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Lifou

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The largest of the Loyalty Islands, an old reef lifted from the sea, where cliffs of fossil coral watch humpback whales go by in the southern winter.

Fly to Lifou All of New Caledonia
Arrival
La Tontouta International · NOU
To the island
About 40 minutes by air to Wanaham
Private jets
Land at Tontouta; island runway 1,250 m
Best time
September to October

The city

Coral cliffs, caves and vanilla.

Lifou lies east of Grande Terre, and its coast is made of coral raised above the sea. At Jokin the cliffs stand close to sixty metres high, their layers of fossil reef plain to see, and a path leads down to swim at their foot. Above Jinek Bay the small chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes has kept watch since 1898, when it was built to mark the arrival of the Catholic missionaries.

The caves, among them the flooded caverns of Luengoni, lie on customary land and are visited with a local guide. Vanilla is grown on the island’s farms and honoured with its own festival, as are sandalwood and honey. From July to September humpback whales pass offshore; September and October are the driest months.

  • The Jokin cliffs Fossil coral nearly sixty metres above the sea, and a lookout for passing whales from July to September.
  • The jewels of Luengoni Caverns filled with water, entered with a local guide, where visitors can swim.
  • Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes A chapel of 1898 looking down on the clear water of Jinek Bay.

Arriving

Nouméa first, then the Loyalty Islands.

Flights from abroad arrive at La Tontouta. Wanaham, Lifou’s airfield in the north of the island, is about forty minutes from Nouméa by air.

Business & First Class Flights and ferries Air Calédonie flies to Lifou from La Tontouta and Air Océania from Magenta, the airport in Nouméa itself. The Betico 2 ferry sails to the port of Wé several times a week, a voyage of at least four hours. Business & First fares Private Jet Private jets Business jets clear customs at La Tontouta, where Swissport Executive Aviation provides handling and trip support. Wanaham has a 1,250-metre runway and jet fuel, but no customs. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Nadi 1 h 50
  • Brisbane 2 h 25
  • Auckland 2 h 50
  • Sydney 3 h 05
  • San Francisco 12 h 55 long-range jet

When to go

September to October.

Warm and humid in summer, from December to March, when the rain is heaviest. The southern winter is cooler, with afternoons of 24 to 26 °C; September and October are the driest months, each with around 60 to 70 millimetres.

  1. 29° J 198 27°
  2. 29° F 227 28°
  3. 29° M 258 27°
  4. 28° A 137 27°
  5. 26° M 119 26°
  6. 25° J 141 25°
  7. 24° J 106 24°
  8. 24° A 92 23°
  9. 25° S 63 24°
  10. 26° O 72 24°
  11. 27° N 111 25°
  12. 29° D 147 26°
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages

Elsewhere in New Caledonia

More reasons to come.

All of New Caledonia

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Business & First Private Jet