Easter Island (Spanish Isla de Pascua, eng. Easter Island, polynesia. Rapa Nui) - belonging to Chile, a small island located in the southern part The pacific ocean.
Characteristic
The island is considered to be one of the most isolated in the world. From the coasts Chile it is approximately 3,600 km away, and from the nearest other island Pitcairn - 2000 km. It is approximately 20 km long and 15 km wide, has an area of 163.6 km², and is triangular in shape.
The island is volcanic in origin. On the island you can see inactive volcano craters, including the most regular Kau morning. The highest point is the top of another extinct volcano, Terevaka, 507 m above sea level. There are 887 stone statues on the island Moai. It is they who attract tourists to the island.
The island's climate is stable, and the differences between the cooler and warmer periods are small and amount to around 5 ° C. The warmest is January and February, with average temperatures around 23 ° C, the coldest months are July and August, with average temperatures around 18 ° C. But throughout the year, in each month, there are days with temperatures over 30 ° C. Most precipitation is recorded in April and May, while the period from September to February is characterized by reduced precipitation. However, rainfall, greater or lesser, should be taken into account throughout the year. According to data from 2012, it is inhabited by 5,761 inhabitants and their number is growing rapidly, mainly due to immigrants, as in 1982 it had only 1,936 people. There is only one village on Easter Island - Hanga Roa.
Before you go
Visas
Easter Island is part of Chilean territory. No visas are required for Polish citizens. Also, no vaccinations are required.
Departure date
Due to the climate, the island can be visited all year round. Rains are periodic and short-lived.
Prices
All supplies must be brought to Easter Island by ship or plane. This results in prices being two to three times higher than on the mainland.
Communication
The official language is Spanish. Of course, you can communicate without much trouble in English.
Drive
The only way to get to the island, apart from a long sailing yacht trip, is to fly a LAN flight from Santi de Chile, periodically from Lima. Once a week, a flight arrives from Papeete on Tahiti. When flying from Poland, you should take into account the cost of about 6,000. zloty. The airport on the island has a runway that is over 3.3 thousand kilometers long. meters, and that's because in the past it was also a backup airport for American space shuttles. There is no public transport on the island. However, the "capital" of the island of Hanga Roa is small enough to be reached on foot, and a hotel bus or taxi will take us from the airport to the hotel.
Worth seeing
Tourists from travel agencies usually spend three days on the island. However, being here individually, it is worth taking more time and seeing what it is like to be in such a distant place from the world.
The landscape of the island is not impressive. They are mostly gentle, grassy knolls and hills. The tropical forest was cut down by the original inhabitants, which probably contributed to the destruction of their civilization, and the eucalyptus trees planted are not the most beautiful. There are also no rivers and streams. Precipitation water easily penetrates porous volcanic rocks and accumulates at a certain depth.
Most tourists come to Easter Island to see the mysterious Moai statues. There are 887 of them. They are 6 to 21 meters high, and the heaviest one weighs about 270 tons. We can not only see the sculptures themselves, but also visit the quarry where they were hammered and the second smaller one where hats placed on statues. If we came on our own, to see it, we can buy a one-day guided tour on site. We can also rent bikes (cost from the equivalent of PLN 50 upwards for 8 hours) and cycle around the island on them, which takes the whole day. There are also cars available, it is best to rent an off-road vehicle, for a price from the equivalent of PLN 100 to PLN 250 for 8 hours. It is also possible to visit the island "in the saddle".
The second target is an extinct volcano Kau morning and a village right next to it Orongo with oval stone houses. It is believed to have been inhabited once a year during races called Tangata Manu aimed at selecting the ruling clans for the next year. To this end, the young males selected by the clans had to obtain a tern egg, the first in this breeding period.
The third attraction is visiting the caves that form an underground labyrinth, although a small fragment. The inhabitants of Easter Island hid or lived in these caves, in various regions, for various reasons. An interesting fact is the inventory of parts of the underground caves by Polish speleologists recommended to the government of Chile by Professor Jan Ryn from the Jagiellonian University, who is a great authority in the field of altitude sickness in Chile and Peru.
If time permits, it is good to relax on the sandy beach by the bay Caleta Anakena adorned with a lonely Moai. A great attraction is diving in the clear waters of the ocean, the transparency of which reaches up to 50 meters. This possibility is offered by local tourist offices.
Accommodation
There are over 40 hostels, small hotels and hotels on the island. The prices are high, from over a thousand zlotys for a room in a three-star hotel to 200 zlotys in a hostel. in order to choose the best offer, use one of the online booking portals. When choosing a place to stay, it is good to check if it has free internet access.
Gastronomy
There are a few small restaurants on the island. The best one was located at the end of the street Te Pito O Te Henua, restaurant La Taverne du Pecheur, from the outside it resembles a complex of garden gazebos, run by a Frenchman who is quite overweight. Unfortunately, we do not know whether he is still running it. The restaurant is considered to be a prestigious one These Moana in which a music band performs in the evenings. Prices of dishes from the equivalent of PLN 50 upwards.
An alternative to quite expensive places is the Kai Nene supermarket where there is a shop serving traditional empanada or numerous stalls with hot dogs, chicken sandwiches or even potato steaks.
There are no known chain restaurants on the island.
Shopping
A typical Easter Island souvenir are miniature Moai figures made of stone or wood. In addition, ornaments made of feathers, stones, etc.
These products are sold in small shops or at stalls in the central part of the town of Hanga Roa.
An ATM installed on the island supports Cirrus, Maestro and Master Cards. However, it does not support VISA cards. Certain amounts of cash can be withdrawn from the bank upon presentation of the VISA card. In addition, when paying by card, we will see an additional commission of 10 to 20% added to the prices.
Health
There are no particular health hazards on the island. The climate is mild and the winds from the ocean reduce allergic symptoms. There is a small hospital on the island (a new building, four times the size of the previous one, was opened at the end of 2012). Emergency cases are handled immediately, the hospital is open 24 hours a day, and scheduled visits should be booked several days in advance. Consulta Medica private clinic operates at Atanu Tekena (next to the Orongo hotel) 6 days a week - closed on Sundays. It should be remembered that in the event of more serious ailments, the patient must be evacuated to the continent.
Of course, you should have adequate insurance, not only against accidents, but also in case of illness, because Polish citizens are not covered by free healthcare in Chile.
Where next
By plane east to Santiago de Chile or Lima (in Peru), and west to Tahiti.
 |