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New Caledonia

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{{infobox Country

|country = France

|map = <map lat='-21.146071792659118' lng='165.61446838378906' zoom='6' view='0' float='right' />

|language = French

|capital = [[Nouméa|Noumea]]

|pop = 240,000

|currency = South Pacific Franc (CFP)

|hitch = <rating country='nc' />

}}

'''New Caledonia''' is a [[France|French overseas territory]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. It comprises a main island (Grande Terre), the Loyalty Islands (Lifou, Mare, Ouvea, Tiga), the Ile des Pins and several smaller islands. It is approximately half the size of [[Taiwan]]. It is located roughly 2000km to the north of [[New Zealand]], and 1500 km to the north-east of [[Australia]].

==~~Hitchhikinging~~Geography == Most likely you will arrive by plane or by boat in [[Nouméa]]. Everything is in Noumea, most people live there and it is the main city. Nouméa city has about 100.000 people wheras the second biggest city Koné has only about 5.000. == Hitchhiking ==

Hitching in New Caledonia is pretty easy. Knowing French is very helpful though.

Keep the time in mind and the public holidays. Most people leave [[Nouméa|Noumea]] for the weekend and there is plenty of traffic going out of town on Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday morning. Logically Sunday evening is the busy return traffic. But no need to wait for the weekend to hitchhike, there is plenty of traffic all the time.

However, many people have their cars packed up with their camping and diving gear, several eskis, kids, dogs, etc. So there might be a lot of traffic but sometimes there is no space left for a hitch-hiker. Traveling light is a good advice.

~~==Cities~~There are quite a few hitch-hikers along the road, ~~towns==~~* [[Noumea]]* [[Boulouparis]]* [[Bourai]]typically one every 100km. Mostly locals who just sit lazy on the side of the road with their thumb out. With a bit of effort, like a sign, a travellers backpack, etc. people are more likely to stop for you. There are only a few "travellers" on the island and people are usually interested in their story.

Also it happens that one person (usually locals) is standing on the road and several others are hiding behind the bushes and then they suddenly jump out when a car stops. If you look a bit around where you stick your thumb out, so there are no obvious hiding places, it is again more likely that people will stop.

~~'''Noumea'''~~The further you hitch out of Nouméa, the less traffic you will encounter. On a Saturday noon, when there should be peak traffic up in the North, [[User:Bernhard|Bernhard]] counted only about one car every five minutes (mostly local short-distance traffic). However, you will wait no longer than 5 or 10 cars and someone will stop.

In order to hitch out of Noumea towards the west (towards [[Boulouparis]], [[Bourail]]) the best option is to take the bus out in the direction of the airport at La Tontouta. Get off and hitch from the main road. From here it is very easy to get lifts east.

Hitchhikernick - I agree with Bernhard for the more remote locations (west coast). I however did not see any other hitchikers when I was there for a week in July 2023. Easy place to find camping spots.

Noumea not the most pleasant looking of towns with security issues. Average waiting time for me was 45 minutes.

== Cities, towns ==

* [[Nouméa|Noumea]]

* [[Boulouparis]]

* [[Bourai]]

~~[[Oceania]]~~{{IsIn|Melanesia}}

~~<map lat='-22.146071792659118' lng='166.31446838378906' zoom='11' view='3' float='right' />~~[[Category:France]][[Category:Oceania]]

Hitchhikernick

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