NOUMEA BEACHES

NOUMEA BEACHES - NEW CALEDONIA 
Last visited JAN 2019

This page is becoming a bit lengthy - people seeking stuff on a PARTICULAR BEACH will find:
ANSE VATA BCH  - 5% down page
LEMON BAY - 20
DUCK ISLAND - 30
CHATEAU ROYAL BCH - 65
PLAGE DU MERIDIAN - 70
KUENDO BCH - 75
PLAGE DES NUDISTES - 80
CHS BCH - 85
AMADEE LIGHTOUSE - 90


NOUMEA is the capital of NEW CALEDONIA and paints itself among other things as a beach destination. 
But I'm not whelmed. What we have here, at least for the places I've seem, are way ordinary strips of sand. I'm thinking for NOUMEAN good beaches you need to head OFFSHORE.
Although no doubt the rest of GRANDE TERRE, the big main island of NOUMEA, has some drop dead gorgeous beaches - but I haven't managed to get to them. The only land trip out of NOUMEA I've done is back in the 70's into the mountains, not the coast.

I know the LOYALTY ISLANDS north of GRANDE TERRE and the ISLE OF PINES to the east-south-east, can do the job. Some of their beaches feature on other pages of this blog - see the INDEX.

GRANDE TERRE, THE LOYALTIES and ISLE OF PINES

GRAND TERRE relative to LIFOU and MARE (LOYALTY ISLANDS) and ISLE OF PINES.
Go to the INDEX - click on YEJELE BEACH (MARE), ISLE OF PINES and LIFOU.

This page's beaches relative to CBD and CONTAINER TERMINAL (where big cruise liners dock). The CRUISE TERMINAL where small and intermediate liners tie up is just left of the CBD PLACE MARKER.
For a linear scale it is 5km/3.1mi between top and bottom place markers.



ANSE VATA - last visited JAN 2019

This is probably the city's #1 beach. But I found 2 deficiencies:
- EXPOSED TO THE SOUTH EAST TRADE WINDS (particularly the western half) which seem to blow more often than not in these latitudes.
These can be welcome in the hottest 3 months of the year but can become quite unpleasant in cooler months despite NOUMEA being within the tropics (just).
- TOO THIN: I found in recent years that there is a deficiency of sand from water to back of beach - in Feb 2018/Jan 209 mid and eastern areas areas had only 2m mid-tide and NO BEACH full tide. Bit wider towards the western end - a little over 3m full tide. SANTA MONICA it ain't.
Note my first 2 visits in the mid 70s saw plenty of sand - maybe TROPICAL CYCLONES (HURRICANES/TYPHOONS to you northern hemisphere dudes) have cut a lot of sand.

ANSE VATA mid and western sections look pretty sweet in this 2016 pic from the excellent OUEN TORO HILL viewpoint. Maybe it was low tide on one of those SPRING TIDE (extra low/high tides) days associated with FULL MOON/NO MOON. Didn't get s chance to visit the actual beach that day.


Not so impressive this 2015 low tide shot from eastern end (note wet sand to back of beach).

Ditto this high tide mid-beach shot 2018. Note it widens a bit at far western end. Wind was pretty brisk on the day but wavelets small due to the protection of GRANDE TERRE'S formidable barrier reef - making this a relatively safe beach for swimming but not as good as wind-protected LEMON BEACH immediately east (see down page). 

A PLUS of exposure to those brisk prevailing TRADE WINDS is that ANSE VATA is the WIND and KITE SURFING capital of the south west Pacific.
Several places along the beach concourse rent equipment and give lessons.
That's the rather good DUCK ISLAND in background (see down page) - 5 minute frequent water taxi from mid ANSE VATA for a better beach and some okay snorkelling. Island entryFREE - water taxi less than $20aud return. 

The other plus of ANSE VATA is the precinct of PAVEMENT CAFES/RESTAURANTS across the beach road, particularly good towards the eastern end end. Cool places to sit and check the passing parade and being NEW CALEDONIA, not inexpensive.

SUM UP - compared to the thousand-odd other beaches I've visited I have to rate this one BELOW AVERAGE. Not bad Mind you but nothing to get excited about. Unless you are a WIND SURFER or KITE BOARDER.


ANSE VATA and SURROUNDING AREA

ANSE VATA (the central south facing bay with water taxis/pavement cafes) certainly shows lack of sand in this GOOGLE EARTH image. LEMON BAY at top not much better. PLAGE DU CHATEAU ROYAL which is really a southern extension of ANSE VATA actually looks a bit wider.  
You can see the relative closeness of DUCK ISLAND and QUEEN TORO VIEWPOINT top of eponymous big hill - the later is well worth the walk from ANSE VATA (note city bus #10 goes up and several tourist buses and the Chou Chou train from the CRUISE TERMINAL or DOCK also visit). 
For LINEAR SCALE it's 1200m between place markers of DUCK ISL and WATER TAXIS.

COSE-UP OF EASTERN HALF OF ANSE VATA

Spot the sand. I figure the GOOGLE EARTH satellite must have snapped this just after a TROPICAL CYCLONE cut all the sand out or at the very top of a fortnight's highest tide around FULL MOON or NO MOON (how come they call the latter NEW MOON? - doesn't  make sense, But that's ENGLISH - does SPENDTHRIFT make sense for a big time spender?) 
Note this half of the beach is more protected from the SE TRADES - the best windsurfing/kite-sailing is off the western half.

GETTING THERE
ANSE VATA coupled with the adjacent BAIE DES CITRONS and CASINO areas comprises NOUMEA'S main tourist hotel zone, so access is a relatively short walk for people staying there.
However a majority of visitors these days is made up of CRUISE SHIPS PASSENGERS (over 20 liners visit each month) - access is probably easiest hopping on the ship-booked JUMP ON/JUMP OFF BUS at the CRUISE TERMINAL. But at half the price other JO/JO buses run out of the CRUISE TERMINAL (free frequent 10 minute shuttle from the CONTAINER PORT where most big liners dock) - these are the go. LYVAI TOUR (look for the dudes in the red t-shirts) tends to have more and more frequent buses. I think they are least expensive these days too.
TOWN BUS 12 which I think is called the beach bus also runs from the CRUISE TERMINAL ARE , + town buses 10, 11 AND 70 depart from stops a few blocks inland from the TERMINAL near COCONUT SQUARE. However you will need CPF FRANCS for town buses. LYVAI etc take Aussie dollars and credit cards.
The popular CHOU CHOU TRAINS run past ANSE VATA and BAIE DE CITRONS but don't stop. Once again LYVAI'S CHOU CHOU is abt half the price of the one starting at the ship.

LYVAI JO/JO BUSES outside the CRUISE TERMINAL. 
Note VOYAGER OF THE SEAS at the container port in background - a bit further than this shot suggests: I have cranked a bit of telephoto into the ol' elcheapo OLYMPUS.


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BAIE DES CITRONS (LEMON BAY) - last visited Feb 2018

Okay - technically the beach here is called PLAGE DE LA BAIE DES CITRONS, but I like it simple, say LEMON BEACH.
I prefer this one to neighbouring to the east ANSE VATA, mainly because it's SHELTERED FROM THE PREVAILING SE TRADES and HAS MORE SAND AT FULL TIDE.

The beach is set deep within LEMON BAY, shielded from the south-easterlies by the longish headland on which the camera is situated.

3/4 tide shot shows more sand than at ANSE VATA (it's wider at this northern end than mid or south but the beach does not disappear in those places unlike at ANSE VATA) although it still is not what you'd call a WIDE beach.
Note lack of chop and the smallest of wavelets - this is a good beach for kids, and adults who are a bit phased by rougher stuff. The fact that the water shelves fairly gently doesn't hurt either.
However WIND SURFERS and KITE BOARDERS will not be impressed by the sheltered conditions.
Note too there is NO SHORTAGE OF SHADE behind the beach. Also some outdoor showers and rest rooms.

Across the road from the beach are several PAVEMENT CAFES - not as many as at the far end of ANSE VATA but still an attractive feature.

SUM UP - you won't be writing home to mum about this one either but to me it is a step up from its neighbour - to SATISFACTORY. 

Hmmm - not much sand showing here either. Same super high-tide FULL MOON or NO MOON day as featured on ANSE VATA satellite shot. Just had another thought - maybe this was shot just after a TROPICAL CYCLONE ripped thru and cut a hell of a lot of sand from the bay - TROPICAL CYCLONES have been very frequent in recent years. Thing is beaches wax and wane - seemed to have waxed a bit on my Feb2018 visit.

GETTING THERE - same as up page for ANSE VATA.


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DUCK ISLAND (ILE aux CANARDS) - visited Feb 2018

MOST CORAL CAYS TAKE SOME REACHING - THIS ONE IS LESS THAN 10 MINS FROM NOUMEA CITY (ACTUALLY CENTRAL ANSE VATA BEACH) VIA FREQUENT WATER TAXI.
But I was left a little perplexed - plenty of gulls BUT WHERE'S THE DUCKS?

DUCK ISLAND AND NEARBY NOUMEA LOCATIONS.

DUCK ISLAND lower left is only 1200 m from the central ANSE VATA water taxi departure point (arrow). About the same from CHATEAU ROYAL'S BCH - but directly you need to wim or wind-surf from there. The OUEN TORO (QUEEN TORO) hill viewpoint is well worth the walk if you don't spend all day on the island.

DUCK ISLAND from QUEEN TORO VIEWPOINT.

Only 1200m off ANSE VATA BECH and 1950 from the viewpoimt/
Note you can see the outer BARRIER REEF (white streak) from here - some 20lkm from the camera. No surprises - NOUMEA'S big island (GRAND TERRE) has the second biggest barrier reef and enclosed lagoon in the world.

A coral cay is a former atoll where the lagoon has been filled or partly filled with detritus eroded from the reef. Wind and wave action piles it above sea level - but  never to an appreciable height. This island can be walked around in around 15 minutes.
Note the size of the surrounding reef in the above GOOGLE EARTH pic. Somewhat surprisingly I found BEST SNORKELING was in the WHITE ARROW area. Boats arrive in the YELLOW area - and the BEST BRACH is behind both WHITE and YELLOW. For those seeking a more secluded section of beach, CHARCOAL does the trick. I forgot to mark the SEA BIRD HATCHERY AREA - it's just north of the SOUTH EAST CORNER near the 200m place marker.

THE BEACH

You are not gonna write home to mum about this one. At the same time it's way better than NOUMEA'S mainland ANSE VATA and LEMON BEACH in that there is plenty of width top of the tide. 
Another plus is this is on the LEE SIDE of the island and thus protected from the prevailing SE TRADE WINDS which I find a pain. On a moderately blustery day it was pretty benign here.
Above we have lotsa room to lay a towel/sarong on the sand at front - behind is the day-resort SUNLOUNGE area: can be rented at what I thought an excessively high fee (but I'm a cheapskate).
Sand was white/yellow. Lotsa coral debris particularly near the water which made my elcheapo chain store REEF BOOTIES a good investment.

SUN LOUNGE AREA

Just the spot if you are the type likes to sit back and suck the frequent drink from the day trip resort bar. A bit above my pension grade unfortunately.

DAY TRIP BAR

Cool bar in center of island. Can also do meals. Being NEW CALEDONIA, prices are not inexpensive.
There is also a REST ROOM area nearby. No accommodation on DUCK ISLAND.


SNORKELING

The best snorkeling seemed to be left (looking out to sea) of the water taxi arrival area. Some okay coral and fishies reasonably close to the sand will keep novice snorkelers happy but hard core dudes have seen much better.
Further out the coral lost colour and size. I didn't continue to the REEF DROP-OFF (white buoys) because I was feeling lazy - but cut me a break: at almost 73 I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for long swims to places might be (but very seldom are) a step up. However a DIVE BOAT tied up out there indicated it could be an interesting spot.
Day trip resort can rent snorkel gear but it ain't a bargain - my Brit mate from the water taxi demurred so I lent him my mask. I always carry a face mask - can do without bulky fins and snorkel..

ALTERNATIVE SNORKELING

These people were about to check out the area off the SECLUDED BEACH area. Seemed fairly popular with snorkellers but I didn't check it. 
ALSO - I did check the area to the RIGHT of the boat arrival spot - a lady told me she saw some TURTLES there. Nada for me - the area featured plenty of sea grass, little coral, some fish - turtles had shot thu. 

STROPPY SEA BIRDS

My Brit mate from the water taxi was underhwhelmed by the aggressive sea birds here at the southern end of the east coast - understandable at a hatchery. I found the usual stick held above the head kept them away.
East coast pretty barren - cops the SE TRADES full on. I'm thinking abt that SAND SPIT you can see far background - must have been from times time when the prevailing winds REVERSE for a short time, the resulting currents dragging sand off the BEST BEACH area. Or maybe there is a permanent tidal current on the waxing or waning tide despite the prevailing south-easterlies - I didn't notice any side drag when snorkelling to the left of this area.

 BACK TO THE MAINLAND

Such is the frequency of the water taxis, I only had to wait 5 minutes for this one.
Once back, I headed left to check out WESTERN ANSE VATA and LEMON BEACH, but you can easily head right for EASTERN ANSE VATA and the PAVEMENT CAFES across the road, the CHATEAU ROYAL beach area and the superior QUEEN TORO VIEWPOINT behind. You can save a bit (not much) of walking by crossing the road to the JUMP ON/JUMP off bus stop and going a minute or two to the NORTH ANSE VATA TURN-AROUND which is very near the SIDEWALK CAFE precinct.

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CHATEAU ROYAL BEACH - last visited JAN 2019

This one is really a extension of ANSE VATA  but its orientation makes it more sheltered from the south east trades.  

CHATEAU ROYAL WIDE BCH at top starts less than 400m south of ANSE VATA, followed by CHATEAU ROYAL NARROW BCH middle. 


CHATEAU ROYAL WIDE BCH

The wider part of CHATEAU ROYAL BEACH (that's my name by the way - it probably has a local name but I can't find it) is open to the public. This section seemed to be more organised in 2019 than in 2014 - wind/kite surfers had been banished to PlAGE DU MERIDIAN further south and the area off the above beach given over to swimmers plus boats/water taxis in dedicated areas.(image TRIPADVISOR)

CHATEAU ROYAL BCH NARROW

Just south of the previous image (to its left) the beach narrows markedly for about 80m - pretty skinny from sea to back of beach, unlike the 70s when this was a reasonably wide beach. If you click-wexpand you can see wider section of beach in middle ground  and ANSE VATA bay far background.
Interestingly this narrow section is actually in front of the MERIDIEN HOTEL but this is not PLAGE DU MERIDIAN - that beach is immediately south (see down page).

In 2014 this was a popular WIND SURFING/KITE BOARDING beach.
I grabbed my FACE MASK and checked the scene out there - probably only 2m deep 250m from the sand. A lot of sea grass, a few scattered small coral bommies with fish - novice snorkelers may find it interesting but hard core types will be bored.

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PLAGE DU MERIDIAN (MERIDIEN BCH)

This is immediately south of the narrow part of CHATEAU ROYAL BCH. and is actually a spit beach before the coast turns due east. Note how compact it is - barely over 100m long. However unlike lots of NOUMEA beaches, it is plenty wide at full tide. The south easterly trades tend to blow offshore making water off the sand fairly smooth - but lack of protective buildings or landscape features means it was nicely cool and the warmish day I visited. Note the bay to the right was very chopped up by the wind and unappealing. There's no beach that side.
Not sure about status re public access - offshore is a designated wind/kite surfing area, but there is a wire fence going inland from that breakwater at top which I found easy to walk around. Only half a dozen beach goers on a nice day when CHATEAU ROYAL BEACH had well over a hundred.

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BEACHES OF THE NOUVILLE PENINSULA
last visited Nov 2018

The NOUVILLE PENINSULA is west of the CBD and the CONTAINER TERMINAL where bigger cruise liners tie up (smaller ones berth at the CRUISE TERMINAL which is just to left of the CBD place marker). The peninsula is hilly and semi-urban - contains quite a few public buildings including a couple of hospitals and the university. There are a few beaches towards its far end.

KUENDO BEACH

KUENDO BEACH is situated where the N place-marker is on the map above this one. It's about 7km from the CBD on bus #10 - go to the final stop which is marked above, walk another 80m and look for the track leading right which goes 150m thru the park to the beach.
The 400m long beach itself is spit into 2 parts - the southern public section and the northern resort section. Labels will be clearer if you click-expand image.

This is the public beach section of KUENDO. In many respects it's a typical NOUMEA beach - not particularly attractive sand (a fair bit of weed and coral detritus), thin (check the high tide mark in the top photo), water not super clear and fairly shallow for some distance off the sand. However it differs in that its orientation plus the surrounding hills mean the prevailing south easterlies are OFFSHORE, meaning smoother water conditions. And it has a RURAL atmosphere, backed by a pleasant park area (I read some reports which said this was in pretty sad condition not all that long ago - looks like the authorities have spent a bit of money here) instead of the restaurants etc of in-town beaches. I went for a swim - some patches of coral rock offshore with a few fish, but nothing to get excited about.

This shot shows the continuation of KUENDO into the resort area - note the beach is one smooth arc (see GOOGLE EARTH image up page) - my elcheapo OLYMPUS hasn't stitched this panorama shot together all that well.
I'm not real sure how many resorts are on the northern half - the internet talks of KUENDO BEACH RESORT and KUENDO BEACH HOTEL but is never clear on if this is one place with 2 names, or 2 places.
Note how smooth the bay is - I think you may need a TROPICAL CYCLONE SWELL to generate any waves or even wavelets here. This, the shallow water and the park make for an excellent kids' beach.


PLAGE DES NUDISTES

This is about 300m south of KUENDO on the east facing coast, across a slightly raised cleared section of land inland of the steep western headland of KUENDO - see image below. Shorter than KUENDO but otherwise much the same EXCEPT it faces east into the south easterlies and is not backed by parkland. Note no nudists the nice weekday of my visit.

NO NAME BEACH

This is north of NUDISTS BEACH towards the end of the eastern side of KUENDO HEADLAND (see GOOGLE IMAGE up page under KUENDO BEACH heading). NO NAME is my name - no doubt it has a local name but GOOGLE MAPS doesn't call it. Speaking of which.....I wouldn't be a bit surprised if this was not the real PLAGE DES NUDISTES. Seems like the perfect nudey beach - away from the crowds - a bit hard to reach. Which is exactly why this happy camper didn't go there - my 73yo arthritic knees don't appreciate extended walks to places which may involve some difficult access. 
Then again - the GOOGLE nominated PLAGE DES NUDISTES does have decent parking just behind the beach - something NOUMEA's weekend naturists might appreciate.

CHS BEACH

My name, because 2/3 of it it is behind the CHS HOSPITAL (Google Maps gives no name). Note the typical narrowness, particularly above the high tide mark and plenty of marine detritus blown onshore by the prevailing SE Trade winds.
I shot this from a storm-water pipeline showing abt 400m of beach. Behind camera is another 200m odd, backed by housing in the furthest end.
Summing up, I wouldn't write home to mum about this beach.

Location is about 200m south-east of the nudey beach. Note the bus stop on the inland of the hospital - accessed from the beach by a road leaving not far pastthe pipeline
  
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COMING UP
With more NOUMEA visits in 2019 (Lady Tezza sure is a keen cruiser and I can't say no to 8-11 days of relaxation/eating on a huge liner - and all liners calling in at the smaller NOUMEAN islands must also visit NOUMEA insist local authorities) I am not sure which beach to visit. The only one I haven't checked since the 1970s is that at AMADEE LIGHTHOUSE.  The island here is bigger than DUCK ISLAND and the beach goes right around. There is also a surrounding lagoon which offers snorkelling and from my 70s memory, water skiing. My memory is a bit vague after all this time but I seem to remember a nicer beach than at DUCK ISLAND which I regard as NOUMEA MAINLAND'S best.
But the question is - is AMADEE LIGHTHOUSE a NOUMEA beach? It's 25km due south from the Marina guarding a pass in the BARRIER REEF. At 25km, I don't think so.
The other thing is the trip out there is not too easy much of the time. When the SOUTH EAST TRADES BLOW a lot of the way can be choppy and uncomfortable. And not inexpensive.
So don't hold your breath for any upcoming report.

Looks nice. But a (possibly bumpy) 25km? (image PRINCESS CRUISES)



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