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Île des Pins

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Kunié to its own people: an island of eighteen kilometres by fourteen at the southern tip of New Caledonia, its bays lined with the tall columnar pines that gave it its name.

Fly to Île des Pins All of New Caledonia
Arrival
La Tontouta International · NOU
To the island
About 30 minutes by air, 2½ hours by ferry
Private jets
Land at Tontouta; island runway 1,250 m
Best time
July to December

The city

Columnar pines and a sacred rock.

Captain Cook named the island for its pines, Araucaria columnaris, tall and slender along the shore. At Kuto and Kanuméra two bays sit back to back, divided by a narrow strip of land, with a sacred rock rising from the water and turtles in the shallows. At Oro a rock barrier holds back a pool of clear seawater, and the high point, Pic N’Ga at 262 metres, is about fifty minutes to the top.

From 1872 France sent deportees of the Paris Commune here, and their water tower and a cemetery of some 230 unmarked graves remain near Ouro. At Vao the outrigger pirogues set off across Upi Bay. The second half of the year, July to December, brings the driest weather.

  • The Oro natural pool Clear, shallow water ringed by pines, with butterflyfish, clownfish and parrotfish for the snorkeller.
  • Upi Bay by pirogue A crossing in a traditional outrigger from Vao, through a bay often likened to Halong Bay.
  • Pic N’Ga The island’s summit, an easy walk with one steeper stretch, and a full circle of lagoon at the top.

Arriving

Through Nouméa, then a short hop.

International flights arrive at La Tontouta on Grande Terre. The island’s own airfield, at Moué, takes Air Calédonie’s domestic flights, about half an hour from Nouméa.

Business & First Class Flights and ferries From Tontouta, Air Calédonie flies on to the island. The Betico ferry leaves Nouméa at six in the morning several times a week and makes the crossing in two and a half hours, with breakfast on board. Business & First fares Private Jet Private jets Business jets come into La Tontouta, where Swissport Executive Aviation handles them and customs are cleared. Moué’s runway is 1,250 metres, with no fuel and no customs, so arrivals from abroad stop at Tontouta first. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Nadi 1 h 50
  • Brisbane 2 h 20
  • Melbourne 3 h 50
  • Seoul 10 h 35 long-range jet
  • San Francisco 13 h 05 long-range jet

When to go

July to December.

From July to December the afternoons are mild, 23 to 28 °C, and the rain is light; from January to April the heat rises, the sea warms to 26 or 27 °C and heavy showers return.

  1. 29° J 117 26°
  2. 29° F 129 27°
  3. 29° M 135 26°
  4. 27° A 103 26°
  5. 25° M 86 25°
  6. 24° J 121 23°
  7. 23° J 73 23°
  8. 23° A 68 22°
  9. 24° S 40 22°
  10. 26° O 52 23°
  11. 27° N 59 24°
  12. 28° D 75 25°
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages for Nouméa

Elsewhere in New Caledonia

More reasons to come.

All of New Caledonia

Flying to Île des Pins?

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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.

Business & First Private Jet