Holidays in Caledonia. New Caledonia - an exotic island with European service

31.03.2020

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The islands of the future New Caledonia were inhabited by Kanaks back in the 13th century. BC. Europeans insultingly called Kanaks all Pacific Islanders. Subsequently, this name was assigned to all the indigenous inhabitants of this region, although the differences between the tribes are quite significant. Even now, “modern Kanaks” speak 30 different languages.

Archaeologists find pottery 2 various types. Some scientists argue that this is a consequence of two waves of Kanak migration to Grande Terre(the largest island of New Caledonia). Some people tend to think that these are just utensils for different purposes. Be that as it may, people lived here more than 3.5 thousand years ago.

Europeans discovered the islands in the fall of 1774 during trip around the world James Cook. The captain called new land the ancient name of his homeland Scotland - New Caledonia. The first meeting between Europeans and aborigines took place on September 5, after which the team walked around Grande Terre and discovered other small islands of the archipelago.

Over the next half century, the island was visited by rare whalers who pursued whales heading to the shores of New Caledonia in winter. Interest in New Caledonia increased after Europeans became interested in sandalwood. This small tree is prized for its rich red color and has been used to make expensive furniture. The first settlers from Europe came here in the early 1850s and began trading. From this moment it begins modern history New Caledonia.

Although at first the island was chosen by the French for the construction of a prison. To do this, several military ships were sent to the shores of New Caledonia, which established French power on the archipelago. In 1853, New Caledonia was declared a French colony. A year later, Grande-Terre was founded in the south military base, which later turned into a city Noumea, capital of New Caledonia.

In addition to exiled criminals, law-abiding French were also sent to live on the islands. These were mainly farmers who cultivated the land in the west of Grande Terre. But neither coffee nor cotton met the farmers' hopes. But the discovery of nickel deposits retrained farmers into miners, and for several years there was a financial and, as a consequence, resettlement boom.

Until World War II, New Caledonia remained a quiet colony of France, although there were armed uprisings of the island's indigenous population, which were quickly suppressed by the authorities. During the war, the archipelago was used as a staging post and logistical base for the Allies in the Pacific. After the war, the process of decolonization began. All residents received French citizenship and the right to vote. The struggle for independence has entered a civilized channel, but the people of New Caledonia are voting against independence. French citizenship suits new Caledonians to this day.

Geography and climate of New Caledonia

The New Caledonia archipelago consists of the main large island of Grande Terre and several small islands: Belep, Ile de Pin, Chesterfield, Matthew And Hunter, as well as nameless coral and limestone islets. Grande Terre is the only mountainous island in the archipelago. Its area is 16 thousand km2. (for comparison, the entire area of New Caledonia is 19 thousand km2). mountain range runs along the entire island. Maximum height- 1628 m above sea level.

The age of the islands is about 300-250 million years ago. They were once part of the supercontinent Gondwana. The separation of the archipelago occurred 60-85 million years ago, when it separated from the future Australia and New Zealand. New Caledonia is rich in deposits of nickel, chromium, cobalt, manganese, lead, copper, and gold. The soil has become toxic from so many metals, and only unpretentious or endemic plants that have been able to adapt to such soil can grow in such conditions.

The climate is tropical, hot and humid. average temperature air temperature is 27.5C during the dry season, and 24.5C during the rainy season. Cyclones dominate from November to March and for an unprepared person they can seem like a real natural disaster. But in general weather very comfortable. Thanks in part to the climate, some Europeans decided to move to New Caledonia for permanent residence.

Animal and plant life

The continental nature of New Caledonia, in contrast to the islands of volcanic origin, determined the quiet “maturation” of the island. There were no major eruptions here. However, studies have shown that the entire archipelago was under water for a long time. Therefore the animal vegetable world New Caledonia is not as rich as it might seem at first glance. Although biologists argue that the mountains remained above the surface of the water, which allowed the preservation of those species of plants and animals that lived here since the time of Gondwana.

Currently, the special pride of New Caledonia is its species diversity geckos(family of lizards). A giant lives here banana gecko, the largest gecko in the world. Very rare eyelashed banana gecko- endemic to the archipelago. For some time the eyelashed gecko was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994.

New Caledonia is the birthplace of 13 of the 19 that have come down to us araucaria, tall evergreen coniferous trees. They reach a height of 90 m. They are found on the islands of New Guinea, Australia, and Norfolk. Due to the archaic features of these endemic trees, the archipelago is sometimes called Jurassic Park. The prehistoric landscapes of New Caledonia were even chosen for the filming of the TV series Walking with Dinosaurs.

Tourism and travel in New Caledonia

Tourism is not the main source of replenishment of the treasury of New Caledonia, but still occupies an important place in the economy of the archipelago. All the necessary infrastructure is available on the island. There is also a choice budget options, and luxury vacation spots. New Caledonia leaves the impression of a European resort, but with a local flavor.

Very popular honeymoon trips to New Caledonia, especially among the Japanese. Since 2007, weddings have been taking place almost every day. To serve the newlyweds, it was even planned to build a separate wedding chapel, where wedding ceremonies were to be held among tourists.

New Caledonia is popular place among Australian schoolchildren learning French.

Helpful information

The official language of New Caledonia is French.
Currency - French Pacific franc. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere, but you can cash out outside major cities difficult, there are not many ATMs.
Cellular communication is available almost everywhere. Telephone code New Caledonia - 687 . To call to Russia you need to dial: 00 - 7 - City code - number
Very strong solar radiation, so it is strongly recommended not to be in the sun during the daytime. Be sure to wear hats.
The water current off the coast is very unpredictable. The ebb and flow of the tides begin abruptly and can sweep the swimmer away. open ocean. Swimming is allowed only on public beaches, which are located in lagoons and are patrolled by lifeguards.

Panoramic images

Panorama of New Caledonia

The official name is Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies. Located in the southwestern part Pacific Ocean. Area 19.1 thousand km2, population approx. 211 thousand people (2003). Official language- French. The capital is Noumea (approx. 100 thousand people, 2003). The monetary unit is the French (clerical) Pacific franc.
Member of the Pacific Community (formerly STC, since 1983), has observer status at the Pacific Islands Forum (formerly STC, since 1999).

It is located east of Australia and occupies the island of New Caledonia (16.7 thousand km2, one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the Loyalty archipelago and many small islands. Length coastline- 2254 km. Geographical coordinates: 21°30 south latitude and 165°30 east longitude.

In the northwest, the island of New Caledonia is washed by the Coral Sea. The world's second longest coral barrier reef (after Australia's) runs along the coast (1,600 km), forming the world's largest external lagoon. Two mountain ranges ( highest point Panier, 1628 m) occupy 2/3 of the island and divide it into the western and eastern coasts. In the west, the soil is quite poor, suitable mainly for pastures. In the east there are many short rapids rivers, lush vegetation and coconut palm plantations. In the south there are numerous lakes, green vegetation interspersed with red ferruginous soils. From St. 3 thousand plant species - 80% endemic (wild orchids, eucalyptus, Araucaria pine, etc.). Forest and bush occupy approx. 40% of the islands' territory. Among mammals there are only bats. Some of the more than 300 bird species are found only in New Caledonia. Coastal waters are extremely rich in diverse marine life.

Natural resources: approx. 25% of the world's nickel reserves include cobalt, chromium, iron ore, manganese, silver, gold, lead and copper. The 200-mile economic zone has potentially significant fish stocks.

Sights of New Caledonia

The climate is subtropical. From December to March it is warm (on average +25-27°C) and humid (up to 80%). From April to November - “cold and dry” (+19-24°C, up to 75%). The climate ranges from semi-arid to tropical depending on the landscape. All islands are in the typhoon zone.

The population is growing at an average of 1.4% per year. Due to the higher birth rate, the proportion of Kanaks (Melanesians) is gradually increasing. As of 2002, there are 42% of them, French-Caledonians - 37%, Polynesians - St. 12% (people from the Wallis Islands - 8.4%), Indonesians - 3.6%, Vietnamese - 1.6%, etc. Besides French 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects are used. Distributed and English language. Business life is controlled by Franco-Europeans. Up to 70% of Kanaks are employed in agriculture.

Infant mortality 8 people. per 1000 newborns. Life expectancy for men is 71 years, for women - 77 years. Competently St. 90% of the adult population.

Catholics make up 60% of the population, Calvinist Protestants - 30%. There are adherents of other Christian religions, Islam, Buddhism, etc.

In 1774, the first European to visit the island was J. Cook, who named it after the ancient name of his native Scotland - Caledonia. In 1853 the island was annexed by France. The indigenous population of Kanakas (Melanesians) back in the 19th century. began the struggle for independence, periodically raising uprisings that were suppressed by the colonialists. Since 1956, New Caledonia has been an “overseas territory” of France, until 1984 it was governed by its High Commissioner. As a result of armed clashes between the Kanaks and French troops (supported by the Franco-Caledonians), the Matignon Agreement was signed in 1988, expanding the autonomy of the territory and providing for a referendum on independence in 10 years. But according to the Noumea Treaty of 1998, before the referendum, a “preparatory” period (15-20 years) was established for the gradual expansion of the powers of local governments, the introduction of local citizenship, etc. In 1999, territorial and provincial elections were held and the first government of New Caledonia began to operate. In addition to disagreements between the pro-independence Kanaks and the Franco-Europeans (which affects the activities of their coalition government), there is tension (to the point of bloody clashes) in the relations of the Kanaks with people from the Wallis and Futuna Islands. In addition, the Kanak movement for independence itself is split, which together leaves the internal political situation difficult, despite the successes associated with the implementation of the Treaty of Noumea.

New Caledonia is an "overseas territory" of France with internal self-government status. The French President is represented by the High Commissioner. The legislative body is the unicameral Congress of New Caledonia, consisting of 54 deputies of three Provincial Assemblies (elected by universal suffrage for 5 years, the next elections in 2004). Deputies elect a president - head of government (P. Frogier, re-elected in 2002) and an executive committee - government.

The territory is divided into 3 provinces: North and South (more than 65% of the population) in New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands.

IN administrative center Nouméa houses the secretariat of the Pacific Community (formerly STC).

Prominent Kanak figures include Jean-Marie Tjibau, a popular leader who was assassinated in 1989.

Basic political parties: Rally for Caledonia within the Republic (24 seats in Congress), Kanak Socialist and National Liberation Front (18 seats, it includes the Kanak Liberation Party, Caledonian Union, Melanesian Progressive Union, etc.), Federation of Cooperation Committees for Independence (4) , National Front (4), Alliance for Caledonia (3), etc. Residents of the territory participate in the elections of the President and Parliament of France, having 2 deputies in the National Assembly and a senator.

New Caledonia does not have diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

GDP per capita is 14 thousand US dollars (according to purchasing power parity, 2002). The share of agriculture in GDP is 5%, industry - 30%, service sector - 65%. 7% of workers are employed in agriculture, 23% in industry and construction, and 70% in the service sector. Unemployment - ok. 20%.

The basis of the economy is nickel mining and concentrate production (3rd place in the world, 130 thousand tons). New projects are being implemented to expand production (investments of $2 billion are planned for 2003-05 with a production capacity of 200 thousand tons of concentrate per year).

Agriculture meets only 1/3 of food needs. Coconut palm, corn, yams, vegetables and fruits are cultivated. Cattle are raised.

The manufacturing industry is represented by enterprises of the food industry, metallurgy, construction materials and woodworking.

The length of roads is 4.8 thousand km (2.3 thousand km with hard surface). In Noumea - main sea port and an international airport. Of the 30 airports, 9 have - runways with hard surface, there are 5 helipads. The use of modern communication services is developing - by 2001 the number of Internet users reached 24 thousand people.

New Caledonia is visited by more than 100 thousand tourists a year (mainly Japanese, French and Australians). Tourism is important for reducing dependence on nickel mining; its growth is still hampered by insufficient infrastructure development, but projects are being implemented to improve it.

Export of nickel ore and concentrates - 75% of exports. Food (20% of imports), fuel, machinery and equipment are imported. Main partners: France, Japan, Australia. Financial assistance from France remains important (more than 1/4 of GDP).

Primary education is compulsory and free. In addition to 250 initial and approx. 30 public and private (Catholic) high schools, including St. 20 vocational schools, several lyceums and 5 higher educational institutions.

Traditional Kanak culture has been preserved in its most pristine form on the Loyalty Islands.

New Caledonia ( New Caledonia) - overseas possession of France ( France) in the South Pacific ( South Pacific). A territorial entity is large island with the same name and several small islands. Borders with Vanuatu ( Vanuatu), Fiji ( Fiji) and Australia ( Australia). The capital of New Caledonia is Noumea ( Noumea).

The official language is French. Melanesian dialects, English and Japanese are common among the local population.

The population consists of Aboriginal Melanesians (Kanaks), representatives of the white community (Caldoches) and French military personnel serving in New Caledonia. The overwhelming majority of the population is Christian.

The climate of New Caledonia is tropical trade wind. Summer, translated into European months, lasts from November to March, and winter - from April to October. The rainy season with hurricanes lasts from December to March. We recommend planning your trip to New Caledonia during the trade wind season (September to December).

Best beach holiday Visitors to New Caledonia will find the capital city of Nouméa on the beautiful beaches of Baia des Citron ( Bahia des Citron Beach), Ens Vata ( Anse Vata Beach) and in the bays of Oro Bay ( Oro Bay) and Kuto Bay ( Couteau Bay). Tiny Nokanmue Atoll ( Nokanmue atoll), located south of the island of Ile des Pins ( Ile des Pins Island) is considered one of the best places in the world for eco-tourism, honeymoon trips and relaxation tours.

For fans of country leisure, New Caledonia offers excursions to the luxurious aquarium, Forestier Park ( Forest Park ) and hunting grounds in the village of Burai ( Bourail village).

Urban entertainment in Noumea includes visiting historical and cultural monuments such as Cultural Center Tjibau ( Cultural Center Tjibaou), in which tourists can get acquainted with the history and modern life peoples of Oceania.

The northern part of the country is a paradise for those who prefer active species sports The resort town of Poindimier ( Puandime) on east coast- the center of island diving and windsurfing. And Kendu Bay ( Kendu Bay) near Noumea counts best zone for snorkeling. On day-long walking or cycling tours, visitors to New Caledonia can explore the beauty of the spectacular cliffs and lagoon, go rafting or relax in the thermal hot springs of Cruen ( Crowen therm hot springs).

How to get there

Airplane

We advise tourists from EU and CIS countries to choose a flight route with transfers to Tokyo for their trip to New Caledonia ( Tokyo) and Osaka ( Osaka), Sydney ( Sydney) or Seoul ( Seoul). This flight option involves only one transfer at hub airports in Asia and Oceania ( Oceania).

From international airport La Tontouta Noumea airline Aircalin operates flights to Auckland ( Auckland), Brisbane ( Brisbane), Melbourne ( Melbourne), Sydney, Tokyo and Osaka. From Australia, New Zealand ( New Zealand) and Oceania flights are organized by the airline Air New Zealand, Air Vanuatu And Quantas.

Visa

Citizens of European Union countries have a visa to visit overseas possessions French Republic need not. Travelers from the CIS countries to travel to New Caledonia should obtain a visa to visit the overseas territories of France, which can be issued at visa centers and consulates of the French Republic.

In some cases you can do without a special visa:

if vacationers have long-term visa or a residence permit from one of the Schengen countries;
if travelers planning a holiday in New Caledonia have a French Schengen visa (from 1 year).

The period for reviewing the package of documents is at least 10 days.

Customs

For tourists from the EU, the import and export of any currencies is not limited customs regulations. Travelers from CIS countries planning to bring amounts of money over 10,000 euros (any currency equivalent) across the border of New Caledonia must indicate this in the declaration.

Vacationers can take with them on vacation goods and items for personal use worth 30,000 francs for an adult tourist and up to 15,000 francs for their minor travel companions.

It is prohibited to import into the territory of New Caledonia:

absinthe and anise tincture;
meat and meat products;
endangered species of plants and animals;
any poultry;
dogs of fighting breeds;
items of any historical or cultural value (without appropriate design).

When importing medications, visitors to New Caledonia will be required to present a prescription issued by a doctor and certified by a notary.

When importing animals, tourists will be required to present a certificate of vaccinations and a blood test done no earlier than three months before the trip.

Kitchen

Tourists who come to New Caledonia on vacation will be offered dishes of French, Italian, Indonesian, African, Japanese and Chinese cuisines. If you wish, you can also try a local dish.

If you want to get an idea of the cuisine of the Kanak Indians, you should try "Buna" - roast chicken with yams and other vegetables, wrapped in banana leaves. Buna is cooked only on coals or hot stones.

During a trip to New Caledonia, vacationers will have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the taste of meat from animals that are found only in this part of the world. For example, baked meat of sea turtles, flying foxes and the most delicate stew of giant bat fillet will not leave gourmets indifferent.

The basis of New Caledonian cuisine is seafood. Pacific shrimp, lobster, oysters and lobster are widely represented on the menus of local restaurants. We recommend that tourists order a series of Melanesian salads with raw or marinated fish.

Yams, cereals, root vegetables and juicy tropical fruits form the daily diet of the Kanaks.

In terms of alcoholic beverages, guests of the islands will not find any special differences from the French metropolis. In restaurants and hotels along the coast, tourists and adult traveling companions can enjoy the excellent wine list of sunny France and hot Australia.

Money

The official currency of this part of France's overseas possessions is the French Pacific franc ( XPF).

The local franc is firmly pegged to the euro. Along with the national currency of New Caledonia, New Zealand and Australian dollars will be accepted from tourists in shops, hotels, and restaurants.

You and your traveling companions can exchange currency at the airport or any bank branch. Plastic cards are used in Noumea, but outside the capital there may be problems with their use. In the capital of New Caledonia, banking institutions cash out cards Visa, American Express, Master Card And Diners Club.

If vacationers take travel checks on a trip, it is better to issue them in euros. Tourists can cash traveler's checks in Noumea only at a bank.

What you need to know

Sights of New Caledonia

Barrier Reef ( Barrier Reef) New Caledonia and the lagoons it protects are subject to World Heritage UNESCO. This is the third longest barrier reef in the world - 1,500 km encircles the largest island of the archipelago and several small islands. In the lagoons with an average depth of 25 m, visitors to the islands and their fellow travelers will be able to observe amazing biological diversity and endemic species of plants and animals. The barrier reef is for divers, where you can meet the critically endangered dugong or equally rare green turtles.

Crystal clear waters Oro Bay and Maurice Bay are suitable for beginner divers. This area of the sea is a nature reserve.

Professionals who enjoy diving and snorkeling tend to prefer the calm waters of Gadji Pass ( Haji Pass), located in the northern part of Ile des Pins. In this resort area Vacationers will find a sheer wall going into the water to a depth of 35 m, the Devil's Grotto or Satan's Cave ( Cave of Satan), which can be accessed through a narrow passage.

Sailing fans can enjoy sailing from Nouméa to Ile des Pins on a chartered yacht. We recommend anchoring in Kuto Bay. You can go to boat trip along the shores of the islands or on a canoe excursion to the southern tip of New Caledonia's Nakanmue Atoll. Tourists will be able to see sun-bleached coral beaches strewn with nautilus and cowrie shells.

On Pin Island guests will be offered hiking and cycling trips you can go on foot to the picturesque village of Vao ( Vao village), where the statue of Saint Maurice is located ( Statue of St Maurice) on the shore of the bay of the same name.

In the village of Burai, which is located in the center big island, tourists will be able to hunt deer, brought in the past from Europe. Spearfishing and fishing in New Caledonia attract many holidaymakers.

On the "magical" Brosse Islands ( Bross Island), Lifu ( Lifou Island) or Uvea ( OuveaIsland) tourists will be greeted by wonderful beaches strewn with fine white sand, limestone grottoes and picturesque lagoons.

Souvenirs from New Caledonia

Traditional souvenirs that tourists bring from their holidays in New Caledonia are jade jewelry and amulets made by the Kanak Indians.

In souvenir shops, tourists can expect beautiful bone carvings and compositions of corals and shells. The islanders make wind musical instruments from the largest shells of the species Charonia Triton.

Popular resorts

New Caledonia- an overseas department of France, located in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, in Melanesia. It consists of the large island of the same name, New Caledonia (16,372 sq. km) and a group of small islands. It is located 1200 km east of Australia, 1500 km northwest of New Zealand, 500 km southwest of Vanuatu. Total area - 18,575 sq. km. The capital is Noumea.

Most of The islands of New Caledonia are mountainous (the highest point is Mount Panier, 1,628 m). The shores are heavily indented and have many convenient bays, access to which is difficult due to coral reefs. The island has many rivers and fertile red soils predominate. Forests occupy about 15% of the territory. Animal world poor

New Caledonia's barrier reef is the second largest coral reef in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. Stretching for 1,500 km, the reef encircles the island of New Caledonia, as well as several smaller islands. The total area of the lagoons surrounding the reef is 24 thousand km², average depth- 25 m.

Among the significant biodiversity there are many endemics. The endangered dugong lives here and green turtles lay their eggs here.

In 2008, New Caledonia's barrier reef lagoons were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Climate in New Caledonia

Climate in New Caledonia- tropical trade wind, hot and humid. The air temperature varies little throughout the year and averages +23...+27°C.

Annual precipitation ranges from 3000 mm in the eastern part of the archipelago to 700 mm in the west. It rains mainly from November-December to March, during the period of cyclones. This period is characterized by cloudy weather and powerful tropical hurricanes.

From September to November-December the trade wind season lasts, when the weather is very windy, but the sky is clear.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

Population

Population of New Caledonia- 252,000 people (2011).

The average life expectancy for men is 72 years, for women - 78 years.

Ethnic composition: Melanesians (Kanaks) - 42.5%, whites (mostly French) - 37.1%, Uveans and Futunans - 8.4%, Polynesians - 3.8%, Indonesians - 3.6%, Vietnamese - 1, 6%, others - 3%.

The majority of the population of New Caledonia are Christians (Catholics - 60%, Protestants - 30%), as well as Sunni Muslims (4%). Melanesians, along with Christianity, profess traditional local beliefs.

French - official language. The 33 Melanesian and Polynesian dialects are also quite widely used.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

About money

The monetary unit of New Caledonia is French Pacific franc(XPF). There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 10,000, 5,000, 1,000 and 500 francs, as well as coins in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 franc.

Exchange offices can be found at the airport and in bank branches.

Plastic cards are accepted in all hotels, restaurants and large stores in the capital, but cashing them outside the city is problematic. Traveler's checks can only be cashed at bank offices and large hotels. To avoid additional costs, it is recommended to use checks in euros.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

Communications

Calling code: 687

Internet domain: .nc

How to call

To call from New Caledonia to Russia, you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

To call from Russia to New Caledonia, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 687 - subscriber number.

Landline communications

Telephones with automatic international line access can be found in bank offices, post offices and hotels. Most public pay phones rely on calling cards.

mobile connection

Cellular communications of the GSM 900 standard are quite well developed and cover almost the entire territory of the country.

Internet

Access to the network can be obtained in several Internet cafes in the capital, as well as in so-called “cyber points”, which are an ordinary private computer connected to the Internet.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

Shopping

Popular souvenirs from New Caledonia are Kanaka amulets and jade jewelry (sold in local markets).

It is not customary to bargain, and you should not even try to do so - according to local customs, this is considered a sign of disrespect.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

Story

The island of New Caledonia was discovered by James Cook in 1774, named after the ancient name of his homeland Scotland - Caledonia.

Active European penetration into New Caledonia began in the 1840s - sandalwood traders, as well as English and French missionaries.

France claimed the islands of New Caledonia as its possession in 1853, and from 1864 to 1896 the French government exiled convicted criminals, notably Louise Michel, to the colony.

The French established coffee and coconut palm plantations on the island, then (from the end of the 19th century) they began mining mineral resources - nickel, cobalt, chromium, iron, manganese, gold, lead, etc.

In 1946, New Caledonia received the status overseas territory France.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, there were riots organized by part of the indigenous population (Melanesians) under the slogan of granting independence to the island.

In 1998, a referendum on independence was held (the result was negative), the next referendum on independence is scheduled for 2013.

Last changes: 05/18/2013

Helpful information

Solar radiation is very powerful. The most dangerous time for being outdoors - from 11.00 to 14.00. Be sure to use protective creams against sunburn, wear a hat, sunglasses and drink more fluids.

When swimming, it should be borne in mind that the beaches are mainly located on ocean coasts, so the tides are quite strong, and coastal currents are often unpredictable. It is recommended to swim only in lagoons or inside coral reefs.

Also, marine life poses a certain danger (for example, sea urchins or sharks), although inside coral lagoons this problem is practically irrelevant.

Due to the great depths and difficult currents around the islands, dives should only be undertaken with experienced local instructors who are familiar with the nature of the surrounding waters.

Tap water is usually chlorinated and is relatively safe for health, but it is still recommended to use bottled water for drinking.

Last changes: 05/18/2013