We explore a lot of “ilots” in the southern end of New Caledonia after return from Ile des Pins.
Our first stop was rather uneventful because of the weather. We made a 40nm trip across the ocean to a little ilot called Kouare.
If the weather weren’t so disagreeable this would be an idyllic anchorage. This very small island is uninhabited by the 10 toed creatures but is bustling with our feathered friends.
This is a marine area listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the animals rule supreme. From the white-sand beaches where marine turtles and sea snakes like to lay their eggs, to the large variety of birds that call this home.
Hundreds of breeding pairs live here in harmony including the red footed booby, the roseate tern, the eastern osprey, and the Tahiti Petrel.
Unfortunate for us the wind was howling causing white caps in our anchorage. This was not conducive to a dinghy shore excursion.
Ilot Ua
We moved to Ilot Ua the next day and found a much more comfortable anchoring spot. We dopped the hook in 10m of crystal-clear water.
There are two islands side by side. Ilot Ua and Ilot Uato.
The are reefs that surround each of the two islands. So, the best time to go to shore is during high tide when we can get the dinghy over the reef safely.
This beautiful ilot is full of breeding birds as well.
The Eastern Osprey
We had the extreme pleasure of seeing another giant osprey nest. We could not believe how huge this nest is. As you know, the Eastern Osprey breed at the same site every year. They build a substantial nest on dead trees and add more branches to make it bigger each year.
This pair of osprey did not like us walking near his tree.
We also managed to collect a few New Caledonian sand dollars still in tact. Yeah for us!
Ilot Signal
Known for its signal that warns yachts of the crazy reefs and its beautiful waters.
Ile Ouen – Baie Ire
We swing into Baie Ire on Ile Ouen. It was a stunning anchorage with vibrant green trees against the deep, red soil and blue lagoon.
We unfortunately did not stay here too long, but we sure did enjoy the peaceful anchorage.
The contrast makes for stunning scenery.
Ilot Nge (Sainte Marie)
This ilot is really confused as it has two names. Ilot Ngea and Ilot Sainte Maire.
Another pretty anchorage that gave us many restful nights.
We did a massive 7.2mile hike around the island and enjoyed some beautiful views.
Ilot Ngea
We visit a website that tells us whether or not we can go ashore. New Caledonia government forbids access when the birds are breeding.
Visit No Foreign Land to see these Ilots:
Our blog posts run 8 weeks behind actual live events. We visited all of these lovely places during the end of June 2026.
Check out our hike that takes us 900′ above Ile des Pins: Pic N’Ga.
