Breathtaking is the only word that comes to mind. Flicking through the photo album of my holiday to the Pacific Islands, I stop on a photo that encapsulates my ideal picture of paradise. I consider this gorgeous destination as a hidden island, but it is officially known as Amedee Island. Amedee Island is located just off of Noumea and can be reached by a 30-minute catamaran ride.
Getting to Amadee Island
When I embark on the catamaran I head straight to the top deck and take in the beautiful view. Kilometres of the ocean fill my view and I watch as deep blues began to dissolve into light, aqua and crystal clear hues as we neared the island. A tall object filled the horizon as we neared the pier: the landmark that pointed to our destination, a 56-metre lighthouse, which I just knew I had to climb. On the way over to the Island we were given coloured wristbands, which indicated times for our ride in the complimentary glass bottom boat.
As the catamaran docked onto the wooden pier, everyone was already waiting by the door and preparing to shuffle out and be the first one on the sand. As we stepped onto the wooden pier, we were welcomed by locals strumming and singing with ukuleles and big smiles to welcome us. I look over the side of the wooden pier and am faced with gorgeous iridescent fish and underwater rock pools. We verge to the left of the pier and place our backpacks with our snorkels and towels at sun chairs and sun lounges and head for the water. I couldn’t have asked for a more tropical and relaxing holiday destination given the warm weather, friendly locals and perfect water.
Prepare to have your day topped off, as out of the three times I have visited this island, every time I have swum with turtles, so make sure you have an underwater camera on you! They are placid and calm animals that aren’t bothered by humans, providing you keep a fair distance away. Also, depending on the time of year you visit, there are sea snakes on the Island. They are harmless and won’t come near you unless you try to catch or hurt one. They are orange with black stripes and when I visited in April, they were everywhere, compared to when I visited in December. So if you aren’t a snake person, December is the time to go.
type=”left” level=”h5″ looks_like=”h5″ accent=”true”] The Cuisine [/x_custom_headline]
I indulged in the delicious New Caledonian cuisine that consists of a range of salads, meat and amazing fresh fruits. I also enjoyed the talented locals sharing some dancing and singing which gave me insight into their background. All this was included in the price paid for the whole day. It was amazing to taste some of their traditional foods and be able to go back for seconds given the buffet style. On such a hot day it is amazing to escape the heat and enjoy the buffet and entertainment under a canopy of trees. I may have had a few too many bowls of the delicious chocolate ice-cream that, for me, was the perfect consistency given it being slightly melted from the heat of the day, but there were no regrets from me.
type=”left” level=”h5″ looks_like=”h5″ accent=”true”] After Lunch Activities [/x_custom_headline]
After lunch, if you can possibly move, you can watch a coconut demonstration where a local climbs a coconut tree and cuts open the coconut. It’s amazing to watch how quickly and easily they climb a tree that is double their size. Or you could burn off lunch with a walk up 247 steps up the light house, but let me assure you the view is amazing. Once I reach the final step I feel a sense of victory and it was well worth it in order to experience a panoramic view over the entire Island and far out to sea. The view highlights the colour change in the water and is a simply spectacular experience that I would highly recommend. You feel as though you are on top of the world and can see for miles and miles.
Enjoy your session on the glass bottom boat as you go in search of turtles and attract fish with smelly pellets. The many different variations of fish that are attracted by the pellets are incredible to see and watch them swimming around. I even had the guide take MY underwater camera underneath the glass bottom boat and up close with the fish. Definitely footage I will be keeping forever and so grateful that out of all the underwater cameras on my glass bottom boast session, he chose mine.
Treat yourself to a day of paradise where you can relax and soak up some Vitamin D, but don’t forget to be sun safe, as you don’t realise how warm it actually is given the slight ocean breeze. So how do you get to this secluded island? Provided you are already on a cruise ship that docks in Noumea, you will get the option to choose Amedee Island as a day trip. You pay $180 for this whole day out and will need to get in as quickly as possible as the limited spots go in a flash. It really is an amazing experience that I definitely know I won’t forget!
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