What secrets does Easter Island hide? Where is Easter Island? Easter Island: photo Who discovered Easter Island

Hititeairagi, Rapa Nui, Te Pito o te whenua, Tekaowhangoaru are all other names for the area we know as Easter Island. For most people, Easter Island is associated with something mysterious - and no wonder: it is famous for the huge stone statues lined up along the shore. They look with drawn eyes into the ocean, and this look is both creepy and mesmerizing. One of the main questions is how did these 10-meter idols get there? - still remains unresolved. Tourists flock here in the hope of unraveling the mystery, but return home covered in souvenirs and... without an answer.

Easter Island

How to get there

Easter Island is part of Valparaiso, one of the regions of Chile. There are two ways to get to the island, both of which are expensive. The first is on a tourist yacht or cruise ship, which sometimes come here. You can go to independent travel and in a couple of weeks call at the port.

The second way is by air; there is an airport on the island that accepts flights from the capital of Chile, Santiago, Tahiti and Lima. Flight schedules vary depending on the time of year: for example, from December to March, flights operate only once a week. In other months - twice a week. The flight from Santiago lasts about 5 hours.

Search for flights to Santiago (the closest airport to Easter Island)

Transport

All the attractions of the island are located close to each other, and the territory itself is small. On Easter Island you can take a taxi, bike or rent a car. It is almost impossible to get lost on the island, since there are only two roads.

The average cost of renting a car is from 80 USD per day with a full tank of gasoline. By the way, it is better to refuel completely - this will be difficult to do on the island. Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

Beaches of Easter Island

There are several beaches on Easter Island, but Anakena is the best choice. Local residents even warn that they can only swim here. On sandy beach there are several cafes, and in general the local landscape is somewhat reminiscent Black Sea coast: there are stalls with cold water on the beach, natives are selling sweets and other snacks, the smell of barbecue is in the air. Only instead of the sea there is an ocean.

Cuisine and restaurants

There are quite a few small cafes on the island where you can have an inexpensive meal. On the menu you should choose seafood dishes, such as soup or tuna steak. In general, the steaks here are very good - made from meat and fish, with potatoes and herbs. Local beer is soft and very pleasant.

Some restaurants are built very close to the water. They stand on stilts, and the owners of the establishment can demolish one of the walls so that visitors can admire the view of the ocean.

Easter Island Hotels

The island has the only city, where you can stay at a hotel - Hanga Roa. Most tourists prefer mini-hotels rather than chain operators, and yet the cost of living is rather high. The fact is that many goods on the island are imported from the mainland, which increases their price. The most expensive hotel on the island is Explora EN RAPA NUI. There are 30 rooms, a restaurant with an outdoor terrace, a bar, a souvenir boutique, an outdoor swimming pool, a massage parlor, and an outdoor jacuzzi.

One of the ways for island residents to earn money is by renting out apartments. At the airport, every new plane is greeted by a crowd local residents, vying with each other to offer accommodation in hotels or in their own homes.

There is also a camping site on the island - here you can pitch a tent or rent a very simple room for little money, with internet access. To get to the campsite, you need to find a guide at the airport with a sign Mihinoa - that’s the name of the place where you’ll be staying.

The shops

The sale of souvenirs is one of the main sources of income for the islanders. In stores and shops you can buy idols of different sizes, from pocket size to 2-3 meters. The main thing is that you can take this piece of wood out of the country to your homeland. Particularly popular are statues of “kawakawa” - either a person or a ghost - and, of course, magnets, necklaces, beads, hats, headbands, and embroidered shoes.

Entertainment and attractions of Easter Island

Moai

Stone moai are carved from petrified volcanic ash. These are stylized human figures with short bodies and elongated heads. The weight of each idol reaches almost 20 tons. According to local beliefs, they contain the supernatural power of the ancestors of the first king of Easter Island - Hotu Matua.

Moai stand along the coast and look out over the island. Hundreds of books have been written and films have been made about the history of their origin, but there is still no solution. Some believe that they were brought to the island by aliens, others are sure that such statues could only be made by human giants 3-4 meters tall. Another version is that these idols themselves came to the island, but subsequently forgot how to walk and remained here forever. There are about 900 statues on the island, most of them are located near the Rano Raraku volcano.

Volcanoes

The craters of the Rano Kau and Rano Raraku volcanoes are another attraction of Easter Island. It was from the remains of Rano Raraku that the moai were made. Unfinished statues are scattered in the pit of this volcano. The view inside Rano Kau is breathtaking - the crater is filled with rainwater, covered with islands of grass, and the sky is reflected in this giant lake.

Orongo village

The ceremonial village of Orongo is located on the edge of the Rano Kau crater. Ceremonies dedicated to the birdman were once held here. In the village you can find many cobblestones on which images of the god Make-Make and the bird-man are carved.

Hanga Roa Church

This is a Catholic church famous for its wood carvings. Looking at it, it seems that the building itself is carved from wood. Crafts work here, and music services are held on Sundays.

5 things to do on Easter Island:

At the end of January - beginning of February, visit the unique Tapati festival, which probably has no analogues in the world. It takes place at the end of January or beginning of February. “Tapati” is a cross-section of Easter Island culture, and not an export version, but the real one. The natives sing, dance and measure their strength.
Ascend to the ceremonial site of Te Pito-te-whenua, whose name means “navel of the earth” in Rapanui.
Have a romantic picnic in the palm groves of Anakena Bay.
Come up with your own legend about the moai - and then tell it to the locals. They love to hear versions of how the statues appeared at Easter. They will listen to you carefully, maybe they will write down your story, if it is unique, and place it in the collection of works of tourists.
Visit the village of Orongo and see numerous petroglyphs with images of bird-men and the god Make-Make. By the way, this island invented its own writing - rongo-rongo, which has not yet been deciphered.

Based on the name of the island. But the island was created long before the concept of Easter arose, and there are much more anomalies in it, so we learn new knowledge immediately after the end of the world :)

Easter Island is an island in the Pacific Ocean, the furthest from land. famous islands(as a result, tourism to this island is expensive). The island is of volcanic origin and is located at the intersection of several lithospheric plates (underneath it there is a fault boundary of giant tectonic plates that seem to divide the ocean floor; the Nazca and Pacifica oceanic plates and the axial zones of underwater ocean ridges converge on the island). Well, the most famous attraction is the stone statues:

Rano Kao (324 m)
Pua Katiki (377 m)
Terevaka (539 m - the highest point of the island)

Let's start our exploration of Easter Island with stone statues. All stone statues are monolithic, meaning they are carved from a single piece of stone rather than glued or fastened together. Ancient craftsmen carved “moai” - stone statues on the slopes of the Rano Roraku volcano, located in the eastern part of the island, from soft volcanic tuff. Then the finished statues were lowered down the slope and placed along the perimeter of the island, over a distance of more than 10 km. The height of most idols ranges from five to seven meters, while later sculptures reached 10 and 12 meters.

The statues had caps made of red pumice on their heads, and their eyes were painted:

The tuff, or, as it is also called, pumice, from which they are made, has a sponge-like structure and easily crumbles even with a slight impact on it. so the average weight of a “moai” does not exceed 5 tons.

Stone statues were installed on stone “ahu” - pedestal platforms that reached 150 meters in length and 3 meters in height, and consisted of pieces weighing up to 10 tons from the same pumice.

According to another version, the stone statues of Easter Island are estimated to be much heavier: they say that their weight sometimes reaches more than 20 tons, and their height is more than 6 meters. An unfinished sculpture was found, about 20 meters tall and weighing 270 tons.

There are a total of 997,397 stone moai statues on Easter Island. All moai, except for seven statues, “look” into the interior of the island. These seven statues are also different in that they are located inside the island, and not on the coast. A detailed map of the location of stone statues, as well as other attractions, can be seen in this picture (click to enlarge):

It is also said that there are two types of statues on the island:

The first species, without “caps” (45% of the total) are 10-meter giants weighing 80 tons. All of them stand on the slopes of the Ranu Raraku crater chest-deep in sedimentary rocks - this is for the reason that they are much older than the other statues, those with “hats”. The fact that these statues are much older than the second type of moai is also indicated by the fact that traces of erosion on them appeared much more clearly than on the “dwarf” 4-meter statues. In addition, the 10-meter-high giant moai do not have “hat” and their appearance is slightly different from the second type. For example, their faces are narrower.
The second type are small 3-4 meter statues (32 percent of the total), which were placed on pedestals (ahu). All ahus stand near the seashore. These moai have oddly shaped “caps”. This type of moai is very well preserved. Their faces are more oval than the narrow-faced statues of the first type.

The erection of statues on Easter Island is a stumbling block among “rationalists” and “otherworlders.” The first claim that all the statues could have been installed on the island by ordinary people using ordinary earthly means. Whereas the “otherworlders” cite anything from magic-mana to aliens as the forces behind installing statues.

The Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl in his book “Aku-Aku” gives a description of one of these methods, which was tested in action by local residents. According to the book, information about this method was obtained from one of the few remaining direct descendants of the Moai builders. Thus, one of the Moai, overturned from the pedestal, was put back by using logs slipped under the statue as levers, by swinging which it was possible to achieve small movements of the statue along the vertical axis. The movements were recorded by placing stones of various sizes under the top of the statue and alternating them. The actual transportation of the statues could be carried out using wooden sleds.

Whoever is right, one thing is true: all the statues were made on this very island, in the quarries. And from there they were transported to the installation site. How did you find out? It’s very simple: many unfinished idols are in quarries. When looking at them, one gets the impression of a sudden cessation of work on the statues.

The photo shows one of the unfinished stone statues:

And here are a few more unfinished statues on the slope of the volcano:

Let’s dwell on another yet unexplained phenomenon, which, of course, is inferior in scale, but is neck and neck in mystery.

This is the mysterious script of Easter Island. We can say that this is the most mysterious writing in the world. The latter is a fact all the more significant since until now writing has not been discovered on the Polynesian islands.

On Easter Island, writing was discovered on relatively well-preserved wooden tablets, called kohau rongo-rongo in the local dialect. The fact that the wooden planks have survived the darkness of centuries is explained by many scientists by the complete absence of insects on the island. Yet most of them were eventually destroyed. But the culprit for this turned out to be not tree bugs, accidentally introduced by a white man, but the religious fervor of a certain missionary. The story goes that the missionary Eugene Eyraud, who converted the inhabitants of the island to Christianity, forced these writings to be burned as pagan.

Nevertheless, a certain number of tablets have survived. Today, there are no more than two dozen kohau rongorongo in museums and private collections around the world. Many attempts have been made to decipher the contents of the ideogram tablets, but they all ended in failure. By the way, research in recent years has once again confirmed that on the Kohau Rongorongo tablets, each sign conveys only one word, and not the entire text is written on them, but only keywords, the rest were read by the Rapanui people from memory.

There is another interesting fact on the island. So, the first picture in the article shows the heads of statues with underground torsos. So, this image is not far from the truth. So, if you take a good dig around some of the statues, you can dig up some very interesting things:

That is, some of the statues are much larger than they seem. Moreover, it is unknown how they ended up underground: either by themselves, or they were initially buried.

Another mystery of the island is the purpose of the paved roads, the creation of which is lost in the mists of time. On the Island of Silence - another name for the island - there are three of them. And all three end up in the ocean. Based on this, some researchers conclude that the island was once much larger than it is now.

And finally, a trump card that destroys the arguments of the “rationalists”. So, next to Rapanui there is a tiny island of Motunui. This is several hundred meters of steep cliff, dotted with numerous grottoes. Island on the map:

So, a stone platform has been preserved on it, on which statues were once installed, which were later thrown into the sea for some reason. And the question arises - how? How rationally can stone statues be delivered there? No way. Only with the help of unknown forces.

Which, by the way, begs the question: why? If rationalists justify the construction of stone statues at least acceptable - for protection from flooding, or for protection from something else, or as objects of worship, etc., then supporters of the “otherworldly” hypothesis of installing statues simply have nothing to say. Think for yourself: why would people who have supernatural abilities and can carry multi-ton boulders over vast distances do this? After all, they did not worship them: real power and superstition do not go hand in hand...

So the “otherworldly” hypothesis also goes in vain. What remains? The facts remain:

Easter Island, remote from populated lands for many hundreds of kilometers
huge multi-ton statues (some are more than half buried in the ground)
undeciphered script
roads of unknown purpose
lack of clear theories of how it was all done.

And it turns out that Easter Island is a mystery that has not yet been solved.

And it won’t be possible if the world ends tomorrow :)

Based on materials from http://agniart.ru/rus/showfile.fcgi?fsmode=articles&filename=16-3/16-3.html and http://www.ufo.obninsk.ru/pashi.htm

It has the shape of a right triangle, at the corners of which there are inactive volcanoes, which are one of the main natural attractions. total area Easter Island is 163.6 km².

Why does Easter Island have this name?

Even without looking at the map, you can guess that the island has a name that is atypical for South America. In fact, throughout its history it had several names: the natives gave it two names at once: “Navel of the Earth” and “Eyes Looking into the Sky”, the Indians - “Rapa Nui”, and James Cook - Waihu. The first to explore Easter Island was the Dutchman Jacobson Roggeveen. He landed on the island in 1722. This happened on Easter Sunday, which gave the name to the “find”. Since then official name became “Easter Island”, and locals still consider it Rapa Nui, so you can often hear this name from Chileans.

Who lives on Easter Island?

The small island is home to only 6 thousand people. Scientists claim that there were once about 15,000 inhabitants here. When Roggeveen discovered the island, more than 10,000 thousand lived on it. The population decline was influenced by hostility between settlements, which led to wars, as well as cannibalism. But the biggest tragedy, which claimed thousands of lives, occurred when Europeans visited Easter Island. Their barbarity once and for all destroyed the civilization that had existed here for centuries. They took most of the population into slavery in Peru, many of whom died of disease. In the end, only 3,000 people remained. But life under European control became unbearable, and the population of Easter Island decreased to 178 people. This is how many natives were on the island when it joined Chile in 1888.

The indigenous inhabitants of Easter Island are considered to be the Rapanui people, or as they are now called the Easter people. Today, only 48% of them remain on the island, some of whom are mestizos with Chileans from the mainland. The remaining 52% are Spaniards.

Climate and weather

The climate on the island is tropical, with an average annual temperature of 21.8 °C. August is the coldest month of the year, and the warmest is January. Tourists should be pleased with the fact that heat is rare here, but there are often winds. It is also interesting that the source fresh water serve as lakes in the craters of volcanoes. One may wonder why the Chileans of Rapa Nui do not use rainwater? The answer lies in the soil, which has a very soft and loose structure, so water does not linger on the surface, but immediately seeps into the ground. Because of this, you will rarely see puddles on the island, which cannot but please lovers of hiking.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of the island is very sparse; there are only 30 species of plants and almost as many animals on Rapa Nui. The island was once covered with dense forests, but droughts, rodents and the greed of people have left only small green areas of the rich fauna. Today, Easter Island is “rich” with 48 plant species. Swedish scientist Carl Scottsberg found 46 plant species on the island in 1956, but only two were added to them in half a century. Interestingly, there is no island in the world with more sparse flora than Rapa Nui.

As for animals, things are no better with them. Due to Easter Island's isolation from the continent, there is very little fauna here. Of the vertebrate animals, there are only two species of lizards and the European rat; it is believed that they came to the island completely by accident. The people themselves brought the Polynesian rat to the island, but the “indigenous” European rat supplanted it. Realizing that with such a limited fauna it was extremely difficult for people to survive on the island, in 1866 cattle were brought to Rapa Nui - sheep, pigs and horses, which helped in the development of agriculture.

The only insects on Easter Island are worms, snails and a couple of species of spiders. Europeans brought crickets, scorpions and cockroaches, which find life quite difficult here, so their population periodically decreases to a critical minimum.

Attractions

Easter Island has amazing and mysterious attractions in its arsenal. Tourists can begin to admire them already through the airplane window, since the main attraction, the stone sculptures, is visible before landing. Moreover, from the sky it is much easier to assess the scale of work of the natives who made the statues. Indigenous people, who lived here 6-9 centuries ago, believed that they contained supernatural power, so they were placed throughout the island. Scientists who have studied are confident that people have developed their skills in creating them over several centuries, since the technology is impeccable.

As the plane descends, you can see the unusual landscape of Easter Island, which is covered with many volcanic craters, similar to the surface of the Moon. Such a spectacle cannot leave you indifferent.

An attraction that can be seen even from space is the Rano Kau crater. It is located in the lower left corner of the triangular island. Once on the ground, it is worth visiting the crater, as it is an interesting sight. The crater is filled with water, on the surface of which marine plants float, open areas of water reflect the blue sky. One gets the impression that this is a model of the Earth.

Around Rapa Nui there are several coastal islands that look very picturesque. The most famous among them are Motu Nui and Motu Iti.

Interestingly, the island has preserved many buildings from the time of the Rapanui people, which are unique in their kind. The Easter dwellings were made of soft stone, but they are well preserved to this day. The work on their restoration was successful and today tourists can see the original dwellings of the natives. It is also interesting to look at the temple Ahu Vinapu with stone sculptures.

One of the most mysterious places- This Ahu Akahang a, stone column with four statues. According to legend, this is the tomb of the very first king of the island, Hoto Matua. Therefore, residents of the island often come here, especially the descendants of the Rapanui people. Tourists will probably also understand the significance of the historical figure, since the designated picnic area Anakena Beach is the place where he took his first steps on the island of Hoto Matua.

Tourism on Easter Island

Easter Island, rich in attractions, offers its tourists several types of recreation for every taste. The most popular is sea travel on cruise ships and yachts. The Pacific Ocean is the perfect place to be alone with the water element and admire its power. Also, such walks provide an opportunity to explore the island from the outside while swimming around it. Another way to appreciate the beauty of Rapa Nui is a five-hour plane ride, which allows you to see many of the island's attractions from a low altitude.

Diving enthusiasts will have great fun diving from rocks or yachts into ocean depths. Experienced divers will help you have as much fun as possible.

Secrets of Easter Island

Rapa Nui is woven from secrets, and modern scientists believe that the civilization that existed here was several heads higher than its contemporaries. The first thing that attracted the attention of researchers on Easter Island was the caves. They played the role of quarries, and nearby there were workshops where stone sculptures were created using a unique technology. Even though they are made of soft stone, their shape has been preserved for centuries, and this is a real mystery. After all, scientists have still not been able to restore the technology of creation.

Another interesting and mysterious fact about Easter Island is that other territories are depicted on ancient maps of Rapa Nui. They are also accompanied by legends that the earth is slowly sinking under water. These maps indicate that there were many other islands and even a mainland in the Pacific Ocean, where other highly developed peoples and civilizations lived. Having studied the documents found, scientists were able to assume that the Easter Order still exists and keeps secrets that were known only to the Rapanui.

Where is Easter Island?

Easter Island is not difficult to find on the world map; it is located in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, 3515 km from the coast. Rapa Nui and the nearest inhabited island, Pitcairn, are separated by 2,075 km. Therefore, the easiest way to get to it is to use the services of airlines. Easter Island has one that accepts flights from Santiago and Valparaiso.

In the South Pacific, territory of Chile. The local name of the island is Rapa Nui. Area - 163.6 km². Coordinates - 27°07′ S w. 109°21′W long / 27.116667° south w. 109.35° W d. (G) -27.116667, -109.35.

Easter Island. Rapa Nui National Park

Easter Island, along with the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, is the most remote inhabited island in the world. The distance to the continental coast of Chile is 3703 km, to Pitcairn Island, the nearest populated area, - 1819 km. The island was discovered by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday 1722.

The capital of the island and its only city is Hanga Roa. In total, 3.7 thousand people live on the island (2005).

Rapa Nui is largely famous for its moai, or stone statues made from compressed volcanic ash, which, according to locals, contain the supernatural power of the ancestors of the first king of Easter Island, Hotu Matu'a. In 1888, Chile was annexed. In 1995, Rapa Nui National Park became a World Heritage UNESCO.

The island has the shape of a right triangle, the hypotenuse of which is the southeastern shore. The sides of this “triangle” have lengths of 16, 18 and 24 km. In the corners of the island rise extinct volcanoes: Rano Kao (Rano Kao) (324 m) near the Mataveri settlement; Pua-Katiki (rap. Puakatike) (377 m) and Terevaka (rap. Terevaka) (539 m - the highest point of the island).

The highest crater of the Terevaka volcano is called Rano Aroi (about 200 m). Actually, “Rano-Aroi” is the name of the lake that fills the extinct crater.

Another Terevaka crater - Rano Raraku (rap. Rano Raraku) (160 m) is also a lake with a large supply of fresh water, surrounded by reed thickets. The diameter of this crater is about 650 m.

The diameter of the Rano Kao crater is about 1500 m, the depth is 800 m. The volcano has a symmetrical shape and is surrounded by hilly terrain. The southern slope ends at .

On the inner slopes of volcanoes, vegetation is more abundant. This is due to more fertile soil, the absence of strong winds and the “greenhouse effect”.

Easter Island is of volcanic origin. The soil was formed as a result of erosion of the slopes of volcanoes. The most fertile soil is located in the north of the island, where locals grow yams, or sweet potatoes, and yams. The most common rocks on the island are basalt, obsidian, rhyolite, and trachyte. The sheer cliffs at La Perouse Bay (locally called Hanga Hoonu) are made of red lava

The climate of Easter Island is warm and subtropical. The average annual temperature is 21.8 °C, the coldest month is August (19.2 °C), the warmest is January (24.6 °C). The island lies near the southern border of the zone of southeast winds that blow in summer. In winter, northwestern winds predominate, but there are also southwestern and southeastern winds. Despite its proximity to the tropics, the climate on the island is relatively moderate. Heat is rare. This is due to the proximity of the cold Humboldt Current and the lack of any land between the island and Antarctica. Winds from Antarctica in July-August often reduce daytime air temperatures to 20° Celsius.

The main source of fresh water on the island is lakes formed in the craters of local volcanoes. There are no rivers on Rapa Nui, and rainwater easily percolates through the soil, resulting in groundwater that flows towards the ocean. Since there is not much water on the island, local residents in the past built wells and small reservoirs everywhere.

Moai are stone statues on the coast of Easter Island in the form of a human head up to 20 meters high. Contrary to popular belief, they “look” not towards the ocean, but into the interior of the island. Some moai have caps made of red stone. Moai were made in quarries in the center of the island. How they were delivered to the coast is unknown. According to legend, they “walked” themselves. Recently, volunteer enthusiasts have found several ways to transport stone blocks. But what exactly the ancient inhabitants used (or some of their own) has not yet been determined. Many unfinished idols are in the quarries. A detailed study of the island gives the impression of a sudden cessation of work on the statues.

Rano Raraku is one of the most interesting places for tourists. At the foot of this volcano there are about 300 moai, of varying heights and at different stages of completion. Not far from the bay is the ahu Tongariki, the largest ritual site with 15 statues of various sizes installed on it.

On the shore of Anakena Bay there is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island with crystal white coral sand. Swimming is allowed in the bay. Picnics are organized for tourists in palm groves. Also not far from Anakena Bay are the ahu Ature-Huki and the ahu Naunau. According to ancient Rapa Nui legend, it was in this bay that Hotu Matu'a, the first king of Rapa Nui, landed with the first settlers of the island.

Te-Pito-te-henua (rap. navel of the Earth) is a ceremonial site on an island made of round stones. Quite a controversial place on Rapa Nui. Anthropologist Christian Walter claims that Te Pito te whenua was installed in the 1960s to attract gullible tourists to the island.

On the Rano-Kao volcano there is Observation deck. The Orongo ceremonial site is nearby.

Puna Pau is a small volcano near Rano Kao. In the distant past, red stone was mined here, from which “headdresses” were made for the local moai.

The flora of the island is very poor: experts count no more than 30 species of plants growing on Rapa Nui. Most of them were brought from other islands of Oceania, America, and Europe. Many plants that were previously widespread on Rapa Nui have been exterminated. Between the 9th and 17th centuries there was active cutting down of trees, which led to the disappearance of forests on the island (probably before that, palm trees of the species Paschalococos disperta grew on it). Another reason was rats eating tree seeds. Due to irrational human economic activities and other factors, the resulting accelerated soil erosion caused enormous damage agriculture, causing Rapa Nui's population to decline significantly.

One of the extinct plants is Sophora toromiro, whose local name is toromiro (rap. toromiro). This plant on the island in the past played an important role in the culture of the Rapa Nui people: “talking tablets” with local pictograms were made from it.

The trunk of the toromiro, with a diameter of a human thigh and thinner, was often used in the construction of houses; spears were also made from it. In the 19th-20th centuries, this tree was exterminated (one of the reasons was that the young shoots were destroyed by sheep brought to the island).

Another plant on the island is the mulberry tree, whose local name is mahute. In the past, this plant also played a significant role in the life of the islanders: white clothes called mahute were made from silkworm cocoons, which were worn by women (similar to the Polynesian tapa). After the arrival of the first Europeans on the island - whalers and missionaries - the importance of mahute in the life of the Rapanui people decreased.

The roots of the ti plant, or Dracaena terminalis, were used to make sugar. This plant was also used to make dark blue and green powder, which was then applied to the body as tattoos.

Makoi (rap. makoi) (Thespesia populnea) was used for carving.

One of the island's surviving plants, which grows on the slopes of the Rano Kao and Rano Raraku craters, is Scirpus californicus, used in the construction of houses.

In recent decades, small growths of eucalyptus have begun to appear on the island. In the 18th-19th centuries, grapes, bananas, melons, and sugar cane were brought to the island.

Before the arrival of Europeans on the island, the fauna of Easter Island was mainly represented by marine animals: seals, turtles, crabs. Until the 19th century, chickens were bred on the island. Species of the local fauna that previously inhabited Rapa Nui have become extinct. For example, the rat species Rattus exulans, which was used as food by local residents in the past. Instead, rats of the species Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus were brought to the island by European ships, which became carriers of various diseases previously unknown to the Rapanui people.

Currently, the island is home to 25 species of seabirds and 6 species of land birds.

Easter Island (Spanish: Isla de Pascua, Polynesian: Rapa Nui) is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. Early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (The Navel of the World). Officially a territory, Easter Island is located far out in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway to Tahiti. Known for its mysterious giant stone statues, built centuries ago, depicting the dramatic rise and fall of Polynesian culture.

general information

The island's name recalls its discovery by a Dutch explorer on Easter Sunday 1722.

Ever since Thor Heyerdahl and a small group of adventurers set sail from South America to the Tuamotu Islands, far north of Easter Island, controversy has raged about the origins of the islanders. DNA testing has now conclusively proven that the Polynesians came from the west, not the east, and that the people of Easter Island are descendants of intrepid travelers who went there from Taiwan thousands of years ago. Legend has it that people went to Easter Island because their own island was gradually being swallowed up by the sea.

In short, the backstory of Easter Island is a series of achievements, prosperity and civilization that ended in environmental destruction and decline. Although there is no consensus as to when humans first arrived on Easter Island (estimates range from several hundred to more than a thousand years ago), it is believed that the first humans arrived from Polynesia. It is unlikely that this was a mistake or an accident: the evidence suggests that Easter Island was colonized deliberately using large boats with many settlers - a remarkable feat given the distance from Easter Island to any other land in the Pacific Ocean.

The first islanders found the land undeniably a paradise. Archaeological evidence shows that the island was covered with trees of various types, including the largest species of palm in the world, whose bark and wood were used by the natives to make cloth, rope and canoes. Birds were found in abundance. The mild climate favored an easy life, and the abundant waters provided fish and oysters.

The islanders prospered from these advantages and reflected this in the religion that became their leisure activity - the giant moai, or heads, that are the most distinctive feature of the island today. The moai that dot the island are believed to have been images of ancestors, whose presence was probably considered a blessing or a watchful guard in each small village.

The ruins of the Rano Raraku crater quarry, where dozens if not hundreds of moai are located at the very center, are testament to the importance of these figures to the islanders and how their lives revolved around these creations. It has been suggested that their isolation from all other peoples working in the center of trade and creativity created an expectation of some other significant path laid out for them, to which they could use their skills and resources. The bird-man in culture (in the form of petroglyphs) is clear evidence of the islanders' hopes for the opportunity to leave their island for distant lands.

However, as the population grew, so did the pressure on environment islands. Deforestation of trees on the island gradually increased, and when this main resource was exhausted, the islanders found it difficult to continue making ropes, canoes and everything needed for hunting and fishing, and ultimately to maintain the culture that encouraged the islanders to produce giant stone figures. Apparently, divisions began to intensify (with some violence), confidence in the old religion was lost, which was reflected in part in the ruins of the moai, which were deliberately overthrown.

Towards the end of the glorious culture of Easter Island, the population reached a minimum, the inhabitants, due to the lack of food or means of obtaining a livelihood, sometimes resorted to cannibalism and raw food diet. Even subsequent raids by powers such as and , did not devastate the population so much; in the last century, only a few hundred Rapa Nui natives remained.

Today National Rapa Nui Park included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its residents rely on many tourist and economic connections and daily flights to Santiago. Like many indigenous peoples, the Rapa Nui seek artifacts of their past and try to integrate their culture with the political, economic and social realities of today. You can book a hotel on Easter Island at, and check if there is more favorable price, Can . Some travelers prefer to rent accommodation from locals - you can look at the offers.

How to get there

Due to Easter Island's extreme geographical isolation, many people believe that only a very intrepid traveler can reach it. Indeed, Hanga Roa's (IATA: IPC) scheduled commercial air services make it accessible, with tourism being the island's main industry.

Since this place is de facto part of , it is a domestic flight from Santiago and passports will not be required upon arrival from Chile. There are also flights from Tahiti - then your passport will be required.

However, these are more of a "path" for most people, with a minimum of 5.5 hours in the air from the nearest continent, and there are very few routes to get to Easter Island. Only regular flights LAN Airlines flies daily to Santiago and once a week to Tahiti. With no competition for this long and challenging flight, fares range from US$400 to US$1,200 per flight from Santiago. You can find out how much air travel will cost for your dates in the Travelask section.

Easter Island is considered to be "conveniently located" when it is revealed to be on the map trip around the world, where it plays the role of an interesting stopover on the route between Polynesia and South America, and also helps strengthen the perception of outsiders. Due to the waves, only one in four cruise ships can dock here.

If you want to go the intrepid route, "sailboat" Soren Larsen sails to Easter Island from New Zealand once a year. The journey takes 35 days, crossing the farthest point from land.

If possible, consider landing in Santiago after returning from Easter Island. There is a small chance that you will be denied boarding on your flight if there is a need for a medical evacuation, and a planned stopover will give you more options if you encounter this. The plane sometimes leaves the island late, which can result in problems with onward connections to the mainland.

By plane

Clue:

Easter Island - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 8

Kazan 8

Samara 9

Ekaterinburg 10

Novosibirsk 12

Vladivostok 15

When is the season? When is the best time to go

Clue:

Easter Island - weather by month

Main attractions. What to see

The biggest attractions on Easter Island are the figures standing on ceremonial platforms called ahu, moai.

Please note that moai and their platforms are protected by law and should not be approached under any circumstances. Don't walk on the fence. This is extremely disrespectful and if you damage areas, even accidentally, the punishment will be severe. Recently, a German tourist who broke a moai's ear was sentenced to criminal charges and a fine of $10,000.

Rano Raraku and Orongo require an entrance ticket to National Park, which can be purchased at the airport upon arrival or at the CONAF office. A ticket is required to enter both places, so make sure you have it securely. The rest of the island can be visited without a ticket.

Ahu are mainly located along the coastline of the island. First time visitors may be amazed at how many archaeological sites there are around the island that you can practically visit on your own depending on the season and time of day.

Each clan usually had a guardian, although not all of them were moai, so if you travel along south coast islands, you will see that every mile there are areas with ruins.

Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters of Rano Kau Rano and Raraku. A little further into the quarry at Rano Raraku there is a place where most of the moai were created, on the side of a hill. This is a 300-foot cooled volcano that provided the stones for great creations. The visitor can see various stages of carving, as well as partially finished figures scattered around. The climb along the left side of the volcano, to the top and inside the crater, will be remembered for a long time. The opposite side of the crater, where some of the moai were carved, is one of the most dramatic sites on the island, but unfortunately is currently inaccessible.

Likewise, Rano Kau is the remnant of a volcanic ash cone, like Rano Raraku, filled with fresh rainwater and has a mottled, ethereal appearance that will take your breath away. There are other Hanga Roa viewpoints nearby.

Often overlooked, what makes Easter Island particularly fascinating is its extensive cave systems. While there are several "official" caves, which are quite interesting in their own right, there are numerous unofficial caves on the island, most of which are located near Ana Kakenga. While exploring them you will feel like a real adventurer.

CONAF (organization for maintaining National Park) classified the caves as dangerous for tourists, and park rangers began regulating access to the caves in March 2014. According to park rangers, there is a risk of collapse, especially at Ana Te Pahu, which is located under the road. Consequently, tour operators will no longer take their clients to the caves (caving visits have now been replaced by excursions to other archaeological sites). On this moment there is no fencing to prevent access and it is quite possible to visit the caves individually with local guides, although some precautions and restrictions must be observed.

While the openings in most of these caves are small (some are barely large enough to crawl through) and hidden (the backdrop of a rather surreal lava field could be compared to the surface of Mars), many of them lead into inordinately deep and extensive cave systems. Note of caution: these caves can be dangerous in that many go much deeper. A person left without a torch will be plunged into complete darkness with little hope of getting out anytime soon... if ever.

The caves are also extremely wet and slippery (some ceilings have collapsed due to water erosion). Also, subtropical rain should not be underestimated. Climate change is very fast, and there is a risk of unexpectedly ending up in a flood zone due to rain. And this is in a cave with limited space to move!

Beaches. Which ones are better

Easter Island has two white sand beaches. Anakena, on the north side of the island, is a great spot for surfing with small waves. You can also surf in the harbor in Hanga Roa, which many of the locals do. There is a small parking lot, toilets (costing $1), several small barbecue cafes with refreshments and a shady picnic area. Palm trees imported from Tahiti complete the calming effect. Anakena includes 2 ahu with moai. Be careful when walking under trees - coconuts may fall. Anakena is considered the place where the colonial tribes first appeared on Easter Island, which is why it is called the birthplace of the island's civilization.

The second beach is the pearl of the island and is called Ovaje, east of Anakena. This beautiful and deserted beach is surrounded by breathtaking cliffs. Please note: the path leading down to the beach is quite uneven and the best way to get here is on foot. Off-road driving (unlike some tourists erroneously) is illegal in most of the island.

Sometimes big waves wash all the sand out of Ovahe and then slowly bring it back. The last such case occurred in 2012.

Some sources mention that you can spend the night in one of the caves in the Ovahe Beach area, but this information is outdated as water is currently leaking through cracks. In addition, it is not recommended to enter the cave at night without an instructor.

Food. What to try

Hanga Roa's restaurants are on the main street and near the harbor, but there are several others scattered in the surrounding areas.

Traditional foods include curanto and tuna ahi.

Menus tend to be limited as most of the food on the island has to be imported, which explains the price level on the island. Even in regular restaurants, appetizer prices start at $20 and up. The assortment of fish is quite large, as is the case in continental fish. Pizza and other usual foods are available at the corner cafe next to the Catholic Church. A large pizza, however, will cost you 14,000 - 22,000 pesos. There is a large selection of toppings and a truly varied menu.

There are 2 types of lobsters. The big one is called a real lobster, and the small one, equally delicious, is called "Rape Rape" by the locals. Currently, lobsters are protected and restrictions are placed on their fishing during the off-season.

The local tuna is considered a delicacy for its white meat and is highly recommended. The octopus and several types of fish are also very tasty.

There are also several limited-stock grocery stores (only a few of which can be considered actual supermarkets) where visitors can pick up snacks, a limited selection of sundries, booze, etc. It should be noted that it is difficult to shop at grocery stores on Easter Island. They are all quite small and their range is constantly changing. Large quantity the product is not on the shelves - it can only be obtained after consulting with the seller. If possible, it makes sense to bring canned food and drinks with you from the mainland. This will save you from having to overpay on the island, and will also provide you with everything you need.

Like souvenir sellers, many restaurants on the island do not accept credit cards or have high minimum prices. Tipping is also included (10% is considered a polite level). However, check your receipt before paying for anything, as some restaurants will add a mandatory service charge to your bill.

Kanahau - good food and Main Street service.
Kotaro is a Japanese restaurant with delicious food and excellent service from the chef himself.
Kuki Varua - great food and great service. Try to have your table on the second floor terrace.
La Kaleta. Restaurant with a beautiful view of the sea and Tasty food. He has fame best restaurant on the island, so it's also not the cheapest place.
La Taverne du Pêcheur is a small French restaurant in the port part of the village. Very good seafood. This may be the most expensive restaurant on the island. Some people think the prices are too high.
Mamma Nui is a family restaurant serving traditional cuisine. They specialize in tunu ahi.
Pea. Despite the sea view, the high prices are not comparable to the quality of the main dishes.
Tataku Vave. Since the restaurant is not located in the very center, you would not be able to find this gem without recommendations from the reception. The seafood, service and view are as good as the most expensive restaurants, but the prices are much more reasonable. They specialize in small lobsters ("Rape Rape"). Exquisite views of the sunset and crashing waves. 8,000 - 12,000 pesos per person, plus drinks. The access road is steep, but you can drive slowly or take a taxi.
Te Moana. The restaurant moved from the main street to the end line in 2013. The tuna sandwich is especially good. And a live orchestra often plays on Wednesdays and weekends.
Te Ra"ai offers a package that includes travel (hotel - restaurant - hotel), a Polynesian dance show and the Curanto dinner. The restaurant is located outside of Hanga Roa. Reservations are required as the restaurant is very popular. The show has some Brazilian influence due to with its owner.
Varua, Atamu Takena. New restaurant with all the classic attributes can be found on the island by good prices, plus an excellent menu for the main courses of the day (starter, main course and fruit juice). The service and food are excellent.

Less expensive options include sandwiches and empanadas. Alternatively, you can find a local bakery and make your own sandwiches. Budget travelers or those looking for simple food can try the following options:

Club Sandwich also has fantastic empanadas, but sandwiches are their true calling and are worth a try. Try a banana and orange smoothie if available. To my shame, they are not open for breakfast.
Donde el Gordo on Church Street is also a good option for those looking for simple food, but their sandwiches are a bit more expensive.
Mahina Tahai - classic large "menu", includes bread, butter, soup, fish steak and rice, juice and dessert.
Miro is located close to the cemetery and has large pizzas.
Piroto Henua is a sports bar with a simple menu near the airport entrance.

Beverages

The Chilean drink pisco, made from fermented grapes, is the unofficial drink of the island. However, pisco is sour and should be mixed with lemon juice and egg whites, which is a better option if you are not used to whiskey or rum. Drinking pisco has a lower strength than vodka, although Chileans do not recommend it.

On the island you can also try drinks made from papaya, mango or guava, depending on the season. All these natural juices are mixed with pisco. About 4,000 pesos at the restaurant.

Another common cocktail is piscola, pisco with Coca-Cola.

The local brewery is called Mahina, producing light craft beer and stout. It was closed for almost 2 years between 2012 and 2014, but is now open again. They also produce delicious bottled souvenirs. Despite its name and local ownership, the Akivi brand is made on the mainland (the brewery is located in Quilpué).

The going rate for a can of soda at a restaurant or hotel seems to be around 1,500 - 2,000 pesos. You can buy beer for the same price.

Safety. What to watch out for

In practice, there is no street crime in Hanga Roa. Thus, well-behaved tourists have nothing to fear. Tourists who require police assistance can contact the local PDI (Chilean Federal Police) office, which is located outside the city a short taxi ride away and is open until 6 pm. However, be aware that officers generally only speak Spanish.

If you have lost your passport, you can file a report for 500 pesos and also replace your visa application; A photocopy of the document will be invaluable. Presentation of this report will allow you to board a plane back to Santiago, the rest will be decided by your embassy.

Mornings are dark during the winter months (June - August) and nights can be cold until spring (September - October). Depending on the season, you should not forget about protection from the sun and wind.

Hepatitis vaccinations are suggested by the CDC for visitors to Easter Island primarily due to street food vendors and tropical water consumption. Easter Island officials insist the water is safe, but some say it tastes strange and could disrupt your intestinal flora. Avoid drinking tap water and eating street food until you know how it will affect you. Let the hotels prepare all the food and drinks for the tourists' stomachs and therefore be safer than the restaurants. Day excursions organized by tour companies often include a prepared lunch. They also need to be safe as many travel companies are affiliated with hotels and get their products from kitchens tourist hotels, but if in doubt, ask.

There are many stray dogs on Easter Island. It is advisable not to allow them to approach, as some of the dogs are unpredictable. Get rid of stray dogs using a commanding voice and stern gestures. If you are bitten by a dog, go to the hospital and get a rabies shot.

Visitors to Anakena Beach should be careful when walking under the palm trees. Coconuts may fall and hit you. Also, Anakena Beach has many vendors selling very exotic looking food and drinks that are fun to try, but one must always keep in mind that there is no running water in this part of the island, so hygiene and food safety should be an important criterion when purchase. If you decide to get the hepatitis vaccine before arriving on the island, keep in mind that it involves three shots and will take several months to provide full protection.

Remember that some of the island sites can only be reached after a long journey, sometimes steep and potholed. Always ask your instructors about this. The path of more than 700 meters will quickly tire you. Travelers will enjoy the experience more if, especially in key areas, physical activity does not cause problems.

Travelers who have difficulty walking, using stairs or using wheelchairs will have limited travel. The trails simply don't support wheeled vehicles. Stairs can be very steep and quite narrow for people walking up and down the same steps. Steep slopes sometimes do not have safety railings. Most trails do not have facilities and can be narrow. You are not allowed to leave the trail: this will result in a complaint from your guide and is also against park rules.

Things to do

Some areas of the restoration area (Pua Katiki and Terevaka Peninsula) are forested. These areas may only be accessible on foot or horseback. Access to recovery areas by car is strictly prohibited.

Most of west coast cannot be accessed by vehicle, and thus only hiking or horseback riding (limited availability).

Snorkeling is a popular pastime, even with the current partial restrictions in some areas (around Motu Nui and Motu Iti islands). There are diving centers here that rent equipment and organize boat excursions for divers: Atariki Rapa Nui, Orca and Mike Rapu Diving.

Large sea turtles can be seen near the fishing boats.

Tours

Group tours are the most common way to explore the island. Given the lack public transport, sharing a tour with a group of tourists is an effective way to reduce the burden on the environment. Travel companies They also provide private tours.

Local guides can also show you some aspects of island life that you might never otherwise see or hear.

Travel agencies sell vacation packages that include accommodation and excursions. However, only places officially owned by a company can legally provide their services tax-free (the invoices they give you, Law 16.441). This means you will avoid VAT and other taxes when you go directly to the operators.

There are 4 established local tour operators, each with at least ten years of experience.

Aku Aku Turismo. Tour operator mainly providing Spanish group tours. Their office is located next to the Manutara Hotel reception.

Kia Koe Tour, Atamu Tekena s/n, Hanga Roa, ☎ +56 32 210-0852. The main tour operator on Easter Island. The office is located on the main street. Tours are available in a group or with a private guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. They also provide charters and catered cruisers. The company was founded in 1984.

Mahinatur. One of the oldest tour operators, their specialty is tours in French.

Rapa Nui Travel. Tour operator providing mainly German group tours.

The tourist information center can also put you in touch with freelancers, but professional guides work mainly with large tour operators.

Easter Island Travel. Specializing in private groups, experienced in adventure and independent cruise excursions. English and Spanish speaking guides.

Green Island Tours-Easter Island.

When dealing with small companies or individual freelancers, you should always have a description of the services and total cost in writing for your own safety. In addition, law firms in, including Easter Island, have a RUT (9-digit code).

Hike

Hiking is quite easy on Easter Island. It is not necessary to hire a guide for this, although to see some of the hidden archaeological treasures of these routes it may be worthwhile. If you decide to do this without a guide, all you need is a simple map and some recommendations from the receptionist or park rangers (especially taking into account local laws and regulations).

The most popular hike options are recovery zones. They are not accessible to any type of vehicle (even the old paths are still partially visible; visiting these areas is prohibited):

Hike to Terevau, the most high point islands, quite easy. The journey to the top will take about 1.5 hours, and allow another hour for the return journey (from and to Ahu Akivi). Or you can start from Vaitea (about half way to the main Anakena beach). You can also get there on horseback (usually there are tours every morning, depending on the weather).

Rano Kau can be easily reached on foot. When you reach the volcanic crater, just follow the path east side crater to see landscapes that are inaccessible by traveling in other vehicles. You can also go to Orongo or just take a tour.

The northwest coast hike will take approximately 5 - 7 hours and will require some planning and preparation. You can simply take a taxi to the main beach of Anakena and head back along the coast to Hanga Roa. You can also go on horseback, although this is less accessible (the route is not as popular and more expensive than others). Although there are several archaeological sites here, which, however, are not of great interest. Among them, for example, is a cave full of petroglyphs.

Pua Katiki is an isolated northeastern peninsula with high, steep cliffs. Some of them are currently used as cattle grazing areas. The climb to the top will take about 1.5 hours. Along the way you can see some interesting monuments, including the infamous "Virgin's Cave".

Shopping and shops

Since there is only one village on the island, Hanga Roa, craft markets and shops are mainly located on its main street, church street or nearby.

Many local small producers are located in large areas close to tourist bus stops - they are worth a look if you would like to purchase local artisan products or limited-edition souvenirs that cannot be found in other countries. You can also buy souvenirs at the airport, but they will be mass produced.

The official currency is the Chilean peso (CLP), but unlike the continental one, here you can pay in cash using dollars (USD). Almost all hotels and business travelers accept USD, but you should convert to check which rate is best for you. Taxi drivers only accept small USD bills.

Some guidebooks claim that you can use euros (EUR), but this information is false, although some souvenir shops readily accept cash. However, you can exchange euros at a gas station at a reasonable rate (more convenient than in banks).

When buying souvenirs, it is better to pay in cash. Often sellers will inflate the minimum price or charge service fees for using a credit card (about 10 - 20%) - only in cases where the seller accepts credit cards at all; many small manufacturers only accept cash.

There are a total of 2 ATMs on the island. The ATM in front of the Banco Estado on Tu "u Maheque Hanga Roa accepts only Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard, except branded Visa cards. The ATM on Policarpo Toro accepts Visa, Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard. Previously, there were ATMs in the airport departure hall, as well as inside the gas stations , but both ceased operation (July 2013).

The local bank can issue Visa loans, but they are open only part-time (Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 13:00) and queues can be long, especially at the end of the month.

Some of the most unique things on the island are the banks (CONAF and almost all the businesses). They are very picky when it comes to the condition of dollar bills. Banknotes are not considered valid if they are torn, wet, defaced, or even if they are old and tattered. These notes can be saved for some other purpose. However, when you take out dollars yourself (or exchange money before visiting the island), you should keep this in mind.

Unlike on the continental island, 19% VAT is not charged on Easter Island.

Clubs and nightlife

Nightlife on the island is less active than in major cities, and the main attraction is definitely the Polynesian dance shows. Kari Kari on the main street, Wai Te Mihi next to the cemetery and Te Ra'ai restaurant outside Hanga Roa have their own specialties throughout the year (except during the holidays and Tapati, when dancers participate in festival events). Discos, Toroko and piriti - places where you could easily fit in with the crowd of locals.

How to return

LAN Airlines has regular flights to and from (daily), to Lima (currently discontinued) and Tahiti (weekly). If you are departing from an airport in another country, there will be a small cash exit fee.