New Caledonia Family Adventure

A fun family day exploring Noumea. The children will love the excellent Aquarium des Lagons, showcasing the extraordinary marine life of the lagoon, including turtles, sharks, nautilus and glowing corals, a fascinating introduction to the underwater world they will later explore. You visit the striking Tjibaou Cultural Centre, whose dramatic architecture, inspired by Kanak huts, introduces the fascinating indigenous Kanak culture in an engaging way, and perhaps the zoological park to see the unique flightless cagou bird, New Caledonia's national emblem. The lovely city beaches offer safe, calm swimming and water sports, and the markets and cafes reveal the French-Pacific buzz of the city. This variety of safe, engaging, family-friendly attractions, combined with Noumea's relaxed atmosphere, makes for a delightful day. As the sun sets, enjoy a relaxed family dinner, perhaps of French-Pacific cuisine, and rest ahead of tomorrow's lagoon adventure.

A day of family adventure on the world's largest lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary marine life. A boat trip carries the family across the shimmering turquoise water to Amedee Islet, a tiny coral cay crowned by a historic white lighthouse, one of the tallest in the world, which the kids can climb for breathtaking views over the lagoon. On the island, the whole family snorkels over vibrant coral gardens alive with tropical fish, turtles and rays, swims in the warm, calm, shallow water perfect for children, plays on the white sand, and enjoys a barbecue lunch, often with a fun display of Kanak dance. The gentle snorkelling and abundant, approachable marine life, especially the turtles, delight children of all ages, and the day is a highlight of the Noumea stay. As the boat returns across the turquoise water, you take in the beauty of the lagoon. Back in Noumea, a relaxed family dinner rounds off a wonderful day.

A free day to enjoy Noumea and its lagoon at the family's own pace. You might relax on the calm city beaches with their gentle swimming and water sports, take a fun trip such as the little tourist train around the city, visit a park or the aquarium again, explore the Blue River Park to spot the unique cagou bird and ancient kauri trees in the wild, or simply relax by the pool. Noumea's safe, easy-going atmosphere and family-friendly attractions make it a wonderfully stress-free base, with plenty for every age, and the French-Pacific cuisine keeps everyone happy. As the sun sets, enjoy a relaxed family dinner, perhaps of fresh seafood or a French-Pacific dish, and rest ahead of tomorrow's flight to the beautiful Isle of Pines, where the magical natural pool, towering pines and world-class beaches await for the second half of your family adventure, on one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific.

This morning the family transfers for the short, scenic flight to the Isle of Pines, the 'jewel of the Pacific', and the children press their faces to the windows as the island's signature landscape unfurls below, blinding white beaches, towering dark pines, and impossibly turquoise water. On arrival you are welcomed and transferred to your family-friendly accommodation near the beautiful beaches of Kuto and Kanumera. The rest of the day is yours to settle into this island paradise, the children swimming in the warm, calm, shallow lagoon, building sandcastles on the white sand beneath the pines, or snorkelling the coral, while parents relax in the shade. The Isle of Pines is small, safe, tranquil and utterly unspoiled, and its warm, calm lagoon is perfect for children. As the sun sets over the turquoise water, silhouetting the tall pines, the family settles in for a few blissful days of snorkelling, sailing and beach fun on this incomparable island.

Today the family experiences the magical Oro natural pool, one of the most beautiful natural swimming spots on earth. Reached by a fun walk through fragrant pine forest and along a shallow, crystal-clear river (an adventure in itself for the kids), the natural pool is a stunning tidal lagoon enclosed by rock and reef, filled with water of the most extraordinary, luminous turquoise imaginable. Here, in sheltered, calm, crystal-clear water ideal and safe for children, the whole family can snorkel among coral and shoals of brilliant tropical fish, or simply float and swim in the warm, dazzling pool, surrounded by towering pines and white sand. The children are enthralled by the fish and the astonishing colour of the water, and the setting is idyllic and utterly tranquil. Snorkelling or floating in the Oro natural pool is a joyful, wondrous experience for the whole family, and for many the single most beautiful moment of the holiday. As the sun sets, enjoy a relaxed island dinner of fresh lagoon seafood.

A final day to enjoy the beauty of the Isle of Pines as a family. In the morning you sail Upi Bay aboard a traditional wooden outrigger canoe, gliding among dozens of towering limestone rock pinnacles that rise from shallow turquoise water, a surreal and magical experience the children will love. The rest of the day is yours to relax on the world-class beaches of Kuto and Kanumera, where the water is warm and calm and the sand blinding white beneath the pines, perfect for the kids to swim, snorkel and play, or to visit a Kanak community for a warm welcome and a bougna feast. The Isle of Pines combines extraordinary natural beauty with tranquillity and gentle culture, and there is always time to swim, relax and soak up the incomparable surroundings. As the sun sets over the turquoise water, silhouetting the tall pines, a farewell family dinner celebrates the wonderful adventure, and the family watches one last beautiful sunset over this incomparable island.

After a final barefoot family morning by the lagoon, perhaps a last swim or snorkel beneath the pines, you transfer for the flight back to Noumea and your onward international departure. The children leave with sand between their toes, shell necklaces around their necks and a head full of memories, snorkelling with turtles, floating in the magical natural pool, climbing the lighthouse, sailing among the rock pinnacles, while parents leave genuinely rested, having enjoyed the ease and safety of this beautiful French-Pacific destination. You depart with the warm welcome of New Caledonia in your hearts, having experienced its extraordinary lagoon, fascinating culture and the incomparable Isle of Pines, and already talking about when the family can return to these safe, beautiful and uncrowded islands, among the most rewarding family destinations in the entire Pacific.