Visiting New Caledonia

Looking for somewhere new? LGBT travellers looking for a bit of French glamour with a tropical twist would do well to consider a visit to Nouvelle-Calédonie. Noumea - the capital of New Caledonia - is an emerging gay destination. It is quite unlike any of its Polynesian neighbors, and will surprise and delight gay and lesbian visitors in every respect.

In Noumea, the fine French restaurants, designer boutiques, and cosmopolitan crowds all proclaim that this is the Paris of the Pacific. It is a small but busy city, a place where chic European decor and sophistication embrace elements of tropical island ambience and gourmet joi de vivre.

If your dream stay is more of a tropical resort, the islands of New Caledonia will not disappoint, as many Asian and European lesbians and gay have already discovered.

One of Nouvelle Calédonie's biggest attractions is the Isle of Pines, an easy day trip from the main island of Grande Terre. Whether you want 5-star lodging or to camp out under 5000 stars, this is the place to snorkel in a natural aquarium and take a short walk in the rainforest to eat fresh-caught lobster on the beach.

The jewel of the Pacific might just be the collection of Loyalty Islands. Travel by air or sea to the charming outer islands named Mare, Lifou and Ouvea. Each is picture postcard perfect in its own right, each with its own Kanak Villages and traditions, each open to gay travellers who want a chance to interact with the people and culture – many speak English as well as French and are willing to talk about their traditional village life and the products they produce for the outer world.

THE PINK BITS

New Caledonia's LGBT association, Homosphère, is a helpful organisation, a wealth of information for locals and visitors alike. 

Believe it or not, Nouvelle-Calédonie, per capita, may just be one of the gayest destinations in the world; the French culture exalting sensual pleasures as among life's greatest thrives in the tropical climate. Though all clubs and bars in open-minded, nightspots such as Bodega Bar and MV Lounge are among the most frequented. 

Dee Farrell has visited New Caledonia thrice - as a tourist, as a guest of the Loyalty Islands, and as a freelance travel writer on a group visit hosted by New Caledonia Tourism (IGLTA member). 

Dee has wanderlust, and it's taken her to four continents – so far. She was a charter member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA), and 30 years on, writes for the IGLTA newsletter and the Inside Out Travel blog. She currently splits her time between New Zealand, Australia, America and Canada, writing about classic and emerging destinations of interest to lesbian and gay travellers like New Caledonia.