Beautiful Forests, Remarkable Wildlife and Hidden Waterfalls

   
A French island known as New Caledonia, 300 miles from Australia is a subtropical foliage covered playground of islands. New Caledonia is home to many rare and unique species of animal, especially birds, mainly due to it mountain range which has created a numerous amount of micro climates because of all the niches, gorges and flat lands. The Island is claimed to have the richest biodiversity of any other place in the world per Square kilometer. New Caledonia is also the only place in the world where Nothofagus still grows, the shrub that has a triangular like nut is extinct in every other part of the world, just recently in fact there were fossils of the plant found in Antarctica. There are over five species still alive on the island, proving how unique and rare the island ecosystem is.

Wildlife of New Caledonia is some of the most precious and rare, mainly because most of the island's species can only survive on the island, everywhere else in the world most of the island's unique wildlife has died off. One of the most well noted of these endemic animals is the New Caledonian Crow, which is known for its ability to construct tools to solve problems that it runs into and they don't just pick up a stick in their mouth to flip over a rock either. The special crows make tools that can rival those of primates and are well recognized for their extreme intelligence. The Kagu makes it home on the Island as well. The Kagu is a fast running, flightless bird that only uses its wings for gliding and climbing up trees, they hide in the dense forest areas. The marine habitat of the island is also the only water that the Nautilus remains alive, Nautilus are classified as a “living fossil”. Due to the rare ecosystem conditions of the island, many species grow very large and it has some of the largest of some species, such as the largest pigeon, skink and gecko.

New Caledonia's lagoons are some of the most spectacular in the world, the white sands make the waters almost look white, as crystal waters are so pure its almost hard to tell where the water starts and the shore ends. The water visibility goes down unbelievable depths, where ideal conditions can give you a horizontal view of close to 200 meters or more. Divers find the island a haven for the perfect underwater experiences. Just off the coast is the second biggest reef in the world just behind the Great Barrier Reef. Walking the beautiful forests too find some of the islands spectacular and unspoiled waterfalls makes for an interesting day out. You can also opt for a guided tour that will bring you off the commercial paths to some of the lands hidden gems. Naturally the island's picturesque lands make for photos that say more than a thousand words. Horseback trekking through the vast wilderness is available too and the native breeds are familiar with the rough terrains and are confident when crossing the streams and rivers.

Of course, there are many water sports too, jet skiing and boating, even para-sailing and surfing can be enjoyed on the island. New Caledonia is also home to the world's largest yacht chartering company, any type of yacht can be rented from a bare bones yacht to a luxurious seafaring vessel with every imaginable amenity. Spending time with the local resident in the capital city is a fun experience, although outside of the city English is not commonly spoken,small villages usually speak French.

Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

New Caledonia Barrier Reef

Amédée lighthouse