucky, you ll have it all to yourself. If you haven t managed to get all the sand out from between your toes, be tempted by the presence of yet more blue holes along the road back south. To finish off the watery Vanuatu experience stop at Leweton Cultural Village in time to see women and children from the northern island of Gaua perform water music. The soothing sounds and images will stick with you as you board your flight from Luganville back to Port Vila.

10 24 Tjibaou Cultural Centre SOUTH PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES SOUTH PACIFIC To Îlot Maître (2km) Place des Cocotiers Le Marché Quartier Latin Port Moselle Musée de Nouvelle-Calédonie Aquarium des Lagons Baie des Citrons Anse Vata PACIFIC One Day Noumea Those who arrive by cruise ship are lucky; the terminal is smack bang in the middle of Noumea. Start your day with a bit of shopping around nearby Place des Cocotiers. If you leave it until later shops may be shut. Drop off your purchases and walk south to the multi hexagonal municipal city market, Le Marché. Stand and drink your coffee like a local, buy fresh fruit, then walk up Rue Eugéne Porcheron for some of the best pastries in the country. Musée de Nouvelle-Calédonie is nearby; spend an hour here exploring Kanak culture and Melanesian artefacts. Hop on the local bus to Baie des Citrons and settle onto your patch of sandy beach (there are grassed bits too). Have a swim and chill out on the floating pontoons just like the locals do. Dry off and walk to the Aquarium des Lagons (a waterfront aquarium). Spend at least an hour here, admiring the sharks and lagoon-dwelling sea life. Continue walking to Anse Vata, a beachside hive of shopping and eating. Adventurous types can depart here for some kite surfing on the windy but pretty Îlot Maître (book ahead, and take your snorkelling gear). Then it s time to smarten up and make your way (phone for a taxi) to the architecturally amazing Tjibaou Cultural Centre. The walk around it, complete with informative plaques, is impressive, as are the exhibitions inside. Call for another taxi or wait for the local blue bus to take you back to the centre. Watch the yachting life while unwinding with an aperitif at a waterfront bar at Port Moselle, before ending your day with a wander through the historic and character-filled Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter).

11 25 Relais de Poingam SOUTH PACIFIC CORAL SEA Hienghène Poindimié GRANDE TERRE La Foa Boulouparis Plage de Ouano Parc Provincial NOUMEA # de la Rivière Bleue #_ Prony La Piscine Naturelle #f Baie de Kuto ÎLE DES PINS PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES Two Weeks New Caledonia Spend a few days in Noumea, swimming at the beaches (Anse Vata and Baie des Citrons) and practicing your French. Indulge in French pastries and bistro meals and don t miss the local market for your morning dose of caffeine. By all means loll around the hotel pool, but emerge to see the gorgeous Aquarium des Lagons and, further out, the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. On day four, wake up early and catch a ferry to Île des Pins. On arrival at the wharf in the Baie de Kuto, pick up your waiting rental car and stop at all the sights en route to La Piscine Naturelle (a natural aquarium). Walk along the river to a simple beachside restaurant where you can eat lobster or (if you ve ordered in advance) traditionally cooked bougna. Stay nearby in a traditional bungalow by the water. Head back to the Baie de Kuto to return the car and jump back on the ferry to Noumea. Dance like there s no tomorrow at an over-water nightclub. Recover, then hire another car (make this one a lovely new French import) and head north along the west coast for a week of cultural exploration. Stay waterside, snorkelling and scuba diving at Boulouparis, and surfing at Plage de Ouano. Take a day out and head inland near La Foa to visit a farmstay in the depths of deer-hunting cowboy country. Return to the west coast road and head north again. Book early for a couple of magic days at Relais de Poingam, right at the tip of Grande Terre, before travelling across the top and part way down the east coast, buying up local Kanak carvings and fresh tropical fruits from roadside stalls on your way. Stay in one of the great (and simple) beachside bungalows and take advantage of more snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities. There are some interesting towns here try to coincide your trip with the regular markets. Drive onto the terrific river ferry en route to Hienghène, and cross back to the west on the RPN2 after exploring Poindimié. Retrace your path along the west coast back to Noumea. Still time? Duck down to the Grande Terre s Far South and explore the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue by canoe. Head even further south and see the former convict centre of Prony. If the whales are around (between July and September), catch a boat from here to get a little closer to them before heading back to Noumea.

12 26 PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES CORAL SEA AMBAE Longana Ambanga Craig Cove Mt Marum R R AMBRYM Mt Benbow PORT VILA #_ EFATE SOUTH PACIFIC Whitegrass Airport TANNA R Mt Yasur 10 Days Volcanic Vanuatu Take the early morning flight from Port Vila straight to Whitegrass Airport on the island of Tanna. Choose your accommodation from the resort or bungalows nearby and hang out in the blue pools filled with coral and fish. Join a tour to a kastom (traditional) village to see how Tanna s tribes have been living for centuries; if you re lucky you ll get a peek at some black magic it s particularly strong on this island. Then rest up and prepare to cross a vast ash plain by 4WD truck in the late afternoon. Stop and take photos of this moon-like surface with Mt Yasur rising in the background. The 4WD drops you a few minutes walk from this active volcano s lip. Settle into your viewing position and when dusk approaches witness the fireworks as lava and smoke spit out. Stay in a treehouse beneath the volcano for added spark you ll hear the rumbles and lava explosions all night. Climb back up in the morning if you want to get another sulphur fix before crossing the island again and flying back to Port Vila. From Port Vila, fly to Craig Cove on the island of Ambrym. The island has several routes to get to the Mt Benbow and Mt Marum volcanoes; each community has its own paths and guides to get you there, and each involves a different degree of difficulty. Reaching the volcanoes requires a four- to eight-hour walk and incorporates an overnight stay camping by the rim (only if it s safe to do so check the warnings first). Finally, fly from Craig Cove to Longana on the island of Ambae. Once there, head up to Ambanga (a two-hour 4WD journey away) and in the morning set off to visit Ambae s three crater lakes with a guide. The lakes are accessible on foot, though it s fairly dense forest that you ll be making your way through. Take your camping gear and stay the night by one of the lakes before returning to Longana for your flight back to Port Vila.

13 Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - Do the right thing with our content.