Îlot Canard
An islet five minutes by water taxi, with a marked underwater snorkelling trail.
Duration
3 hrs – 5 hrs
Difficulty
●●○○○
Best time
Mornings, in calm water
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
Îlot Canard is five minutes by water taxi from Baie des Citrons, and it is part of the New Caledonian lagoon, World Heritage listed in 2008: the largest enclosed lagoon in the world, ringed by sixteen hundred kilometres of barrier reef.
The islet is circled by a marked underwater trail: numbered buoys lay out a snorkelling route, with submerged panels identifying the corals and the fish. It is a reserve, and the density of life is immediately apparent.
Getting there
Water taxi from Baie des Citrons, five minutes, frequent departures. The last boat back is in the late afternoon.
What the price covers
the islet is free; the water taxi from Anse Vata is not
What to bring
- Walking shoes
- Mask and snorkel
- Reef shoes
- Swimsuit
Rules on site
The last water taxi back is final: note the time when you arrive. It is a reserve — touch nothing and take nothing, and ordinary sunscreen is discouraged before entering the water.