A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started
Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday
The island has incredible walking opportunities, from easy hikes all the way up to difficult treks, and nature lovers will adore feeling so close to nature, but it’s really the culture and history that travellers make the long journey for. Make your way to the amazing Rano Raruku crater (the quarry from which the majority of the Moai statues were carved) and along the coastline and learn the story of the island, its inhabitants and its stone giants.
To state the obvious, the monolithic figures of the Maoi are what sets Easter Island apart from the rest of the world, but the natural beauty of the island shouldn’t be understated. Experience the incredible views from the top of the extinct volcano of Rano Kau, look down over the wild horses which rule the landscape (fun fact: there are more horses than humans) and enjoy the views of nature that’s been left untouched for so long. Incidentally, the island earned its European name from the first recorded European to visit; a Dutch navigator who arrived on Easter Sunday, 1722.
It is known that numerous tribes lived on the island, during this time they fought amongst themselves, destroying the environment. It is not known why these giant 'Moai' sculptures were made and then why the majority were destroyed.
- The unique Rapa Nui culture both ancient and contemporary. To give you an idea of just how isolated Easter Island is, the nearest inhabited island is Pitcairn, 1,200 miles to the North West. This might help explain why the islanders, of Polynesian descent, are so independent - they believe themselves to be Rapa Nui people with little or no connection to Chile
- The impressive Moai holding vigil over the island. It is still not known why these giant 'Moai' sculptures were made and then why the majority were destroyed. it is presumed that the island was inhabited from the beginning of the first centuries AD and that the moais are several hundred of years old.
- Delicious food using local ingredients such as cassava and fresh fish
- Numerous caves with their ancient paintings of legends and deities
- The annual Tapati Festival which celebrates Rapa Nui culture, including games and competitions such as the Kai Kai string game which, like cat’s cradle, makes increasingly intricate patterns from string.
- You can explore this mysterious island in the company of an expert guide and treks range from the easy to the moderately difficult, and are combined with picnic meals on the rocks of the seashore.
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