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New Caledonia's capital, Noumea, has everything a Francophile could desire: fresh baguettes, plentiful Bordeaux, chic boutiques, metropolitan gendarmes and occasionally rude service—all in a gorgeous tropical setting. Though this sizable South Pacific archipelago has been a French colony for nearly 150 years, France fades into Melanesia once you leave the city. Visitors who experience only the glamour of Noumea's beaches and swank hotels miss out on the rugged beauty and unique culture of the better part of the territory.

To experience traditional island life in New Caledonia, you'll have to cross a geographical and cultural divide to reach la Brousse, the local term for the outback. On Grande Terre, the cigar-shaped main island, the mountains and nickel mines in the center divide the largely French-settled region on the southwest from the less-developed land of the northeast, which is occupied by the island's indigenous people, the Kanaks. The traditional Kanak way of life, known as la coutume, involves an intricate system of tribal sharing and gift giving, ancestor worship and clan ties. It has eroded over the generations, but it is experiencing something of a comeback in the younger generation.

The Kanak clans inhabit the smaller islands to the north, east and south of Grand Terre: the verdant Ile des Pins, the idyllic Loyaute Islands and the tiny Belep Islands. Getting to those areas requires only a little more effort, but it's truly rewarding. And the beaches there are among the best in the world, too.

Geography

Located 1,000 mi/1,600 km east of Australia and 310 mi/500 km southwest of Vanuatu, New Caledonia is surrounded by a huge coral reef, creating the world's largest lagoon. Unlike most of the island groups in Oceania, which are of volcanic origin, New Caledonia broke away from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana 250 million years ago, which explains the 2,000 indigenous plants found nowhere else on earth.

The main island, Grande Terre, is strikingly diverse. The western side of the island has dry, windswept coastal plains, and the eastern side has waterfalls, lush fern forests, crystal clear lagoons, palm-lined beaches and scenic, rugged mountains. Mangrove swamps hug much of the coastline. Atoll islands lie just offshore. The Loyaute, or Loyalty, Islands (Mare, Lifou and Ouvea) lie off the eastern coast, and the Ile des Pins, or Isle of Pines, and Ouen Island lie off the southern coast. To the north are the minuscule Belep Islands. All are lush, with beautiful unspoiled beaches. All offer a relaxing, if slightly primitive, vacation.

History

Settled thousands of years ago by Melanesians from Asia and New Guinea, New Caledonia was left in relative isolation until the 18th century. Captain Cook discovered New Caledonia and named it for Scotland (Caledonia being the ancient Roman name for Cook's homeland), though only a man who had been at sea too long could have seen the resemblance. The French annexed the country in 1853 in hopes of replacing their penal colony in South America (the infamous Devil's Island) and replicating Britain's success in colonizing Australia. Nine years later, a huge cache of high-quality nickel was discovered on the island, allowing New Caledonia to take its place among the world's major producers of that metal. It also ensured that the French would fight tooth and nail to retain this profitable colony.

From the turn of the century and through the 1980s, the island was caught in a bitter struggle between the native Kanaks and the French government, which was supported by the descendants of the original settlers (Caldoches) and recent French immigrants (metros, or zoreilles)—with the Kanaks usually on the losing end. More than 30 people, most of them Kanaks, were killed during disturbances in the mid-1980s.

A peace accord was signed in 1988. Representatives of the French government and all the local political parties signed a new agreement in 1998 that calls for a gradual increase in local autonomy over the next 15-20 years, to be followed by a vote on full independence. This arrangement was approved by 72% of New Caledonia voters.

In addition to the indigenous and French population, New Caledonia also has a large number of Indonesians, Vietnamese and South Pacific islanders, many of them brought in to work the nickel mines.

Snapshot

New Caledonia's chief attractions are great scuba diving (with 150-ft/45-m visibility), limestone caves, horseback riding, camping, spectacular beaches, snorkeling, and interesting blends of European and Melanesian cultures.

It's a good destination for those interested in great beaches, clear water and lush scenery combined with a dash of French ambience, culture and food. It's not recommended for anyone who would be shocked by either relatively high costs or the contradictions of colonialism. Although English is spoken in some places, a working knowledge of French helps, particularly on some of the outer islands.

Potpourri

Be on the lookout for the distinctive New Caledonian cowboys, especially on the west coast of the main island where cattle ranching is widely practiced. If you're lucky, you might even happen upon a minirodeo.

The pine trees on Ile des Pins are araucarias, a slightly smaller version of Norfolk pines.

New Caledonia's closest neighbor is Vanuatu, the island chain that lies about 310 mi/500 km northeast of Grande Terre.

Traffic on some of the narrow mountain roads up the east coast of the main island is one way, with an hourly timetable for traffic in each direction.

It's possible to go deep-sea fishing year-round—for marlin, sailfish, tuna, bonito, mahimahi and others—but the best months are November-February.

The population of the islands includes 44% Melanesian, 34% European and 9% Wallisian (from Wallis Island). The European element is growing because of uncontrolled immigration from France.

The world's second- and third-largest barrier reefs stretch 375 mi/600 km up either side of Grande Terre (only Australia's Great Barrier Reef is longer).

New Caledonia's huge reefs have snagged scores of unlucky ships, including the two largest sailing vessels ever launched.

While driving around, you may see a few abandoned runways used by U.S. forces during World War II. At the height of the conflict, 75,000 GIs were billeted on the main island.