Diving spots and snorkelling in South Province

New Caledonia boasts a fantastic range of sites and museums that reflect a rich history. Many old buildings are now listed as historical monuments in the Southern Province. This effort to preserve and highlight the region’s material heritage makes these places as engaging as they are educational. Whether it’s a theatre, a museum, a mine, or a colonial house, there’s plenty to explore in the towns of the Southern Province. The intangible heritage and cultural diversity are also celebrated through local fairs, performances, and certain festivals. Finally, events like Heritage Month or Museum Night shine a fresh light on Caledonian history and culture.

Snorkelling adventure

Diving doesn’t always mean full gear and formal training. All you need is a mask, snorkel, and a pair of fins to admire the many fish right off the coast of South Province. Snorkelling, or as they call it here, “PMT” (Palmes, Masque, Tuba), is popular all around the lagoon. They’ve even set up underwater trails to increase your odds of spotting parrotfish, surgeonfish, clownfish, and other colourful species. For top picks, we recommend checking out the underwater trails at Ilot Canards underwater trail, the Poé underwater trail, as well as the seabed around the Signal Island and the Amédée lighthouse. For a unique experience, head over to the Pontoon in Sainte-Marie Bay: it’s got an underwater tunnel, a restaurant, and sun loungers for a day of complete relaxation!

A word of advice

New Caledonia’s mild, sunny climate means you can enjoy snorkelling all year round! But watch out for that sunburn! Before diving, don’t forget to put on a rash guard – you’d be surprised how red you can get in the water. Corals are fragile, so opt for a coral-friendly sunscreen.

Top spots for snorkelling

The Île aux Canards Marine Reserve, Nouméa
The Signal island (Îlot Signal) or Larégnère Island (Îlot Larégnère), Nouméa
The Amédée lighthouse (Phare Amédée), Nouméa
The Deva underwater trail, Bourail
The Ténia Island (Îlot ténia), Boulouparis
The Oro natural pool (Piscine naturelle d’Oro), Île des Pins
The floating restaurant Le Ponton, Nouméa

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Scuba diving on the seabed

The clear waters of the Caledonian lagoon and the passes near the coral reef promise top-notch diving. In most of the passes outside the lagoon, you can spot numerous pelagic species: sharks, manta rays, dolphins and dugongs. And of course, you can see turtles without even needing to suit up. Coral reefs are home to many species of fish. You’re in one of the world’s most beautiful marine reserves, in an area listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s no surprise that the biodiversity here is extraordinary, both in and out of the lagoon. Apart from the passes around Nouméa, most diving centres offer explorations of Grande Terre sites, such as the famous Prony needle, the canyons of La Foa or the wonderful drop-offs of the Great South.

Advice

During the cool season (April – November), you’ll enjoy better visibility (30 to 40 meters). You’re also likely to spot whales along the way. The water remains quite pleasant during this period (around 22°C).

Plongez dans le plus grand lagon du monde

Top dive spots in the South Province

New Caledonia’s South Province is home to a large number of high-quality dive sites, both inside and outside the lagoon. Among the most beautiful must-visit spots during your explorations are:

The false channel of the Green island (Île verte), Bourail
The Boulari and Dumbéa channels
The Gorgonian coral valley (La Vallée des gorgones), Isle of Pines
The Dieppoise wreck, Nouméa
The Prony needle, Great South
Tabou Reef, towards Boulari channel
The Poé rift / Shark island’s rift (La Faille de Poé / Faille de l’îlot Shark), Bourail
The Gadji cave (Grotte de Gadji), Isle of Pins
The great Kélé elbow (Grand coud de Kélé), Bourail
The Shifty reef (Récif Sournois), near Amédée Lighthouse
The Loach wall (Mur aux loches), Dumbéa

Diving around shipwrecks

The shipwrecks in the lagoon are a delight for seasoned divers. They’re home to a wealth of marine life. Among the most remarkable shipwrecks, don’t miss out on:

The Dieppoise at Amedee lighthouse. Between Boulari pass and Amédée islet, this is New Caledonia’s best-known wreck. Intentionally sunk in 1988, it lies at a depth of 26 metres and is home to groupers, jacks, perch, and colourful seas slugs.
The Humboldt: near the Dumbéa channel. This is the wreck of a 45-meter-long former longliner. You can see the wheelhouse, the holds, the propeller, and the bow. The site is teeming with cardinalfish, loaches, red mullets, and scorpionfish.
The Sun Burnt Country, not far from the Gull Island (Îlot Goéland). The wreck of this ketch, which ran aground in 1989 during the Brisbane-Nouméa race, is now a fantastic dive site.

Diving baptism

There are many excellent diving centres in South Province. Qualified instructors offer a range of services for all levels, so it’s easy to take your first dive in Nouméa, Bourail, La Foa or Île des Pins. You can dive all year round, and introductory dives can be booked in advance. Typically, a baptism consists of an introductory dive, preceded by a safety briefing and supervised at all times by your instructor-guide. Lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour, this first experience will give you the chance to see a host of aquatic creatures, and promises some great thrills.

Diving centers in South Province

Diving courses

Most dive centres are affiliated to a certification body or an international federation, which means that you can easily pass your diving levels in South Province: ANMP / CEDIP training (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4), PADI training. Dives typically take place in the morning. During an expedition, you’ll do two dives on the same trip after a boat ride of 15 to 45 minutes. Diving visibility generally ranges from 15 to 40 meters. You can rent diving gear directly at the club for an extra fee

Experience a night dive

Diving into the mysterious nighttime atmosphere can be a weird mix of chills and wonder. Once you get past those initial (slight) jitters, you’ll be fascinated by the fluorescent corals and the abundant aquatic species that you can see during these hours. Night dives generally take place in the early evening, between 6pm and 8pm depending on the time of year. Most of them take place not far from the Nouméan coast, like Seiche-Croissant.

Eco-friendly diving

New Caledonia’s ecosystem is incredibly rich but also quite fragile. Protecting the underwater environment ensures that you can enjoy exceptional dives for a long time to come. So, here are a few tips to keep in mind during your explorations:

Don’t touch the fish, turtles and coral reefs.
Don’t stay too long in the underwater caves. Bubbles escaping from regulators expose organisms to the air environment and cause necrosis.
Don’t litter and pick up any garbage you find.
Control your buoyancy.
Check that there are anchor buoys at the diving site.

Diving spots and snorkelling in South Province

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More inspiration in South Province