N°117 FREE 29 APRIL - 12 MAY 2011 Bay of the tortoises, Lifou WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE! TONTOUTA: ON TRACK FOR A LaL Foa, an hour’s drived from Noumea, WORLD-CLASS AIRPORT is celebrating the town’s 6th Water Festival. The Water Festival begins on Monday 2 May and will run for a week. Kids and adults alike will be enchanted by the festive exhibitions and attractions (particularly the big live music event scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Socio-Cultural Centre). The Festival will end in style on Saturday 7 May with an extravaganza of kayaking trails, a game fishing competition and introductory paraglider flights... La Foa’s central square will be the venue for a lively bumper market overflowing with fresh local produce and the day will also feature an exhilarating morning’s entertainment with well-known samba band “La Banda Momo”, who will also take part in the sports and water-themed parade. This will be followed by the launching of an outrigger river canoe built on the spot, shows featuring giant puppets, a concert starring “Les Poules Sultanes” Tontouta International hall. A first bank of 13 unveiling during 2011 will of the check-in area which, and traditional dances performed by “La Foamako” Airport is undergoing a check-in desks for outgoing be quite frankly spectacular! on completion, will boast and “Mauga Uta”. Don’t miss the fun! complete makeover to passengers is now in service, This year should see the 24 check-in desks! The keep pace with growth making check-in procedures commissioning of a plate- new-look Tontouta Airport Water Festival, La Foa, Mon. 2 to Sat. 7 May. in airport traffic. The faster and more convenient. glass walkway running right will also have the ground Tel 41 69 11 or 44 33 01 new complex already And facilities include a across the new arrivals hall. capacity to accommodate looks pretty impressive. central island housing the Thanks to the walkway, 5 aircraft instead of 3, as at information desk, the Aircalin welcome parties waiting in present. By the end of the PILOU & BOUGNA For a few years now, New and Air Austral ticket sales the hall will be able to wave next year, New Caledonia Caledonia’s need for a desks, the postal agency, to incoming passengers long will be able to boast airport And here comes number three! The larger, more functional and the shop selling flowery before they are processed infrastructure facilities as third Passion Wednesday (4 May) generally more prestigious welcome garlands and through landing procedures. good as the very best on is about to hit Anse Vata beachside, airport has become more... The area at the The opening of a section of offer in Australia or New with the spotlight this time on Pilou increasingly pressing. The heart of the island is a the new panoramic boarding Zealand. & Bougna. The program includes work begun three years ago sumptuous indoor garden lounge is also scheduled for two hours of attractions inspired by has recently reached a key planted with sweet-scented 2011. And finally, before the the traditional Kanak Pilou dance stage, with final delivery of local plants and flowers and end of the year, work will Tontouta Airport and the opportunity to treat your the spacious and sparkling equipped with rest areas for start on the second section Tel 36 67 18 tastebuds to the legendary and new arrivals hall, designed to passengers with reduced delicious Bougna, undisputed star optimise passenger comfort. mobility. of Kanak cuisine (a Melanesian CONTENTS speciality stew steamed for hours So much space! Work goes on Where to stay The nature spot to draw out the flavours). You can be sure of a really cheerful Paradise all inclusive p. 2 Enchanted cliffs p. 4 and relaxed atmosphere under the Anse Vata lagoon side farés. Travellers using the airport But the extensive renovation will henceforth be able and modernisation work Feel Good Fresh Air Anse Vata Farés, 5 to 7 p.m. to enjoy all the facilities of is not yet complete. In fact, Purify your senses p. 4 Take the high road p. 6 Tel 05 75 80 (toll-free phone) a vast and airy 3,200 m2 the changes scheduled for HOT PICKS 29 APRIL - 12 MAY 2011 - PAGE 2 PARADISE - Clubbing ALL-INCLUSIVE! You can be sure of an idyllic stay at the Malabou Beach, located at Poum in the North West of the Main Island. You’ll never forgive yourself if you miss out DANCE, MOVE, SHAKE! on the new all-inclusive package on offer at the With its central location at Le Flex, with a regular Malabou Beach hotel, Where to Stay on Place des Cocotiers, open mic night featuring located in heavenly Le Flex is the trendiest professional musicians on and deliciously remote spot to hang out in Tuesday evenings, electro surroundings. With a 30% getaway break! Relax on the and kayaks, so there are lots of the bare landscapes. downtown Noumea. evenings on Wednesdays discount for 2 people, the terrace of your bungalow of fun leisure activities on A remote and magic land & Fridays and live gigs on all-inclusive package is to overlooking the beach and offer. well worth a visit! Looking for a place to Thursday and Saturday die for! drink in the breathtaking Feeling adventurous? Join an spend a relaxing evening evenings. Upstairs at the Breakfast, lunch, evening view over the lagoon and excursion exploring the wild with friends? You couldn’t Muzz Bar, the atmosphere buffet, drinks, overnight Néhoué Bay. The all-in deal beauties of New Caledonia’s do better than Le Flex! is hot, hot, hot with a French accommodation and also includes free access to far north, sample the heady Hotel Malabou Beach, Savour the evening cool Caribbean DJ mixing up a leisure activities... in the hotel’s tennis courts, golf delights of scuba diving and Baie de Néhoué, Poum and the speciality tapas storm on the turntables. short, the ultimate dream practice facility, billiards table revel in the windswept glory Tel 47 60 60 and bruschettas on the More good news... from outdoor patio. Or perhaps June onwards, Le Flex will you’d prefer to be indoors? be open at lunchtime too! A NEW FINGER FOOD PARADISE No worries... just head Where better to enjoy a for venue’s second bar in relaxing lunch? So what is La Taverne And in the evening, the a closed area under the d’Ali Tapas? An eatery atmosphere is pure Evviva Muzz Bar. The bar is really with a great laid-back l’España! spacious so it’s also the Le Flex, 37 rue Jean atmosphere, perfect The “apéro tapas” selection perfect place to hold works Jaurès, Downtown. for lunch, dinner or offers a perfect start to your committee or birthday Tues. & Weds. 5 p.m. a relaxing drink. It’s evening. cocktail parties... give them to midnight and Thurs. Noumea’s latest and a ring and make it a date! to Sat. 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. coolest “place to be Relax with friends or family And there’s great live music Tel 27 79 30 seen at”. and exchange all the latest gossip as you savour the Contemporary designer delicious prawns with decor and tableware in vi- mozzarella or spicy cod brantly warm shades with a accras and enjoy a drink Wining & Dining Spanish touch, seating for (there will soon be thirty a hundred guests... You’re different beers to sample). going to love it! La Taverne d’Ali Tapas also La Taverne d’Ali Tapas, La Taverne d’Ali Tapas The menu changes every offers an elegantly and 3 rue Michel Ange, offers a classic lunchtime two months and the tastefully decorated private Motor Pool. menu. Here’s a tip: make restaurant’s young and room ideal as a venue for Tues. to Sat. 11.30 a.m. sure you try the tuna inventive chef Samuel receptions. to 2.30 p.m. and tartare, one of the house Machon uses only the 6 to 11.30 p.m. Shopping specialities. highest quality ingredients. Tel 23 78 23 SHAMO WEAR: ULTIMATE Focus On DESIGNER FASHION! Inspired by their impeccable success of love of fashion, each design. talented young New Morane and Héloïse Caledonian fashion constantly explore new designers Morane ideas, working together and Héloïse have to create a style they created a range define as “drawn from of subtly elegant the spirit of the times, and contemporary illuminated by the past, clothes. guided by the present and inspired by the While Morane is a future”, blending art, musician and Héloïse fashion, life and music: a graphic artist, both their slogan is “Art WETLANDS FOR EVER! share the same passion fashion & Music life”. for fashion and adore The “X factor” that A number of wetlands chronically wet and of guided tour offering for all three guided designing collections makes their collection discovery days have predominantly dry different ways of exploring tours: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. of clothes, shoes and really magic is that their been organised as environments: reefs, the wetlands: a foot trail and 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. accessories. They have designs can be worn part of International estuaries, mangroves, through the “Locomobile” Participants in the foot put their shared talents by everyone, on every Year of Forests lakes, forests... To help wetlands area upstream and mountain bike trails and creative passion to occasion, including initiatives. The preserve these soggy from the Rivière Blanche must be aged 12 and good use, showcasing some of their more chosen destination wonderlands, the Parc valley, a mountain bike trail over and the kayaking their own designs at their “far-out” accessories.