Noumea explorer hoho bus

Can't seem to find a web site (in English) for the Noumea Explorer Hoho bus. Can anyone help out?

Wish to see the timetable and stops, plus closest stop to main terminal. Thanks.

Can't seem to find a web site (in English) for the Noumea Explorer Hoho bus. Can anyone help out?

Wish to see the timetable and stops, plus closest stop to main terminal. Thanks.

There isn't one.

Most cruise ships dock at the container terminal in Noumea and shuttle buses are provided to take you to the cruise terminal. The HoHo bus leaves from there. It runs every 20-25 minutes but there doesn't seem to be a posted timetable. You buy your tickets at the cruise terminal, right side at the back, and hop on the first available bus. $15 per person.

It runs south from the cruise terminal past the market, where there is a stop. Then it heads over the hill to the bays. There is a stop at the Port Plaisance shopping centre, two stops at Lemon Bay, and two stops at Anse Vatu bay. Then it goes along to near the Chateau Royal hotel and turns around. It retraces it's path, with stops in that direction, until it gets back to the main part of town, travels through the town before arriving back at the cruise terminal. If you look at a map of Noumea you'll get a fair idea of where it goes.

Can't seem to find a web site (in English) for the Noumea Explorer Hoho bus. Can anyone help out?

Wish to see the timetable and stops, plus closest stop to main terminal. Thanks.

Is this thread of any help...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=808262

It is a few years old but there is an update for 2014.

It's a bit out of date, Kiwi Kruzer, they now have a stand in the terminal, and I wouldn't rely on that timetable. Last month we got off at Port Plaisance, were told another bus in 25 minutes but either it arrived very early (we were back at the bus stop in 20 minutes) or they skipped that bus as we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the next one.

It's a good service though, you just have to be relaxed about the timing. :D

It's a bit out of date, Kiwi Kruzer, they now have a stand in the terminal, and I wouldn't rely on that timetable. Last month we got off at Port Plaisance, were told another bus in 25 minutes but either it arrived very early (we were back at the bus stop in 20 minutes) or they skipped that bus as we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the next one.

 

It's a good service though, you just have to be relaxed about the timing. :D

Very true ....Thats what we have found in our travels ...research as much as you can to know what could be available and then just go with the flow.

We wasted an hour waiting for a bus on the south coats of France once , only to be told that the timetable had changed the week before.:D

Most annoying when you only have one day in a port:rolleyes:

Thanks for quick responses. Explains why I couldn't find web site! Great to read it now stops outside the terminal (never used to). This will make our day very easy. I see on your link David, that it goes (or did in 2008) up to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. That's handy.

Again, thanks.

Very true ....Thats what we have found in our travels ...research as much as you can to know what could be available and then just go with the flow.

We wasted an hour waiting for a bus on the south coats of France once , only to be told that the timetable had changed the week before.:D

Most annoying when you only have one day in a port:rolleyes:

That's funny! We are well aware of buses in Noumea. First time we went, we caught (tried to catch) the bus back from the aquarium. One would think the stop was on opposite side of road, but no, not at this stop. The bus we got on went way out into the countryside and terminated. Had to get a very expensive taxi back to port that day.

Re the Explorer.....we will wait until we get there and cross our fingers their timing is correct.

Thanks for quick responses. Explains why I couldn't find web site! Great to read it now stops outside the terminal (never used to). This will make our day very easy. I see on your link David, that it goes (or did in 2008) up to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre. That's handy.

Again, thanks.

The 2008 destinations are not correct. It does not go to the Tjibaou Cultural Center or the Zoo anymore. Those are both north of the city and the current HoHo route only travels south.

However you may find other tours, that operate from the terminal, that go to Tjibaou.

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous you can also just catch the local bus. It is around $1.50 each and the stop is a 5 minute walk from where the shuttle bus drops off. We caught it to Lemon Bay, walked over to Antse Vata and then caught the bus home. It was fairly straight forward. You can buy tickets on the bus and the locals were helpful in telling us which stop to wait at. It seemed like all buses going South went to Lemon Bay but it is best to check with the driver.

We have been to Noumea several times, have docked at both the container wharf and also twice at the regular wharf right at the tourist centre. Both times we were at the tourist centre were on P and O and Celebrity century. At the container wharf we were on carnival spirit and radiance of the seas.

We have taken tours from the tourist centre and also the hoho but be prepared as others have said timetables arent all that reliable. We have also had the bus drive past us as it was full. Just make sure you aim to be back in the town a couple of hours before sailaway.

Thanks for all the great feedback. We too have been to Noumea several times, but not during the last 8 years....and things do change. Thanks also for confirming our suspicions that this hoho bus may be full. This has a huge impact on us. We are taking 8 other family members, all first time cruisers, and thought the hoho was the way to go.....however, now thinking we may be better off taking one of the small tours from the terminal to show them the highlights. Such a pity it no longer goes to the Cultural Centre.

Thanks for all the great feedback. We too have been to Noumea several times, but not during the last 8 years....and things do change. Thanks also for confirming our suspicions that this hoho bus may be full. This has a huge impact on us. We are taking 8 other family members, all first time cruisers, and thought the hoho was the way to go.....however, now thinking we may be better off taking one of the small tours from the terminal to show them the highlights. Such a pity it no longer goes to the Cultural Centre.

We did the HOHO a fortnight ago and it still went to cultural centre on days the centre was open!

We did the HOHO a fortnight ago and it still went to cultural centre on days the centre was open!

That's interesting. We were there on a Tuesday before Xmas and it didn't go to the cultural centre and last month we were there on a Monday but I think the centre is closed that day.

It's a long way off the current HoHo route. As I understand it the cultural centre is 8km north of the city centre.

That's interesting. We were there on a Tuesday before Xmas and it didn't go to the cultural centre and last month we were there on a Monday but I think the centre is closed that day.

 

It's a long way off the current HoHo route. As I understand it the cultural centre is 8km north of the city centre.

Hopefully someone can get a copy of a recent list of stops to clarify, I'll see if I can find it when I finish unpacking!

You can make your decision when you get off the ship as long as you go fairly early. if you are at the main port you actually walk through the info centre to get out. as you walk through the main door to the street on the left is a company that sells tickets for both a 3 hour trip and hoho. having done both i would probably go with the 3 hour tour it wasnt all that expensive maybe $30 or $35, took us not only to the beaches but up into the countryside. We did this on our first trip to noumea and again when travelling with first time visitors to noumea. when just hubby and i we tend to do hoho or just wander the town.

If you are taken by bus from the container terminal just walk in the main door and it will be on the right. by the way the currency exchange inside the centre seems to have a very very very long line of customers so i suggest you get currency elsewhere if you need it. the tours all take aud and some even take credit card. there is a little coffee shop also in the centre that has free wifi.

Diagonally across the road from the terminal, to the right, there is a Casino Supermarket with an ATM right outside the entrance. Very handy.

Try the Tchou Tchou train as very similar to a HOHO and way more fun! It stops at the terminal so very convenient. It makes a few stops where you can get off and scope out the area but you cannot hop on and off as you can on the standard HOHO buses like in Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. If you buy your ticket at the terminal, it is much cheaper than the ship's tour.

Hi, can anyone confirm if the Noumea Explorer HOHO bus still go to the Tijbaou cultural centre?? Thanks

Hi, can anyone confirm if the Noumea Explorer HOHO bus still go to the Tijbaou cultural centre?? Thanks

Returned a couple of weeks ago. No, the HOHO doesn't go to out to the Cultural Centre anymore. btw this centre is closed Mondays. The HOHO was AU$15pp. Another in our party did a 2 hr tour for $25, which included the Centre.

Thanks for that! :D