Hike to Easter Island. Easter Island. Travel notes. How to get from Russia to Easter Island

The mysterious one is located in the Pacific Ocean so secluded that it takes at least 4-5 hours to get to it by plane from any nearby land.
It is the easternmost of the Polynesian islands. From the Chilean coast of South America to Easter Island about 3700 km, and from Pitcairn Island about 2000 km.
Since planes do not fly from Pitcairn Island, the nearest western point from where you can get by plane is the island of Tahiti.

How to get to Easter Island

For Russians, it is preferable to get to Easter Island through Chile - since Chile is a visa-free country for Russian citizens. And when flying through Tahiti, you need to open a French visa for overseas territories.
You can also fly to Easter Island from Lima (Peru) without a visa.
Flights are operated by Lan (lan.com) - on their website you will find flights from Lima and Santiago. The flights take the same time, but the cost of a flight from Lima is half that from Santiago.

Easter Island itself is Chilean territory - and therefore for Russians entry to the island is visa-free.

History of Easter Island

When Thor Heyerdahl arrived on Easter Island, he was going to prove that the island was inhabited by immigrants from South America. Currently, this theory is not confirmed, and it is believed that the island was settled by the inhabitants of the Polynesian Islands. The date of this settlement is not precisely established and varies from 300 to 1200 AD.
The local population is called Rapanui, one of the names of Easter Island is Rapa Nui.
Easter Island before the arrival of man was wooded and fertile. Volcanic soils provided food for several tens of thousands of people, despite the fact that the island is small (if you wish, you can walk around the perimeter in a day)

But deforestation, followed by soil erosion, turned the fertile island into a bare, uncomfortable landscape that could no longer feed so many people, and their number decreased several times.
At the time of the arrival of the Dutch Jacob Roggeven, who gave the name to the island, there were only 2-3 thousand people on the island. The island was named Easter Island - as it was opened on the day of the Easter holiday.

Then the population was reduced due to the export to the mainland as a slave force, and at the end of the 18th century there were just over a hundred local residents on Easter Island. Now, due to the development of tourism, the population is increasing and today about 5 thousand people live on the island, of which 2 thousand are indigenous.

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

general information

The name of the island recalls that it was discovered by a Dutch survey vessel 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, the controversy over the origin of the islanders has not subsided. DNA testing has now conclusively proven that the Polynesians came from the west, not the east, and that Easter Islanders are the descendants of intrepid travelers who traveled there from Taiwan thousands of years ago. Legend has it that people went to Easter Island because their own island was gradually 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. While there is no consensus as to when humans first arrived on Easter Island (estimated to be from a few hundred to over a thousand years ago), it is assumed 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 deliberately colonized with the help of big boats with many settlers - a remarkable feat, given the distance from Easter Island to any other land in the Pacific.

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

The islanders prospered from these benefits and reflected this in the religion that developed into their leisure - the giant moai, or heads, which are the island's most distinctive feature today. The moai that dot the island are thought to have been ancestral images, whose presence was probably considered a blessing or a watchful guard in every small village.

The ruins of the Rano Raraku crater in the quarry, where dozens, if not hundreds of moai are located in the very center, are a testament to the significance of these figures for the islanders and the fact that 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 way foreseen by them, for which they could use their skills and resources. The bird-man in culture (in the form of petroglyphs) is an obvious evidence of the hopes of the islanders for the opportunity to leave their island for distant lands.

However, as the population grew, so did the pressure on the island's environment. Deforestation of trees on the island gradually increased, and when this main resource was exhausted, it was difficult for the islanders to continue to make ropes, canoes and everything necessary for hunting and fishing, and ultimately to maintain a culture that encouraged the islanders to produce giant stone figures. Apparently, the 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.

By the end of the glorious culture of Easter Island, the population had reached a minimum, the inhabitants, due to the lack of food or livelihood, sometimes resorted to cannibalism and a 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 natives of Rapa Nui remained.

Today Rapa Nui National Park is on the list world heritage UNESCO. Its inhabitants rely on many tourist and economic connections and daily flights to Santiago. Like many indigenous peoples, Rapa Nui seek artifacts from 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 you can check if there is a better price anywhere. Some travelers prefer to rent accommodation from locals - you can look at offers.

How to get there

Due to the extreme geographic isolation of Easter Island, many people believe that only a very brave traveler can reach it. In fact, it can be reached with regular commercial air service from Hanga Roa (IATA: IPC), as tourism is the island's main industry.

Since this place is a de facto part of , this is a domestic flight from Santiago and no passports will be required upon arrival from Chile. Flights also come from Tahiti - then your passport will be needed.

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 LAN Airlines flights fly daily to Santiago de 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 airfare will cost for your dates in the Trevelask section.

Easter Island is said to be "conveniently located" when it is found to be on a world travel map, where it acts as an interesting stopover between Polynesia and South America, and also helps reinforce the perception of outsiders. Because of the waves, only one in four cruise ships can dock here.

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

If possible, consider landing in Santiago after returning from Easter Island. There is a small chance that you will be denied boarding your flight if you need a medical evacuation, and a scheduled stop will give you more options if you experience this. The plane sometimes leaves the island late, as a result of which you may have problems with further transfers on the mainland.

By plane

Clue:

Easter Island - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 9

Kazan 9

Samara 10

Yekaterinburg 11

Novosibirsk 13

Vladivostok 16

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

Clue:

Easter Island - monthly weather

Main attractions. What to see

The biggest sights on Easter Island are the figures standing on solemn 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 go ah. This is extremely disrespectful, and in case you damage the seats, even by accident, the punishment will be severe. Recently german tourist, who broke a moai's ear, was sentenced to criminal liability and fined $10,000.

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

Ahu are mostly located along coastline islands. First time visitors may be amazed at how many archeological 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 keeper, although not all of them were moai, so if you drive along the south coast of the island, you will see that every mile has sections of ruins.

Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters Rano Kau Rano and Raraku. A little further back in the quarry at "Rano Raraku" is the place where most of the moai were created, on a hillside. This is a 300-foot cooled volcano that provided the stones for great creations. The visitor can see the various stages of carving, as well as partially completed figures scattered around. Climbing along the left side of the volcano, to the top and inside the crater, you will remember for a long time. The opposite side of the crater, where some of the moai were carved, is one of the most dramatic spots on the island, but is unfortunately not currently accessible.

Similarly, Rano Kau is the remnant of a volcanic cone, ash, like Rano Raraku, filled with fresh rainwater and has a speckled, ethereal appearance that takes your breath away. Nearby are other Hanga Roa viewpoints.

Often overlooked, Easter Island's vast cave systems are a particularly fascinating attraction. While there are a few "official" caves that are quite interesting in their own right, there are numerous unofficial caves on the island, most of which are located near Ana Kakenga. When you study them, you will feel like a real adventurer.

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

While the openings in most of these caves are small (some barely crawlable) and hidden (the background of the rather surreal lava field could be compared to the surface of Mars), many of them lead into prohibitively deep and extensive cave systems. Caution note: these caves can be dangerous in that so many go much deeper. A person left without a torch will plunge into complete darkness with little hope of being able to get out soon ... if it ever happens.

The caves are also extremely wet and slippery (some ceilings have collapsed due to water erosion). Also, don't underestimate subtropical rain. Climate change is very fast and there is a risk of unexpected flooding due to rain. And this is in a cave with limited space to move around!

Beaches. Which is better

Easter Island has two white sand beaches. Anakena, on the north side of the island, is a great surf spot with small waves. You can also surf in the harbor at Hanga Roa, which many of the locals do. There is a small car park, a toilet ($1), a few small barbeque cafes with cold drinks, 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 can 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 Ovahe, east of Anakena. This beautiful and deserted beach is surrounded by breathtaking cliffs. Attention: the path leading down to the beach is quite uneven and it is best to get here on foot. Off-road driving (as opposed to the misguided actions of some tourists) is illegal in most of the island.

Sometimes large waves wash away all the sand from Ovahe and then slowly bring it back. The last such incident 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 currently seeps 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 next to the harbour, but there are a few others scattered in the surrounding areas.

Traditional food includes chiranto and ahi tuna.

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, snack prices start at $20 and up. The range of fish is quite large, as it happens in the continental. Pizza and other familiar foods are available at the corner cafe next to the Catholic Church. A large pizza will cost you, however, 14,000 - 22,000 pesos. There is a large selection of toppings and a really varied menu.

There are 2 types of lobsters. The big one is called a real lobster, while the small one, equally delicious, is called "Rape Rape" by the locals. The lobsters are currently under protection and restrictions are being placed on catching them during the off-season.

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

There are also a few limited supply grocery stores (only a few of them can be considered real supermarkets) where patrons can pick up snacks, limited stocks of sundries, booze, etc. for themselves. It should be noted that it is difficult to shop in grocery stores on Easter Island. All of them are quite small, and their range is constantly changing. A large number of products are not on the shelves - you can get it only 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, as well as provide you with everything you need.

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

• Kanahau - good food and service on the high street.
• 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. A restaurant with a beautiful sea view and delicious food. It has the reputation of being the best restaurant on the island, so it's not the cheapest place either.
• La Taverne du Pêcheur is a small French restaurant on the port side of the village. Very good seafood. Possibly the most expensive restaurant on the island. Some people think the prices are too high.
• Mamma Nui is a traditional family restaurant. They specialize in tuna ahi.
• Pea. Despite the sea view, the high prices are not comparable to the quality of the main dishes.
• Tataku wave. As the restaurant is not located in the very center, you would not be able to find this gem without a recommendation from the front desk. 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 view of the sunset and crashing waves. 8,000 - 12,000 pesos per person, plus drinks. Steep access road, however, you can drive slowly or take a taxi.
• Te Moana. The restaurant moved from the main street to the outer line in 2013. The tuna sandwich is especially good. A live orchestra often plays on Wednesdays and weekends.
• Te Ra "ai offers a package that includes a transfer (hotel - restaurant - hotel), a Polynesian dance show and a Curanto dinner. The restaurant is located outside 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 trappings to be found on the island at good prices, plus an excellent menu for the main dishes of the day (appetizer, main course and fruit juice). 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 some fantastic empanadas, but the sandwiches are their true calling and worth a try. Try a banana and an orange smoothie if available. To their 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 pricey.
• Mahina Tahai is a classic large "menu" that includes bread, butter, soup, fish and rice steak, juice and dessert.
• Miro is located close to the cemetery, there are big pizzas.
• Piroto Henua is a sports bar with a simple menu next to 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 will the best option if you are not used to whiskey or rum. Drinking pisco has a lower degree than vodka, although it is not recommended by Chileans.

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

Another common cocktail is the piscola, a pisco with Coke.

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

The usual rate for a can of soda in 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 are no street crimes in Hanga Roa. Thus, well-behaved tourists have nothing to fear. Tourists who need police assistance can contact the local PDI (Chilean Federal Police) office, which is located outside the city, a short taxi ride away and open until 6pm. However, be aware that the officers usually only speak Spanish.

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

In the morning at winter months(June - August) it is dark and the nights until spring (September - October) can be cold. Depending on the season, one should not forget about protection from the sun and wind.

Hepatitis shots offered by CDC to visitors to Easter Island mainly due to street food vendors and consumption tropical water. Easter Island officials insist the water is safe, but some say it tastes off-putting and can disrupt your intestinal flora. Avoid drinking tap water and eating street food until you know how it will affect you. Let hotels prepare all food and drink for the stomachs of tourists, and therefore be safer than restaurants. Day trips organized by tour companies often include a cooked lunch. They also need to be safe, as many tour companies are affiliated with hotels and source their products from the kitchens of tourist hotels, but if in doubt, ask.

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

Visitors to Anakena Beach should be careful when walking under palm trees. Coconuts can fall and hurt you. In addition, Anakena Beach has many very exotic food and drink vendors that are fun to try, but you should 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 consideration when purchase. If you decide to get a hepatitis shot before you come to the island, keep in mind that it includes three shots and will take several months to fully protect.

Remember that some of the island locations can only be reached after a long, sometimes steep and potholed journey. Always ask your instructors about this. A path longer than 700 meters will tire you out quickly. Travelers will enjoy more if especially on key sites physical exercise won't cause problems.

Travelers who have difficulty walking, using stairs or wheelchairs will be restricted from traveling. Tracks 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 amenities and can be narrow. It is not allowed to leave the trail: this will result in a complaint from your guide, and it is also against the rules of the park.

Things to do

Some areas of the restoration zone (Pua Catiki and Terevaka peninsula) are planted with trees. These areas may only be accessible for walking or horseback riding. Access to the recovery areas by car is strictly prohibited.

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

Snorkelling is a popular pastime, even with the current partial restriction in some areas (near Motu Nui and Motu Iti). There are diving centers that rent equipment and organize boat trips for divers: Atariki Rapa Nui, Orca and Mike Rapu Diving.

Large sea turtles can be seen next to 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 also provide private tours.

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

Travel agencies sell holiday packages that include accommodation and excursions. However, only places officially company-owned, can on legal grounds provide their services tax-free (invoices they give you, law 16.441). This means that you will avoid VAT and other taxes when you contact the operators directly.

There are 4 established local tour operators, each with at least a decade of experience.

Aku Aku Turismo. Tour operator mainly providing Spanish group tours. Their office is 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 groups or with a private guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. They also provide catering charters and 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.

In the center tourist information you can also make contact with freelancers, but professional guides work mainly with large tour operators.

Easter Island Travel. Specializes in private groups, has experience 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 the service description and total cost in writing for your own safety. In addition, law firms in , including those on Easter Island, have RUT (9-digit code).

hike

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

The most popular hiking options are the recovery zones. They are not accessible for any type of vehicle (even the old tracks are still partly visible, it is forbidden to visit these areas):

The hike to Terevau, the highest point of the island, is quite easy. The way to the top will take about 1.5 hours, and take another hour on the way back (from and to Ahu Akivi). Or you can start from Vaitei (about half way to the main beach of Anakena). You can also get there on horseback (as a rule, such tours take place every morning, depending on the weather).

Rano Kau is easily accessible on foot. When you reach the volcanic crater, simply follow the east side of the crater for views not accessible by other vehicles. You can also go to Orongo or just take a tour.

The northwest coast hike will take about 5 - 7 hours and will require some planning and preparation. You can just take a taxi to Anakena's main beach and drive 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, a cave full of petroglyphs.

Pua Katiki is an isolated northeastern peninsula with high, precipitous 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 "Maid's Cave".

Shopping and shops

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

Many local small producers are located on large plots close to bus stops. tourist buses- Worth a look if you'd like to buy local artisans or limited edition souvenirs that can't 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 businesses accept USD payment, but you should recalculate to see which rate is best for you. Taxi drivers only accept small USD bills.

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

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

On the island in total 2 ATMs. The ATM in front of the Banco Estado on Tu "at Maheke Hanga Roa accepts only Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard, except for 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 station , but both stopped their work (July 2013).

The local bank can issue loans to the Visa card, but it is open 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 peculiar things on the island are the banks (CONAF and almost all 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 with markings, or even if they are old and worn. These bills can be saved for some other purpose. However, when you take dollars yourself (or exchange money before you visit the island), you should keep this in mind.

Unlike the continental one, 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 the Te Ra "ai restaurant outside Hanga Roa have their own characteristics throughout the year (with the exception of the holidays and Tapati, when dancers participate in festival events). Discos, Toroko and piriti - places where you could fit into the crowd of locals.

How to return

LAN Airlines have scheduled flights to and from (daily), to Lima (now discontinued) and Tahiti (weekly). If you are departing from an airport in another state, there will be a small cash exit fee.!

Have something to add?

Hititeairaghi, Rapa Nui, Te Pito-o-te-henua, Tekaouhangoaru are all other names for the territory we know as Easter Island. For most people, Easter Island is associated with something mysterious - and no wonder: it is famous for its huge stone statues lined up along the coast. They stare out at the ocean with painted eyes, and this look is both creepy and mesmerizing. One of the main questions - how did these 10-meter idols get there? - is still unresolved. Tourists flock here in the hope of unraveling the mystery, but they return home hung with 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 on an independent trip and call at the port in a couple of weeks.

The second way is by air, the island has an airport that receives flights from the Chilean capital Santiago, Tahiti and Lima. The flight schedule depends on the season: for example, from December to March, flights are operated only once a week. In other months - twice a week. The flight from Santiago takes about 5 hours.

Search for flights to Santiago (nearest airport to Easter Island)

Transport

All the attractions of the island are close to each other, and the territory itself is small. On Easter Island, you can ride a taxi, bike or rent a car. It is almost impossible to get lost on the island, as 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 - it will be difficult to do this on the island. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Easter Island beaches

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

Cuisine and restaurants

There are enough small cafes on the island where you can have a cheap meal. On the menu, you should choose seafood dishes, such as soup or tuna steak. In general, the steaks here are very good - 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, while the owners of the establishment can demolish one of the walls so that visitors can enjoy the view of the ocean.

Easter Island Hotels

The island has the only city where you can stay in a hotel - Hanga Roa. Most tourists prefer mini-hotels, rather than network operators, and yet the cost of living is rather big. The fact is that many goods are imported to the island 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 pool, a massage parlor, an open-air jacuzzi.

One of the ways to earn money for the inhabitants of the island is to rent out apartments. At the airport, each new plane is met by a crowd of local residents, vying with each other offering accommodation in hotels or in their homes.

There is also a campsite on the island - here you can pitch a tent or rent a very simple room for little money, and with the Internet. To get to the campsite, you need to find a guide at the airport with a sign Mihinoa - this is the name of the place where you will stay.

The shops

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

Entertainment and attractions of Easter Island

Moai

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

Moai stand along the coast and look at the island. Hundreds of books have been written about the history of their occurrence, films have been made, but there are still no clues. Someone believes that aliens brought them to the island, others are sure that only giant people 3-4 meters tall could make such statues. Another version is that these idols themselves came to the island, but later forgot how to walk and stayed here forever. In total, there are about 900 statues on the island, most of which are located near the Rano Raraku volcano.

Volcanoes

The craters of the volcanoes Rano Kau and Rano Raraku are another attraction of Easter Island. It was from the remains of Rano Raraku that the moai were made. Half-finished statues are scattered in the pit of this volcano. Inside Rano Kau, the view 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 bird-man 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 Catholic Church known for woodcarving. Looking at it, it seems that the building itself is carved from wood. Craftsmen work here, and on Sundays music services are held.

5 things to do on Easter Island:

1. In late January - early February, visit the unique Tapati festival, which probably has no analogues in the world. It takes place in late January or early February. "Tapati" is a cross section of the culture of Easter Island, and not an export version, but a real one. The natives sing, dance and measure their strength.
2. Climb to the ceremonial site Te-Pito-te-Khenua, whose name in Rapanui means “navel of the earth”.
3. Arrange a romantic picnic in the palm groves of Anakena Bay.
4. Come up with your own legend about moai - and then tell it to the locals. They love to listen to versions of how the statues appeared at Easter. You will be listened to attentively, maybe your story will be written down if it is unique, and will be placed in the collected works of tourists.
5. Visit the village of Orongo and see numerous petroglyphs with images of birdmen and the god Make-Make. By the way, this island had its own written language - rongo-rongo, which has not yet been deciphered.

As you probably already know, the road to Easter Island for everyone who wants to get there starts from airports in Chile or Tahiti. Travelers visiting the moai (the famous idols of the island) are usually delivered by LAN aircraft, which fly from Santiago airport every day at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and from Tahiti (Papeeti) once a week.

Just recently, a plane flew from Lima, but for some unknown reason, it did not justify itself at all, and therefore, today the most in a simple way Getting to Easter Island is considered an air flight from Santiago. Of course, you also know that tickets must be purchased in advance. Prices start at $650 and up. Oddly enough, the cheapest flights occur for some reason on Fridays. Therefore, you need to look at sites, book in advance and look for cheaper options. In general, you need to carefully monitor all discounts and offers on the LAN airline website.

If you order a tour to Easter Island, then it will cost you fabulously expensive, and long flights will simply exhaust you. In this case, if your flight will take place from European territory, then it is best for you to combine a visit to the island with a sightseeing tour of one of the capitals of South America - Lima, Bogota, Santiago de Chile or Quito. In this case, you will do just fine and find yourself cheaper tickets and at the same time relax after long flights, while diversifying your cultural program as much as possible.

As for organized tours from Moscow with a visit to Easter Island, the most popular here are tours to Chile, of course, because it is to this state that the island belongs. On the second, third and so on place in popularity can be called such tours as - "Peru, Chile and Easter Island", "Peru and Easter Island", and in addition "Chile, Argentina and Easter Island".

As a rule, such tours that combine visiting Easter Island with Latin American countries last at least two weeks (but there are also shorter durations), and their cost is approximately two to three thousand dollars per person. True, absolutely all transfers, domestic flights, visas, insurance, hotels and more are included here.

So, if you flew to Easter Island on your own, then you will need to stay somewhere for a few days. It is best to choose your accommodation places on such a well-known and popular site as Booking.com. There are campsites, and more budget options, and with more comfortable conditions residence.

Now, if you want to explore the island on your own, then you will need to rent some kind of vehicle. Of course, the best option is a jeep, but a scooter is also an option. Fans of organized tourism can certainly take part in one of the excursions offered here. Its cost is about 35 dollars, they will take you to absolutely the same places, but they will also tell you a lot of interesting information about the history of the island.

If you inspect everything on your own, then first of all, of course, you need to go to the coast of the island in national park"Rapa Nui", which by the way is under the auspices of World Organization UNESCO. It is there that the famous stone statues are located - Moai, apparently made from compressed volcanic ash.

Statues made in the form human heads sometimes with headdresses, and sometimes without, sometimes they reach a height of up to 20 meters. Naturally, disputes still do not subside over how the statues got to the coast and who could deliver them there. Moreover, many statues remained lying in the quarries, as if someone was in a hurry and did not have time to simply deliver them to their destination.

Then you need to visit another very interesting place on the island - the crater of the Rano Raraku volcano, there are also about three hundred statues here. If you want to visit the crater of the Rano Khao volcano, then do not forget that there is a wonderful observation deck there. And inside the crater itself is a very remarkable lake. Some tourists even make a day hike along the crater.

And don't forget to take a look at the ceremonial village of Orongo, located near the edge of the crater. It has gained popularity in the tourist environment due to its picturesque landscapes. In former times, certain rituals were held in the village, dedicated to the cult of the bird or the bird-man. On the territory of the village you can see a lot of cobblestones with carvings on them. As a rule, it is of two types - with the image of the local deity Make-Make or a bird-man.

You can look at one of the most beautiful beaches of Easter Island - Anakena Bay. It has amazingly beautiful white sand. In addition to the fact that surfers are frequent guests in this bay, tourists often have picnics in the nearby palm groves. Another very attractive beach on the island is Ovahe. It is located in the southern part of the island, but due to the fact that it is surrounded on all sides by rocks (very beautiful), it is not so often visited.

Another very unusual attraction of Easter Island is the Catholic Church of Hanga Roa. It looks very attractive from the outside, and inside you can admire the magnificent wood carvings and samples of the craft traditions of local residents. On Sundays, you can also attend a service with musical accompaniment.

Also on Easter Island you can (and should) walk to the caves, many of them are accessible and easy to visit. But there are also a number of caves that are still very poorly understood, so if you want to become their discoverer, go ahead. And finally, for cultural development, you can go to the Anthropological Museum of the island, named after Father Sebastian Englert, and visit a large library with a huge collection of books dedicated to culture, history and the constant study of Easter Island.

On March 21, on the eve of my birthday, we flew to Easter Island, to Hanga Roa. There were no empty seats in the Boeing, apparently the policy of the Chilean airline LAN to reduce tariffs and all kinds of discounts is bearing fruit, people travel despite the crisis. For example, an air ticket cost us $350, and if we had bought it earlier, it would have been even cheaper. The flight was very comfortable, five hours passed unnoticed by the pleasant viewing of films. Almost all the time we flew over water, the plane landed on the runway directly from the ocean, it was pretty scary. The Mataveri airport turned out to be quite small, accepting a maximum of two planes a day. Stepping off the ladder, I immediately felt how high the humidity is here, subtropics, however. The temperature during the day is about +26 degrees, but it feels much hotter than at Santiago's 32. While waiting for the luggage, I admired the work of the customs retriever, who conscientiously sniffed the suitcases on the conveyor belt, apparently looking for drugs. At the exit, we, like all other tourists, were hung around our necks with garlands of local yellow cappuccino flowers and taken to.

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Travel time to the hotel is less than 5 minutes, on the way we immediately booked a half-day excursion so as not to lose an hour of precious time. The hotel was simple and unpretentious, with a Polynesian-style interior garden filled with colorful flowers and palm trees, and a small swimming pool.

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The room costs about $140 per night, including breakfast. I was ready for such a situation, because even in Santiago I heard that there are no luxury hotels on the island, everything is quite primitive and simple, it is believed that you need to go here for comfort and luxury, but for something completely different. Yes, and the islanders oppose mass hotel development and do not let the well-known hotel chains Sheraton, Hilton, etc. into the island, despite the great interest on their part to get here. But in general, we were satisfied with the hotel.

We checked into the hotel at 12 noon, threw our things into the room and immediately went to the city to have lunch and look around before the start of the tour, scheduled for 3 hours. Already on the way, we realized that our hotel is quite far from the tourist area, another deception, the hotel website said that it was located very close to the center. Then we calmed down when we found out that taxi prices are very low here, and there are large subsidies for gasoline on the island. The town turned out to be small, unpretentious, with a minimum set of services, such as Internet cafes, car rentals, etc.

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We had lunch at the Raa cafe, ordered tuna ceviche, local white fish and a fruit platter of mango, pineapple, papaya and bananas. Delicious, but expensive, food prices on the island are much higher than in Santiago, but we were also prepared for this. Satisfied, we went by taxi to the hotel, and from there on the first excursion with the local travel agency Aku. Before that, while sorting things out, I discovered that we had forgotten the cord for recharging the photo battery at home and was terribly upset, then we found an Internet cafe in the town, where we were kindly charged twice. I don’t know what I would have done without this help, because I took a lot of pictures, my eyes just ran away from the abundance of natural and archaeological beauties.

Excursions on the island take place on small buses, minivans, for 10-12 people, no more. On the first day, we were unlucky, we came last, and Mario got a folding seat with a shortened back. Of course, he could not bear this and wanted to refuse to go, he had to give him his place at the window next to the Japanese tourists, with whom he spoke in Japanese, which made them completely delighted. Only then did he calm down.

On the first day we were taken to the southeastern tip of the island to watch the crater of the extinct volcano Rano Kau. This crater extraordinary beauty, you look at it from above and the impression is that it is a lunar landscape, everything shimmers below, water, islands of greenery, moss.

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I want to wave my arms and fly, so it affects the imagination! In addition to beauty, the crater also has a very practical purpose, being the main storage fresh water, its diameter reaches 1.6 km. The crater of the volcano itself is located in a picturesque emerald valley framed by hills growing out of it! Looks amazingly beautiful and unusual!

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Then we were taken to the ceremonial village of Orongo. This is a different song! This place is associated with the cult of the bird-man, which arose on the island after long wars and replaced the worship of moai. That is, there was new religion symbolizing the rebirth of life. The essence of the cult is that representatives of various clans once a year gathered in the sacred village of Orongo, built on the cliffs of the Rano Kau volcano, and the candidates for the title of “bird-man” Tangata Manu elected their representative, hopu manu, who was supposed to swim to the islets Motu and wait there for the first egg of the local manutara bird (something like a seagull). The wait was sometimes quite long, and the poor hopu manu spent the night in cold caves, while their masters watched their actions from above from stone semicircular houses with a tiny entrance in the middle.

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As soon as the servant found the first egg, he gave it to his master, and he became the sacred leader of the tribe for a whole year. That is, simply speaking, he reaped the fruits of the success of his servant, such a class injustice! I then sailed in a boat around these islands of Motu and saw for myself how difficult it was to climb them, solid sharp rocks and stones, but apparently the servants were in good physical shape and trained a lot. We were told that there was a small degree of ritual cannibalism on the island, that is, as part of the ceremony, and not out of habit and need. They worshiped more fertility and fertility, hence the cult of the first egg of the manutara. This place was restored in 1976 and turned into an open-air museum.

We climbed around the entire sacred village, admired the islands of Motu from above, one of which, the smallest, resembles a human fang in shape,

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and then it began to rain, so hard that we immediately got wet to the skin and had to run to the bus. And the prudent Japanese put on raincoats made of film and continued to calmly walk in the rain. We were so chaotically going on an excursion that we did not take any jackets or umbrellas with us. We were poorly prepared in one word, although we heard that it often rains on the island at this time of the year. Mario was saved by a cute tourist from Argentina, from whom he borrowed warm jacket with a zipper, but I dried myself. The impression of Orongo was slightly spoiled by the rain, but we decided to return here on our own in a jeep, which we did later. After Orongo we were taken to the Tahai ceremonial complex, not far from Hanga Roa. Also a very beautiful place with three moai platforms called ahu. Refurbished in 1970. The main ahu with five moai stands with its back to the ocean, like almost everything on the island, with the exception of one or two. It was believed that with their strength and power they somehow protect their clan from troubles and misfortunes from outside.

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In addition to ahu with moai, there are also stone foundations of old boat houses, in which families of wealthy islanders lived. Now only the foundation remains of these houses in the shape of boats, maybe later they will also be restored, it would be interesting to see. The most beautiful moai of this complex stands a little apart from the others. Such a pretty, big-eyed, in a red cap (pukao).

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It is the only statue with white corral eyes. It turns out that initially all the moai were with coral eyes, but then they fell out and were lost, and only in our time during excavations on Anakena beach was the first eye made of white coral found, which is now stored in a local museum, which we never reached, there just wasn't enough time.

Suddenly, horses galloped up to the moai and rushed in pursuit of the dogs. I managed to photograph this scene. I must say that the island has a huge number of semi-wild horses. Once upon a time they were brought here by the French, and they bred with terrible force. Officially, all horses have owners, but they walk in the wild on their own. Local residents complain about them, horses often provoke accidents by running out onto the road and generally behave arrogantly, go into houses, eat everything.

At the end of the tour, we left in the city center and went to buy Mario a shirt. We bought a nice blue shirt of sports style with the inscription Rapa Nui, there will be a memory of the trip. The first day turned out to be full of impressions, we returned to the hotel and went to bed early, because tomorrow morning we had a full-day excursion planned, we had to gain strength.

And now a short digression into the history of Easter Island, which is considered the most inhabited island in the world farthest from land. Chile's mainland coast is 3,703 km away. Easter Island is also called Rapa Nui (this Polynesian name was given to the island by sailors from Tahiti in the 19th century, who compared it with the Polynesian island of Rapa, nui means big). An island of volcanic origin in the shape of a triangle, with three volcanoes at the edges, which are often compared to lighthouses. The climate is subtropical, humid. It is officially believed that the island was discovered by the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday 1722, hence its name. Then the Spaniards, the famous Captain Cook, the Frenchman La Perouse (after whom one of the bays of the island is named) visited the island. But much earlier, in 1536, the ship San Lezmes probably visited the island with Spanish sailors from the Basque Country. In our time, a blood test taken from the islanders showed that they possess the so-called "Basque" gene. So, it is likely that the islanders recognized the Europeans much earlier. So many unsolved mysteries and theories are connected with the history of Rapa Nui!

Regarding the genetic roots and origin of the islanders, there are several assumptions. The most common theory is that the Rapa Nuya people are of Polynesian origin, who sailed from the Polynesian islands in large double canoes. Another theory, which Thor Heyerdahl was an adherent of, claimed that first immigrants from South America sailed to the island, and only then from Polynesia. The stone walls built on the island, identical to the buildings in Cusco and other cities of the Inca empire, as well as the presence of sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes) on the island, can serve as proof of this. Then wars and mutual extermination allegedly began between these two tribes. This theory is considered less likely, but has the right to exist.

What is known for sure is that in 1805 the mass export of the local population to Peru began, in fact the slave trade, the Rapanui were deported to work in the Peruvian mines and turned into slaves. Subsequently, a small part of the evacuated population was repatriated to the island, who brought diseases such as tuberculosis and smallpox from the mainland, as a result of which the local population was almost on the verge of extermination.

After that, missionaries arrived here and did a great job of converting the Rapanui to Christianity. At this time (1860-1888) Europeans began shamelessly exporting moai statues, one of these statues is now in the London Museum. Then the island suffered from the French tyrant dictators, who forced the islanders to leave their homeland and seek refuge in Tahiti. In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile, they were just lucky, they fussed in time, otherwise the island would become Dutch or Peruvian.

Easter Island became famous all over the world thanks to the giant stone idols - moai, which means the looking eye. The statues were carved from soft volcanic tuff on the slopes of the Ranu Raraku volcano, and then descended down the slope and placed around the perimeter of the island on the ceremonial sites of ahu. Each statue is monolithic, that is, it was carved from one stone. Since tuff is a very soft rock, resembling a sponge in structure, it was not difficult for local craftsmen to work with it. In total, there are more than 900 stone statues on the island, most of them look inland and only one group faces the sea. About a fifth of the statues had red pukau stone cylinders on their heads, which were carved in a separate quarry.

Nowadays, so many theories have accumulated regarding the purpose of idols that everyone is free to choose for himself what he likes best. Maybe they were gods or deified ancestors, or maybe they were monuments to specific kings who ruled the island. Thor Heyerdahl believed that these were portraits of white people who arrived on the island from Peru. Cook believed that these were monuments to the rulers buried right there.

The legends of the island speak of the ruling Hotu Matu'a clan who left home in search of a new one and found Easter Island. When he died, the island was divided among his six sons, and then among his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The inhabitants of the island believe that the supernatural power of the ancestors of this clan (mana) is contained in the statues. The concentration of mana will lead to good harvests, rains and prosperity. These legends are constantly changing and transmitted in fragments, which makes it difficult to reconstruct the exact history.

Easter Island is the only island in the Pacific Ocean that developed its own writing system, rongo-rongo. The pictograms on wooden boards are represented by various graphic symbols, images of people, animals, body parts, houses, boats, etc. Rongorongo writing has not yet been deciphered, despite the fact that many linguists have dealt with this issue. Currently, there are many scientific hypotheses about the origin and meaning of the Rapa Nui script. Some scholars believed that the Easter Island letter came from India via China, others via New Zealand. Thor Heyerdahl tried to prove the South American Indian origin of both writing and the entire culture of the island.

My birthday on Easter Island, the most exotic of my life. Mario woke me up early and handed me a gift - kenzo perfume, which I myself ordered for him back in Santiago

Breakfast at the hotel struck me with its simplicity and scarcity. Bread, butter, jam, cheese, ham, cake, coffee, juice, only bananas from fruits (later, however, they began to give fresh papayas). But we were also ready for this. After breakfast, we took a taxi to the local church to watch the Sunday mass, according to tourists, it is quite an interesting sight. Nothing special, just the mass is held in two languages ​​with musical accompaniment, they play guitars, drums, pipes. Loud and fun! Pretty unusual! The bus picked us up first right at the church, and this time we were able to take good places in the front row. We were taken to the most interesting tourist places along the ocean. The first stop was at Waihu, an ancient Moai settlement, where eight of the oldest, most pristine idols are located, lying face down on the ground.

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Huge and primitive, rough work.

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They didn't make much of an impression on me, just unhewn boulders. But the place itself is of extraordinary beauty! The ocean, rocks, cliffs, on the right rises a semicircular, slightly cut green cape, extending into the ocean, the scenery is simply mesmerizing!

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And all this splendor against the background of blue-blue bubbling water!

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The statues are in very poor condition, scattered everywhere, where the body is, where the heads are, where just ancient stones are lying around.

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Mario even asked the guide why they are not being restored or at least raised. In response, we heard something unintelligible, that they first need to invest in education and medicine for local residents, and only then in everything else. A rather strange statement, because the island lives mainly due to tourism.

But the next destination made a strong impression on us. We were brought to the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano, where from 1000 to 1680. local sculptors created giant moai statues from volcanic stone.

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A place of extraordinary beauty and strong energy. There are many statues of moai scattered on the slopes of the mountain, mostly their heads, but there are also in full height V lying position, some strongly tilted, almost falling. This quarry functioned for seven centuries and in total 397 moai of various types and sizes were made in it, from small to giant ten meters.

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Each statue is unique in its kind and symbolizes a particular ancestor.

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And then, unexpectedly and it is not clear why the work on the manufacture of statues was stopped.

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Interestingly, scientists are still wondering how the Rapanui people moved the statues and delivered them to their destination, because they are scattered all over the island. The most common theory is that they were transported by the lever method, like moving a refrigerator from side to side, that is, they kind of “walked” on their own. Of course, along the way, many statues were broken, their necks were especially fragile. We saw a lot of broken moai lying around - the head is separated from the neck.

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The statues are huge, one moai is wearing a hat, the rest menacingly look deep into the island. And all this against the backdrop of water, sky and bizarre hills - the impression is very strong!

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It turns out that in 1960 the tsunami practically washed away this place and scattered the remains of the statues. In 1991, the Japanese firm Tadano began restoration and archaeological work, which lasted two years. As a result of titanic work and considerable investment, an architectural masterpiece has turned out that makes an indelible impression.

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Then there was a stop at Te Pito o Te Henua, where we saw an egg-shaped stone, considered the navel of the earth.

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Around it lie four smaller stones, on which esoteric lovers can sit and feel the supernatural power of the island by placing their hands on the stone. Of course, we also kissed, but I personally did not feel anything supernatural. Japanese tourists immediately pulled out a compass and began to experiment by applying it to a stone.

And then, and then we were finally brought to a completely heavenly place, on wild beach Anakin and left there to bathe for an hour.

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The water is just magical! As I climbed into the ocean, I didn’t get out all the allotted time, it was such a pleasure. We also decided to come back here on our own.

Ahu Nau stands on this beach with seven moai, although the last two, in my opinion, are just stumps. But the main four are unusually good, in red caps, compact and finer workmanship than the others.

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They impress with their refined forms and grace. This ahu is considered to be a symbol of the island and the most well-restored architectural monument. It was restored in 1980, it was then that the first coral eye was found as a result of archaeological work. An important discovery, because it became clear that the original moai had almond-shaped eyes made of white coral with a red pupil.

According to ancient Rapanui legend, it was in this bay that Hotu-Matu'a, the first king of Rapa Nui, landed with the first seven settlers of the island. That is why this ahu is so symbolic and important!

After swimming, we went to the hotel along another, internal, shorter road, only 18 km. to the city, and soon were already in the hotel. Taking a breath and brushing our feathers, we went to Hanga Roa Bay to look for a restaurant for a festive dinner. But first we sat on the embankment and admired the sunset, a magnificent sight! We were advised one place, but we decided to go to the Pea restaurant, standing right on the ocean, to dine with a view of the water and the sunset. And they made the right choice, it was both tasty and aesthetically pleasing! Mario ordered a good bottle of Misiones del Rengo white wine with fruity notes to accompany the fish. Of course, I could not do without my favorite ceviche on my birthday.

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I must say that the service in local restaurants is very slow, apparently they save on labor force, one waiter serves all the tables, but no one complains or gets indignant, apparently the relaxed atmosphere that prevails on the island infects tourists as well. Two young Dutchmen were sitting at the next table, who kindly offered to take a picture of us, we got good pictures. In general, I noticed on the island a lot of young people from Europe traveling in male couples - a boy and a boy. They have nothing in common with the blue ones, they just seem to gather according to their interests and travel together. We usually drive women like this, but they have the opposite. It surprised me.

Thus ended the second day of stay on the island. We got even more impressions, the head was just spinning from their abundance!

On Monday, we had a half-day afternoon excursion planned, and in the morning we went to the city to explore.

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I should have asked about jeep rentals and boat trips. First, we went to a local diving club and signed up for the very last day for a boat trip to the Motu islets. What a small world! The owner of this establishment turned out to be a good friend of Mario's son Ivan, who lives in Mexico and used to work aquarium fish. An impromptu city beach turned out to be very close, just a cove, fenced off from the ocean by stones on which waves broke. The water in it is very calm, I saw that children were swimming there, and decided to follow their example. Mario gladly stayed to rest on the shore. I swam a lot and enjoyed it, of course, not as much as on Anaken, but still. After swimming, we went to a car rental agency and booked a small jeep for the next day. The cost of one day of rental is about 60 dollars. I liked the service - the owners themselves drive the jeep to the hotel, and then they pick it up, beauty! Before the tour, we decided to eat at Aunt Berta's cafe. I heard they serve delicious empanadas with tuna and seafood. We went there, sat in the garden on the street. Service in slow motion, Mario gets nervous, finally I managed to catch the hostess, apparently Aunt Bertha herself, a colorful middle-aged rapanuika, and place an order. I took a beer with two huge empanadas, and Mario a fish. We ate and returned to the hotel on time, even managed to rest a bit before the tour. While waiting for the bus, I went to the mango tree growing on the hotel grounds,

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took a picture and picked up a ripe mango from the ground, which she ate with pleasure later in the evening. Delicious, juicy and very fragrant!

This time we were taken to see the sights inside the island. The first destination was Vinapu. It was in this place that the supporters of the theory of the American origin of the Rapanui found a lot of evidence for their theory. Here are two ahu and the remains of stone walls, consisting of monolithic blocks in the "Inca style", that is architectural style looks a lot like walls ancient empire Incas, which can be seen in Cusco.

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Theories are theories, no one knows what really happened there, one can only guess. But Vinapu itself is a very beautiful place, offering stunning views of the ocean, hills and valleys.

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And horses graze everywhere, which pleases the eye incredibly!

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Each hat weighs from 9 to 12 tons and it was quite difficult to put it on my head, it is believed that first they delivered it to the place of my destination, then they rolled up the hat, put it on mine in a lying position, and only then lifted the entire structure. It turned out "little red riding hood", so I christened them. This place is located quite high, and we climbed the hill for a long time to the observation deck, from where a stunning view of the hills and valleys opened up.

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Something magical, it is impossible to convey this beauty in words and photographs!

And in the end we were brought to ahu Akivi from 7 moai, facing to the ocean. The ocean is quite far from them, they stand almost in the center of the island. Unlike all the other idols of the island, these really look at the ocean.

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Huge, frightening-looking, make a strong impression. I photographed cows against the background of statues for contrast, they seem to be just insects next to them.

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It is believed that these statues have astronomical significance, since they always stand with their backs to the rising sun. Their purpose is not exactly known, maybe they played some role in establishing all sorts of taboos. Nobody knows for sure. I really liked photographing them from behind and in profile, through their contours very beautiful views to hills and valleys.

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On the way to the hotel, we were taken to a cove where sea ​​turtles. We were lucky, we saw a huge turtle very close to us. She leaned out to the middle, looked around and again disappeared under the water. Good but not enough! They waited and waited, but she never showed up again!

Back at the hotel, we rested a bit, put ourselves in order and went to the Polynesian show. We were brought to a restaurant where they give a folklore performance and feed curantos. Curanto is a dish of national cuisine, cooked on the ground, on coals, meat, fish, chicken, sweet potato, vegetables wrapped in banana leaves wrapped in banana leaves. The cooking process itself is a very picturesque sight. We watched as a colorful Rapanuian, almost without clothes, opens banana leaves, rakes up the ashes and takes out cooked food from there.

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I took a picture with him as a keepsake. And then we all ate it. The waitress asked us what kind of wine we want - white or black. They call red wine black! wild people! All the ladies at the table were given a flower and explained that if you attach a flower to the right, then it is considered that this lady is busy, and if it is on the left, then it is free. Mario again found himself next to the Japanese tourists and talked to them like an old acquaintance.

The show lasted about an hour, they sang, danced, a good group, everything was very colorful and interesting for tourists.

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I went to dance on stage at the invitation of the group, and Mario managed to photograph me with a picturesque half-naked dancer. They dance in a rather aggressive manner, especially men who have a formidable appearance and painted faces.

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It must be said that the local men look much better than the women, who tend to be mostly fat and massive. Men are lean, muscular, with inflated muscles. Such is the injustice in nature! In general, everyone was satisfied with both the dinner and the show. Vivid impressions, although a little expensive, about 60 dollars per person. But, as you know, you have to pay for impressions, you should not spare money for this!

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Thus ended our third day on the island, adding even more to the treasury of impressions!

Independent day! At 10 o'clock in the morning, a silver Suzuki Jimmy jeep was brought to us and we drove first to Hanga Roa, and then along the coastal route. The Jeep was very different in handling from my Getz, it is much stiffer and more condo. At first I was shy with him, but after half an hour I got used to it, and already I was leading with pleasure, I fell for it, as they say, after a hunger strike and abstinence. It is not difficult to drive on the island, it is impossible to get lost, there are only two roads. The difficulty is that there are many branches from the main highway, and these earth roads are in poor condition, and even go up and down. In one place I stalled and, afraid to go further up, turned back. On the way we saw a lot of horses, really impudent, come out on the road and stand there as if nothing had happened, not paying any attention to the cars.

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The road ran along the ocean, we drove slowly, stopping where we wanted to calmly admire the views that opened up.

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We stopped at Waihu, Akahanga, Rano Raraku quarry,

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where it began to rain, and we put on the purchased raincoats from the film.

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Then, of course, one more time to ahu Tongariki.

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We went there all alone, which I really liked. Alone with moai, as they say! Great! Although tourists arrive every day, they somehow disperse around the island, there is no such mass character as, say, in Italy or Spain. You can't even compare. In many places we drove along the main road for several kilometers and did not see a single car. Even sometimes it seemed that it was a desert island. We saw many foreign tourists on bicycles and on foot with backpacks and tents. For lovers of active hiking and camping, Easter Island is simply a paradise. You can pitch a tent almost anywhere and live for free. But this is not for everyone! On the way, in one of the places we bought as a souvenir a large wooden egg with the image of the iconic manutara bird, very good work for only 15 dollars. There are a huge number of wooden souvenirs, there are very expensive ones from $ 100 and more, it all depends on the type of wood. We limited ourselves to a modest, but very pretty egg.

By lunchtime we got to Anakena beach.

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Now there were much fewer people there than on our first Sunday race, and we gladly swam to our heart's content in the warm crystal water!