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A self-drive tour around New Caledonia seemed like a good way to explore the Pacific Island nation's less-visited nooks and crannies but 20 minutes after collecting our hire car, I'm having doubts. I'm navigator, but the unfamiliar position in the right-hand seat is so unnerving that I miss a crucial turn.
We end up hopelessly lost in the suburbs of Noumea, but fortunately a local driver helps out, leading us through the streets to the correct motorway on-ramp. With a grateful wave and a thumbs-up sign, we are finally on our way north.
New Caledonia isn't perceived as a tourist destination, but at 400km long and 50km wide, the main island, Grande Terre, offers a variety of scenery and interesting sites in a relatively compact area. And after we relax into driving on the right, we discover that the roads are good, the traffic is sparse and the locals are helpful.
We've stocked up on picnic goodies at a supermarché and the smell of fresh baguettes soon demands a lunch break, so at tiny Boulouparis we sidetrack to a nameless west coast beach.
Near the intersection a building emblazoned with "Distillerie" tempts us, but while it's wide open, there's no one around. It's the same when we return from our picnic, serving as a reminder of the long, super-stretchy lunch break that prevails throughout the country.
Next stop is Passerelle Marguerite, a disused suspension bridge at the entrance to La Foa. It was designed in 1909 by students of engineer Gustave Eiffel and while the structure can't be compared to his Parisian icon, it's classified as a Historical Monument and has been restored. Sleepy La Foa comes alive every June during an international film festival, but the only action we see is a large gathering of men whose friendly overtures seem to be fuelled by more than just joie de vivre.
We wander under striking hand-carved totem poles in La Foa's attractive sculpture garden and then make a beeline for our overnight stop at Sarraméa, a village tucked beneath green mountains that form the spine of Grande Terre. It's a popular place with New Caledonians who come to hike the numerous forest trails, go horse trekking or swim in the cool, clear rivers.
After checking in to a stylish bungalow at Hotel Evasion, we take a gentle walk. Like many villages in New Caledonia, Sarraméa spreads over a wide area and since it doesn't have an obvious centre, we follow a forest path beside a gurgling stream then meander down rural roads past lush paddocks where well-groomed horses graze. Sleek cattle negotiate the steep hillsides, their presence announced by the tinkle of bells slung around their necks.
The next morning we stop just before Bourail to visit the Arab Cemetery and nearby mosque. In the latter part of the 19th century New Caledonia was a French penal colony and the colourful cemetery contains the graves of descendants of Arabs who were deported from French territories in North Africa. Further along is the New Zealand Pacific War Cemetery, the final resting place for 246 servicemen killed in the South West Pacific during the Second World War. All but seven were Kiwis and we dally a while, reading the war history of the area and wandering past the graves, down a curve of immaculate lawn to a memorial cross.
The memorial bears the names of another 449 servicemen, the majority Kiwis, who died in the same operations, but whose graves are unknown. It's a sobering visit, but it's also uplifting to know that those who fought and died far from home are not forgotten by locals.
Past Bourail we strike east, taking a steep, narrow route that lets us test the medium-sized Peugeot on the sharp incline and tight corners. We're soon over the high point and wending along a river valley enclosed by rumpled hills. Scars of red earth appear amid the rampant forest cover, while the roadside is a jumble of tall grasses and other strange and beautiful flora. On the east coast, the road snakes between rugged hills and a cobalt ocean, occasionally passing over wide estuaries fringed by dense vegetation.
There's little traffic and few people, but road signs indicate pedestrians and tribu, which refers to settlements of indigenous Kanaks. Some such settlements host day or overnight guests and when we reach our destination of Poindimié, we decide to spend the following day at a nearby village rather than on the beautiful beach at Tieti Tera resort.
Our guide presents the village headman with a gift, and then we're given permission to ramble past fields of taro, yams, manioc and coffee, learning about traditional cultivation and Kanak life. In the village centre it's the monthly fundraising day of sports, food stalls and other organised activities. Children are playing soccer and volleyball.
The village women are selling vegetables and overseeing the bougna (similar to a hangi), while the men are barbecuing venison that they've hunted in the surrounding hills. We are welcomed warmly, but without fanfare, making us feel part of the community.
On our final day heavy tropical downpours thwart plans to drive further north. Instead we head back to the west coast across the stunning Tiwaka Koné road, cutting through misty mountains and leaving the rain in our wake.
Back at Bourail, we drop into the quaint little museum that was closed for lunch when we drove north. It's closed again so we drive to the coast, visit the rock formation known as Pierced Rock, then have a final picnic at pretty Poé beach before driving confidently back to the bustle of Noumea.
Heather Ramsay travelled courtesy of New Caledonia Tourism & Air Calin.
Getting there: Aircalin flies Auckland-Noumea return four times a week. Fares start at $710. See www.aircalin.co.nz. Flight time is around 2 1/2 hours.
Getting around: All major car rental companies are represented, as well as some local ones. Most towns have petrol stations but top up whenever you can as opening hours are erratic in remote areas.
Where to stay: There are not many places where you can drop in and get a room so pre-booking is advised. Popular accommodation styles in rural areas are gîtes and accueil en tribu - types of homestay. Gîtes are often self-contained bungalows with cooking facilities. There are some hotels and low-key resorts.
Eating out: Restaurants are expensive by our standards, so eating out every night can be costly. Self-catering is a good option: stock up at a supermarket, and have a picnic at a scenic spot.
The language: A smattering of French helps, but you'll be fine with gestures and a smile.
Further information: New Caledonia Tourism's website is www.newcaledonia.co.nz.
