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Every year the village of Nece (pronounced Netchay) puts on an Avocado Festival - "Fete de l'Avocat". Visitors make the 40 minute flight from Noumea on Air Caledonie and even more arrive on the high speed catamaran the Betico II that streaks down the coast of Grande Terre from Noumea then out Havannah Pass and over to Tadine in Mare - a 2.5 hour passage. The villagers have lots of things organized, including custom dancing by the Sadro Dance group and a market where you can buy all the Avocados you can carry, treks through the forest, snorkelling, a boat trip, and a round-the-island excursion in a school bus. The date changes every year but you can get the latest information from the official Destination Loyalty Islands Tourism website
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Mare Island is the southernmost of the four Loyalty Islands in New Caledonia. It is an uplifted coral atoll with jagged cliffs on the southern shores 130 metres high. The center of the island, the ancient lagoon, is flat and there are several caves and sink-holes - some with salt water and others with fresh water. Air Caledonie offers two flights a day to Mare - a 40 minute flight. There is also a 3.5 hour high speed ocean going catamaran Betico II. There is just one Mare hotel, the Nengone Village Hotel, one Gite, two tribal stays, and one camping ground. The primary attraction for visitors are the wilderness walks, the snorkelling, the lovely beaches, and the festivals. There is no public transport on Mare but there are small tour buses, taxis, and rental car agencies. The island is small enough that you can also rent a bicycle and visit many of the main tourism destinations. As in all the Loyalty Islands the people speak their own local Melanesian language plus French.
