La Place des Cocotiers or Coconut Square is a popular stomping ground for Nouméa’s locals located in the heart of the city. It is a favourite spot for relaxing on the grass in the shade of century old flame trees. This beautiful green area is a long rectangle formed by 4 squares: the oldest, La Place Feillet, features the music rotunda; La Place Courbet in the centre with its Céleste fountain; La Place de la Marne with its market and its entertainment; and Olry Square with its café and pond.
Mount Ouen Toro is situated at the far southern end of the town of Nouméa, Mount Ouen Toro (128 m in altitude) is an exceptional site. From its summit you can see a magnificent panorama including the whole city of Nouméa. It features a sign-posted walking track, situated only a short distance from the beach, which is ideal for a hearty walk.
The Mwâ Ka sculpture and the ethnobotanical garden. The Mwâ Ka is an important Kanak sculpture which was erected on Moselle Bay in 2004 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the possession of New Caledonia by France. Standing 11 metres high, the Mwâ Ka overlooks an ethnobotanical garden. This strong symbol is a sign of reconciliation between the peoples of New Caledonia.
The Michel-Corbasson Zoological and Forest Park is situated a few minutes from downtown Nouméa, offering superb walks in an enchanting location. This botanical and zoological garden features a superb collection of birds, both in aviaries and roaming around three lakes. Here you can find the rarest of them all: the Cagou, the emblem of New Caledonia, as well as lots of other New Caledonian birds such as the Notou, the colourful Cornue Parrot, the Ouvéa Parrot.
To get to this relaxing and informative park you can take the Petit Train touristique (little tourist train) which makes four trips there daily or via the Nouméa Explorer shuttle, which departs from Anse Vata (the Palm Beach shopping centre or from hotels).
The Municipal Aquarium (Aquarium des Lagons) was originally established in 1956 by Mr and Mrs Catala-Stucky, located between Baie des Citrons and Anse Vata. It has recently been rebuilt and is now an even more remarkable place. Everything here is natural, the seawater, the light and the huge array of marine life. It is a real window onto the New Caledonian lagoon as it shows you the splendour of the coral reefs and magnificent marine life; as well as the lakes, rivers and mangroves.
