Chicken Rock in Hienghene, new Caledonia (3 photos)

This is Chicken Rock in Hienghène, often called the Brooding Hen in English or Poule couveuse in French which is one of the national languages of New Caledonia. It is a limestone formation rising from the calm lagoon on New Caledonia’s east coast just south of a town (which is quite cute but small called Hienghene - it is about a far north as most people go on the main island of New Cal.

From the coastal road and signposted lookouts south of the village, its silhouette clearly resembles a sitting hen watching over the bay. Hence the name. The rock is part of the wider Lindéralique cliffs, a maze of dark, jagged towers that glow dramatically at sunrise and sunset. Regarded as a protective totem and sacred site, it can be approached by kayak or boat, but you can't step foot on it.

We of course saw it from the hand but stepping out of our car like all good white tourists do, I can also confirm it only really looks like a Chicken or Hen if you are standing at the look-out, more around the bay and you need more imagination to make it back into a chicken, but then again you will be distracted by just how amazingly beautiful the water and the land is around here. New Caledonia really is quite stunning.