Isle of Pines

The Isle of Pines (French: Île des Pins; Kwênyii: Kunyié) is in New Caledonia.

Understand
The Isle of Pines has been nicknamed L'île la plus proche du Paradis ("the closest island to Paradise"). It is also rich with animal life and is home to the world's largest gecko species.

Get in
As an island, there are only two ways into the Isle of Pines; by air and by sea.

Air Calédonie, the country's domestic flag carrier, operates three to five flights each day of the week between Nouméa's Magenta domestic airport and Isle of Pines' airport in the island's interior. Flights take only half an hour but are quite expensive, generally costing 18 600 CFP return if they aren't on promotion. As there is no public transport on the island, you will need to arrange transfers from the airport in advance; most places of accommodation will be able to arrange this. At the airport, facilities include a small gift shop, an information desk and some opportunities for car rental.

Betico operates the ferry between Nouméa and the island, taking about 2½ hours. The cheapest adult day return fare costs 10 700 CFP, with more expensive 'VIP' options. The ferry does a day return trip on Wednesday, along with a trip to the island on Saturday morning and the return on Sunday evening. The is located on the Kuto peninsula, but lacking facilities is little more than a slab of concrete. There are plans to expand the wharf. It is within walking distance of Kuto hotels, but for anywhere else on the island, you will need to arrange transfers in advance.

Do




Eat and drink


Eating options on the island are extremely limited. Most visitors eat at their lodgings, and advance reservations are typically required even then.

One local delicacy worth sampling is giant snails (bulime), typically served cooked in the French style with garlic butter. The snail in question, Placostylus fibratus, is listed as an endangered species, but they're now so lucrative that they're locally grown on farms. Expect to pay up to 3000 CFP for a half-dozen.