Easter Island

Introduction

Group of Moai statues at Tahai

© All Rights Reserved Jeff-Iris

Easter Island (Rapanui: Rapa Nui, Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. You can find this interesting little dot on the world map between Chile and French Polynesia, over 2,000 kilometres from the nearest inhabited place, the Pitcairn Islands. Chile, of which the island is a part, is located 3,600 kilometres away.

Easter Island is not your typical tropical island destination. The main drawcard is not the island's beaches, but rather its mysterious statues, known as moai by the locals. There are hundreds of statues across the whole island, but no one knows when or why they were placed -theories abound.

Brief History

Polynesian or Inca origin?
Another mystery is the ancestral heritage of the local people. While most people think they are of Polynesian origin, others have suggested they originally came from South America.

In the mid 1950s, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl sailed westward from Peru in a reed raft called the Kon-Tiki, trying to prove that South Americans may have settled the island. But recent archeological studies have produced more convincing evidence that the island's early inhabitants were all of Polynesian origin.

But as can be seen on the island there is some evidence for Thor Heyerdahl’s claim, at least at one Ahu (foundation). This Ahu of a Moai has the same shape of rocks and making as the Machu Picchu walls. So the Peruvian people may not have settled the island, it is entirely possible that they at least have visited the island and spread their knowledge of building walls and foundations.

The name Easter Island
The Christian name, Easter Island, for Rapa Nui descends from the day it was discovered. On Easter Sunday 1722, three Dutch ships under the command of Capt. Jakob Roggeveen arrived at Rapa Nui, putting it on the map with this Christian name. The locals call it Rapa Nui, while the Spanish know it as Isla de Pascua.

Geography

Easter Island is one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands and its closest inhabited neighbour is not Chile but are the Famous Ruins - the capital

Sights and Activities

Easter Island statues

RapaNui01

© All Rights Reserved jankowski

Easter Island's most famous attraction, of course, are its statues. Over half of the moai are located at Rano Raraku, the quarry where most of them were made. There are more moais throughout the island, but many of these are in poor shape and have not been restored due to lack of funding from the Chilean government. The moai are made of a soft rock called tuff, which (ironically) is quite weak. These statues are considered one some of the most Famous Ruins in the world. UNESCO inscribed Rapa Nui National Park (which covers the vast majority of the island) as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1996.

Tsunami

In 1960, a tsunami swept over the Tongariki site, scattering Moais and Ahu stonework over an area of eight acres. The restoration of this impressive site was partially founded by The Japanese company Tadano who donated the $700,000 crane needed to resurrect the Moais back on its Ahu.

Hanga Roa

Hanga Roa is the island's only real town and is home to all but a few hundred of the island's population. It's dominated by souvenir shops, car rental businesses, restaurants and guest houses.

Some attractions in Hanga Roa include:

• Archaeological Museum
• The local Church service, which is held every Sunday morning. It is very unique, colourful, and the whole island seems to come together for it- the church is often full and people have to stand outside. It's an interesting experience, even if you are not particularly religious. Afterwards, the locals and tourists alike gather in by the small food stalls to have a drink or a snack and exchange gossip.

Events and Festivals

Tapati Rapa Nui is the local carnival, running each year in late January or early February. As part of the festivities, people participate in traditional dancing, horse and canoe races and statue carving, amongst other things.

Weather

Easter Island has a very pleasant sub-tropical climate. Temperatures reach almost 30 °C during the day in summer, which lasts from November to April. June to September is wintertime on Easter Island, but temperatures are still pleasantly warm and above 20 °C, though dropping below 15 °C sometimes at night, so bring a sweater for the evenings. Easter Island doesn't have that much variation regarding rainfall, but generally April to July are wetter months, while November to January are the driest. The wind can also get quite strong, as there is very little tall vegetation (= trees) to break it, so a good windbreaker would be essential.

Getting There

By Plane

Mataveri International Airport (IPC) is the airport on Easter Island. There are flights between Easter Island and Santiago, Chile. These are operated by Lan Chile and cost upwards of $650. Lan Chile also has flights from Papeete, Tahiti, and from the 5th of January 2011 also to Lima, the capital of Peru.

The landing strip of the airport was lengthened in 1986 by NASA to make it possible, in case of emergency, for the Space Shuttle to land at Rapa Nui. Therefore today the airstrip is covering the whole width of the island.

By Boat

There are no real regular boat trips to Easter Island, but cruiseliners travel between the American continent and the Pacific islands via Easter Island.

Getting Around

By Car

There are a number of car rental businesses operating on the island. If you're driving, the island's main attractions can easily be seen within a day or two. If you spend the night at people's home, you can also ask to rent their car at very competitive prices. Note that insurance is not included so drive carefully.

On Foot

Since Easter Island is quite small, many of the attractions (read: maoi) are within walking distance from Hanga Roa. But even if you want to go further, it is possible to do some longer day hikes or combine hiking with short bike or car trips.

By Bike

Most hotels, guesthouses and some specialised biking rental places offer bikes to rent. As the island is small, even a day or two with a bike is enough. It's even possible to get around by horse if you like.

By Horseback

It is easy to rent a horse for a day or even a week, just by quering from the guesthouse you are staying at. As there are more horses than people on Easter Island, horses are used by locals as normal transport. You can either ride around the island by yourself, or pay a bit of extra to get a local (usually a child or a youngster) to accompany you. As the island is quite small, riding is a nice option. Just note that most horses are almost completely untrained, so for galloping and trotting you do need a bit of previous experience.

Red Tape

Money

Easter Island's currency is the Chilean peso. Notes come in denominations of 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 peso. Coins come in denominations of 1,5, 10, 50 and 100.

There is only one ATM on the whole island and not many places accept credit card. Therefore, it's a wise idea to try to have some Chilean Pesos on hand before coming to the island. Mastercard is the only credit card that will work at the ATM. Please note that if your stay extends over the weekend, the ATM often runs out of cash on Saturday/Sunday.

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Until recently, most of the accommodation in Easter Island was catered to the backpacker crowd, with costs around US$20-$25 per person per night. As tourism has grown on the island, the range of accommodation options has also expanded.

A few good budget options include:

Many upscale guesthouses have popped up, including ones such as Casas Rapa Nui (operated by luxury chain Explora) and the Hanga Roa Hotel, which cater to those looking for more luxurious accommodation. If you're feeling a little flush, book in with Patricia at Mana Nui Inn where you stay in your own private cabana overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the famous Moai site of Tahai. This will set you back about US$50 a night but the breakfast alone is worth it, not to mention the bliss of sitting on your outdoor deck with a cocktail watching the sun sizzle into the sea at the end of the day. And if you're really lucky, Patricia might even let you borrow her jeep to tour the island! For the more budget conscious backpacker, there is a HI hostel located on the island costing approximately US$20 a night. Facilities are clean and the owners are friendly and this is where most backpacking visitors to the island congregate.

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

There are no vaccinations legally required to travel to Easter Island. It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to Easter Island. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also a hepatitis A vaccination is recommended and vaccination against rabies and typhoid are also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months.

Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

There is a post office in Hanga Roa. If you're looking for an interesting stamp in your passport, go along to Hanga Roa post office and for a few pesos/dollars you can receive a tourist stamp of the Moai - an interesting addition to your collection!

Correos de Chile is the national postal service, and although relatively slow it is reliable with post offices throughout the country. On the website you can find more information about prices to send letters, postcards and parcels, both domestically as well as internationally. Post offices are generally open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday until 2:00pm, although there are sometimes longer opening hours in the bigger central post offices and shorter ones in small places. Ask around.

External Links

• Easter Island Travel Information