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Last updated on August 28, 2022
Îlot Larégnère, along with Îlot Signal and Îlot Amédée, is one of Noumea’s most beautiful day trip destinations. While the very large seagrass beds surrounding the islet are visited by green turtles, you can also discover a bit further a vibrant reef where sharks, lobsters, sea krait and reef fish live.
Îlot Larégnère is located about 25 minutes sailing west of Nouméa. The taxi boats run almost daily. If you have your own boat, mooring buoys are available on site.
Access to the island is free. You will arrive on the north side of the island, where the beach is located.
Recommended water entrance from the beach, on the northern shore of the islet. Depending on the tides, it is possible to enter the water all around the islet, but you will then have to swim a lot more to reach the reef areas.
Îlot Larégnère shore waters have several reefs and seagrass areas, which you can locate on the map above.
The closest reef to the beach is the shallowest (↕2-6ft/0.5-2m). Further away from the islet, the depth increases to quickly reach 10 to 15 ft/3 to 5m.
The seagrass beds are the best place to spot green sea turtles, which are very common at this location. They are mostly seen feeding, occasionally coming up to the surface to breathe.
You can of course encounter sea turtles elsewhere, especially at reefs and in sandy areas.
The deep coral areas are pretty healthy and include beautiful branching coral in which whitetail dascyllus and fire clownfish hide. Jacks, emperors, snappers, parrotfish and groupers are also frequently encountered close to the reefs, which is part of a no-take area.
Îlot Laregnére is a natural site, with no restaurant or water supply. Picnic tables and barbecues are available on the beach, as well as dry toilets (bring your paper). It is totally forbidden to collect wood on the island.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
