Imagine a pool of blue crystalline water, bordered by white sand and surrounded by majestic pine trees … La Piscine Naturelle (The Natural Pool) is an enchanting site, one of the most renowned in New Caledonia. “Carved” in the coral, it is also a small underwater paradise, protected from the ocean by a rock barrier. If you visit the Isle of Pines, don’t miss this natural aquarium, where you will swim with a myriad of tropical fish.
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How to go snorkeling in La Piscine Naturelle?
The Natural Pool is located in Oro Bay, on the northeastern coast of the Isle of Pines. Three main options are available for reaching the location.
1. Access by road. Reach the small parking at the end of the road to Oro Bay (well indicated) by car or with a shuttle, whcih can be booked through your accommodation. Pay the entrance fee (CFP200 per person) at the hut, and then walk down the paved road (10 minutes) until you reach the channel. From there, cross the channel (at low tide the channel is dry, while at high tide, you will have water up to the knee), and follow the small path made in the forest to reach the pool (20 minutes). The pool is indicated by blue signs.
2. Access through Le Meridien. If you are staying at Le Meridien hotel, you can reach the Natural Pool by walking along Oro Bay’s beach to its northern tip. Then head up the “Sandy River”, another channel leading to the pool (35 minutes). This option is recommended only at low tide.
3. With a boat tour. Tours combining Upi Bay and Oro Bay are very popular on the island. After crossing Upi Bay aboard a traditional Melanesian outrigger, you will be dropped off a trail that will take you to the natural pool in about 40 minutes. The tour can be booked through all island accommodations. The cost is around CFP4000 Francs per person (transport and entrance fees included).
Water entrance for snorkeling La Piscine Naturelle
Enter the water at the edge of the “pool” near the corals, which can be easily seen through the surface from the shore.
La Piscine Naturelle snorkeling tips
The Natural Pool is a small snorkeling spot, at most about 50 meters wide. It only covers the part of the pool where there is still water at low tide (see map above). At high tide, the pool extends to all the sandy areas, but the seabed is very poor and not very interesting.
The small pool, sheltered from the waves, is a haven for sea life. In 9-12ft/3-4 meters of water, you will be surrounded by hundreds of colorful fish. Coral areas, partly damaged, frame the basin.
Hundreds of giant clams can be seen on the seabed. If you or your kids dream of seeing clownfish, you are in the right place. Dozens of sea anemones are attached to the reef, hosting two species of clownfish, the fire clownfish and Barrier reef anemonefish.
Huge pufferfish, as well as many lionfish, enjoy the outcrops, while goatfish rest on the sand.
The Natural Pool is an extraordinary spot, both for its setting and the density of species in such a small space. Be attentive to other snorkelers as the pool can be very crowded. Be careful also to not venture too far into the small channel between the pool and the open sea- when the tide goes down, an outgoing current forms as the pool’s water flows into the sea.
Restaurants and accommodation nearby
Restaurant Le Kou-gny, located on the beach at Oro Bay, is about a 20-minute walk from the pool.
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