Pacific Island Paradises

NEW CALEDONIA Loyalty Islands The Loyalty Islands form part of New Caledonia and consist of Ouvéa, Mare and Lifou. Blessed with amazing natural wealth that is synonymous with New Caledonia, the islands offer long, deserted beaches, pristine white sand and breathtaking crystal- clear lagoons. Ouvéa Surrounded by sparkling waters, Ouvéa is one of the most beautiful atolls in the Pacific with white-sand beach covering over 25 kilometres. Ouvéa Island is a tilted atoll, partly submerged, with a lagoon that is not filled in, as on Lifou and Maré, but bounded to the north and south by a series of reefs and islets, called the Pléiades. Only 35 kilometres long and in some places less than 40 metres wide, the island has a single road running north to south. The road enjoys panoramic vistas of beaches planted with coconut palms and the intense blue of the vast Pacific Ocean. The lagoon, registered by UNESCO as part of the world heritage of humanity, and boasts exceptionally clear waters that mirror the Lékiny cliffs. Lifou Lifou is the largest island in the archipelago and offers a variety of natural sites for visitors to explore. The island is flat with no hills or rivers, but has abundant vegetation, fertile soils, and terraced cliffs. With no rivers on Lifou, the rainwater seeps through the calcareous soil and forms freshwater ponds. Long, deep bays that link long, white-sand beaches, cliffs cut out of the old reef and magically coloured banks of coral form the island's spectacular coastline. Tourism is a major industry on the island while main exports include copra, rubber, vanilla and sugarcane. Maré Maré is the southernmost and highest of the Loyalty Islands and is just half the size of Lifou. It enjoys a wild beauty, with deeply carved cliffs, basalt rocks, dark forests and meandering little creeks nestling between rocky promontories and long, secluded beaches fringed with coconut palms. The central plain, made up of the old lagoon, is dotted with numerous caves and natural freshwater or saltwater pools containing fish and turtles and featuring shades of blue and green not found anywhere else in the Loyalties. Scuba diving, big game fishing, kayaking are just some of the activities offered on these unique islands. The people of the Loyalty Islands proudly preserve the wonderful traditions of the Territory of New Caledonia and when you visit the Loyalty Islands, you will enjoy the natural hospitality of the island people who will greet you as a favoured guest. www.paradisesonline.com 187

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