New Caledonia Country Report
Vaccinations required to enter the country
Proof of vaccination against yellow fever is required if traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission and over one year of age. Note: In the event of an epidemic threat to the territory, a specific vaccination certificate may be required.
Hepatitis A: A vaccine is available for anyone over one year of age. The vaccine may not be effective for certain people, e.g. those born before 1945 and who lived as a child in a developing country and/or have a past history of jaundice (icterus). These people can instead get a shot of immune globulin (IG) to boost their immunity against the disease.
Hepatitis B: A vaccine is available for children at least two months old.
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Polio: A booster shot should be administered if necessary (once every ten years).
Typhoid Fever: If your travels take you to regions with poor sanitary conditions (for children two years old and up).
For Children: All standard childhood immunizations should be up-to-date. In the case of a long stay, the BCG vaccine is recommended for children over one month and the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine for children over nine months.
Generally speaking, New Caledonia offers good travel conditions as of the second half of 2017. Visitors (approximately 100,000 per year) should nevertheless be aware of a few potential issues, beginning with natural hazards.
Cyclones strike the region between late October and early May, with a peak of storms in February and March (in March 2003, Tropical Cyclone Erica destroyed 3000 homes in the territory). Intense storms can cause serious travel disruptions and can even force potential visitors to cancel their trip altogether.
On January 12, 2011, a magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck the territory. The epicenter was located 100 km (60 mi) northeast of the town Tadine (located on the Loyalty Islands).
On Grande Terre, New Caledonia’s largest island, main roads are paved. Nevertheless, road accidents are relatively common, particularly considering the archipelago’s small population (more than six times the number of accidents take place annually in New Caledonia than on the French mainland).
Intercity buses connect the island’s main towns. Ferry services run between the capital Nouméa and other islands of the archipelago.
New Caledonia owes its mild climate to the tempering ocean and trade winds that pass over the island all year round. The hot and humid season begins in November and lasts until April. Temperatures are milder in the winter (July-August) although temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the year (22°C to 28°C). There is a risk of cyclones from March to November.
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