Le Banc de Sable - Isle of Pines

Le Banc de Sable delivers exactly what the name suggests: a vast, bright sandbank perfect for spotting flatworms, gobies, and maybe a resting ray if you're lucky. The real draw here is the incredible visibility and the chance to practice navigation in an open, shallow environment. It's a great spot for newer divers, or those looking for a relaxed, critter-focused dive away from the main currents.

Location: Isle of Pines, New Caledonia, Australasia
Coordinates: -22.509916, 167.395110
Type: reef
Maximum Depth: 5-15m

Marine Protected Area: Yves Merlet

Nearby Dive Sites in Isle of Pines

Nearest Dive Centres to Le Banc de Sable

Lagoon Safaris

Marine Life in Isle of Pines

Home to 161 recorded species including 102 reef fish, 13 hard corals, 10 sea snails & nudibranchs, 9 sea cucumbers, 7 sharks & rays, 6 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Cosmopolitan Spurdog (Squalus megalops) - Sharks & Rays
Blackfish (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - Whales & Dolphins
Striated Locust Lobster (Eduarctus martensii) - Crabs & Lobsters
Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) - Sharks & Rays
Banded Whip Lobster (Puerulus angulatus) - Crabs & Lobsters
Spiny Blaasop (Tylerius spinosissimus) - Reef Fish
Coral Beauty (Centropyge bispinosa) - Reef Fish
Boarfish (Antigonia capros) - Reef Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
Red Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema) - Reef Fish
Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra) - Reef Fish
Maylan (Aetobatus narinari) - Sharks & Rays
Scarlet Soldierfish (Myripristis pralinia) - Reef Fish
Rock Cod (Cephalopholis boenak) - Reef Fish
Hoeven's wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) - Reef Fish
Peacock wrasse (Halichoeres argus) - Reef Fish
Black Angelfish (Centropyge tibicen) - Reef Fish
Eye-lash Harptail-Blenny (Meiacanthus atrodorsalis) - Reef Fish
Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish