New Caledonia is located in the southwest Pacific Ocean and is only a 2 hour flight from Brisbane Australia. The country consists of a large island surrounded by several smaller islands. The large island called Grande Terre is home to the country's capital and main tourist destination Noumea.
The Isle of Pines, or Kunie as it is known by locals, is one of New Caledonia’s most enchanting locations with white sandy beaches, swaying palms and towering Araucaria pines. The isle is 20 minutes flight from Noumea or 3 hours by catamaran and is the ideal spot for a 2 or 3 day getaway from the mainland. The isle has many great areas to explore both on the land and in the warm tropical waters.
New Caledonia is different from most other countries in the Pacific in that it was once part of the Gondwana super continent some 85 million years ago. Australia and New Zealand where also part of the Gondwana, but most Pacific countries are the result of volcanic activity. This makes New Caledonia home to a very unique and diverse eco system with many endemic, and extremely primitive plants and animals not found anywhere else in the world.
