Easter Island: Rapa Nui, the navel of the world
Easter Island — Rapa Nui in its native language — is a small volcanic island in the South Pacific, more than 3,700 kilometres from the mainland. It is the most remote inhabited spot on the planet and has been Chilean territory since 1888. The whole island — green fields, craters and cliff-cut coast — has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995: Rapa Nui National Park holds the most significant archaeological sites.
What to see
The moai are the iconic image: around 900 monolithic statues carved between the 11th and 17th centuries by the ancestors of the Rapa Nui people and set on ceremonial platforms called ahu. The most famous is Ahu Tongariki, with fifteen moai facing the ocean, especially striking at sunrise.
The Rano Raraku volcano was the quarry where they were carved; some 400 unfinished moai still lie on its slopes. Rano Kau, with its huge crater and lagoons, crowns the southwest; along its rim sits the ceremonial village of Orongo, home to the birdman rite. And the beaches of Anakena and Ovahe, with pink sand, provide the rest stop.
How to get there and when to go
The commercial flight leaves from Santiago and takes about five and a half hours, with daily departures. Visiting the park requires an official ticket, purchased at the site entrances; some sites require an accredited local guide. Five days allow you to cover the main ahus at a relaxed pace, hike up Rano Kau and enjoy a beach day. The best time to go is September to May, with mild temperatures; February brings Tapati Rapa Nui, the year’s most important cultural festival.
