Noumea is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian (Wallisians, Futunians, Tahitians), Indonesian, and Vietnamese population, as well as many Melanesian Ni-Vanuatu and Kanaks that work in one of the South Pacific's most industrialized cities. The city lies on a protected deepwater harbor which serves as the chief port for New Caledonia. The population of the city (commune) at the Aug./Sept. 2004 census was 91,386 inhabitants up from 76,293 inhabitants in 1996.
Enjoy the heavily French influenced cuisine and take advantage of the secluded beaches.