Originally Posted by
BadgerBoi
Nouvelle Calédonie is lovely, but it's a dependent territory of France, not yet a country - they are due to hold a referendum on independence sometime between 2014 and 2018.
I was there for Bastille Day - a parade of French might down the main street, and some nice fireworks in the evening. One really needs a car to travel around the island. The hostel was actually superb, and the only option under $150!
Easy to get to on an Air NZ award ticket, or a quick flight from Vanuatu