Yacht Charter New Caledonia
The archipelago of New Caledonia, south of Vanuatu, has a warm, sunny climate cooled by the trade winds of the Pacific Ocean. It’s the perfect place for a sailing vacation if you love nature and watersports.
What’s on this pageHighlights
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Diverse geography
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Sweeping sheltered beaches
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Warm tropical climate
Sailing New Caledonia
New Caledonia is home to the world’s largest lagoon, a beautiful and unique natural aquarium covering over 9000 square miles, and one of the most remarkable and beautiful sailing destinations. The archipelago is also home to one of the world’s most extensive reef systems, with a diverse range of healthy coral and marine life, including whales, turtles and tropical fish.
We were the first company to offer sailing charters in this exciting cruising ground, and now have an extensive fleet operating from our base at Port Moselle in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia.
Nouméa is a cosmopolitan city which feels much like the French Riviera. Colorful waterfronts are lined with bars, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs, and it’s an ideal place to stock up on superb French gourmet food and wine. The city is within easy reach of the south lagoon, where you can sail Îlot Maître, Île des Pins, Île Ouen, Îlot Brosse and Ilot Kuaré.
Available charter types
Things to do in New Caledonia
Visit a vanilla plantation
Sail to the quiet Pacific island of Lifou and visit an authentic vanilla plantation. New Caledonian vanilla is known for its excellent quality, and here you can learn about its history and production from one of the island’s many producers.
See the Oumagne Grotto
Oumagne Grotto, better known as the ‘Cave of the Queen’, is located on the north end of the Isle of Pines (Île des Pins) and a visit here is among the top things to do in New Caledonia. Hidden among lush tropical plant life, this grotto is a geological wonder and paradise of flora and fauna, complete with a mysterious legend.
Relax on Luengoni Beach
If you are sailing for longer, head to the Loyalty Island where you’ll find one of the region’s most beautiful beaches with its lush vegetation, white sand and limestone grottos and caves. Hidden treasures await here, including an underwater cave and sinkholes called ‘the jewels’.
Experience a traditional outrigger canoe
While sailing New Caledonia, head to the beautiful Isle of Pines and take an excursion on one of the island’s mélanésienne pirogues, a traditional Caledonian outrigger canoe.
Get to know the Kanak tribes
Immerse yourself in local culture by spending time learning the Kanak’s tribal customs on the east coast. You can meet the tribe by offering a small token to the chief, such as some money or sarong. You can even sleep in a hut and prepare Kanak meals. It’s one of our favorite things to do in New Caledonia.
Weather insights
When is the best time to go to New Caledonia?
New Caledonia has a tropical climate and the weather is spring-like year round. The most popular time to visit is September through December, when temperatures are the mildest and rainfall is low. Average temperatures are between 68°F and 89°F depending on the season.
Winter falls between the beginning of June and the end of September, with an average temperature around 75°F.
What are the sailing conditions in New Caledonia?
New Caledonia has southeast trade winds most of the year, blowing an average of 15 to 18 knots in winter and 18 to 22 knots in summer.
Some areas require a good knowledge of sailing, while others are to be avoided without a skipper. Sailing to Vanuatu is possible if you agree with our base team in advance.
Sailing New Caledonia with Dream Yacht Charter
Yacht charter New Caledonia
Sail New Caledonia and explore its exotic archipelago on a sailing charter. Choose from our catamarans and monohulls.
Skippered yacht charters New Caledonia
If you can’t sail, you can still enjoy an exciting sailing vacation in New Caledonia. Hire a skipper to take the helm and enjoy cruising this exciting destination.
New Caledonia sailing itinerary
Take a look at our New Caledonia sailing vacation suggestions
5-day itinerary New Caledonia: South Lagoon
8-day itinerary New Caledonia: Isle of Pines and South Lagoon
11-day itinerary New Caledonia: Isle of Pines and South Lagoon
16-day itinerary New Caledonia: Isle of Pines and Loyalty Islands
Useful information for New Caledonia yacht charters
How do I get to New Caledonia from the US?
To get to our base in New Caledonia, fly into La Tontouta International Airport (NOU).
We can arrange airport transfers on request, which take about 45 minutes via taxi.
What language is spoken in New Caledonia?
The official language spoken in New Caledonia is French.
What is the currency for New Caledonia?
The currency in New Caledonia is the Pacific franc (CFP).
What documents do I need to sail New Caledonia?
For sailing New Caledonia you will need a valid US passport. US citizens do not need a visa for a stay less than one month.
Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel.
How do I get around New Caledonia?
There isn’t a local bus from the airport to our base for your New Caledonia boat hire. Major car rental companies operate their offices at all airports, so please refer to the airport website for operating hours and contact details.
If you need an organized transfer from the airport, please contact our base manager. The airport is a 45-minute journey from our base.
What is the Wi-Fi like in New Caledonia?
Internet access is available at our marina. A router for onboard Wi-Fi can be rented for your charter. Cell phones can work, depending on zones, but don’t forget the roaming fees. There is internet access via cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots, but you may need to pay and speeds may vary.
What regulations are there in New Caledonia?
Night sailing is permitted only with the base manager’s agreement. All moorings are explained during the chart briefing and reported on maps given for your yacht charter in New Caledonia.
Where can I find weather forecasts in New Caledonia?
You can find New Caledonia weather forecasts on the Meteo website. Météo France forecasts are stuck up at the harbor master’s office and marina station from 7:30am. Special announcements are broadcast in case of cyclones or tropical waves, as well as a special colored flag on the mast of the harbor master’s office. Nautical weather forecasts are broadcast every day at 6:30am, 9:30am, 3:15pm and 6:30pm.
What provisioning is there in New Caledonia?
There are plenty of choices for provisioning in New Caledonia. Please refer to the base guide.
It is strongly recommended that you provision before you leave our base for sailing New Caledonia, as provisioning opportunities are extremely limited in the lagoon.
What baggage can I take on my New Caledonia sailing vacation?
Please only take soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome on boarPlease only take soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome on board.
What is the electrical current in New Caledonia?
The land electrical current in New Caledonia is 220V.
What is the dialing code for New Caledonia?
The dialing code for New Caledonia is +687.
FAQ
See all our FAQsWhat is the cancellation policy for Sail Share?
We highly recommend you arrange travel insurance in case you need to cancel for an unexpected reason to cover non-refundable deposits.
Our Sail Share cabin cancellation fees are:
- More than 90 days before original embarkation date: 25% of the charter fee
- 89 – 60 days before original embarkation date: 50% of the charter fee
- 59 – 30 days before original embarkation date: 75% of the charter fee
- Fewer than 29 days before original embarkation date: 100% of the charter fee
How flexible is the itinerary for a Sail Share charter?
Our yacht itineraries are designed by our destination experts and are set to showcase the best of the destination’s highlights. They are set and not flexible, even if you book all the cabins.
What happens if the weather changes while sailing on a Sail Share charter?
The skipper may decide to change the itinerary if there is bad weather.
Can I choose which cabin I want when I book a Sail Share?
Choose a double cabin with shared bath, or private bath for an additional fee.
Are there child or age restrictions for Sail Share?
Minimum Age: 16 years old
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Absolutely amazing! Fred + Isabelle were so accommodating and did so much for us. Isabelle’s food was incredible. Thanks so much!
Laura
Exumas CabinExcellent. Very professional and great service!
Thomas
Antigua BareboatJust what we needed coming out of a year of lockdown, to see new places and connect with nature. Highly recommended for your next sailing adventure!
Johan
St. Martin BareboatExcellent cruise and very good stay. Skipper attentive, very pleasant and very professional.
Maxime
Guadeloupe SkipperedJust returned from another fantastic sailing week at your base in Pula and I would like to thank everyone involved for making this possible on such short notice and without any problems.
Mathias
Croatia BareboatThe marina itself is a perfect starting point with great facilities! The Lagoon 42 was in good condition and the skipper was amazing and very knowledgeable of the area.”
Jonathan
Spain SkipperedWhat an AMAZING experience. We’ve just returned from a week long skippered charter from Corfu, sailing around the beautiful islands of the Ionian. Paxos, Antipaxos and Corfu Old Town were beautiful and the secluded bays we had the pleasure of visiting thanks to our local skipper, Nicholas, were simply overwhelming. Fly and flops are no longer for us – we’ll be chartering with DYC for the foreseeable future.
David
Greece SkipperedOur group of 10 had an AMAZING time in French Polynesia from May 21-28, 2022! The food was amazing, our captain and chef, husband and wife: Henry and Mehee (sp), were incredible and the whole experience on board was a dream! We can’t wait to book another trip through DYC
Katie
Tahiti Crewed PremiumDYC provided a great sailing experience for my extended family on 2 monos out of Scrub Island. The boats were in great shape and preformed perfectly and the staff were friendly and helpful. Having worked for a number of charter companies over the years DYC is one of the best.
Charlie
British Virgin Islands BareboatBaja is my favorite place now. There was something for everyone: sailed under northerlies with mostly calm evenings, snorkeled, fished, bummed it on the sandy beaches, enchanted by pelicans feeding, greeted by the barking sea lions and explored the Ispiritu Santo island geology. DYC La Paz base provided competent professional support with a well provisioned and maintained boat. We were nourished well by an onboard cook arranged with DYC freeing us all for more play. A vacation and an adventure connected with nature.
Taiyoko
Mexico Crewed PremiumAll staff were fantastic and made our trip very memorable. Incredibly friendly and welcoming, the food was amazing. The service throughout the trip was always first class!
Tommy
Thailand CabinAbsolutely recommended. Perfect service and set up. Will charter again and will recommend Dream Yacht Charter anytime.
Zahradnik
Turkey BareboatI just returned from 3 weeks of amazing sailing with my family on one of your catamarans in Sardinia. I would like to express my thanks to our skipper Simone and Daniela, our hostess.
Giles
Sardinia BareboatFor a first cruise as a skipper, the Mediterranean is great. The Dream Yacht Charter service is too!
Thomas
France BareboatWe had an incredible trip and actually got engaged on the first night of our sail! We will certainly be back one day. Thank you for getting us ready for our charter. We were definitely beginners but he gave us a very thorough but very easy to follow training and it gave us a lot of confidence.
George
AustraliaThe on board experience was way beyond our expectations. Isabelle provided exceptional three course meals. We could not believe her creativity and delicious meals. Thomas was an excellent skipper. He was always on the lookout for our needs. Thanks guys!” Spira, New Caledonia bareboat with crew charter
Spira
New Caledonia BareboatYet again another fantastic sail with another great crew. Thanks again to a great captain and cook. Was totally fantastic.
Connie
Seychelles Easy CrewedIt’s always a pleasure sailing with DYC in the UK. Great team, great boats, great sailing. Very flexible and work hard to make your trip a success. Many thanks.
Derek
Brittany CabinUnforgettable spots to snorkel and beaches. Very experienced crew. Highly recommend.
Simone
No Country Selected Bareboat Cabin
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