Vanuatu and New Caledonia

[Luko]

Hi all,
I posted a couple of months ago a thread asking for some advices on PNG and Solomons in august, thanks to all who replied, but in the end it happens that for some complex circumstances I had forward my holidays in july and shift them southeastwards to NEW CALEDONIA and VANUATU.
Different but, well i won't ask for sympathy :cool2:

Those two places were my playgrounds when I was a kid and a teen, been raised there but in 25 years time I guess some things may have changed I need a refresher from you Pac divers :

1- NEW CALEDONIA :

I will be landing Noumea and expect to spend a few days around first : life seems atrociously expensive, do you have any ideas for a middle range accom conveniently located near the beaches quarter (Anse Vata, Baie des Citrons).

Dive centres : which to use and which spots to ask for.
Does anybody have an experience with Tenia/Bout'd'Brousse one hour drive off north Noumea?

I then have the choice either spend some more time in N/Cal or go directly in Vanuatu. if I spend time in N/Cal, what would be your trade off : Going up north (Poindimié or Hienghene?) or taking the plane to Ouvea (not interested in super touristy Ile des Pins, Ouvea seems much authentic and pristine). recommendations for accoms or places?

2- VANUATU :

Kantri blong mi fala, yeeeehaaa! :banana:

I've read some of Amlitywife's posts. Moso is definitely on my list : how long would you say? I am accompanied with non diver wife and 15 yo daughter, I am worried it is roughing them a bit, would you say Moso is also a place enjoyable for non divers (I mean with beaches and snorkeling...).

Do you have any places worth staying one night around Efate island other than in Port Vila?
Hideaway near Mele, would say it is worth staying two nights or so.. it is also a beach stay hence I don't know if it would be worth staying while I have to show my family what was my Vila life (the usual tour : where I lived, where i was going to school then go eating out, drink some kava, etc.).

Downtown Vila : I would need to stay for some nights in between because we will be going to Tanna for sure and maybe Santo (if we decide cutting short our stay in N/Cal). Which accoms would you recommend, not too expensive but still pleasant?

Dive centres in Vila. Coming from Moso and maybe Mele, would you say it is worth diving around Vila, may be the Pango or Eratap area? Which suggestions as for dive sites and dive centre?

Tanna : no dive options there, we're going only for the Yasur. Would you recommend some guesthouses or bungalows in Tanna not far from the volcano possibly? Any cultural experience like a daytrip at certain villages? (30 years ago I slept in the John Frum village with the pigs waking me up in the morning. fantastic... but I reckon my daughter wouldn't be very happy with it..)

Santo : maybe maybe not... I am looking for a family accom not a divers den. Any opinion on Aore resort? Other dives to recommand than the Coolidge?

Am I missing someplace for Vanuatu I should immediately see(other than the 400 other islands I didn't mention)?

Thanks in advance for your input, I must decide quickly as I am going in a month. (Can't wait to be there!!!!!!!!)

 

[harmony]

Bonjour Luko,

There is really good diving all around NC. I suppose that you already know that a large part of our lagoon was recently listed by Unesco on the World Heritage List. Noumea also has some good dive sites. You can get an idea from our blog. Diving in New Caledonia If you plan to do a lot of diving, it might be worth buying a "Plongee plus" card from the New Caledonia dive operators association. The card is sold for 5000 FCFP and then you have a discount of 15% in all the dive centres which are members of the association. For the list, visit the following web site Nouvelle Cal?onie Plong? - New Caledonia Diving - ニューカレドニア　ダイビング For accommodation around the city beaches, I would suggst the Marina Beach Hotel at the Baie des Citrons or the Hotel Le Lagon on the Anse Vata. I believe that they are both reasonably priced. The water is a bit cool in July but the visi is normally really good in winter. This month is the season for the grey reef sharks in the Dumbea Passage. There are also plenty of mantas around at the moment. For information. the dive centre in Hienghene recently discovered a colony of pigmy seahorses. I hope that this is of help. If you need more detailed information, just let me know.

 

[Luko]

Thanks Harmony, you'll reckon it was a mistake to reply as I will now bombard you with questions

I've had a look at your blog which also directs to your dive centre.
It happens in the days I was a teen living in NC (1980-81), my favorite beach for snorkeling and collecting shells was the place were Kuendu beach resort is now built... there was nothing at the time, but only zillions of sand shells, terebras, murex, olivaes, etc.
For the record, once I noticed from the surface what I thought was a very big shell trace, 6 or 7m deep on the sand, I dived and started culling sand with my bare hands : actually I put my fingers where a dark grey snake buried in the sand, he then started to wind around my fins... fear of my life, never swum so fast...:shocked2:

I remember in july water was chilly for the islander I was at the time, but for real how cold is it? Do you think a 3mm wetsuit is fine?

It's a pity your dive centre is remote from the place we would dwell, I would have taken my Noumea dives with your operation. Do you also go to Dumbea, Boulari and these places. Prony too?
I know it's not really easy to ask for an advice on a "competitor" but which one would you recommend downtown/beaches area if I can't dive with yours?

North of Grande Terre : Pygmy seahorse do not weigh much in the balance for my choice, I'm a frequent Lembeh and Mabul diver, hence I'd tend more to look for bigger stuff, fish soup and colorful corals when I'm in the South Pacific. In that respect would you say Hienghene or Poindimie suits better?

Other question on the islands : Ouvea or Ile des pins? I've heard diving at Ile des Pins was a bit tame. Your opinon?

general weather question : In july which part of NC would you guess it'd be sunnier and seas flatter : North, Ouvea, Ile des Pins?

Thanks in advance if you can reply any of the questions.
cheers
Luko

 

[harmony]

Hi Luko,

I will try and answer your questions.

First the water temperature. At the moment it is around 23 C. In July it might be around 21 to 22 C. It shouldn't get much colder. On the bright side the visi is usually much nicer in winter and there is often less wind. I would definitely find a 3mm suit too light! But then I tend to feel the cold.

For your information, we (Lagoon Safaris) specialise in the Dumbea Passage and the outer reef north & south of Dumbea. We also do Boulari (today the boat is at Boulari) but not as often. I prefer Dumbea for the big stuff although there is never a guarantee! If you would like to dive with us I can pick you up at the hotel. If not, I would recommend Amedee Diving. They do a day trip to the Amedee Island in the Boulari Passage. We do 2 tank half-day trips.

There is no dive centre in the Bay of Prony. However, we do organise one week-end a month down in the south during the whale season which is July through September. We do diving in the morning and whale-watching in the afternoon with lunch at the Kanua Resort in Port Boisé. We also intend to begin dive Safaris in the near future with trips to Tenia, Yaté, Thio etc. This will be with our 6m5 Lomac semi-rigid which is on a trailer. We should have the schedule in a couple of days. We plan to start working on it this afternoon.

For info, our dive boat is a 9m6 BWA covered semi-rigid powered by twin 200 HP 4 stroke Suzuki OBs. This a very fast and comfortable craft.

You will certainly find New Caledonia and the Kuendu Beach changed in the past 20 years. I have been here for 37 years. I really love the Kuendu Bay. It is now a marine reserve but unfortunately a lot of people don't respect the law. I can get very angry. I have found all sorts of interesting critters here. I actually live in the bay on board my sailing boat so I regualrly see dugongs in the early morning or late evening when the people are gone. They graze right next to my boat and my dogs go crazy. By the way, there are always lots of sea snakes in the bay but they are not aggressive.

Regarding the islands, I would have to advise Ouvea even though Jean Luc in the Isle of Pines is a very good friend of mine. Lifou is also really incredible with fantastic visi but the dive center is closed at the moment.

Hope that this is of help,

Annabella

 

[harmony]

I forget to complement you for your English! Also the photos on your web site. Very professional.

 

[Kevster]

Hi.
I am just about to post a trip report from my time in Vanuatu last week.
Tanna was one of the best places i have ever been to. The volcano was AMAZING
I will email more later as i am currently travelling back from Fiji.

 

[almitywife]

ahhh - Vanuatu is my fav place in the world... only 3hrs by plane and for me, so easy to get around

Moso island (Tranquility dive) is VERY basic - im talking bamboo bed frame with thin matress and mozzie net and when we where there 2yrs ago only a few huts had electricity (important to charge up batteries) but for us the diving was GREAT so we look forward to going again as it was our kind of place.

for the non divers, the beach is right there and i happily spent my non diving time snorkeling all the time

Moso is very quite, very out of the place and VERY low key - its not for everyone but for those that just want to enjoy the diving we're going back

if basing yourself at Port Vila, we stayed a few nights at Moorings last time and it was really nice, easy to get around, nice pool, restaurant ect. Port Vila Budget Hotel Accommodation

Hideaway Island is also a fav of ours - we were married there. their acomodation goes from REALLY nice to clean and dorm style/couples comy but basic - its all good and their staff are fabulous. dive shop is right on the beach, 3 or 4 dives per day, single dives too so you dont spend all day out on the boat and snorlking off the beach (and diving)

Vila dive ops - Nautilis or Big Blue. ive been told very good things about both but Big Blue is a fav of mine because Mike and Maggie Crawford own it and use to run Hideaway for years. the boat is right outside their shop and there are cafes next to it to sit and chill after the dive


oh and pssstttt...... ever thought of Niue?? Niue Dive Website ~ www.dive.nu techinically its part of New Zealand, a VERY small island (you can bike ride around it) but the diving was great)

 

[Luko]

@Harmony :
Thanks, half day trip to Dumbea might suit me very well and if you pick me up at my hotel (I thought it was only an asian luxury), I'll certainly ring you up when I'll be in Noumea. I would also be curious to see what happened with Kuendu bay.
PS : btw, it helps growing up in Vanuatu for learning languages, probably having a brit father too

@Kevster :
Yes please, Kev, do post your report!
if you have any recommendation on where to sleep in Tanna, this would be great.
(Browsing your photos and the destination you've been in the past two years, looks like you're having a ball with diving lately... )

@Almitywife
My fav place in the world too ... I simply missed it for 30 years :ermm:
Fine, Hideway looks then like an option and Moorings an accom alternative, walking distance from Fungkuei and town centre for when I'll be in Port Vila.

Niue? Pulling my legs with the snake story, right :dork: ? I love the banded laticaudas, or "tricots rayes" as they call them in the french Pacific, but those ugly inquisitive dark grey or olive ones... hmmmh... they look really nasty...

cheers
Luko

 

[Kevster]

In Tanna i stayed 3 nights at White grass resort.
It was one of the nicest places i have ever stayed. Really amazing setting, ideal for families.
There is amazing snorkling just off the resort . Lots of hard coral. Would be a great spot to dive. The bures,gardens,pool ,food were all great. The only bad thing is that it is a good 2.5 hrs from the volcano on a very bumpy road. The resort is next to the airport. Ideally i would recommend 1-3 days at basic accom as close as possible to teh vol then 3-4 nights at white grass
I highly recomend a stay at white grass. I will post a link to some photos of this resort,gardens & the coral soon.

 

[Ouvea]

Hi Luko:

At the Anse Vata, the least expensive place I found was the Surf Hotel, which is located at the Roche Voilier. It doesn't have much parking but it's just around the Baie des Citrons. At least there are plenty of restaurants if you want to dine out. There is also the Hotel Le Lagon that has just re-opened. At my last visit, I wanted to stay there but it was doing some remodeling.

The cheapest and best accomodation that I found was at the Hotel Stanley. Although it's located on the Presqu'Ile Ouemo and is far from the center of town.

Please visit the dive center that Harmony mentioned. It's located at Kuendu Beach at the tip of the Nouville. It's very quiet there (although not on the weekends) and the water bungalows are adorable.

Where did you grow up in New Caledonia? I lived at the Cartier Latin when I was very young and then moved to the La Flotille apartments that are next to Hopital Gaston Bouret, where the old fire station used to be located. My grand-parents lived at Trianon and I went to the two schools nearby (Ecole Les Tulipes & Ecole Paul Boyer). Wait until you see how much Noumea has changed.

Claude