Shore Tours

[sarah_in_townsville]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone know good Shore Tours in Noumea, Lifou or Vila? Just want some reviews please :)

[MsMinx]

I can highly recommend the Mele Cascades tour in Vila. I've done the P&O version twice and also a self guided tour. It's a beautiful part of the world :)

[Oxstang]

In Noumea we did the Amadee Island day trip. It was brilliant in every respect. There's a 45 minute boat ride to the lighthouse with a band on board, beautiful coral to view from a glass bottomed boat or snorkeling, seeing sharks and turtles from a boat on the outer reef, and a delicious lunch including wine while watching native dancers. Everything is included in the price, but its not cheap and just under $200, but was worth every cent!

In Vila, if your into culture, the Ekasup Cultural Village tour was excellent. Its a short ride in a van to the middle of nowhere. You are met by a native lead along a path to a village where there are talks and displays of village life and culture. Its very informative and they perform singing and dancing. They also provide a drink and fruit at the end and a surprise along the way. I think it was between $40 - $50 and lasted about two and a half hours. Very entertaining.

[BEEEEB]

In Noumea we did the Amadee Island day trip. It was brilliant in every respect. There's a 45 minute boat ride to the lighthouse with a band on board, beautiful coral to view from a glass bottomed boat or snorkeling, seeing sharks and turtles from a boat on the outer reef, and a delicious lunch including wine while watching native dancers. Everything is included in the price, but its not cheap and just under $200, but was worth every cent!

In Vila, if your into culture, the Ekasup Cultural Village tour was excellent. Its a short ride in a van to the middle of nowhere. You are met by a native lead along a path to a village where there are talks and displays of village life and culture. Its very informative and they perform singing and dancing. They also provide a drink and fruit at the end and a surprise along the way. I think it was between $40 - $50 and lasted about two and a half hours. Very entertaining.



Sounds like a great day out.
Is the snorkeling in deep water (not a very good swimmer)?
Can we book over the internet or have to go through P+O.

[Oxstang]

Snorkeling on Amadee was good at chest height and no more than 75m from shore. There are plenty of people around you. Around other side of island you can walk between the coral.

We did both thru P&O as Amadee was no cheaper going direct and Ekasup is only thru P&O.

See http://family.webshots.com/album/558739459mcmMDL for photos.

[BEEEEB]

Snorkeling on Amadee was good at chest height and no more than 75m from shore. There are plenty of people around you. Around other side of island you can walk between the coral.

We did both thru P&O as Amadee was no cheaper going direct and Ekasup is only thru P&O.

See http://family.webshots.com/album/558739459mcmMDL for photos.


First time cruiser so another silly question.
Can we book the trip before boarding Dawn or do you have to wait until on the ship.
Love the photos
Thanks again

[Oxstang]

When you receive your tickets there will be a form included on which you can book your tours and return it to P&O.

I would strongly suggest you do this as the more popular tours fill up quickly and may even be full by the time you get on board.

Always have an alternative in mind too, as many have found for one reason or another their tour was canceled.

[Skyrules]

In Noumea we did the Amadee Island day trip. It was brilliant in every respect. There's a 45 minute boat ride to the lighthouse with a band on board, beautiful coral to view from a glass bottomed boat or snorkeling, seeing sharks and turtles from a boat on the outer reef, and a delicious lunch including wine while watching native dancers. Everything is included in the price, but its not cheap and just under $200, but was worth every cent

Since Sarah is asking about Noumea, Vila & Lifou, I'm guessing she's doing a Week Fantastique out of Brisbane. Unfortunately the Amedee Island tour is not offered on those cruises as the ship doesn't get in until 3pm.

[Luxy 1]

Hey Beeeb,

Is the Ekasup cultural village really "staged"? or is it a fairly natural view of a village???

[maxx]

Our TA faxed in our shore tours last week. When we will know if we can fit on the tour?
Does anyone know if confirmation is listed on cruise personaliser?
We leave this Sunday.
Thanks in advance.

[Carlz]

Our TA faxed in our shore tours last week. When we will know if we can fit on the tour?
Does anyone know if confirmation is listed on cruise personaliser?
We leave this Sunday.
Thanks in advance.

I faxed the shore tours through myself and received confirmation via email the same day. Maybe call your TA.

[maxx]

Thanks I just rang P&O to check & we are confirmed.
Our TA isn't much help.

[Croozin']

Hey Beeeb,

Is the Ekasup cultural village really "staged"? or is it a fairly natural view of a village???


We did this tour. We were concerned about it being staged by locals who really only do it for the tourists. How wrong we were.

It was bloody brilliant. The amount of interesting things we learnt (how they hunt, eat, cook, their medicines) was astonishing.

The English speaking tour guide from the village at the start of the tour thanked us for coming. He said that if tourists keep visiting and telling their friends about the tour, it will help them to keep their way of life alive. All through the tour we were being thanked for coming - and they really meant it. They live there, work there, and it is fascinating.

It was so amazing. I highly recommend the tour – it just gives you an amazing insight into life and how they use what is naturally at their disposal to survive. Can’t rave enough about it! I won’t write here some of the things we learnt as you really should be amazed and surprised yourself while on the tour. But when we’ve told friends about some parts, they have looked just as fascinated as we were when we learnt about it!

[Skyrules]

We decided on the Cliffs of Jokin tour in Lifou and the Lagoon Cruise in Port Vila.

Booked and confirmed.