Bonne Anse is one of New Caledonia's better known anchorages. It was named Bonne Anse (Good Anchorage) because it was easy for the old sailing ships to get in and out if it when entering or leaving New Caledonia via the Havannah Pass.It's a popular anchorage today and lots of yachts stop there when going between Noumea and Isle of Pines. The series of bays are well protected from anything but a strong westerly wind but anchoring in shallow water is not good because the bays have thickets of very brittle corals that can be quickly destroyed by anchors and also foul an anchor so it does not hold well.The coral thickets are amazing for snorkelling, however, and you can spend all day in perfectly calm, protected water taking photos of the rich and varied reef inhabitants. There are also several nice walks from the bays up onto Cap Ndoua, which overlooks the vast southern lagoon. From the peak you can see Isle of Pines 31 nm distant during clear weather.
