The Closest Island to Paradise – The Isle of Pines – South Pacific

The Isle of Pines is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in New Caledonia. The island is part of he commune of L’Île-des-Pins, in the South Province of New Caledonia. It has snorkeling and scuba diving in and around its lagoon and is one of the best places on earth to see tropical fish and corals because of its spectacularly transparent water.
The ruins of a penal colony (In 1872 the island became a French penal colony, home to 3,000 political deportees from the Paris Commune) can be seen in the village of Ouro in the west of the island. Many tours run on the island from snorkelling and scuba tours to hiking and sailing tours. You can also hire pushbikes to get yourself around the island. The Isle of Pines only measures 18km x 14km across, so biking tours are definitely a great way to go. There are plenty of camping areas as well.
http://www.isle-of-pines.com