New Caledonia travel guide
About New Caledonia
The Pacific island of New Caledonia is a nature lover’s paradise. Punching well above its weight, the island lays claim to impressive natural features including the largest lagoon in the world and a 1,500km-long (930 mile) coral reef, second only in size to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, New Caledonia’s vast coral reef offers some of the most spectacular diving in the world. Not only is it an important nesting site for green turtles, but it also supports an astonishing variety of tropical fish, seabirds, sharks, whales and dugongs, also known as sea cows.
Visitors will find an equally diverse mix of wildlife inland. New Caledonia is famed for its flying foxes and myriad exotic birds, including the highly intelligent Caledonian crow, which fashions hooks from branches to pick its insect prey from trees.
It’s not all about the wildlife, though. This former French colony, which is now classed as a special collectivity of France, is a fascinating melting pot of Melanesian and French culture. This unlikely fusion is most visible in the capital, Nouméa, where luxury hotels, gourmet restaurants and plush boutiques compete with Melanesian cuisine, dance and other local traditions.
This juxtaposition is not always harmonious however, and conflicts between France and New Caledonia sometimes flare up, reflecting their differing attitudes on self-government, French nuclear testing in the region and more. There’s been an appetite for independence for sometime now and the territory seems to be slowly moving towards sovereign status. France will be the poorer for it.
Key facts
18,575 sq km (7,172 sq miles).
266,431 (UN estimate 2016).
14.6 per sq km.
Nouméa.
French Overseas Territory.
President Emmanuel Macron since 2017, represented locally by High Commissioner Louis Le Franc since 2023.
President of the government Louis Mapou since 2021.
Travel Advice
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:
- women travellers
- disabled travellers
- LGBT+ travellers
- solo and independent travel
- volunteering and adventure travel
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.
New Caledonia is an Overseas Territory of France (‘Territoire d’Outre-Mer’). The authorities in New Caledonia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the French Consulate General in the UK.
COVID-19 rules
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering New Caledonia.
Passport validity requirements
Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Caledonia and have at least 2 blank pages.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Visa requirements
You can visit New Caledonia without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism or business. To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, check the visa application process and timelines on the French visa website.
UK residents of New Caledonia
Carry your residence document, as well as your passport, when entering or exiting New Caledonia. If you’ve applied but not yet received your document, carry your certificate of application. You will have received this as an email.
Vaccine requirements
You must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s New Caledonia guide.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of New Caledonia (in French). You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Taking money into New Caledonia
Check what cash and valuables you need to declare to bring them into New Caledonia.
Terrorism
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
Terrorism in New Caledonia
Although there is no recent history of terrorism in New Caledonia, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Crime
Crime levels are low in New Caledonia. However, petty theft and street crime do happen.
To reduce the risk to yourself and your belongings:
- avoid isolated areas, including beaches, after dark
- do not carry large amounts of cash and be careful when changing money or withdrawing it from ATMs
- do not wear expensive-looking jewellery or watches
- keep valuables and travel documents in your hotel safe or a safety deposit box
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
Swimming safety
See water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society.
Scuba diving
Diving schools may have limited resources and do not always observe safety and maintenance standards. Always:
- ask to see a dive operator’s credentials
- check the conditions on your insurance policy – some policies require dive instructors to have certain qualifications
- make sure safety equipment is available on the boat, particularly oxygen
- ask about safety precautions, including the ability to transfer divers to a hyperbaric chamber
If you have not had any previous diving experience, check what to do if something goes wrong, including how to call for help while at sea.
Transport risks
Road travel
If you are planning to drive in New Caledonia, see information on driving abroad.
You’ll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
Hire car companies often have stricter requirements for their customers, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP.
Drink-driving is a serious offence in New Caledonia. If you are tested and found to have more than two-thirds of the legal limit for England and Wales in your system, you may get a fine and possible imprisonment.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
Cyclones
Tropical cyclones are a risk in New Caledonia, particularly from mid-December to mid-March. Check local forecasts and updates from the World Meteorological Organization. Monitor these updates and follow any advice issued by the local authorities.
Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.
Before you travel check that:
-
your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
-
you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation
This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Emergency medical number
Call 15, 17 or 256767 and ask for an ambulance.
Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
Vaccine recommendations and health risks
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- check the latest vaccine recommendations for New Caledonia
- see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page
See what health risks you’ll face in New Caledonia, including:
- Zika virus
- dengue
- chikungunya
Medication
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
Healthcare in New Caledonia
General healthcare facilities in New Caledonia are good for uncomplicated treatment, but more serious cases may need evacuation to Australia or France. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
Healthcare for residents
If you plan to live in New Caledonia, consult the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about long-term entitlement to healthcare under the French national system.
DWP Overseas Medical Benefits helpline: +44 (0)191 218 1999
You can also get English-language information about French social security services online or on +33 (0)820 90 42 12. You can get French-language information online about state services in New Caledonia.
Health insurance cards
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) do not provide health cover for you if you go to New Caledonia to visit or to live.
Travel and mental health
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
Emergency services in New Caledonia
Ambulance: 15
Fire: 18
Police: 17
Contact your travel provider and insurer
Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
Refunds and changes to travel
For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.
Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:
- where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
- how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim
Support from FCDO
FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:
- getting help if you’re a victim of crime
- what to do if you’re in hospital
- if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack
Contacting FCDO
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications this travel advice is updated.
You can also contact FCDO online.
Help abroad in an emergency
There is no British Embassy in New Caledonia and the British Embassy in Paris, France, supports British nationals who need emergency help from the UK government.
FCDO in London
You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.
Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
