Officially, New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France and is found in the south-west Pacific some 1500 km from the east coast of Australia. Most of the population lives on the main island, called Grande Terre, and smaller numbers inhabit the smaller, Loyalty Islands. Overall, the population is about a quarter of a million with the official language of French as well as English and regional dialects being widely spoken. There are two main seasons in New Caledonia; the dry season tends to be cooler and runs from April to November seeing average temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius. From December to March temperature tends to be higher but with more wind and rain to go with it.

Most serviced apartments in New Caledonia are found in the capital city Noumea, but there is an excellent selection of accommodation of various sizes and amenities all over the islands. The capital is a melting pot of almost a dozen ethnicities and nationalities including Polynesian, Tahitian, Vietnamese and Indonesian and is a great starting point for any trip to the country. The rest of New Caledonia tends to be used for its coastal resorts and stunning sandy beaches. Resorts vary in size and amenities from tiny hideaways to larger, busier holiday towns.