Lifo, Loyalty Island, New Caledonia

Lifou is the largest island in the Loyalty Islands group in the Pacific Ocean (Loyalty, or Louaiote-an archipelago of coral islands). It is part of New Caledonia. In the past, Lifou was a coral atoll that formed part of an underwater volcano. About 2 million years ago, the island’s surface rose to its present level. The island has an irregular shape. Lifou is about 81 km long, and its width varies from 16 to 24 km. The island is flat; there are no hills or rivers. The central part of Lifou is a plateau covered with dense vegetation. The southern part of the island has a large number of caves. In the western part of Lifou lies Sandal Bay, named after the sandalwood traders on the island.

Lifou Island was discovered by the French traveler Dumont d’Urville in 1827. Later, Catholic and Protestant missionaries appeared on the island. In the 19th century, trade in sandalwood flourished on Lifou, as did the slave trade. In 1864, the island was annexed by France.

Tourism is the main sphere of Lifou’s industry. The island has an environmentally clean coastline and beaches with white sand and colorful cliffs. The main attractions of Lifou are its rocky terraces, cliffs, numerous caves, an emerald sea, and long stretches of white-sand shore. The south coast is also dotted with caves; here you can find the Bay of Vao with its famous beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs. The Sandalwood Bay, located on the west of the island, got its name from the many sandalwood groves that once grew here. In the north of the island lies the unusual village of Docking, built in time immemorial on top of a rocky cliff 40 m high, overhanging a magnificent bay with crystal-clear water and exceptionally beautiful coral reefs teeming with fish. From August to September, from the summit you can observe seasonal migrations of whales passing right by these cliffs. Many whales even come close to the rock to rub against it (this is how these animals rid themselves of the many parasites living on their skin). You should also visit Devil’s Cave (“Devil’s Cave”) in Tingetinge (descent is allowed only with a guide!), the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes chapel in Izo, the church in Kuanono, and the Jewels-of-Lunkoni cave. And of course, the reefs, the reefs, and one more time-reefs. Surrounding the island on all sides, they are literally teeming with life and are fascinating sites for diving.

New Caledonia is an archipelago and overseas special administrative territory of France located in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of a large island of the same name and a group of small islands in the southwestern part of the Pacific, in Melanesia. In the southwest it borders Australia’s economic zone; in the north-Vanuatu; in the southeast-Fiji. The largest island of the archipelago is Grande Terre, where its capital is located.

Tropical trade-wind climate: hot and humid. Temperatures change very little throughout the year-the average in winter (from April to August) is about +19-23 C, while in summer (November-March) it is +24-26 C. Annual rainfall ranges from 3000 mm in the eastern part of the archipelago to 700 mm in the west. Most of the rains fall from December-January through March during the passage of cyclones. This period is characterized by cloudy weather and powerful tropical hurricanes. From September to November-December there is the trade-winds season, when the weather is very windy but the sky stays clear.