TheEaster island (in Spanish : isla de pascua, in Polynesian: Rapa nui "The great Rapa") is one of the most isolated islands in the world, located in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately halfway between Tahiti and the ribs of Chile of which it is officially a territory, and particularly known for its monumental statues, the moai.
| Easter island ((es) Isla de Pascua - Rapa Nui) | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Chile |
|---|---|
| Region | Valparaiso |
| Hanga Roa | |
| Ocean | Peaceful |
| Area | 164 km² |
| Population | 7 750 hab. () |
| Density | 47,26 inhab./km² |
| Nice | pascuan or rapanui |
| Spindle | UTC − 06: 00 |
| Location | |
 27 ° 7 ′ 0 ″ S 109 ° 22 ′ 0 ″ W | |
| [www.rapanui.net Official site] | |
Understand
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Geography
Weather
History
The island was discovered by a Dutchman, Jakob Roggeveen, on Easter Day 1722 hence its name. Its inhabitants call it Te Pito o te Henúa ("The navel or vessel of the world"), and in the rest of the Polynesia she is known as Rapa nui ("Grande Rapa") to distinguish it from the island of Rapa or Rapa iti, the "Little Rapa", in French Polynesia, similar in its isolation and harsh climate.
This island is fascinating because it has a long history, a large part of which has been forgotten, since the manufacture of the gigantic moai, until rongo rongo, an ancient script that has not yet been deciphered. The population was almost entirely decimated following the incursions of foreigners (slavery and bringing disease).
Population
Holidays and public holidays
To go
By plane
- 1 Mataveri International Airport (IATA: IPC, ICAO: SCIP Aeropuerto Internacional Mataveri, Aeropuerto de Isla de Pascua) (in the southwest of the island)
Despite its isolation, the island is served by the airline LATAM which operates a daily flight from / to Santiago de Chile (5 h) and a weekly flight to / from Papeete, Tahiti (6 hIn the absence of competition, flights are quite expensive (round trip from Santiago: between 500 and 1 000 €).
From the airport, 15 min walk will take you to the center of Hanga Roa, the only village on the island.
By boat
The bravest will be able to sail with the company Tallship Soren Larsenwho makes the crossing once a year since the New Zealand for a period of approximately 35 days.
Circulate
By bike
For sites closest to Hanga Roa like Orongo and the Rano Kau volcano. Less practical for more remote sites, as the trails are sometimes in poor condition and very windy. 1 000 CLP time.
On scooter
Very convenient for visiting the whole island. Rental 4 h : 10 000 CLP, 8 h : 15 000 CLPA driving license is sometimes required for scooter rental.
By car
For those in a hurry, it is possible to visit the main sites by car in a few hours, and several rental agencies are available. The hosts also sometimes rent their private vehicle.
Walk
This is perfectly possible as long as you notify your host of your destination just in case. Departing from Anakena beach along the coast to the west returning to Hanga Roa allows a real journey in solitude and to feel the isolation of the Easter Islanders. The trip to a sort of farm in Hanga Oteo nestled at the base of an impressive hill with the sea for any neighbor is worth the trip in itself. A few precautions: rocks the size of a bowling ball are strewn by the thousands. path and require constant vigilance to spare his ankles. And as meetings are very rare (cows and horses are on the other hand numerous) water and supplies are to be expected. Note the kinds of small low-rise stone fireplaces (approximately 1 meter) and the limited diameter which allowed meager crops sheltered from the wind.The walking tour of the Rano Kau volcano is also worth the detour while being less demanding in duration. The 360 degree view of the whole island is striking but visibility can quickly disappear due to patches of fog.
See
The moai (me in local language) are the main attraction of the island. Statues are often placed on ritual platforms called ahu. Do not climb on ahu : this gesture is considered as a total lack of respect for these sacred places.
Here is a selection of the different sites to see on the island, clockwise from Hanga Roa:
- 1 Hanga Roa – The only village on the island located by the sea, quiet, flying the Chilean flag, where most of the Easter Islanders live. It has two ahu, located on the two ports of the village, theAhu Rata and theAhu Tautira.
- 2 Hanga Roa Anthropological Museum
1 000 CLP. – Small museum retracing the history of the island, different hypotheses on the manufacture of moai writing pads rongo rongo.
- Tahai – This site made up of boat houses and three platforms: theAhu Tahai, theAhu Vai Uri, one of the oldest moai restored, and theAhu Kote Riku, the only moai restored with a reconstruction of the eyes and topped with its pukao (hat).
- Ana Kakenga Caves – Several cave systems in the west of the island, including the ventanas back caverna ("Cave of the two windows"). Be careful, these caves can be steep and slippery. Better to be accompanied by a person who knows the area.
- 3 Ahu Akivi – The only platform inland, consisting of seven moai, the only ones looking out to sea.
- 4 Anakena – The only white sand beach on the island. She hosts theAhu Nau Nau, certainly the most beautiful platform, consisting of seven moai wearing their pukao.
- Te Pito – This site consists of theAhu Te Pito Kura, the biggest moai erected, with a height of 9,80 m (headdress included), and, close to the site Te Pito o Te Henua ("The navel of the world"), a set of rounded stones installed there by the god Make make.
- 5 Ahu Tongariki 80 $. – The largest restored platform, consisting of 15 moai, and measuring closely 150 m long and 4 m from above. This ahu is one of the most impressive. The entrance fee is that of the pass for all non-free sites on Easter Island.
- 6 Rano Raraku 80 $. – The quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano was used for the extraction of moai. On the flanks are nearly 400 moai at different stages of advancement. It is certainly the most striking place on the island. The path on the left leads inside the crater. If there are fewer Moai, the place is much more bucolic. The entry price is that of the pass for non-Chileans, for all non-free sites on Easter Island.
- Ahu Aka Hanga – This platform has not been restored; it has remained as it is since the tribal wars. We can observe the beheading of moai.
- Ahu Vaihu – This platform has not been restored; it has remained as it is since the tribal wars. We can observe the beheading of moai.
- 7 Puna Pau 80 $. – The volcano quarry Puna Pau was used for the extraction of pukao, the red tuff headdresses of the statues. We can still see pukao in the crater of the volcano. The entry price is that of the pass for non-Chileans, for all non-free sites on Easter Island.
- 8 Ahu Vinapu 80 $. – This platform is made of large, perfectly fitting blocks of stone. It is the only place with a perfect construction. Others ahu are coarser. The entry price is that of the pass for non-Chileans, for all non-free sites on Easter Island.
- 9 Rano Kau volcano – The volcano at the southwestern tip of the island with a magnificent lake in its crater.
- 10 Orongo 80 $. – This village, made up of around thirty house-boats, was built on the edge of a cliff, on the side of the Rano Kau volcano, facing the Motu Nui and Motu Iti islets, where the Man-Bird ceremony took place. The site also gathers the largest number of petroglyphs on the island, like that of the god Make make or the Man-Bird. The entry price is that of the pass for non-Chileans, for all non-free sites on Easter Island.
Of course, the list is not exhaustive. A week on the island leaves plenty of time to discover it entirely, whatever the mode of transport, on foot, on horseback, by bike, by motorbike, by quad or by 4x4.
Make
- Scuba diving – Off Hanga Roa
- Sunbathing on the beach – The three main beaches are Hanga Roa in the southwest, Anakena and Ovahe in the northeast
Buy
Change your money before you go, because your chances of changing it on the spot are slim. Don't over-rely on your credit card or traveler's checks, either.
Two ticket machines are available in Hanga Roa: the first, belonging to the Banco Estado, on Tu'u maheke street, which accepts MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus but not Visa, the other in the bank Santander (the only bank on the island), Avenida Policarpo Toro, a little further, which accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus. There is also an ATM in the airport hall and another at the station- service near the airport.
The currency is the Chilean peso (CLP), but US dollars (USD) are also appreciated. It is sometimes possible to pay in Pacific Francs (XPF).
Bartering is widely practiced on the island, so it may be a good idea to take items such as clothing, food (many cannot be found on the island), etc. with you. Don't trade in drugs! These are responsible for poisoning, because distributed without prescription or advice from a doctor, they are misused by the population.
You can buy various pieces of local crafts, including tikki ("Wooden statues"), reproductions of rongo rongo ("Ancient writing resembling hieroglyphics"), from moai or from petroglyphs (“Symbolic stone engravings”). The prices are negotiated.
Speak
In addition to the local language, rapa nui, which falls into the group of many Polynesian languages, everyone speaks Spanish, national language of Chile. It is also common for locals to talk English, sometimes also French because visitors from French Polynesia go there regularly.
Eat
Cheap
Average price
Luxury
Have a drink / Go out
Housing
Cheap
- Mihinoa Campsite Avenida Pont, Hanga Roa (in front of the sea) – possibility to rent tents
Several guest rooms at the inhabitant are available on the island.
- Residencial Same Calle Tu'u Koihu, Hanga Roa (to the left of the church and the craft market),
56 32 255 1454, 56 8475 68 31 (portable) 10 000 CLP the night. – 2 bedrooms with shared bathroom, living room, kitchen, in a separate building from that of the owner, Carolina, who speaks French and Spanish.
Average price
Luxury
Communicate
Several cyber cafes are available in Hanga Roa with a decent internet connection.
The reliable Chilean post office will be happy to send your postcards with the moai stamp attesting to your visit to the island.
Health
Manage the day-to-day
Around
Flights LATAM can transport you to Chile and at Peru, to the east, or to Tahiti, West.
If you have managed to navigate to the island by boat on your own, the next logical step should be the Pitcairn Islands, the closest neighbors, which themselves constitute one of the most isolated destinations with no air service and almost no tourists.
