New Caledonia as a cycling destination
There is real diversity of cycling experiences in such a small country. It is large enough to go for extended tours, but with interesting landscapes and features close enough together to see even on a day’s ride. There is plenty of varied terrain to suit tourers, MTB’ers and those out for a pleasant morning pedal.
The main island
Grande Terre surrounded by the world’s largest lagoon, and its four outlying isles is certainly a different cycling destination than the Australian bush! It’s one of France’s overseas territories, but very distant in location, character, and peoples. Of course there are Gallic similarities that any cycling tourer would recognise: driving and riding on the right, the French road signs, mountain ranges, and the unmistakably French cuisine, wines and produce (much imported). But there are exciting and unique differences that enhance it not only as a travel destination generally, but specifically to explore on two wheels. New Caledonia is a place of contrasts – both seasonally, geographically and culturally. There is the countless rough mountain trails to explore, new quieter rural valleys to meander your way up, some rainshadow, hot places with plenty of red dust. But in contrast the highly mineralised red soils miraculously exude bubbling and perfectly clear chutes cascading over escarpment providing natural pools and unadulterated H2O for the water bottle. All this It screams opportunity to discover a gem.
Riding conditions
The riding conditions vary greatly, from the main highway Route Territoriale 1 (RT1) all the way up Grande Terre’s west coast, to the single lane each-way rural arterials in relatively good condition, to the main unsealed connectors, and lastly the local unsealed roads, tracks and trails. Because of the relatively low population and vehicle numbers, outside of Noumea traffic is light (apart from RT1). In busy Noumea itself there is a sprinkling of bicycle-specific lanes and recreational pathways, but generally you have to share with traffic, which on the whole is pretty sprightly. But at least they respect bike riders and other road users with little of the “aggro” towards cyclists you would get say on Sydney’s roads. Riding in the cooler months is fairly necessary as in the hotter months the back-radiation from the tarmac means that afternoon riding can be very debilitating and potentially lead to heat stroke. Hence the tours around July-August-September.
Sealed roads rarely reach grades over 8-9%, whilst the mountain trails can be 10-12% or sometimes more, which is about the limit for most riders on triple chainrings carrying a load. The coastal fringe apart from the SE corner (the Forgotten Coast or La Côte Oubliée) is serviced by a coastline-hugging sealed arterial, with minimal elevations apart from the occasional 50-100m “bump”. The four offshore islands Isle of Pines, Mare, Lifou and Ouvea mostly have good quality sealed roads and interconnecting tracks and trails, with mostly low elevation and relatively flat topography. Unsealed rural roads, tracks and trails often stay in good condition even with low levels of maintenance because of the heavily mineralised soils over much of the country and little traffic. Also road shoulders tend not to erode away as easily as in many parts of Australia where mainly clay soils are found. For the same reason radial corrugations on bends are not as common on the unsealed roads. A surprising feature on some of the higher elevation trails (above about 350-400 metres) is that they are covered in a neatly trimmed (by browsing animals) grass sward that resembles a clipped suburban lawn!
FAQs
- What is the deal re language, money, phones, etc.?
- Are visas and/or vaccinations required?
- Are there any nasty animals or biting insects I need to worry about?
- What is the weather like for riding in September?
- Could wet weather cause a cancellation or changes to the ride itinerary?
- What bikes will we be using?
- Who is providing the meals and ride snacks?
- What is the accommodation?
- Will there be a support vehicle following the group?
- What skill and fitness levels do I need?
- What is and isn’t included in the ride fee?
- What about my airline tickets?
- Who is Bike-it! Tours and what company is handling the bookings?
- Will I have to sign a waiver for insurance and liability reasons?
If your question isn’t mentioned above, please send us an email
What’s the deal re language, money, phones etc?
The language in New Caledonia is French, though the indigenous Melanesians speak the Kanak language. There are eight Kanak language/culture groups, and 26 separate dialects. See Academie des Langues Kanak or Sorosoro for more on the Kanak language. In the tourist-rich areas of Noumea you can get by with English and a smattering of French. But outside Noumea you will find it difficult to communicate in English. Those in regional areas including Kanak will speak French as the common language. Your guide will speak French and will mostly be able to communicate with locals on your behalf. But it is helpful and you will gain more from your trip if you can converse a little in French. See more on this at Alliance Francaise and/or join say a French language Meetup to learn at least some key phrases.
New Caledonian currency is the CFP (or Comptoirs Français du Pacifique) or XPF in International code (AUD$1 = ~72.25 CFP/XPF as at May 2024). There is a 5% services tax which is usually included in displayed prices. In 2018 a new VAT was imposed on some additional goods and services at varying amounts, although some goods and services had taxes removed at the same time. ATMs are plentiful in Noumea, and there is usually one or two at most towns. Your bank in Australia/NZ will typically charge about 2-3% for each transaction. Major credit cards are accepted by larger places but rarely at smaller more remote places such as le snacs (food kiosks) or magasin (the local store), though EFTPOS is starting to spread.
There is country-wide 4G mobile phone network (OPT) servicing most population centres and the main road network. Although you should be able to purchase a local SIM card at the airport OPT kiosk on arrival for about AUD$60, previous experience suggests that this can be a hit-or-miss proposition. Great if you have twin slot phone as then you can switch between local SIM (for New Cal calls/SMS only) and use you Australian/NZ SIM (e.g. for WiFi and Whatsapp). *** Be aware that if you want to chat or text with people back home using Whatsapp, you need to have established a connection with them/sent them an SMS prior to leaving your home country and arriving in New Caledonia. ***
One used to be able to buy an iZi phone card for use in public phone booth, however these no longer exist! Using your own phone with global roaming (if available) might be possible (but not with Telstra at least). WiFi (pronounced “weefee”) is usually available in Noumea, the larger towns and higher end accommodation and occasionally the magasin or le snacs.
*** If you are using global roaming make sure you switch “data” off, otherwise the trip could cost you $thousands in phone fees ***
Are visas and/or vaccinations required?
No and probably no. Australian and New Zealand passport holders can holiday for 3 months without a visa, but you need to have at least 6 months validity left on your passport on entry. For vaccinations, mostly it is the usual suspects that experts recommend for general travel with it seems no particular or specific vaccinations needed for New Caledonia. Once you have booked a tour with Bike-it! Tours we can help with more specific information if needed. See also the Australian Government’s Smartraveller web site, Lonely Planet, or World Travel Guide for visas info and for travel health see also MDTravel Health
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and since 2023, there is no longer a requirement that you show vaccination certification or have a “RAT” test on arrival.
Are there any nasty animals or biting insects I need to worry about?
Unlike Australia, New Caledonia does not have a massive catalogue of venomous and biting creatures. Swimmers are very unlikely to encounter marine stingers such as the box jellyfish and Irukandji, or come across a saltwater crocodile. But like a lot of Northern Australian waters there are stonefish, venomous cowrie shells, the occasional relatively harmless reef shark. And just like Australia there are the very infrequent shark attacks (from bull or tiger sharks). These have mostly occurred in deeper waters away from the shoreline – but make sure you take into account any local posted info or signage. Along shorelines you can find banded sea snakes (tricot raye), which although highly venomous pose little risk treated with caution as they are slow moving (on land), are quite passive and have little envenomation. According to Living National Treasures there are no endemic land snakes in New Caledonia (and I haven’t seen any in the 13 trips there). In the wetter summer months (particularly February to May) and mainly in the more populated areas, there can be outbreaks of mosquito-borne Dengue fever, Zika virus and chikungunya. These viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitos (the ones with the white bands on the legs) that bite during the day. However August/September is the dormant period for mosquito-borne viruses as there are very few mosquitos about at this time. There are no Anopheles mosquitoes and thus no malaria in New Caledonia. Nonetheless, protecting against mosquitos bites at all times is a good precaution. On land the redback spider, and the Little Fire Ant (or Electric Ant) has arrived to stay in New Caledonia.
What is the weather like for riding in September?
Superb! The climate is temperate in the south of the island bordering on tropical in the north, with two seasons: the cooler months of June to August with daytime temperatures in the mid-twenties and around 12-18 degrees at night; and the hotter season is mid-November to Mid-April. The best time for bike riding is the ‘Goldilocks’ weather in August/September -not too cold, and not too hot and sticky -just right! By October though, it is starting to warm up.
Could wet weather cause changes to the ride itinerary?
Unlikely but always a possibility, mainly for the route sections that involve any river crossings, or for routes that involve longer sections on dirt surfaces. In such circumstances we will firstly look ahead to alternate routes to make the same destination, or if this is not possible, provide an alternate and comparable itinerary. Some event(s) may arise that impacts on trip safety or quality that is out of the control of Bike-it! Tours or agents and we may have to cancel either some sections of the tour or the entire tour. In that case a refund would be made, the amount of which dependent on the costs to the provider and the particular circumstances of any changes required. We will pretty much be riding the majority of weather conditions but usually in August and September the weather is very pleasant. In some cases there will alternatives for long periods of wet weather, but we won’t be forcing you to ride! Usually the wet weather is short duration and the temperature is warm enough to not cause too much discomfort.
What bikes will we be using?
E-MTBs will be provided for the duration of the tour included in the tour price. E-bikes makes the travel so much easier not having to box your bike for the plane trip, box storage for return; weight restrictions etc., as well as being responsible for maintenance and repair of the bike on tour. The bike hire supplier has been working with Bike-it Tours for some years now. Generally the hire bikes are brand new mid-range alloy-framed Orbea mountain bikes with hydraulic disc brakes, and come in a range of sizes. It is strongly recommended that you do not use fixed cleats for riding the e-MTBs as the benefits of them in this sort of riding are greatly outweighed by the risks of a fall, and its consequences (say a broken hip!)
Gear carried with you on the bike is the bare minimum for the day’s ride as in tropical climate piles of warm clothing are not needed, and food and accommodation is mostly provided for. The support van will carry your luggage from the previous night’s accommodation to the day’s destination. The support van can assist you during the ride and gives you the comfort and security knowing that there is back-up at all times. We ask that all riders stay within eyesight of other riders, so that if there is a mixture of standard bikes and e-bikes that the groups stays reasonably together and can ensure a group ride experience, and that riders do no become separated and take a wrong turn.
Who is providing the meals and ride snacks?
Mostly the gite or hotel or restaurant if that is where we are staying for the night. Lunches will be provided for days where the route does not pass towns or villages where lunch can easily be obtained. Any lunches outside these prepared lunches and/or ride snacks and drinks along the way are the responsibility of each rider and can be purchased at local shops when the other provisions are bought. There is also a good chance to get fruit from roadside stalls or even from roadside trees (such as sweet grapefruit and bananas) along the way. The ride itineraries/routes are chosen so that provisions can be easily purchased en route. Where there are some great places to eat along the ride we will know about them and can take you there!
What is the accommodation?
Accommodation ranges from the hotels to gites and auberge. The gite accommodation can be a cabin, apartment or shared bungalow. Occasionally we can stay in the traditional case (grass thatched hut). Various accommodation options can be seen at the North Region tourism web site. For the gites, accommodation will usually include bedding, hot showers, toilets, and all meals. Note that accommodation is on the basis of shared rooms. Single supplements may be possible but not always available – let us know in advance in the booking process as the cost and availability will vary from trip to trip.
Will there be a support vehicle following with the group?
Yes. A van or 4WD and bike trailer will be there to support the riders each day. However for one of the sections the support vehicle will take an alternate road route and meet us at the destination. The support van/4WD also doubles as the luggage/baggage transport, thus leaving the riders to more comfortably and safely tackle the sometimes hilly terrain. For the start and finish transits a van and trailer is used to get away from the airport on time, and to avoid the main highway. It also safely gets the group back from the north avoiding a long-hop on RT1.
What fitness and fitness levels do I need?
It’s a holiday…so the riding is not at race pace! The level of cycling fitness needed to enjoy the rides could be described as “reasonable” to “good”. You should be comfortable completing at least 40-50km in a day, on trafficked rural roads, dirt roads and occasional sharp hills mixed in with a few longer climbs. Mostly we will be carrying about 3-4kg of day riding essentials in a rear pannier, front handlebar bag or rack bag. Average touring speeds over the day (including breaks) works out to be about 15-20km/hour. Most days will involve hill climbing, but it is all reasonably leisurely riding e-bikes at your own pace, with plenty of breaks in between.
The roads we will be riding are mostly low-trafficked unsealed management roads or trails, on a mix of good quality unsealed roads and rideable forest tracks – no MTB “single-track” technical skills needed! Although most of the riding is off-road, riders should feel comfortable riding on-road and sharing the road with passing traffic. Riders should try and get some e-MTB experience prior to the trip to ensure that you are familiar with the difference between standard and e-bike riding. Getting started on an upslope is often the biggest difference to experience between the two.
What is and isn’t included in the ride fee?
Please refer to the Bookings page for details on what is and isn’t included in the ride fee
What about my airline tickets?
Participants will need to book and pay for their air fares themselves separately from the ride bookings and payment. It is best to do this once you have submitted the Bookings Form and received a reply email from us as to places available on the ride and confirmation (subject to deposit payment). Please indicate on the Bookings Form what dates you intend to arrive and depart New Caledonia. See Bookings for links to airlines and travel agency listings. Make sure that you have a confirmed ride booking prior to booking and paying for your flights. As per the ride itineraries we will meet you at the airport on Day 1 or the tour and assist you in arranging transport to Tontouta airport at the conclusion of the tour.
Who is bike-it! tours what company is handling the bookings?
The tours are being put together and hosted by Bruce Ashley as Director of The Environment Works Pty Ltd, ABN 49 099 689 602, trading as Bike-it Tours. Support services on the ground in New Caledonia is being provided by Toutazimut, New Caledonia. For more see the Contact page.
Will I have to sign a waiver for insurance and liability reasons?
The simple answer is No. Bike-it! tours will always endeavour to diligently evaluate, understand, and respond to the risks identified, rather than simply trying to manage liability through the use of waivers, insurances and legal avenues. For this reason we will not ask you to sign a waiver as such, rather before commencing the ride each day and at the conclusion of each day’s ride riders will complete a sign-on/sign-off sheet. What we will do is ensure that the ride route, itinerary and conduct is done in a way that reduces and manages risk as far as practicable, and that all participants are made aware of the risks involved and are aware of the sorts of actions and behaviours and practical measures to avoid, reduce and manage risk.
Accident, permanent injury or death is a low risk, but there is inherent risk in any outdoors activity such as cycle touring and riding in traffic. We will endeavour to conduct the tours in a manner that minimises any risk and minimises circumstances that places a rider in a position of risk over and above that would normally be encountered in a bicycle tour of this nature. We will expect in turn, riders undertaking the tour with us will understand that there are risks involved, and to act responsibility and respect the safety of others and the instructions given. Any rider that places the safety and/or comfort of others at risk and/or wilfully ignores safety/route advice given by the tour leader may be asked to leave the tour. In this situation no refund will be provided. Prior to ride commencement, riders will be given a safety briefing, and given an emergency card with relevant contact details to attach to their bikes.
Note that Bruce Ashley/The Environment Works Pty Ltd as tour host, and Toutazimut who will be providing on-ground services, are not able to provide activity-specific accreditation nor insurances to cover riders for these tours in New Caledonia. Thus participants are encouraged to have their own accident insurances to cover any loss and injury, and medical insurance which covers medical treatment and any emergency evacuation that may be required.
Other Resources
Articles and reading:
Bruce Ashley – Touring – The 90km lunch! (Australian Cyclist, 2010)
Jean Marie Clair – New Caledonia Sauvage
Links / general information:
Tourism bodies
New Caledonia Tourism / Nouvelle Caledonie Pacific au coeur
New Caledonia North Province Tourism / Tourisme Province Nord