New Caledonia Diving & the World Heritage Lagoon

Your first full day of diving on the reefs of the southern lagoon around Noumea. A boat carries you to the dramatic reef passes, such as the Boulari or Dumbea passes, where oceanic currents sweep through gaps in the barrier reef, attracting abundant marine life and offering thrilling drift dives, with grey reef sharks, turtles, rays, barracuda and clouds of fish patrolling the current. In warm, clear water and on healthy, uncrowded reefs, two tanks give you ample time to explore this UNESCO World Heritage underwater world. The friendly local operator tailors the diving to your experience. The afternoon is free to relax on the beach or enjoy Noumea's cafes and culture. As the sun sets over the lagoon, a relaxed dinner rounds off an exhilarating first day of diving among sharks, turtles and vibrant coral in one of the world's healthiest and most biodiverse lagoons.

Another day exploring the diving of the southern lagoon, with more dives on the coral gardens, drop-offs, and perhaps a wreck or another reef pass, revealing the astonishing diversity and health of New Caledonia's World Heritage reefs. In warm, clear water, you drift over vibrant hard and soft corals alive with clouds of tropical fish, turtles, reef sharks and rays, with the chance of remarkable encounters, including, with luck, the gentle dugong that grazes the lagoon's seagrass meadows. The diving is relaxed and beautiful, and the reefs uncrowded. Between dives, you might relax on Amedee Islet with its historic lighthouse, snorkel the coral, or enjoy a barbecue lunch on the water. As the sun sets over the turquoise lagoon, a relaxed dinner rounds off another rewarding day beneath the surface. Rest well, for tomorrow you fly to the Isle of Pines, where spectacular caves, drop-offs and coral gardens await amid the incomparable beauty of turquoise water and towering pines.

This morning you transfer for the short, scenic flight to the Isle of Pines, one of the most beautiful islands in the world, and a spectacular diving destination. As you approach, the island's signature landscape of white beaches, towering pines and turquoise water unfurls beneath you. On arrival you are welcomed and transferred to your accommodation near the beautiful beaches of Kuto and Kanumera. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, check your gear, and perhaps take a first dive or snorkel, or relax on the world-class white beaches beneath the pines. Beneath the surface, the Isle of Pines reveals spectacular grottos, caves, drop-offs and coral gardens teeming with life, set against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful islands on earth. As the sun sets over the turquoise water, silhouetting the tall pines, you settle in to dive amid caves and coral in this incomparable setting, with the magical Oro natural pool also to explore between dives.

A day diving the spectacular underwater world of the Isle of Pines. You explore the famous Gadji area, with its network of caves and canyons, the Vallee des Gorgones, festooned with huge sea fans, and the dramatic drop-offs and coral gardens alive with turtles, reef sharks, rays and clouds of tropical fish, all in warm, clear water and set against the beauty of this incomparable island. The diving is varied and spectacular, and the friendly local operator tailors it to your experience. Between dives, you can snorkel the magical Oro natural pool, a stunning tidal lagoon of luminous turquoise, relax on the world-class beaches, or soak up the island's tranquil beauty. This combination of spectacular diving and extraordinary topside beauty makes the Isle of Pines a wonderful and memorable diving destination. As the sun sets over the turquoise water and the tall pines, enjoy a relaxed dinner of fresh lagoon seafood, and rest ahead of tomorrow's flight to Lifou and its pristine reefs.

This morning you transfer for the scenic flight to Lifou, the largest of the Loyalty Islands, a wild, unspoiled island with world-class diving on pristine, uncrowded reefs. As you approach, the island's dramatic limestone cliffs plunging into brilliant blue water are strikingly beautiful. On arrival you are welcomed with genuine Kanak hospitality and transferred to your accommodation. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, check your gear, and perhaps take a first snorkel at the famous Jinek Bay marine reserve, where pristine coral walls teem with fish just off the shore, or relax and take in the wild beauty of the island. Lifou's reefs, dramatic drop-offs, coral walls and caves, are among the healthiest and most beautiful in the Pacific, and because the island is so remote and uncrowded, you often dive them almost alone. As the sun sets over the sea, you settle in to explore the pristine underwater wilderness of the Loyalty Islands.

A final full day diving the pristine, uncrowded reefs of Lifou. You explore spectacular sites such as the Shabadran drop-off and the Gorgones cave, festooned with sea fans, where the healthy reefs are alive with turtles, reef sharks, rays, Napoleon wrasse and clouds of fish, in warm, crystal-clear water. Because the Loyalty Islands are so remote and uncrowded, you often dive these spectacular sites almost alone, with a profound sense of exploring an unspoiled underwater wilderness. You also snorkel the famous Jinek Bay marine reserve, drifting over pristine coral walls teeming with fish just off the shore, one of the finest snorkelling spots anywhere. Combined with the wild beauty of the island and the warm Kanak culture, the pristine diving of Lifou is a magnificent finale to your journey. As the sun sets over the sea, a farewell dinner celebrates the days of world-class diving, from the reef passes of Noumea to the caves of the Isle of Pines and the pristine reefs of Lifou.

After a final morning on Lifou, perhaps a last snorkel over the pristine reef, you transfer for the flight back to Noumea and your onward international departure. You leave with a logbook full of world-class dives, the reef passes and coral gardens of Noumea's World Heritage lagoon, the caves and drop-offs of the Isle of Pines, the pristine reefs of Lifou, in some of the healthiest, most biodiverse and least-crowded water on earth. The exceptional marine life, from turtles and sharks to the gentle dugong, the dramatic underwater terrain, and the spectacular topside beauty of these French-Pacific islands stay with you long after you unpack your fins. New Caledonia rewards divers richly, and you depart already dreaming of a return to its World Heritage lagoon and its pristine, uncrowded reefs, one of the most beautiful and distinctive diving destinations in the entire Pacific.