New Caledonia

Where to surf in New Caledonia

Triangulated with the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef to the west and open to the Tasman Sea to the south, the elongated finger of New Caledonia is an unusual concoction of French chic and the Melanesian laid-back way of life. Nouma sits on the edge of the largest lagoon in the world creating a spectacular playground for water sports. Traditionally windsurfing and then kiteboarding it's only recently that New Caledonia surf spots have begun to reveal their potential for outer reef barrels to a waiting surf world.

Southern Province

The offshore reefs of Southern Province are part of an incredible 1500km barrier to the surf.

Ile des Pins off the SE corner of Grande Terre has a few land accessible waves around the main bays of Kuto and Rouleaux, where a boat would allow access to some more reef passes, but much of the island is a nature reserve so surfers and kiters are interdite (prohibited).

Northern Province

Beyond the superb reef passes of Boulari, Dumbea, Tenia and Ouano lie dozens more to the south and all the way north beyond the land mass of Grande Terre. The coral defences continue on the east coast, but of course the trade winds and lack of any regular northern hemisphere swell kill off the chances of surf.