Easter Island. Rapa Nui. Isla de Pascua.
This famous island has many names, but is predominantly known for one thing – the Easter Bunny. Kidding. Spoiler: Contrary to popular belief, the Easter Bunny does not live on Easter Island (or, we were just not able to find him).
Home to the Moai, Easter Island is one of the most isolated inhabited islands on earth. Although many know about the gigantic human figures carved from stone, few have seen the statues in person. This tiny Chilean province is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean between Chile and French Polynesia – making the destination hard to get to and expensive for most people across the world. If you find yourself in Santiago, Chile, you should definitely take the six hour flight to Easter Island. Which is exactly what we did.
After spending seven days in Valle Nevado and Santiago [see posts: Snowboarding South America: Valle Nevado and Two Days in Santiago, Chile], my brother Adam, two friends, and I departed mainland Chile and arrived at the world’s most remote airport in the early afternoon on Thursday, August 21, 2014. The Mataveri International Airport is located in Hanga Roa – the main town, harbor, and capital of Easter Island.
We booked three nights at the Kaimana Inn, located in the center of Hanga Roa and just five minutes away from the airport by car. Family-owned accommodations fill the island; which provide services that brand name hotel chains do not. Upon arrival, the owner of the Kaimana Inn was waiting for us outside of the airport. At no extra cost, he gave us a quick tour of Hanga Roa before dropping us off at his hotel.
The island itself is tiny in size – only about 24.6 kilometers (or 15.3 miles) long by 12.3 kilometers (or 7.6 miles) at its widest point. You can basically walk the entire island from south to north in one day. Which is exactly what we attempted.
Shortly after dropping off our backpacks at the hotel, we started walking north along the coast.
The island is sparsely populated by people and animals – as of 2012, less than 5,800 people inhabited the island. We felt completely alone. Not another soul in sight. Only wild horses. Cattle. And carcasses.
As the sun started to set, we made our way back to town. The fading daylight brought life to the island. Within minutes, visitors started to fill the area in front of Ahu Tahai – the closest Moai to Hanga Roa. What a spectacular sunset.
Terminology
Ahu. The word has two meanings – 1. Flat mound or stone pedestal upon which the Moai stand, and 2. Signifies a sacred ceremonial site where several Moai stand.
Mana. (Especially in Polynesian, Melanesian, and Maori belief) Pervasive supernatural or magical power.
Pukao. Hat-like structures or topknots carved from light-red volcanic scoria.
Around the Island
No more than two full days are needed to explore Easter Island. The Moai are the main attraction. But, face it – how much time do you really need to take pictures in front of statues? The island is covered with Moai. Archaeologists have documented 887 of the massive statues, but there may be up to 1,000 total on Easter Island. Given the island’s small size, most tours cover all of the attractions over a two-day itinerary. Prior to departure, we booked two full day tours with Green Island Tours.
Our guide, a New Zealand expatriate, spent the next two days showing us around the mystic island. Having lived on the island for about four decades, he was very knowledgeable. We learned about the Rapa Nui people and the history of the island. Our guide also shared his story while taking us to some of the island’s hidden gems.
Largely untouched and overlooked, the northern part of the island is full of surprises. Wandering around the area, our guide randomly pointed out a hole in the ground. Without any narrative, he instructed us to climb down. Confused, we followed his instructions. Hopping down, we landed inside of an ancient cave. As we walked further into the darkness, the tunnel led us to a massive opening. Palm trees. How unexpected.
We learned that subterranean caves with corridors that extend far into mountains of volcanic rock are found throughout the entire island.
We even visited one that was not on any itinerary. Work brought our guide to Easter Island, but love kept him there. He fell in love with the island, the people, and a particular Rapa Nui woman – who later became his wife; which in turn, allowed him to forever stay on the island. Which he did, even after she passed away. He shared their love story and showed us the cave that his wife grew up in. Standing inside, hearing about her childhood, I felt his void. The personal touch made me think beyond her story and into the lives of the ancient civilizations that inhabited the caves centuries ago.
What the island lacks in size, it makes up for in energy. The energy of the island is undeniable. You can feel it the moment that you step foot off the airplane. An indescribable feeling. After all, the island is ultimately a large cemetery. The Rapa Nui believed that spirits of the people who passed away would watch over the tribe and bring fortune in life. They believed the spirits had the ability to come to their aid when necessary. When a tribe chief or an important member died, a Moai was ordered to be sculpted – each different, resembling the appearance of the person it represented. Once positioned on its altar, the eyes and pukao were placed, at which moment the Moai obtained their mana and could exercise their power.
So much history. So much culture. So much mystery. The highlight of the tour was obviously seeing the Moai. Over the two days, we drove across the entire island, making countless stops along the way. The most important stop – Rano Raraku, the birthplace of the Moai. Here, hundreds of the megalithic statues sit in various stages of carving.
The question remains: how did the ancient civilizations move these Moai from the quarry to others parts of the island? No one knows how the statues were moved. History notes that these massive, incredibly heavy statues had to be moved about 18 kilometers (or approximately 11 miles) across the island without the use of wheels, cranes, or large animals. So, the answer remains a mystery.
During a recent excavation project, archeologists discovered that the gigantic heads that cover the outer slopes of the volcano actually have bodies.
Nearby Rano Raraku is Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu on Easter Island. 15 of the largest Moai stand tall looking over the land. It is important to note that the Moai on Easter Island all face inwards. Why? The people who had constructed the Moai believed that they were the only people in the world. Meaning, any invaders would come from the land and not by sea. The Moai on Rapa Nui face inwards, looking over the land, to protect the communities.
Ahu Tongariki’s Moai were toppled during the island’s civil wars and later swept inland by a tsunami in the 1960s. Ahu Tongariki was restored in the 1990s. While we did get to see a handful of unrestored Moai, most of the ahu and statues on the island are restored. To avoid bad luck, some of the fallen Moai were left untouched. Superstition states that the fallen Moai have fallen for a reason, so nobody should attempt to bring them back on their feet.
Formed by volcanic eruption, the island is largely made up of dormant volcanoes and craters. Located at the southwest end of the island, Rano Kau is a largest volcanic crater on Easter Island. The rim of the crater that frames a large freshwater lake offers unbeatable views of the offshore islets.
Just behind Rano Kau is Orongo, an ancient stone village and ceremonial center. Historically, once a year, certain people from each tribe would come to live in Orongo for a month. Although, I do not remember why.
Driving around the island, the landmass basically looks the same. Dark soil and volcanic rock cover a largely deforested environment bound by coastal cliffs.
So, I never expected to see a beach. Anakena Beach seemed out of place. Golden sand. Coconut palm trees. A row of royal Moai. A truly unexpected, one of a kind beach.
Whether you are spiritual or not, you cannot deny the energy. You can feel it radiate. We stopped at Te Pito Kura, a magnetic circular rock which abounds with legends. It is said that this rock concentrates a magnetic and supernatural energy. Warm in touch, this stone even causes compasses to behave strangely. Coincidence or not, I experienced something unexplainable after capturing the energy beaming off this rock. Coincidence or the work of mana? Go experience it for yourself.
After Hours
In between the two day tour, we spent time roaming around Hanga Roa.
Being the most isolated inhabited landmass on earth has its cons. Much of everything needs to be imported from mainland Chile and other places, making the island very expensive in terms of eating and drinking. We did not really have any alternative options but to pay the hefty bills. At least, the bars and restaurants came stocked with performances by the Rapa Nui.
