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Column pines at Turtle Bay, Bourail

La Roche Percée & Turtle Bay

Sculpted cliffs, surf beaches and a pine-fringed bay where turtles nest.

Photo: Thomas@BOD at Flickr, CC BY 2.0
  • LocationNear Bourail
  • From Nouméa~2 h by car
  • Turtle season~Nov–Mar
  • Time neededHalf day

Ten minutes from Bourail, the beach at La Roche Percée ends in a dramatic pierced rock and the 'Bonhomme', a sea stack shaped like a man's face. A short trail climbs over the headland to Turtle Bay (Baie des Tortues), a small beach lined with column pines.

Loggerhead and green turtles nest here in the warm season, roughly November to March; keep your distance from nests and follow any signage. La Roche Percée beach has waves popular with surfers, while nearby Poé beach is calmer for swimming.

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Column pines at Turtle Bay, Bourail
Column pines at Turtle Bay, Bourail. Photo: Thomas@BOD at Flickr, CC BY 2.0

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