Waterfalls in New Caledonia

New Caledonia Waterfalls were kind of remote attractions that seemed to be way off the beaten path from the bustling city of Noumea, where activities for things non-waterfalling-related were the primary attractions. So the waterfalls were definitely features that we had to earn our visits for, especially when the French territory is more known for the beaches, the reefs, and even the cosmopolitan and festive atmosphere of the city’s southern shores. Then, there were the outer islands where we spotted the signature endemic pine trees that were quite unusual for a tropical South Pacific island destination like this.

In any case, we only managed to visit a handful of waterfalls all on the main island of Grande Terre (which itself was said to be the third largest island in the South Pacific behind those of New Zealand). We should have visited more waterfalls, but all of the ones we attempted to visit in the North Province weren’t well researched and so they weren’t seen properly (like Cascade de Tao) or were missed altogether (like Cascade de Ba and Cascade de Colnett). I guess that was the price we paid for not following our own pre-trip process.

Nonetheless, just the pursuit of waterfalls allowed us to experience a much more rural and authentic part of this French paradise. Even visiting the well-known Chute de la Madeleine let us experience the wild south despite its relative close proximity to cosmopolitan Noumea. We hope we’re fortunate enough to make a return trip here to experience more of this country’s charms as well as to correct the waterfalling failures of our trip. And even with such setbacks, we can still showcase our humble sampling of the waterfalls that forces you to experience a very different side of New Caledonia that few tourists get to experience…