New Caledonia Entertainment

The choice of eating places and food on New Caledonia is excellent; costs vary from moderate to expensive. Gourmet restaurants and bistros serve African, Chinese, French, Indonesian, Italian and Spanish cooking.

National specialities:
• Pacific spiny lobsters, prawns, crabs.
• Mangrove oysters.
• Salads of raw fish marinated in lime juice.
• Bougna (fish or chicken wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on hot stones covered with sand).

National drinks:
• There is a good selection of French wine available.

Tipping: There is no tipping.

There are plenty of discos and also casinos, situated in the Anse Vata area. Nightclubs in Nouméa are lively with both European and local floorshows. There are also several cinemas, which show French films.

In Nouméa, boutiques sell fashionable French clothes, mainly casual but sometimes haute couture. Other purchases include luxury French goods such as perfume, jewellery and footwear, and silk scarves, sandals and handbags from France and Italy can also be found. Duty-free items are also sold. Local items include curios made of shells, coral, woodcarving, ceramics, hand-painted materials and aloha shirts.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1100 and 1400-1800, Sat 0730-1100.