NouméaCapital
New Caledonia · Country profile
Noumea is the polished French capital of New Caledonia, the chic seaside city of the south-west Pacific that curves around its superb deep-water harbour on the peninsula of the Grande Terre, framed by the turquoise lagoon, the green hills and the reefs of the world heritage. The city combines the easy elegance of a French provincial town with the tropical beauty of the island world, its waterfront with its palm palms and its bay restaurants, its markets and its museums, and its green hills crowned with the villas of the territory. The cultural centre of the Tjibaou, the marvellous museum of the aquarium and the forts and the ruins of the old penal settlements carry the layered history of the French presence, while the bays, the islets and the beaches of the lagoon give the city its constant, translucent blue. Graceful, French and superlatively scenic, Noumea is the brightest capital of the French Pacific.
About Nouméa
Nouméa is the capital of New Caledonia. The city's documented population is around 100,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the CFP Franc (XPF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +687. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: La Tontouta International Airport.
The Bays of the City and the Lighthouse of the Harbour
Noumea is a compact, elegant seaside capital where the essential circuit moves between the waterfront of the centre, the cultural centre of the Tjibaou and the bays and the beaches of the peninsula, with the islets and the reefs of the lagoon lying just beyond the harbour. The markets and the cafes of the centre, the aquarium with its nautiluses and the ruined forts of the old convict town anchor the city days, and the daily ferries reach the islets of the lagoon with their snorkelling and their white sand. The road of the coast and the viewpoints of the hills frame the extraordinary turquoise of the lagoon, and the whole city runs the chic, sunlit rhythm of the French Pacific.
The Centre of the Tjibaou and the Kanak Culture
The climate of the city is subtropical, with the hot, humid summer and the cyclones of the season, and the warm, drier months of the southern winter, with the trade winds of the south-east, the most pleasant season. The franc of the Pacific is the currency and the French the language, with the English and the Kanak tongues also present in the capital. The centre, the Tjibaou and the bays make the core circuit, and the islets of the lagoon lie a short boat ride from the harbour. Light clothing, sun protection and a swimsuit for the lagoon are the essentials of the French island capital.
The Peaks of the Mountains and the Reefs of the Lagoon
The cultural centre of the Tjibaou, the extraordinary wooden pavilions of the architect of the Paris museums that rise like the great huts of the Kanak tradition on the edge of the city, is the architectural masterpiece of the French Pacific and the living centre of the Kanak culture and its art. The aquarium of the capital, set on the rocks above the lagoon, honours the celebrated nautilus of the South Pacific, while the museum of the city gathers the colonial and the maritime history of the territory. The old penitentiary island of the Nou island in the bay, once a convict barracks and now a green park with its ruins and its views, and the daily barbecue and the snorkelling grounds of the reefs of the lagoon, complete the essential, brilliant circuit of the brightest capital of the Pacific.
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- Country
- New Caledonia
- Population
- 100,000
- Coordinates
- -22.0146, 166.2130
- Capital
- Nouméa
- Region
- Oceania
- Currency
- CFP Franc (XPF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +687
- Country code
- NC
Getting to Nouméa
Airports we list for Nouméa:
Frequently asked questions
Is Nouméa the capital of New Caledonia?
Yes — Nouméa is the capital of New Caledonia.
What currency do I need in Nouméa?
The local currency is the CFP Franc (XPF). Languages spoken in New Caledonia include French.
What is the dialling code for New Caledonia?
The international dialling code for New Caledonia is +687.
Which airport should I fly into for Nouméa?
La Tontouta International Airport (NOU) is the airport we list for Nouméa.
Flying out of Nouméa? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.