Idyllic New Caledonia now a direct flight away

Holidaymakers can now catch direct flights between Singapore and New Caledonia, an idyllic group of islands in the Pacific Ocean known for their pristine blue waters.

Flights to the French territory, which is roughly 21/2 hours by plane from Australia, are on sale from its carrier Aircalin, starting at €1,143 - or about $1,660 - for a round trip.

The flight from Singapore to the territory's capital Noumea takes about 81/2 hours.

This is the first time in more than 25 years that it is possible to fly direct from Singapore to New Caledonia, said Changi Airport Group's executive vice-president Tan Lye Teck last Saturday.

In the 1960s, French airline Union de Transports Aeriens operated a service between Singapore and Noumea, he added in the address to Singapore and New Caledonian media at Jewel Changi Airport.

This service - which was part of a multiple-part service to Paris - was taken over by Air France in 1992, which stopped the route in 1995.

Mr Tan's address came a day after the first Aircalin plane touched down at Changi last Friday.

The territory is an archipelago made up of several groups of islands.

The main island is known as Grand Terre and is where its capital Noumea is located.

The French overseas territory has a population of about 270,000, made up of various ethnic groups including the indigenous Kanak, French, as well as various others such as Javanese and Japanese.

The islands are sparsely populated, with 14 residents per sq km, and not heavily visited by tourists, said general manager of New Caledonia Tourism Julie Laronde.

The archipelago saw about 130,000 tourists a year before the Covid-19 pandemic, she added.

Her agency has divided the main island into four distinct areas based on their draws for tourists.

The east coast is known for its "Kanak spirit", the culture of the indigenous Kanak people who make up slightly less than half of the population; the west coast is known for its "cowboy" culture; and the capital Noumea is said to have a similar culture to the French Riviera region.

The "great south", or the tip of the main island, is good for adventure-style holidays, and many of the smaller islands of the territory have lagoons rich in biodiversity, Ms Laronde said.

Due to the proximity of New Caledonia to Australia and New Zealand, English is widely spoken there - meaning Singaporeans should have little problem communicating, she added.

French Ambassador to Singapore Marc Abensour, who also spoke on Saturday, said the direct air link will serve both Singaporeans and French citizens in Singapore and the region, as France seeks to strengthen its connectivity to the Indo-Pacific region.