Jokin Cliffs

Dramatic limestone sea cliffs with turtle views

The northeast coast of Lifou drops away in sheer limestone walls up to 60 meters high — layers of fossilized coral exposed as the island gradually rose from the sea. The viewpoint at Jokin gives you the full panorama: cliffs stretching south, turquoise water below, and the occasional sea turtle visible from above. It's the most striking landscape on the island and worth the drive from Wé.

There's no railing and no entrance gate — just a footpath through the village to the cliff edge. Go in the morning when the light is on the rock face. The drive from Wé takes about 30 minutes on the northern coastal road.

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A story
Lifou is technically a raised coral atoll — the cliffs at Jokin are the old reef, lifted clean out of the sea by tectonic movement and now standing 60 metres above the surf. The viewpoint sits at the edge of Jokin village, where a small customary fee is sometimes asked of visitors. Pacific green sea turtles cruise the water below; from the cliff edge they look like dark coins drifting through the blue.