Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - October 2013
Apr 7, 2020, 11:05 am
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, OAK, SJC
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Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - October 2013
Sorry for another really old trip report, but I thought I'd share some photos from Easter Island as it's also (along with Myanmar, the subject of another trip report I posted) a location that I rarely see here. I'm writing a lot from what I can recall from 2013 with some Googling for accurate names; if I'm incorrect about something, please tell me as I hate proliferating wrong information.
I never fly business, but in 2013, I found tickets from LAN (now LATAM) from MEX to IPC for ~$1200 with unlimited stopovers for no addition cost to multiple South American cities. So for ~$1200, my routing became MEX-LIM-SCL(layover)-IPC-SCL-EZE-LIM(layover)-MEX.
In IPC, it was my first time alighting on stairs on the runway and walking to the terminal instead of using a jet bridge.
The owner of the guesthouse we stayed at picked us up from the airport and made a quick stop at a collection of moais on the way to the guesthouse. All the moais were actually toppled in the mid-1800s, so anything that stands erect was actually stood up recently with modern equipment. Nearly all of the moais face inland as the Rapa Nui believed them to be representations of their ancestors who, thusly, looked over their community.
Ahu Tahai
The platform is known as an "ahu."
Moai with restored eyes made of coral and pukao, which represents a topknot and were supposedly placed atop more important moais.
As the cost of renting a car for a day was similar to a guided tour for 2, we opted for the latter. Our guide was a expat from New Zealand who had married someone from the island and our tour group consisted of just 4 people + the guide. The tour took place over 2 days, first learning about and see the moai, then about the environment and culture.
Toppled moais.
Rano Raraku, the volcanic crater and location of the moai quarry. The moais were carved into the side of the rock, released, and, using logs or ropes, moved "feet" first down the mountain. Then, a pit was dug and each moai, still "feet" first, was dropped into the pit to stand it up. All the moais you see on the side of the mountain, facing the ocean, are in their transport phase and their pits have been refilled due to weathering. So, although you only see a moai's "head," there is still a body to be uncovered buried underground. Also, there are barely any trees on the island, having been deforested by the time European explorers reached the island in 1722.
Ahu Tongariki, the largest platform on the island containing the heaviest moai that was erected.
Tukuturi, the only kneeling, and bearded, moai.
Carving of a ship on the body of a moai.
Ahu Akivi, the only moais facing the ocean. It is conjectured that this was erected to either sow good will with the sea for navigators or represent seven of the scouts who discovered the island and stayed behind on the island to wait for the arrival of settlers.
Ana Kai Tangata is an sea cave that contains cave paintings, mostly of birds and ships.
View from Ana Kakenga, a cave system made by a lava tube. The entrance to this cave is a little claustrophobic as you basically have to shimmy down a hole just wide enough to fit a person.
Former lava tubes used for farming as they create microclimates.
Rano Kua, an extinct volcano that now forms a crater lake.
On the edge of the crater is a stone village called Orongo, which was the center of a bird man cult. The cult had an annual race to bring the first manutara egg back undamaged from the nearby islet of Motu Nui to Orongo.
Motu Nui in the background, Motu Iti in the midground, and Motu Kao Kao in the foreground.
I never fly business, but in 2013, I found tickets from LAN (now LATAM) from MEX to IPC for ~$1200 with unlimited stopovers for no addition cost to multiple South American cities. So for ~$1200, my routing became MEX-LIM-SCL(layover)-IPC-SCL-EZE-LIM(layover)-MEX.
In IPC, it was my first time alighting on stairs on the runway and walking to the terminal instead of using a jet bridge.
The owner of the guesthouse we stayed at picked us up from the airport and made a quick stop at a collection of moais on the way to the guesthouse. All the moais were actually toppled in the mid-1800s, so anything that stands erect was actually stood up recently with modern equipment. Nearly all of the moais face inland as the Rapa Nui believed them to be representations of their ancestors who, thusly, looked over their community.
Ahu Tahai
The platform is known as an "ahu."
Moai with restored eyes made of coral and pukao, which represents a topknot and were supposedly placed atop more important moais.
As the cost of renting a car for a day was similar to a guided tour for 2, we opted for the latter. Our guide was a expat from New Zealand who had married someone from the island and our tour group consisted of just 4 people + the guide. The tour took place over 2 days, first learning about and see the moai, then about the environment and culture.
Toppled moais.
Rano Raraku, the volcanic crater and location of the moai quarry. The moais were carved into the side of the rock, released, and, using logs or ropes, moved "feet" first down the mountain. Then, a pit was dug and each moai, still "feet" first, was dropped into the pit to stand it up. All the moais you see on the side of the mountain, facing the ocean, are in their transport phase and their pits have been refilled due to weathering. So, although you only see a moai's "head," there is still a body to be uncovered buried underground. Also, there are barely any trees on the island, having been deforested by the time European explorers reached the island in 1722.
Ahu Tongariki, the largest platform on the island containing the heaviest moai that was erected.
Tukuturi, the only kneeling, and bearded, moai.
Carving of a ship on the body of a moai.
Ahu Akivi, the only moais facing the ocean. It is conjectured that this was erected to either sow good will with the sea for navigators or represent seven of the scouts who discovered the island and stayed behind on the island to wait for the arrival of settlers.
Ana Kai Tangata is an sea cave that contains cave paintings, mostly of birds and ships.
View from Ana Kakenga, a cave system made by a lava tube. The entrance to this cave is a little claustrophobic as you basically have to shimmy down a hole just wide enough to fit a person.
Former lava tubes used for farming as they create microclimates.
Rano Kua, an extinct volcano that now forms a crater lake.
On the edge of the crater is a stone village called Orongo, which was the center of a bird man cult. The cult had an annual race to bring the first manutara egg back undamaged from the nearby islet of Motu Nui to Orongo.
Motu Nui in the background, Motu Iti in the midground, and Motu Kao Kao in the foreground.
Last edited by calbear2005; Apr 11, 2020 at 9:53 am Reason: updated names and added information
At the moment we have to live (travel wise) from memories.....