New Caledonia's island paradise

MARE is trying to grown tourism while protecting its dialect, traditions, customs  and blend of French and Kanak culture.

Mare New Caledonia Escape

IN CRUISING'S relentless search for paradise in the Pacific a new contender is staking its claim - the island of Mare in New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands chain.

P&O Cruises made its maiden call to the island last month and the Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl will visit 14 times this year, giving passengers the opportunity to savour a day on this remote and relatively pristine slice of heaven.It is a delicate balancing act the whole selling point of an "unspoilt" port is lack of tourists but the islanders and P&O are confident that, with care, they can get the mix right.

New Caledonia's Youth Minister Jean-Claude Briault told Escape that tourism would help create jobs and the islanders are keen to welcome visits by cruise ships while protecting their strong cultural traditions and the environment.

"We want our young people to have a future here, so they don't drift off elsewhere in search of jobs we think we can have a sustainable industry here where everyone benefits," he said. "The culture and beauty will be preserved, visitors will enjoy their time here and the people will have more opportunities."Those who visit Mare with P&O will find a land of beauty and some surprises.

About 40km long and 30km wide, and with almost 7000 mainly Melanesian inhabitants, the coral atoll has a blend of chic French and casual Kanak culture. As one of the three main islands in the Loyalty group it has its own Nengone dialect, taboos and traditions. P&O passengers may have visited the neighbouring island of Lifou on previous trips to the region.Passengers arriving at the new jetty in Tadine Harbour are greeted by a choir whose effortless harmonies offer a welcome as warm as the weather.

There are stalls selling handicrafts and you can swim in the clear waters of the bay where a mix of fresh water filtered through limestone meeting the sea gives rise to startling cold currents among the warmth.

There are intriguing coral caves and tunnels to peer into, but beware of coral cuts.

Mountain bikes and motor scooters are available for hire French money means infrastructure such as the few roads are quite good.

So bear in mind Mare is not completely "untouched" there is one quite good resort and homestay options, but when these include a romantic thatch hut perched alone by the lagoon , you know you are in a world worth visiting.

For cruise visitors the classic white sand beaches such as Yejele Beach, about 20 minutes from the bay by a shuttle bus, are a drawcard.

Locals set up markets on cruise call days offering handicrafts, seafood and cold drinks, with plenty of smiles and no hard sell.

The islanders' wood-carving and thatch-weaving heritage is apparent as you explore, from the impressive carved Kanak memorial and carving school through to decorations such as huge fish made from palm fronds.

Seafood specialties on offer at temporary beachfront cafes includes crayfish cooked in coconut milk, while bougna is a delicious traditional Melanesian-style dish of meat and yams wrapped in banana and taro leaves and cooked in coconut milk over hot stones.

The local beer is Number 1, by name and taste.

The beaches with their backdrops of coconut palms and towering pines have plenty of colourful coral and sealife including turtles for snorkellers to discover, while the island's limestone creates eye-catching coastal landforms such as grottoes and caves where the water colours vary from turquoise to cobalt. The limestone also creates the odd surprise on land sinkholes, some quite huge, have developed. One huge sinkhole ominously known as "the Bone Hole" is about 40m deep and has a safety rail giving visitors the chance to look in without falling.

Mare also has what residents call the natural aquarium a large pool of shallow water near Tadine cut off from the ocean by rock formations but which appears to be replenished regularly from a subterranean source. The clear water set in bushland is so tranquil it is almost eerie.The pool is full of fish and even turtles that rush to investigate the sound of passing visitors.

P&O is working with local officials to safeguard the natural aquarium so that passengers can appreciate it without wrecking it this includes a no-swimming policy and plans for a viewing boardwalk.

While the arrival of hundreds of cruise ship visitors presents challenges as well as opportunities for the islanders, at the end of this day-long visit by Pacific Jewel life reverts to normal as the happy passengers depart with memories and the ship sails into the sunset.

Young local men waving goodbye start to amuse themselves by somersaulting off the jetty, happy to have made a few dollars amid the excitement of the visit.

The relatively small number of calls limits the impact, while the islanders have put restrictions on where people can visit and also banned visits during the traditional wedding season around September.

It all adds up to an authentic experience, where passengers can enjoy the beautiful beaches and island landscapes while getting an insight into the Kanak culture, learning about life in a place where there is no great hurry, where the complex clan system is overseen by "grand and petit chiefs" of the island's eight districts and where the pros and cons of French rule are part of regular debates.

Bear in mind it helps to know a little French, or Kanak, if you want an extended chat. 

The writer visited Mare courtesy of P&O Cruises.

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MARE

Doing there

Mare's average temperature is 23.5C, with the sea temperature at 22C-25C throughout the year.
This year, P&O Cruises' 1900-passenger Pacific Jewel and 1800-passenger Pacific Pearl will visit Mare on 14 different cruises from Sydney.

These include Pacific Pearl's visit as part of a 10-night Pacific Islands cruise which also calls at Vila and Wala in Vanuatu and Noumea in New Caledonia, departing Sydney on July 23, priced from $649 a person, quad share. Pacific Jewel will also call at Mare during an eight-night cruise departing Sydney on August 14, with visits to Isle of Pines and Noumea in New Caledonia, from $599 a person, quad share.Ph 13 24 94 or see pocruises.com.au