Ugh….it’s an early morning start day. We have to have our bags ready for pickup by 5:15am. After breakfast we leave the hotel at 6:30am to return to our jet at the Bali airport and take off for the LONG (7 hour) flight to New Caledonia.

Lectures on Board:

Bob Ballard-Exploration in the 21st Century

Rob Hernandez-The Arc of Exploration: Insatiable Curiosity & Epic Voyages

The crew brought me a birthday card and a bottle of champagne to carry off the plane with me to the hotel to enjoy. Very sweet.

After clearing customs and immigration, we have a 45 minute ride to our hotel. Unfortunately, it’s dark by the time we leave the airport so we don’t have much of a view along the way.

We finally arrived at the hotel at 8:30 pm just in time for canapés and cocktails and a DJ party under the tent by the beach. The hotel is a bit of a dump..worn carpet, chairs with holes in the arms. The place is in serious need of a facelift. But, apparently, this is the best there is on the island.

Accommodations: Chateau Royal Beach Resort & Spa

Strung across the shimmering waters of the southwestern Pacific, New Caledonia is a tropical paradise of lush islands, remote atolls, and uninhabited islets. The main island—New Caledonia—harbors pristine reefs and turquoise lagoons that were designated a World Heritage site in 2008.