kiwigirl12

Been to Noumea on two occasions once on a cruise (this month) and once via plane and I'll be honest, if you're looking for a postcard perfect white sand beach with turquoise water to snorkel around, you won't be disappointed visiting Amedee Island, which is arguably a lot more picturesque then Lemon Bay. Just watch out for the coral. If you visit Amedee, you'll get to see a Polynesian Show, go out on a glass bottom boat tour and climb the famous lighthouse.

However, if you care more about the atmosphere of a beach e.g quaint cafes with French signs lining a beach, then you may be happy enough at Lemon Bay. Lemon Bay is a lovely place to spend the afternoon, even if it's not the best place to snorkel.

You can't go wrong either way. Hope you have a wonderful time in Noumea.

It is a nice place to go. You should be aware, however, that they are doing a good bit of remodeling there and the restaurant is closed. They are using a very sub-par and overly expensive food truck for their food services. It would not surprise me if the free smoothie were a prepackaged supermarket version.

 

If you check out their website, you can price out the beach chair and do the math on the excursion. With it being a 10-15 minute walk from the pier, you may want to go it on your own. And be sure to eat before or after your trip to the beach. Lots of great places to eat 5 minutes before you get to Descanso.

 

Bob

Thanks for letting me know about the restaurant being closed and the remodeling. I had read reviews talking about renovations months ago but had no idea they were still going on. ;) Also glad to hear that there are lots of places to grab lunch within walking distance of the beach.

@SadieN Thanks for your suggestions! :D

Thanks for the replies. I did e-mail them asking a few questions and they got right back to me. So, we are going to catch a cab there in the morning and hang out for a few hours. The guys will jet-ski and the GF and I will hang out by the pool and wait for them. Then we'll have lunch and head into town to do some shopping. It costs $10 per person to use the hotel's facilities and you have to bring your own towels. Can't wait..only three more weeks!:D

My mom and I are considering booking the "Ensenada Resort Getaway" shore excursion through Carnival (not sure which cruise line you're sailing with), which includes air conditioned transportation to the same resort in Estero, a Mexican inspired buffet lunch and a tour through a small on site museum. After which guests can choose to be dropped off in town to do a bit of shopping. It costs $39.99. Although I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to get a taxi and to pay $10 entry, if you'd prefer not to book a tour. :) Either way Estero Beach has pretty decent reviews.

Found some prices for kayak and jet ski rental:

Kayaking at Estero Beach - Kayak in the Estero Beach Resort lagoon. Prices are: $20 USD per hour for a Single and $25 USD per hour for a Double.

Jet Skiing at Estero Beach - Experience the thrill of Jet Skiing in Baja California! Jet Skis are available for rent April 1 through September 30 at the Private Beach located within the resort and by appointment with a two hour minimum for the rest of the year. Prices are: $40 USD for ½ hour or $70 USD for a full hour.

Good one kiwigirl! Nothing like a little motivation to keep you 'upright'. LOL

I do have nightmares thinking about trying to haul myself up onto a wave runner, in deep water, a few years ago but that was before rotator cuff surgery. So hopefully, I have more arm strength now.

 

Jill

Oooh that must've of been a frightening experience. :eek: I'm sure you won't have such a nerve wracking experience with paddle boarding :), if you do feel a tad tired after climbing back on, just rest on your knees for awhile before trying to stand up again. Also remember, that you won't have to climb as high, you could almost just reach an arm out over to the other side of your paddleboard and slide yourself on.

Thanks kiwigirl12. I noticed from a lot of the photos of this eco tour on the net that there seems to be cycling and kayaking involved. Is this the case?? I would love this but alas hubby cant do either.

No cycling or kayaking was involved, just a little bit of walking (not through mud or anything). The only trouble your husband might have is stepping down into the river, as you have to be a little careful as the big rocks you step down onto move a little. The guides give you a helping hand into the river though. It's also quite deep, my mother who isn't a confident swimmer panicked a little when she realized how deep it was but they have inner tubes which you can float on. Eden on the River offers a variety of tours, so perhaps they are new options.

@Bellamariya I might consider the abseiling option for a future trip. :)

Seeing the last post about Noumea, just thought I would mention that while I didn't go on the little train that runs in Noumea it's route does take you past some of Noumea's most picturesque beaches. However none of them compare to Amedee Island.

@Bellamariya Thanks for sharing your information. I won't be put off by some of the stories the other passengers told me, should I revisit Vila then. :) I'll put the Mele tour on my bucket list. :D:cool:

@Sapphire57 If you're looking for the more impressive waterfall/waterfalls and don't mind sharing your experience with a crowd, then from what I've seen from pictures and heard then Mele would be the right choice. However, if you're looking for a quieter, less visited spot that's a bit off the grid then the Eco Tour might be worthwhile. Both seem like great options, they just offer slightly different experiences so it just depends on what you're looking for.

I don't but I admit it's nice to see decorated doors whilst navigating the corridors. :) I also appreciated it when my cabin steward decorated our door with a birthday sign with my name on it and birthday balloons. The room next to mine also had decorations to celebrate the couple who occupied it's wedding anniversary.

Thank you! I am really looking forward to trying it. Honestly, the thing that worries me the most is having to get back on the board if I fall in. I'm thinking that may not be a thing of beauty. LOL But it won't stop me from trying this.

Jill

That's the spirit! :D By the way, your fear of falling off and having to haul yourself back on might actually work in your favor. My instructor asked us if we'd like to try standing up for the first time near an area where at least 20 construction workers who were building a new apartment complex were eating lunch. They all made a lot of noise (apparently it was encouragement but I tuned them out and focused) and so I was determined not to fall off and have to haul myself back onto my board in front of an audience. :p I could imagine them betting if I or my father would fall in ha ha.

I'm contemplating spending a few hours at the Descanso Beach Club, near the casino as it seems to have lots of positive reviews on various sites. :)I might even book the package that Carnival offers which includes transportation, use of a chaise, an umbrella and towel and a "free" smoothie. Stand up paddle boards and kayaks are also available at the club for a reasonable fee. It costs $24 to hire a paddle board for an hour which is a lot cheaper than in my city. Otherwise I like the idea of renting a golf cart and exploring the island.

As for Ensenada, I'm contemplating the beach resort excursion where you get to swim (beach and pool), visit a small museum, enjoy a Mexican buffet lunch and then get dropped off in town to do a little shopping and take in the atmosphere.

43 days :) Although I fly to the US in 30 days to spend a bit of time on land ;) Returned from my first cruise in May, so it's safe to say that I'm addicted to cruising already.

Definitely one long cruise. My first cruise was 10 nights and I didn't want to disembark on the last day. Especially as I got to know lots of my fellow passengers as well as our waiters and entertainment staff. On longer cruisers, I can see how a cruise ship starts to feel like a temporary home. A World Cruise is definitely on my bucket list. :)

Bugga we dont stop at either of them. We stop at Noumea, Suva, Mystery island, island of pines and Denarau.

Now you have an excuse to go on another South Pacific cruise one day. Not that you needed one. ;)

There is a chance that you may get a surprise cake presented to you, although of course it may be a wise idea to organize your own just incase. I didn't expect it but when I sailed on a P&O Australia cruise, not only did my waiters along with a few extra waiters bring out a cake (big enough for four people) and get the rest of the restaurant to sing Happy Birthday to me :eek: but there were also birthday balloons attached to our dining table and decorations outside our room. The cake was actually quite nice, different layers of chocolate, berry compote and Happy Birthday and then my name written in a nice font with chocolate sauce on my plate. As I entered the restaurant, I also had a least 10 members of staff who I hadn't met before wish me a Happy Birthday which was sweet.

Hope your husband has a wonderful 60th and that you both enjoy the cruise you've booked! :)

Like many of you, waking up in the morning, looking out of my port hole and seeing a new port in the distance. :) I also love the variety of on board activities and getting to see a variety of different shows each evening. :)

Thanks kiwigirl12. It all sounds fantastic. I'm not sure if my hubby could do the walk but the Eco waterfall tour sounds just what I would like.

One of the bonuses about the Eco Waterfall Tour is that the walk to the waterfall isn't nearly as strenuous as the Mele Cascade Waterfall which apparently includes quite a steep hike on a muddy track. It's suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Glad you liked the sound of some of my suggestions. :)

Thought I'd share 2 photos:

1. View of Champagne Bay from our tender

2. The river on the Eco Waterfall tour

I also have scenic shots of Pentecost, Noumea and Amedee Island somewhere.

Silly me, just realized that the original poster has long returned from their trip (on the same ship as I sailed on but on a different cruise). However, I'll leave this post here for anyone else who plans on visiting Vila in the near future.

I spend one day in Vila back in May and highly recommend Eden on the River's Eco Waterfall Tour. The center is close by, only 30 minutes by car if you wish to drive yourself. We were tempted to book the Mele Cascade Waterfall tour but heard that it was the number one visited attraction in Vila and could get a little busy and over run with bus loads of tourists.

The Eco Waterfall Tour was amazing we got to walk through the rainforest (and learned a bit of history, a bit about local life and fauna and flora), go tubing down a secluded private river and swim under a waterfall. The only people we saw were the others in our small group. I was also pleasantly surprised when I climbed out of the river and was handed my own coconut with a straw, to drink. Back at the base/center we were treated to at least 10 types of exotic fruit (grown on the premises).

Eden on the River also offer a tour where you can cross suspended bridges over the river and then end the tour with a zip line ride which some of my cruise mates raved about. Our bubbly driver, also did a brilliant job of teaching us about Vanuatu and pointing out various points of interest. :)

Hi there, I see that Tara Jane has already shared lots of handy advice and tips with you :) but I thought I'd add a few more just incase you find them helpful.

Firstly, I second Tara Jane's comment about Champagne Bay in Vanuatu. It's probably my favorite beach in the South Pacific, powder soft white sand, unbelievably warm turquoise water and friendly locals. Another port I'd recommend is Pentecost Island, where you can witness the Naghol Land Diving Ceremony on selected dates between April and June. It was a little frightening watching the ceremony itself (men jump off towers with their legs strapped with vines) but the villagers were so friendly (one woman my grandmother's age spotted me in the tender getting ready to leave and she kept waving to me until I couldn't see her anymore) and you're free to wander around the villages and beaches.

If you ever visit Vila, I recommend the Eco Waterfall Tour run by Eden on the River as a alternative to the popular Mele Cascade tour which gets overrun with bus loads of tourists. My tour included a walk in the rainforest, a chance to go tubing down a river and to swim under a waterfall. When I climbed out of the river I was given a coconut with a straw (delicious) and back at the base we were treated to at least 10 different types of exotic fruit.

As for Mystery Island, unfortunately due to the weather our ship was unable to stop as it would be too dangerous to send out tenders. We talked to lots of passengers on our cruise and many who had done the same cruise before had missed out on Mystery Island before (due to weather conditions) ... especially mid year. I'm sure you'll be luckier than I though. ;) :D

As for New Caledonia, I travelled to Noumea by plane but do recommend the cruise to Amedee Island that many cruise lines offer. It was definitely the highlight of my trip to New Caledonia. It's a little pricey but you get the chance to go on a glass bottom boat trip from which you can snorkel, to climb the lighthouse, go stand up paddle boarding and watch a Polynesian show. Alternatively, if you'd prefer to do your own thing I also recommend visiting one of the chocolatiers' shops or local patisseries, visiting the Tjibaou Cultural Center (the architecture of the main buildings is worth the trip alone) or catching a local bus to Baie des Citrons, a lovely beach which boasts a variety of cafes.

If you have any questions about P&0 Australia (I know you're booked on Carnival but for future reference ;) ) , Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Australia or New Zealand feel free to ask as I'm more than happy to help.

Hi Jill. I'll be honest I was quite nervous before my first paddle boarding lesson :o but my fears were unwarranted as I managed to get to the end of my 1 hour lesson without falling into the harbor once. I thought I'd spend more time in the water than on my board.

To be honest, the hardest part is transitioning from your knees to standing up (there's no pressure to stand up) without falling in, however when you rent a paddleboard your instructor or sales assistant should give you a few tips on technique which will give you a greater chance of staying dry. As an example, a lot of people lean over and move too slowly and as a result fall in as their center of gravity isn't balanced. Instead put one foot where one of your hands was and carefully stand up making sure to keep your back straight and to resist the urge to hunch over.

Once your standing up your legs may shake a little (apparently this is a natural reaction). If this happens make sure not to lock your knees and within a minute or two paddle boarding will become a more relaxing, pleasant experience. ;) Have fun! :D If you fall in it doesn't matter as long as you get back on your board again. By the way I found that the view you get from paddle boarding is even better than the view you'd get from kayaking.