DAY TWO

After breakfast, we will make our way to Isle of Pines. Deserted beaches, wild coasts, pristine blue water, the Isle of Pines is a paradise in the Pacific. Dominated by the peak Nga (262 meters altitude), Isle of Pines emerges from the superb lagoon, with waters so blue it hurts the eyes.

Later in the evening we’ll anchor in the magnificent Kuto Bay, one of Caledonia’s most beautiful bays. Here you can have lunch in one of the local restaurants called ‘Kou Bugny’: offering an array of freshly caught seafood, Chef Yvar is from the island himself and wrote the menu with his brother Gustave and his mum Georgette  – a family affair!

Our dedicated guide, himself called Ivar as well, will join us in the afternoon for a private tour of the island: Queen Hortence grotto, ruins, Vao village and the most exclusive scenic views!

Back on board, we have the choice to dine on board or at Ouré Lodge on the beach.

DAY THREE

This morning, our guide will meet us on board, to discover the natural reserve of Nokanhui. This atoll is one of a kind, with sand so white you can only look at it through sunglasses and water ranging from cobalt to turquoise and every shade in between. To access Nokanhui, our guide will have requested the authorisation to the local tribe.

For lunch, we will cruise to Moro Islet for a barbeque feast of seafood, fresh lobster and other local fish.

Bougna is the traditional Melanesian dish and it’s definitely worth a try. Bougna is a combination of chicken, lobster or fish with yams, bananas, sweet potatoes and coconut milk wrapped in banana leaves. The food is then steamed in an earth oven heated by hot stones. Bougna is served with a variety of other dishes, including seafood, coconut milk and tropical fruit.

After lunch, guests can rest and enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the surroundings, or engage in more active watersports sessions.

We will have dinner here tonight.

DAY FOUR

Wake up to the sound of water against the hull, and a hearty breakfast on the shaded sundeck. After your morning swim, sail on a traditional dugout kayak around Upi Bay and St Joseph: approximately 2hours of smooth sailing, drifting with the wind on these smooth turquoise waters. Turtles, dolphins, reef sharks and stingrays may come to your encounter.

Upon disembarking from this travel back in time, cross the tropical forest to find La Piscine Naturelle, a pool of exquisite turquoise water sheltered behind the reef (45 minutes walk in exquisite landscapes). The secluded spring is part of a waterway which leads from the open sea to Baie d’Oro.

IROUE will be waiting for you on the other side in Bay d’Oro.

Lunch is possible at the Meridien Hotel, La Pirogue, which also provides you access to the Spa. A refined French/Melanesian menu includes the bougna, and will be enjoyed outdoors or around the sleek, open-air bar.

After this memorable experience, the Captain will make his way to Gadji Bay for our anchorage.

DAY FIVE

After breakfast, our guide Pierre-Emmanuel will meet us on board IROUE to go on a diving tour this morning.

There are numerous diving locations along the reef offering a constantly changing panorama of drop-offs, corridors, passages and sea grottos. There are over 15 dive sites, all around the breathtaking Gadji Bay. The more experienced divers can venture down to the mysterious freshwater underground caves known as “Grotte de la Troisième”, reachable only by a narrow underwater corridor. Night dives in Isle of Pines are renowned for its mysterious atmosphere, with the sea snakes and loggerhead turtles.

Other sites of interest include Kasmira reef, Faille de Noupoa, Garden of Eden, or Passe de Gie. For the non-divers on board, Gadji Bay features a beautiful vanilla plantation cared by her Owner, Nicole.

After a beautiful lunch on board, and a rest after your dive, you will have the opportunity to enjoy watersports such as kayaking, paddle boarding or more active pursuits.

We watch the sun setting and reflect on stunning memories, before dinner is served on the sundeck.

DAY SIX

From our anchorage we will make our way to the expansive Baie de Prony on the New Caledonian mainland.

The southern end of New Caledonia is famous for its mineral-rich red soil, which contrasts brilliantly against the deep green cover of the pines. The sandy beaches are fringed with coral reefs and littered with the colourful shells for which Prony Bay is famously known for. The adjacent land is a nature reserve, with well-marked tracks around the shoreline and up to the Cap N Dua lighthouse, from where you can view the entire cruising area out to Isle of Pines. We will go for a walk to see the lighthouse.

As we venture further into Prony Bay, it splits onto two arms. On the starboard side past Ilot Casey is GrandNord, famous with divers for Recife de l’Aiguille (Prony Needle), with its pinnacle that extends 35m from the sea. On the port side is Ilot floor Radedu Norde, with an interesting river at its head that can be navigated by dinghy past the ruins of a colonial prison. As we navigate into the upper reaches at Baie du Carenage, the water takes on a reddish tinge and the high wooded hills close in. This area is also national parkland, and there are many walks and interesting places to explore from the tender here.

DAY SEVEN

After a busy day of exploring on Day Six, we will rest overnight in Baie du Carenage and make our way smoothly towards Phare Amedee or Ile d’Ouen, depending on the weather.

At 56 metres tall (247 steps), Amedee is one of the tallest lighthouses in the world and it was the first metallic lighthouse constructed in France. Its light signals the entrance to the passage of Boulari, one of only three natural passages in the reef surrounding New Caledonia. On the other side of the world, the Roches-Douvres Light in the English Channel is the twin brother of the Amédée lighthouse.

Once we had a stroll offshore, diving enthusiasts can explore the Passe de Boulari, famous for shipwreck exploration: The Dieppoise at the Amédée Lighthouse, the Humboldt near the Dumbéa channel, or the Arrogant at Boulari. The site is also renowned for its manta rays, which regularly feed in the pass, for its schools of grey sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and pelagic species which are often spotted.

Upon arrival in Noumea, we can take this opportunity to explore some more of the inland culture that New Caledonia has to offer such as a visit to Tjibaou Culture Centre.