New Caledonia, Shining Land in South Pacific
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
NEW CALEDONIA ― It’s hard to open the eyes. The sun is so bright that everything under it shines in its most vivid color.
New Caledonia, a French overseas territory located between Australia and New Zealand, is another unique resort destination being newly introduced to Koreans.
Often called ``French paradise,’’ the nature and culture of the South Pacific island provide heavenly colors of blue, green and gold.
Blue
With the world’s largest lagoon at 24,000 square kilometers, the ocean water of the South Pacific island is emerald blue, which is more vivid in contrast to the white powdery sands.
Coral Palm Island Resort, located on Maitre Island, about a 10-15 minute boat ride from the New Caledonian capital of Noumea, is an ideal hideaway to relax and enjoy the scenery. Guests can plunge into the sea directly from the balcony of the bungalows built on stilts over the water.
A sunset cruise in seas off Noumea is also recommended.
Besides the main island, Grande Terre, where Noumea is situated, four major islands ― Lifou, Ouvea, Mare and Ile des Pins ― complete the beauty of New Caledonia.
At Chateaubriand Bay in Lifou, children with tanned skin were enjoying windsurfing. The sails of their windsurfing boards looked more colorful on the clear blue water.
With their giggles on the one side, the other side of the 1-kilometer-long beach in the bay is a quiet resting place, where the Hotel Drehu Village nestles.
To see colorful marine life, the Natural Pool at Oro Bay on the Ile des Pins is the place.
About a 15-minute walk from Le Meridien Hotel, a turquoise pool appears with pine trees stretching behind like a wall ― the name Ile des Pins means ``Island of Pine Trees,’’ and it is quite exotic to see pine trees in a tropical location.
The pool is formed as the water comes over the rocks of Oro Bay when the tide is high. Tropical fish swim in the natural aquarium and greet snorkelers.
An excursion between Saint Joseph Bay and Upi Bay on the Ile des Pins on a traditional wooden boat, or pirogue, is also a must. During the 2-hour sailing on the water some 1 to 2 meters deep, a Melanesian version of Ha Long Bay is presented with huge rocks sporadically surfacing.
Green
New Caledonia is not only a resort destination but is also of ecological importance.
About 60 percent of New Caledonia was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List last week for its reef diversity and associated ecosystems. This is not just because of its natural beauty: It is because New Caledonia has plants and ecosystems that date back to the Jurassic period.
There are thousands of New Caledonian endemic species. Such plants have evolved to live on toxic soil containing iron and nickel.
``New Caledonia has the world’s fifth largest number of plant species, about 40,000 kinds. Also, about 100 species are newly discovered each year,’’ said Francois, the guide to the Blue River Park, the repository of New Caledonia’s ecology. It is about an hour from Noumea by car in the southern part of Grande Terre.
On soil the same as that in Jurassic times grows the araucaria, one of the ``fossil plants.’’ The tree evolved into needle-leaf pine trees in cold regions and into a broadleaf tree, or kauri, in warm regions. There are 19 species of araucaria in the world, and 13 among them are only in New Caledonia.
If you are lucky, you can also see a kagu there, an endangered bird species inhabiting only New Caledonia. It does not fly.
Hiking to Mt. Koghi, some 30 minutes away from Noumea by car, is also a good chance to experience the flora. A chalet on a tree, 15 meters up from the ground, is a perfect place to be immersed in nature.
Gold
What is sparkling in New Caledonia is not only the sun but also the people.
Brown may be the color representing their traditional house made of palm tree leaves, their culture of worshiping soil, and their dark skin ― but the precious culture and broad smiles on the faces of the ``Kanak,’’ the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia, make you feel that they are bright gold.
The Tjibaou Cultural Center in Noumea is famous for its unique architecture. The bold, modern style architecture made of wood and iron has a traditional Kanak hut as its motif.
In the garden of the center is the ``Kanak path,’’ which surrounds the center and provides a glimpse of the Kanak way of life with various crops and symbols ― their belief about birth, agriculture, houses, death and spirits.
The traditional Kanak house, called ``case,’’ is easily seen in Lifou. Some Kanak residents provide lodging and food for travelers.
At one of those residences, Weniko Wejieme’s house in Jozip Village, visitors can try the traditional food ``bougna.’’
Making bougna seems to easy ― wrapping chicken, fish or any kind of meat along with yam, taro, or any kind of vegetable, in banana tree leaves; digging a pit in the ground and putting heated stones in it before placing the wrapped food on the stones and covering it with earth. However, it takes more than half a day for the full procedure.
Opening the banana tree leaves, it smelled exotic and tempting. The chicken was so soft and went well with the sweet potato.
When I was sitting on the ground and digging into bougna, an old Kanak lady, who prepared the food for the visitors from Korea, stroked my head. Unable to speak French or Kanak language, I raised my thumb as a sign of ``good food.’’ She was all smiles and her face was shining under the golden sun.
Travel tips
Flight: Aircalin, the New Caledonian carrier, operates nonstop flights between Seoul and Noumea every Sunday and Tuesday. It takes nine and a half hours. For reservations, call (02) 3708-8581 or visit www.aircalin.co.kr.
Luggage limit: The small plane between Grande Terre and other islands allow only 10 kilograms of luggage and 3 kilograms of carry-on.
Exchange: New Caledonia’s currency is French Pacific franc (CFP or XPF), which is pegged to the euro. 1 euro is about 119 CFP, and 1 CFP is roughly 13 won. Korean won can be exchanged into CFP at two New Caledonian banks, BCI and BNC, with 536 CFP commission.
For more information, visit www.new-caledonia.co.kr.