Things to see and do Loyalty Islands Province

Between Tadine and Cengeite, a short signposted path leads to a beautiful natural pool with amazing colors, dug in the coral and communicating with the sea through a siphon. During the hurricane season, fish and turtles come to shelter there, but you can go there at any time to contemplate the fauna. Yeiwéné Yeiwéné, a pro-independence leader assassinated in 1989 with Tjibaou, is buried nearby. Swimming is forbidden, but you can still admire the shy fish. A small path on the right leads to the coast.

Located between Tadine and Penelo, this site is considered to be one of the largest drowned cavities in the world, with a 40-meter-deep shaft with a 30-meter diameter that leads to a lake of more than 350,000 m³ of fresh water. To find it, a guidebook can be useful but here is a procedure to follow for those who want to explore on their own: take the RP3 road that crosses the island between La Roche and Tadine; take the RM4 that leads north towards the villages of Ténane and Roh; the site is located two kilometers after the crossroad.

Only 10 kilometers from La Roche, you have to take the road north to Tenané. There is little signage other than a small sign before the site and guardrails on the road. One kilometer after the fork in the road, the chasm is hidden in the bushes on the right. Approximately 40 meters deep, one can venture to the edge of the circular cliff, in the middle of a tropical forest, and peek into the void, looking for hidden caves that surround a freshwater lake.

The Warrior's Leap is located east of La Roche, at the Wakone tribe. It is a 5-meter wide crack in the cliff that overlooks the sea by almost 30 meters. Legend has it that a warrior from the Si Hnathege clan, named Hnor, leapt across the hole with the Si Gurework at his heels. Carried away by their momentum, his pursuers fell into the sea. Be careful with children, even if the site is secured by railings. A very nice panorama to admire (and photograph) without moderation!

Located less than 2 km from La Roche, this monument is one of the most important of its kind in the Pacific. This heap of coral blocks, dating approximately from the year 500 of our era, keeps all its mystery. According to legend, the tribes of La Roche and Hnaened were constantly at war. The great chief of La Roche decided to organize a contest for which each of the two tribes had to build a war shelter in record time. The warriors of La Roche set about the task and devoted their days and nights to it.

Located in the Hwadrilla tribe, the Ouvéa coconut oil distillery produces 200 tons of oil per year, which is processed in the soap factory. The production is not stabilized. It is possible to visit the site during opening hours and to buy the products. An interesting visit to make for those who are curious to know how these soaps are made. The facilities for drying the almonds are accessible.

Weniko shows his vanilla plantations. To extend the stroll, he leads a path that passes in front of a viewpoint before arriving at a water hole (2 hours and a half round trip). Every morning, during the flowering period (from September to December), the white flowers are fertilized one by one, by hand. A few months later, the pods will appear and it will then be necessary to wait for their maturity to pick them carefully, to scald them then to make them dry in the sun.