New Caledonia Just over two hours from Auckland, New Caledonia, gives a real taste of Melanesian and French culture in the Pacific. On reaching our hotel, overlooking the coast at Anse Vata, we absconded to a lively bar located on a pier to find some of the most amazing salsa dancing taking place, and where I could reacquaint myself with my schoolboy French. While sipping on our drinks, successfully ordered at the bar, Michele, one of the more accomplished young dancers came over and chatted to us. It turned out that Michele had moved from France to New Caledonia in search of a more relaxing lifestyle – although there seemed to be nothing relaxing about the way she danced, and we had to brush off her attempts to get us on the dance floor. The following day the sun was shining and we took in a cultural tour of the island via a hop-on hop-off bus, taking in Noumea, as well as the local market, several museums, the zoo, and the Tjibaou cultural centre. It was at this last place that we learned of New Caledonia’s troubled past. The centre is named after Jean-Marie Tjibaou a man who fought for local (Kanak) rights, and independence from France. Tjibaou was eventually assassinated in 1989, after two of his brothers were also killed in a bloody ambush in 1984, and is still seen as a hero to the indigenous people of New Caledonia. While waiting outside the Tjibaou centre we were approached by an elderly French couple. Pierre and Marie offered to show us around the island via Baie des Citrons (Citron Bay) and we gratefully accepted. The couple lamented the fact that their children had left New Caledonia for France in search of work and our thoughts turned to the salsa dancer Michele who had moved to the island to escape France. It seems the saying ‘the grass is always greener’ also applies to a tropical paradise. The next few days were taken up with trips to Amadee, an island home to a historic 19 th Century lighthouse, and Ile aux Canard (Duck Island), for some snorkelling along the coral reef. Then, on our final night we were served fine French cuisine by local staff at Le Roof, a restaurant jutting out over the sea, while baby sharks and tropical fish swam in the water beneath us –The two cultures of Melanesia and France combining to give us a fitting end to our short visit.

The town it self is a little dirty and the people can be a little rude BUT once you leave the main centre and hit the beaches it is a true polynesian paradise