As paths are slippery and lighting is poor, hiking shoes and a flashlight are recommended for those who want to explore them. A benefit to renting transportation is the ability to witness the remarkable sunrises of Rapa Nui from different points across the island. Each day, visitors and locals alike, make a pilgrimage to the edges of the island to enjoy the magnificence of dawn. To revel in all of nature's glory, it's best to avoid the crowds at the usual places, such as the remarkable 15 moai platform of Ahu Tongariki, where buses of tourists arrive each morning.
Instead, head to a remote oceanside spot to witness the pastel pink sky rise above the sea. For a nightcap, sunset at the grassy Ahu Akivi — one of the island's few inland moai platforms — offers an inspiring view of seven Moai staring directly into the sinking sun.
A benefit to being so far out at sea is the plenitude of fresh seafood. Independent fishermen glide up to the two little wharfs on the edge of town with their daily catch of red kana kana and some of the best deep-water tuna one can find. Visitors can buy fish from the fishermen at modest prices. Nearly every restaurant serves seafood in some form, including mahi mahi, lobster and even snails from the rocky coastline.
The tuna ceviche is not to be missed, with herbs, avocado and meaty cubes of tuna so fresh they're almost crunchy. For cheaper eats, go for a tuna empanada with its golden crust and perfectly cooked chunks of fish within; they're best bought from food carts on Policarpo Toro Street on the island's waterfront. There are daily flights from Santiago, and one flight weekly from Tahiti, both on Latam Airlines.
Getting around Rapa Nui can easily be explored independently to fully appreciate both the moai and the island's natural beauty.
Navigating is easy, as there is one main road that leads to the most popular archaeological sites. The remaining roads, located along the shorelines and deeper into the island, are primarily made of dirt or gravel. The best automobile option is an SUV, which are plentiful at the rental agencies in town. Mountain bike rentals and horseback tours are a popular way to explore remote locations such as Maunga Terevaka — the island's tallest volcano — and to visit other places where cars are not allowed.
Renting a four-wheeled ATV gives the greatest access to narrow dirt tracks leading to desolate roads that hug the coastline. Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates on our projects, stories from the field, upcoming events, and more! Enter your keywords. Easter Island, Chile. Site and Significance The Ceremonial Village of Orongo Easter Island, known locally as Rapa Nui, is most famous for the hundreds of moai statues scattered throughout its coastline.
Learn More World Monuments Fund safeguards cultural heritage around the globe, ensuring our treasured places are preserved for present and future generations. Publications More. Archaeological excavations of Easter Island reveal three distinct cultural phases: the early period A.
Between the early and middle periods, evidence has shown that many early statues were deliberately destroyed and rebuilt as the larger and heavier moai for which the island is most famous. During the middle period, ahus also contained burial chambers, and the images portrayed by moai are thought to have represented important figures that were deified after death.
The biggest statue found dating to the middle period measures about 32 feet tall, and consists of a single block weighing about 82 tons 74, kilograms. The Dutch named the island Paaseiland Easter Island to commemorate the day they arrived. In , the Spanish viceroy of Peru sent an expedition to the island; the explorers spent four days ashore and estimated a native population of some 3, people.
A French navigator, Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse, found 2, people on the island when he arrived in A major slave raid from Peru in , followed by epidemics of smallpox, reduced the population to only people by By that time, Catholic missionaries had settled on Easter Island and begun to convert the population to Christianity , a process that was completed by the late 19th century. In , Chile annexed Easter Island, leasing much of the land for sheep raising.
An isolated triangle measuring 14 miles long by seven miles wide, Easter Island was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions. In addition to its hilly terrain, the island contains many subterranean caves with corridors that extend deep into mountains of volcanic rock. It has a subtropical climate sunny and dry and temperate weather. It is now home to a mixed population, mostly of Polynesian ancestry and made up of the descendants of the Long-Ears and Short-Ears.
There is no other inhabited area in the world that is as isolated in the ocean as Chilean Polynesia. That is how unique Rapa Nui is. And it is this very condition that gives it its authenticity and an aura of fascinating mystery. It is time for you to come and discover its secrets! Explore Rapa Nui, its pink sand beaches, its volcanoes and grasslands, and its more than 1, moai silent witnesses of a complex society. Discover the intriguing culture of the Rapa Nui people during the Tapati, a traditional festival held in February, where the skills of the several local teams are put to the test.
There are more than 1, of them all around the island and of them can be found at the quarries of the Rano Raraku Volcano. Visit its surroundings, as for many this is the […]. You can walk around town and enjoy the never-ending company of the sea breeze.
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