"Roche Percée" (pierced rock)

Bourail coast

The "Roche Percée" is one of the curiosities on the island that you will often see in tourist brochures. Nevertheless, just like everywhere else in New Caledonia, you sure won't be bothered by hoards of tourists...

The Roche Percée is a large cliff which gets its shape from the rough waters in this area which have sculpted the rock. It turns out that nature is a very adroit sculptor, since the rock seems to have the shape of the profile of a man's head wearing a hat. He is the called the "bonhomme" (man, guy) of the roche percée. You can climb to the top of the cliff, for a panoramic view of the lagoon. You'll see the beaches on either side of the cliff.

From there to your left as your facing the sea, you'll find the road that will take you to the beach. It's the only beach with a spot for surfing on the island, because all the others are protected by a barrier reef. You can get to "lovers beach" to the right of the cliff, by going through a small tunnel from the surfer's beach. You are actually walking under the cliff. Be careful of the tide.

In days gone by, the Kanak tribes who were at war with each other, waited for the enemy on either side of the tunnel. What a massacre!

A little further down, you'll find Poé beach with its camp site of the same name, just next to the lagoon. It's a little dirty, but dirt cheap too! So, we'll leave it up to you to choose...

Behind the hotel, you can rent a catamaran or a sailboard for a great day of sailing with the wind coming from the west: You'll sail along the coral reef for miles and miles!

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