Noumea. Flying Qantas and Aircalin in J.

[Austman]

On COVID-related stuff... I saw you mentioned there was nothing to do, but their tourism site talks to a post-arrival verified RAT still being needed within 2 days of arrival. Is that also not being enforced?

I expected that too. But there was nothing on arrival at the airport.

I suspect it’s quite changeable. There are some masks being worn in places but they are few and far between.

 

[SYD]

I decided to stay a night at the DoubleTree on Îlot Maître in an overwater bungalow.

I got one for $400 for 1 night. Which is probably pretty good value for overwater bungalows?

I must say, it is rather lovely. You have electric steps that drop down into the water from your deck.



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I saw that has one of QF holiday fly/stay packages (as well as the Sale fares to NOU) released this morning.

What‘s the transfer arrangement to get out there?

 

[Austman]

What‘s the transfer arrangement to get out there?

It’s a free boat transfer in both directions from Port Moselle, wharf K0 in central Noumea. Near the main morning markets.

The boats run about hourly. It’s less than a 30 minutes trip. The DT request your preferred boat time a few days before your arrival.

 

[SYD]

It’s a free boat transfer in both directions from Port Moselle, wharf K0 in central Noumea. Near the main morning markets.

The boats run about hourly. It’s less than a 30 minutes trip. The DT request your preferred boat time a few days before your arrival.

So pretty straight forward if already downtown. Add an hour or so if coming from the airport.

 

[Steady]

I decided to stay a night at the DoubleTree on Îlot Maître in an overwater bungalow.

I got one for $400 for 1 night. Which is probably pretty good value for overwater bungalows?

how were the lunch/evening meals? I’m assuming they are extra expensive due to no competition etc

 

[Austman]

how were the lunch/evening meals? I’m assuming they are extra expensive due to no competition etc

I won’t be much help because, based on the (not stellar) reviews, I decided to BYO.

I did have a drink in the bar area which I thought was very nice.

There’s a snack bar and the restaurant proper.

The bungalows are extremely nice but inside it’s essentially a large hotel suite. There’s just tea/coffee and a mini-fridge. No kitchen facilities at all. So any BYO needs to anticipate that. There’s a small dining table and a limited room service menu which reads like BYO/takeaway…

I can report on breakfast in the restaurant if that’s of any help?

 

[Steady]

I won’t be any help because, based on the (not stellar) reviews, I decided to BYO.

I did have a drink in the bar area which I thought was very nice.

The bungalows are extremely nice but inside it’s essentially a large hotel suite. There’s just tea/coffee and a mini-fridge. No kitchen facilities at all. So any BYO needs to anticipate that. There is a limited room service however which reads like BYO/takeaway…

I can report on breakfast in the restaurant if that’s of any help?

I’m looking at booking a surprise trip for Mrs Steady mid next year for a milestone birthday and tossing up between NC or Fiji. I was looking at these overwater bungalows for 2 or 3 nights with a few nights in Noumea.

the recent sale ends before out travel dates unfortunately

I spent 18 months Fifo into NC between 08 and 10 but not visited Fiji yet, Mrs Steady hasn’t been to either

id love to hear about the breakfast.

was the ferry free to come and go as you please or just on arrival and departure?

 

[DeKa]

Great to know re: transfers and lack of mobile coverage. We have booked Hilton too

It’s not so much lack of mobile coverage. Telstra prepaid doesn’t have roaming currently: We are phasing out a few Pre-Paid features

It’s been almost 2 years and they still haven’t activated it.

 

[Austman]

It’s not so much lack of mobile coverage. Telstra prepaid doesn’t have roaming currently: We are phasing out a few Pre-Paid features

It’s been almost 2 years and they still haven’t activated it.

Yep. And in New Caledonia, that means you can’t even receive a TXT.

There’s absolutely zero service unless you change plans.

Great (not) for certain authorisations that send a code via TXT.

 

[SYD]

Yep. And in New Caledonia, that means you can’t even receive a TXT.

There’s absolutely zero service unless you change plans.

Great (not) for certain authorisations that send a code via TXT.

Optus have roaming there:

https://www.optus.com.au/enterprise/customer-contact/calling-and-messaging/roaming-tool/new-caledonia

Not sure if it’s covered by my included roaming plan however.

 

[Austman]

Optus have roaming there:

https://www.optus.com.au/enterprise/customer-contact/calling-and-messaging/roaming-tool/new-caledonia

Not sure if it’s covered by my included roaming plan however.

Not sure how that helps Telstra Prepaid customers. Who actually might rely on at least receiving TXT messages? Like how it worked before.

There is roaming for Telstra Postpaid, I think. But it’s no bargain! Casual (super expensive) rates only. I think if a Testra Prepaid customer really needed roaming, they’d have to switch to a Postpaid plan.

 

[SYD]

Not sure how that helps Telstra Prepaid customers. Who actually might rely on at least receiving TXT messages…. Like how it worked before.

There is some roaming now at least. But not in New Caledonia.

It obviously doesn’t! Sorry.

Just pointing out that it’s not a blanket thing like NLK.

 

[MattA]

Not sure how that helps Telstra Prepaid customers. Who actually might rely on at least receiving TXT messages? Like how it worked before.

There is roaming for Telstra Postpaid, I think. But it’s no bargain! Casual (super expensive) rates only. I think if a Testra Prepaid customer really needed roaming, they’d have to switch to a Postpaid plan.

Do you have the wifi calling feature on your phone? If your phone supports it, it should allow you to send/receive SMS and calls over wifi without roaming: How to enable call and SMS over Wi-Fi on Telstra

 

[Austman]

Do you have the wifi calling feature on your phone? If your phone supports it, it should allow you to send/receive SMS and calls over wifi without roaming: How to enable call and SMS over Wi-Fi on Telstra

Brilliant! That worked nicely! Thanks so much.



I just received a lot of backed up SMSs…

And can make phone calls!

An interesting thing here is that all the hotels so far use the one WiFi provider: Bluewave Premium. The hotels give you an account for free but I note the signal can be picked up all over the place. So an option could be to buy an account with Bluewave Premium. I did that for a day (the Ramada only gave me 500 MB for free) for $13 and it worked in many places for 24 hours.

 

[dairyfloss]

Do you have the wifi calling feature on your phone? If your phone supports it, it should allow you to send/receive SMS and calls over wifi without roaming: How to enable call and SMS over Wi-Fi on Telstra

This is available on Vodafone, as well - quite handy for the cell dead zones in my house

 

[ellen10]

I have been looking at booking a short trip to Noumea. Thanks for the trip report.

 

[Anna]

Do you have the wifi calling feature on your phone? If your phone supports it, it should allow you to send/receive SMS and calls over wifi without roaming: How to enable call and SMS over Wi-Fi on Telstra

Brilliant tip. Thanks!

 

[Austman]

Some more on the DoubleTree:

I lucked out on the weather today. It’s hard not to like this place. Crystal clear water, fish and turtles:



That’s my actual bungalow.

The seagulls can be a bit annoying:



Breakfast is fine. Not deluxe but lots of choice, an omelette and pancake station and the coffee machine is good for a coffee machine.








And for dinner, I think it’s the buffet or the snack bar:



From memory, the snack bar was burger and fries type of things.

 

[Austman]

Getting back to central Noumea. The regular boat is out of service until the end of July. So it’s a small taxi like boat for now.



I got row 1 bulkhead which had a cut-out for leg room. And a shelf. But no window!

Here is the required leg pic:


I must have got a good 3 minutes sleep which was a pretty large percentage of the journey time!

 

[Austman]

Back in Noumea and there’s an overwater restaurant about 10 mins walk from the Hilton. Le Roof.

I thought it would be very touristy but decided to try it for lunch on yet another lovely day.

They have an express lunch special on weekdays. A salad or a main with coffee for 3,200 ($39). There’s only one choice of each that change each day and are listed in the restaurant’s Facebook page. I also had a glass of wine at 1,450. ($18). The amuse-bouche (salmon) was free of course. No tip required or requested.

I think it was a good decision. It was gorgeous on the balcony in 23 degrees fine weather:



It didn’t feel too touristy at all. Very nice staff.