The Western Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 399

Noumea
Call it ugly, call it busy, call it characterless; Noumea is par for the course as far as South
Pacific cities go. Like Tahiti's Papeete, it's a major boating hub with well-stocked grocery
stores, chandlers, and yacht services of all types. Prices, like everywhere in the Pacific, are
high, except for staples like the ubiquitous baguette. A few colonial-era buildings, the mar-
ket place, and central park provide small doses of eye candy in an otherwise featureless
cityscape. There are a number of interesting museums in Noumea, starting with the out-
standing Musee de Nouvelle Caledonie (with excellent, bilingual exhibits covering the
breadth of Melanesia) and the Maritime Museum. Anyone waiting out a longer period in
the city can enjoy beaches like Baie des Citrons and Anse Vata or take in hilltop views
from Ouen Toro.
Between acres of anchorage room and the Port Moselle marina, you can always find a
“parking” spot in Noumea, although swinging space is tight. Clearing in and out requires
some legwork, but most officials are friendly English-speakers, and the process is free. Port
Moselle marina gives priority to overseas arrivals and will facilitate clearance procedures
whether you're a guest or not. Generally, the visitor's dock turns over rapidly and it's
sometimes possible to sub-let a private slip there for a longer stay.
Noumea was one of the few areas where we could reliably access the Internet, either
through iNet (about $10 a week; buy at newsstands) or the marina WiFi. The snail-paced
connection, however, pales in comparison to the excellent services back in Fiji.