Island Profiles

The cuisine of New Caledonia is heavily influenced by its French ties. The French cooking influence is evident in the many good restaurants to be found in  and around Nouméa and includes a significant emphasis on wine and coffee. An abundance of seafood is to be found, finding its way into unforgettable gourmet creations or deliciously simple island fare. The New Caledonia blue prawn is a rare delicacy with a worldwide reputation. Other local seafood specialties include small and succulent…

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The history of New Caledonia begins around 1500 BC, although some sources claim evidence of settlement going back as far as 3000 BC. The Lapita people were seafarers whose origins can be traced to Taiwan and neighboring East Asian regions. They are named after the site of Lapita, where  a type of ancient pottery was unearthed. These people are thought to be the ancestors of the Polynesians, Micronesians and and some of the inhabitants of coastal Melanesia, including New Caledonia….

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From the islands of Scotland, which was called Caledonia by the Romans, we move across the globe to Oceania and visit New Caledonia, located on the Tropic of Capricorn in Melanesia, 450 miles east of Australia. New Caledonia is a possession of France, and is made up of Grand Terre, the main island, the Loyalty Islands, Isle of Pines, the Chesterfield Islands and the Belep Archipelago. The combined population of these islands is roughly 280,000. The official language is French,…

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