Travel Guide Hienghène

In the Fwaï language, Hienghène is called Hyehen, which means "to cry while walking" and the history of the region was one of the most eventful in the country. The first governor of New Caledonia, Tardy de Montravel, imposed French sovereignty in 1854 by raising the tricolor flag. Clashes between settlers and Kanaks led to the expulsion of the great chief Bwarhat to Tahiti in 1857 and the burning of several villages in 1859, perpetrated by the army. His return from exile in 1863 did not ease the situation and the ensuing spoliation of land heightened tensions, so much so that an attempted rebellion broke out in 1917. From this tradition of resistance was born one of the most illustrious men of the Pebble: Jean-Marie Tjibaou. A pro-independence leader from the Tiendanite tribe, he was mayor of the commune until his assassination in Ouvéa in 1989. The year 1984 was marked by an unprecedented boycott, violence and exactions and led to the mass departure of Europeans and Indonesians. At the same time, ten Melanesians, including two of the Tjibaou brothers, were murdered in an ambush. Today, Hienghène wants to turn the page and open itself to the world as it is: proud of its roots and traditions. Its 2,483 inhabitants can count on an absolutely resplendent nature, marked by its famous hen, its mysterious rocks of Lindéralique, its imposing mountains, its luxuriant vegetation, its rivers and its waterfalls. All this forms some of the most unique and seductive landscapes of the archipelago, not to be missed under any pretext.Hienghène offers many interesting viewpoints. In addition to the sphinx and the hen, you can go to the rest area of Kaa Bilou to observe the flight of the flying foxes at nightfall. It is located 4 km south of Hienghène, facing the lagoon and the black rocks of Lindéralique.