Resort16

New Caledonia

Courtesy of Le Meridien Ile des Pins

Le Méridien Ile des Pins

If they have heard of New Caledonia at all, most people associate it with headhunting aborigines and French naval maneuvers. But that is part of its charm, this French protectorate in the middle of the Coral Sea (nearly halfway between Australia and Fiji), is still one of the most untouched and naturally beautiful places in the world. The resort is set within 4.5 hectares of coconut groves in Oro Bay, a lagoon protected by a coral reef barrier. The tone of the resort is a combination of French (emphasis on water sports, good food and topless sunbathing) and Melanesian (emphasis on friendliness). And don't worry about headhunting: These days the locals don't want to scare off the lucrative tourist trade. Le Méridien Ile des Pins
B.P. 175, 98832 VAO
Ile des Pins, New Caledonia
Phone: (687) 46 15 15
Fax: (687) 46 15 16