Over eight hundred moai statues pepper the island and such a rich history has led to the island being dubbed ‘The largest outdoor museum in the world.’ The sheer size and magnificence of the statues has, prompted a number of debates: Are they the remnants of a lost continent? Were elephants shipped over to help shift them around the island? Are they gifts from outer space? Almost certainly not, on all three counts. The moais – often placed on a stone platform or ahu – are thought to represent ancestral deities and are made from volcanic ash. The majority hail from a quarry in Rano Raraku where many still lie, including a mighty 155 tonne figure considered too heavy to move. Most were carved between 1250 and 1500 and both the physical and intellectual effort gone into them is a struggle to fully comprehend. Brief, dry history lessons are all very well and good but fail to do the relics justice. To fully appreciate the moai statues is to see them in the flesh.
The moniker ‘Easter Island’ was first coined by Dutch Commander Jacob Roggeveen after he became the first European to discover the island – rather fortuitously – on Easter Sunday in 1722. The Polynesian name for the island is Rapa Nui (the same name given to the people and the language), though it’s been variously known as ‘The Eyes That Talk to the Sky’ and ‘The Navel of the World’. Lying in the centre of the Pacific Ocean, the island is one of the most isolated in the world, situated over 2,000 miles from Chile on one side and Tahiti on the other. Formed by three volcanoes emerging from the floor of the Pacific, Easter Island has been under Chilean law since 1888.
Getting there
The traveller doesn’t simply stumble upon the place; it’s an effort to get here. Such isolation doesn’t come without niggles – flights are expensive and often overbooked, prices are considerably higher than mainland Chile – but such niggles are a small price to pay when faced with the islands exquisite, almost supernatural beauty.
The capital, Hanga Roa, is home to several impressive moai, although the largest tend to be found on other parts of the island. Hanga Roa is the main – in fact the only – town on the island and as such is the administrative centre. It’s also home to the Mataveri International Airport with regular flights to and from Santiago and Papeete in Tahiti, with the Chilean national airline LAN. The majority of islanders live in Hanga Roa (87 percent of the island’s 3,304 population, according to a 2002 census) and for such a small town it functions pretty well. There are decent hotels and restaurants, shops, a church, a museum, a couple of internet cafes and a bank with a functioning cash machine. Expect to queue for it though. It’s also good fun: for a culture that has survived famine, civil war, slavery, epidemics and colonialism, it’s refreshingly safe and friendly. According to Sernatur, the Chilean tourist board, “delinquency does not exist on the island.” Crime is pretty much unheard of here.
Getting around
If you are planning to travel elsewhere, there are a few things to bear in mind. Although it’s a small place (64 square miles) it’s always good to be prepared. Outside of Hanga Roa there aren’t really any places where supplies can be picked up, so taking water and food for a day out is a must, and it’s always advisable to take a waterproof jacket: showers are common and, due to the weather systems, often come without warning. If you’ve hired a vehicle be wary of the hundreds of wild horses that roam the island – they appear to be immune to the dangers of a car. For the more energetic, mountain bikes are readily available and considered the best way to get around the island. Guides are available and are a good idea for at least one trip; many speak English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.
Getting by
Those in the know consider Anakena to be the best part of the island, a mesmeric white coral sand beach, located in the Rapa Nui National Park . Anakena has two Ahu one with a single Moai and the other with six. A day of trekking around the place will leave the traveller not only awe-struck, but hungry, thirsty and in need of a good place to sleep. Thankfully, such needs can be accommodated. Plenty of good restaurants serving fresh fish decorate Hanga Roa, and a sprinkling of lively, popular bars (Topa Tangi Pub and Bar Te Moana are among the best) can quell any thirst. Friendly guest houses provide an insight into the local way of life, and the recently opened Posada de Mike Rapu (run by the Explora chain) is a high-end hotel aimed at the more discerning traveller.
It is often said that the rise and fall (and rise again) of the island provides an accurate model for the wider world. It has seen the best of times and the worst of times, and adapted accordingly. Many travellers who come to the island, find themselves engaging in an activity that doesn’t cost a thing: contemplation. It is said that people who come to the island, often leave feeling different. Easter Island’s magical ambience makes a lasting impression.
When to go and what to take
The bulk of tourists head here for the solitude and isolation and to appreciate the history. In that sense, anytime is a good time to go. The hottest months are January and February, though bear in mind the weather can change rapidly. February also sees the annual Tapati festival. The winter months are cooler, a situation not helped by the rasping Antarctic winds, though you will encounter fewer tourists.
Don’t leave home without…
Respect. The locals take respect of their ancestors very seriously indeed. A Finnish tourist snapped a bit of ear off a moai and received a $17,000 fine and a three year ban from the island.
Waterproofs and sun block. An odd combination, but the changeable weather means you could spend the afternoon flipping between one and the other.
