Hiking Trails of Noumea

If you’re in the mood for tropical rainforest excursions with stunning coastal views then you’ll want to head out on the many walks and pathways around the lush surrounds of Noumea.   There are many signed hiking trails located in the hills of the capital city where nature opens up while revealing all her South Pacific splendour. Here’s a look at some of the best walking trails in the Noumea vicinity.

Anyone with an interest in the island’s native flora and fauna must visit The Michel Corbasson Zoological and Forest Park. Established over 50 years ago, this was the island’s first land-based nature reserve.  The zoo section is home to 600 animals, many of them endemic to this beautiful island and colourful bird life is abundant.  The forest area has an inviting walking trail where over 120 plant species can be seen, 35 of them being endemic to New Caledonia. This park is ideal for a leisurely walk where stunning views of the lagoon can be seen. It’s located only minutes from downtown Noumea and accessible from the city centre via the Noumea Explorer shuttle bus.

About a 40 minute drive from Noumea is the lush and peaceful Blue River Provincial Park covering over 9,000 hectares of rainforest. Filled with native wildlife and New Caledonian flowers, plants and trees, the enjoyable hiking trails offer a wonderful glimpse into the island’s diverse natural habitat. The park features and excellent visitor centre where detailed information is available on many of the interesting walks in the park.

This stunning nature walk features gorgeous views of the Dumbéa Plain and Noumea with spectacular areas for swimming and canoeing. There is even a unique walk among the treetops and a discovery hike. On Mount Koghi, the tree top walk takes place metres above the ground on rope bridges. While slightly more adventurous in nature, this fun filled walk gives a whole different perspective of the natural settings below. The discovery hike of Mount Koghi offers a stunning glimpse of the mountain ridges and the hidden waterfalls and swimming holes located hundreds of metres above Dumbéa.