Easter Island is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, clearly in the middle of nowhere. And that’s perhaps is the reason why Easter Island receives a lot of fascination.
This Chilean island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is known for its breathtaking monolithic statues. And when these icons of Easter Island (called Moai) are a huge tourist destination, this island has many other mysterious elements to discover.
Easter Island is also known as Rapa Nui. It is considered Polynesian Island and it is located approximately 2,300 miles from the coast of Chile.
It’s renowned to be one of the most isolated places in the world. Three extinct volcanoes can be found in every three corners of the island.
And its sandy beaches often takes a beating from coarse Pacific Surf. If you are planning to travel to Easter Island, keep in mind that it can be accessed only by air from Santiago, Chile, and Tahiti.
Why Easter Island is such an interesting place to visit? It is most likely that this island has a rich history and cultural importance. And much of this has come from the imposing carved Moai Monoliths, which can be found throughout the island.
Easter Island gives an important vision about overpopulation and overconsumption can do to a society. Because the early residents of the island were not able to maintain their communities due to many environmental factors, including over-fishing, deforestation, and erosion of agricultural lands.
So the question says, what you really expect while visiting Easter Island? A look at some of the suggestions to consider while roaming around this historic Polynesian destination …
Moai Spotting at Rano Raraku National Park
A question you must be asking to yourself, what exactly moai is! Right? Well, they are the huge stone statues with apparently looks like human faces for which Easter Island is famous for.
They are amazingly iconic. It’s believed that they were made to help protect the villages and restrict the invaders.
In between 1,250 and 1500 AD, these monolithic statues are thought to have been carved.
To See the Moais, Rano Raraku National Park is one of the best places to see them. It was the main objective used by the island’s inhabitants for the statues.
And one of the coolest thing you’ll witness is to see statues in various stages of development.
See the Iconic Moais at Ahu Tongariki
Easter Island’s other icon is Ahu Tongariki site. It is famous for its fifteen moai statues, which are standing next to each other in a row. Due to the tsunami in the 20th-century, these sculptures were flown in inland but were later restored.
This is where you will find the heaviest monolith … whose weight is 86 tonnes! You can see Tongariki in the Rapa Nui National Park. It is located in the Hotu-iti area.
Decipher Ancient Petroglyphs at Papa Vaka
Petroglyphs are known to be motifs and designs which are sculptured on the rocks. And Easter Island has a fair and square share of them!
The archaeological site of Papa Vaka is the best destination for visiting the ancient inhabitants of Easter Island to investigate the interesting petroglyphs.
Petroglyph mainly depicts scenes related to the world of sea, like fishing, marine animals, and canoes. Papa Waka’s Petroglyphs have plenty of viewing platforms and informational signs that help to find out what the symbols mean.
If you are interested, Petroglyphs can also be found throughout the island. Orongo, Tangata and Ana Kai are some other sites to explore other than Papa Waka.
Hike Up the Terevaka Volcano
On Easter Island, Terevaka Volcano is the tallest volcano you’ll find and it stands at 507 feet above sea level. Easter Island is not a mountainous island.
You get to witness the tallest peaks of these volcanoes. Hike through to the top of Terevaka will give you some lovely panoramic views of Easter Island.
Do you love hiking and trekking? Then, hike at the top of the Ranu Kau volcanic caldera. It’s located in Orongo and also gives hikers beautiful panoramic views of the island.
You can also check out the remains of the ceremonial center and stone village at this location, which was once the town of Rapa Nui.
Relax at Anakena Beach
Also Read: A Trip To Explore The Best Beaches In Santiago, Chile…
Easter Island is not only known for its beaches. Most of the coastal area is volcanic and rocky.
Although, Anakena Beach is an exception. It is a white sand beach in which you have many coconut palms to give a feeling of a tropical paradise.
The water here is clean and magnificent for snorkeling. And yes … while you sunbathe, you will see a few moai statues around you.
Go Cave Exploring Throughout the Island
There is a very influential network of caves in the Easter Island. Many of them, you might visit yourself. So, if you are feeling adventurous, then it’s definitely a good way to discover the treasures hidden around the island.
See the Ana Kakenga Cave, which has an opening towards the sea for some excellent views.
Easter Island is not that big which you might think! So, go to explore a beautiful place by bicycle. The island can be biked in one day only. And what’s more exciting and good than seeing the sites while some great exercise.
It doesn’t matter how you decide to explore it though, Easter Island definitely has some fabulous stuff to see and discover! It can one of the most adventurous trips of yours.
Best Time To Visit: Shoulder seasons are the best months – April to June or October to December.
Entry Charges: The entrance charges to the Rapa Nui National Park is U$ 80 or $ 54,000 pesos for all non-Chilean visitors.
Accommodation Charges: Most of the budget hotels start their pricing at about $80/night and increase the charges to $100/night or more.
How To Reach: The easiest and common way to reach to Easter Island is by plane. Presently, Lan (Latam Airlines) is the only airline that will make you reach to Rapa Nui.