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Everyone dreams of visiting heavenly places that are well-known in the rest of the world as destinations touched by a divine hand. Well, the natural beauty capable of taking their breath away is not located on the other side of the world, but in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and it is called Easter Island.

Known as the “navel of the world”, Easter Island combines beautiful beaches with inactive volcanoes, as well as the mystical presence of millenary stone statues scattered around the island: the moai. There are more than 800 stone statues buried in the island or located along the coast facing the sea. Some of them have hats and defined torsos, and one of them (only one) has painted eyes.

The island’s charm is all about these statues made of stone, which appear throughout the territory. Researchers are unable to determine who ordered their construction, with what purpose or how they managed to reach the coast of Rapa Nui. The mystery and the beauty of the landscape around the moai makes Easter Island a must for any traveler who calls themselves one.
Places to Visit

Easter Island is formed by volcanoes that emerge from the seabed and shape Rapa Nui as a triangle. The island is conformed by 166 km of green mountains, beaches, sacred sites and places to walk around, all below the blue sky of the South Pacific.
It is easy to get to the island, since all the airlines have flights that go there, although some stop over in Santiago de Chile and then continue their trip until they reach Rapa Nui. Nonetheless, the island’s main activity is tourism, so access is available throughout the year.

Once in the island, the options multiply. The hotel and gastronomic infrastructure is varied and of excellent quality. There are international restaurants and, of course, all of them offer delicious typical dishes made with the best fish of the Pacific and vegetables grown in the island. There are also hotels and guesthouses, camping areas and other places to sleep that offer comfortable and safe facilities surrounded by native vegetation.

Once established in the island, it is time to explore it. Easter Island is not very big, so it is easy to get by on foot or by car. There are places where you can rent cars, jeeps and horses, and there are also tour guides to visit sacred places and all the interesting corners of the island.

The main attraction is the moai. These stone structures can be seen in all Rapa Nui territory, but the most important place is the Ahu, where seven moai can be seen on the coast, facing the sea. It is a sacred place, so it is recommended to enter carefully and with respect and not to talk. The moai are millenary structures, and as such, they are fragile and demand extreme care.
Another important place is Anakena, the most famous beach in Easter Island. It is a place of unmatched beauty, with turquoise, warm, still waters, white sand and an ideal temperature for sunbathing and resting. It is located on the northern side of the island, near Hanga Roa (the capital), and it is possible to surf.

The island also has hidden treasures. One of them is a beach beyond the area of Ahu Vaihu that doesn’t even have a name and it is much bigger than Anakena. This beach has enormous cliffs and it is recommended to get there on foot.

Under the surface, Rapa Nui offers a unique landscape. Away from the beaches and the South Pacific wind, the tourist can visit the caves near Ana Kakenga. To enter the land and discover its mysteries through a tunel of naturally interconnected caves is simply a movie-like activity, and it can be done in Easter Island, the navel of the world.
New Wonder

Easter Island was one of the 20 world destinations in the race to become one of the new wonders of the world. Considering that the pyramids of Egypt are the only attraction of the ancient wonders that still stands, the organization New Open World Foundation held a contest at the end 2008 for the public to choose seven new destinations. In the end, Easter Island was not chosen among the new wonders, but to be considered among the 20 is a real honor.

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Francisco Lira is a tourism expert and manager director of Easter Island Tourism. In Easter Island Tourism you will find all the information you need on; Easter Island Hotels. and Vacations Packages to Easter Island, and you can also find information about culture and archeology of this unique place.

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Things To Consider When Going Hiking On Easter Island

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Home Page > Travel > Things To Consider When Going Hiking On Easter Island

Things To Consider When Going Hiking On Easter Island

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Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer hikers and I’ll probably answer Easter Island. Here on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long you’ll find nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or littering the slopes of an extinct volcano.

The legends of Easter Island have been recounted many times. What’s less known is that the island’s assorted wonders are easily accessible on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, Hanga Roa. Before setting out see the sights, however, visit the excellent archaeological museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of town (the term “ahu” refers to an ancient stone platform). Aside from the exhibits, the museum has maps which can help you plan your trip.

The first morning after arrival, I suggest you climb Easter Island’s most spectacular volcano, Rano Kau, where Orongo, a major archaeological site, sits on the crater’s rim. But rather than marching straight up the main road to the crater, look for the unmarked shortcut trail off a driveway to the right just past the forestry station south of town. It takes under two hours to cover the six km from Hanga Roa to Orongo, but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. (If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you can take a taxi to the summit for around US and easily walk back later in the day.) Once on top, you’ll find hiking down into the colourful crater presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go right around the crater rim, but only do so if you’re a very experienced hiker and have a companion along as shear 250-meter cliffs drop into the sea from the ridge.

Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on the north side of the island (you should pay under US for the 20 km). A few of the famous Easter Island statues have been restored at Anakena and you could go for a swim, although the main reason you’ve come is the chance to trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free northwest corner of the island. You’ll pass numerous abandoned statues lying facedown where they fell, and the only living creatures you’re unlikely to encounter are the small brown hawks which will watch you intently from perches on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, you’ll arrive back in town in five or six hours (but take adequate food, water, and sunscreen). This is probably the finest coastal walk in the South Pacific.

Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, although you’re bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone quarry where all of the island’s statues were born. This is easily the island’s most spectacular sight with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around the crater. And each day large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 am, you’ll have the site to yourself for a few hours. When you see the first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on the coast, where 15 massive statues were reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along the south coast. You’ll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto the highway and stick out your thumb and you’ll be back in town in a jiffy.

An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum and follows the west coast five km north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for banana trees growing out of the barren rocks as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of the island’s most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road runs straight back to town (study the maps at the museum carefully, as you’ll go far out of your way if you choose the wrong road here).

A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater which provided stone for the red topknots that originally crowned the island’s statues. There’s a great view of Hanga Roa from the three crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses the island just south of town. Near the east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.

Easter Island’s moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross country hiking, and you won’t find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour the island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see the main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and you’ll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.

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A Hiking Guide to Easter Island, by David Stanley

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A Hiking Guide to Easter Island, by David Stanley

By: David Stanley

About the Author

David Stanley is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific which has a chapter on Easter Island. Stanley’s guide to Easter Island and Easter Island travel photos may be perused online.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, so long as the byline and resource box are included. Please do not use this article without the byline and resource box. Many thanks!

(ArticlesBase SC #21500)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – A Hiking Guide to Easter Island, by David Stanley

Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer hikers and I’ll probably answer Easter Island. Here on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long you’ll find nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or littering the slopes of an extinct volcano.

The legends of Easter Island have been recounted many times. What’s less known is that the island’s assorted wonders are easily accessible on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, Hanga Roa. Before setting out see the sights, however, visit the excellent archaeological museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of town (the term “ahu” refers to an ancient stone platform). Aside from the exhibits, the museum has maps which can help you plan your trip. An online map is available at http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/easter_island/

The first morning after arrival, I suggest you climb Easter Island’s most spectacular volcano, Rano Kau, where Orongo, a major archaeological site, sits on the crater’s rim. But rather than marching straight up the main road to the crater, look for the unmarked shortcut trail off a driveway to the right just past the forestry station south of town. It takes under two hours to cover the six km from Hanga Roa to Orongo, but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. (If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you can take a taxi to the summit for around US and easily walk back later in the day.) Once on top, you’ll find hiking down into the colourful crater presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go right around the crater rim, but only do so if you’re a very experienced hiker and have a companion along as shear 250-meter cliffs drop into the sea from the ridge.

Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on the north side of the island (you should pay under US for the 20 km). A few of the famous Easter Island statues have been restored at Anakena and you could go for a swim, although the main reason you’ve come is the chance to trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free northwest corner of the island. You’ll pass numerous abandoned statues lying facedown where they fell, and the only living creatures you’re unlikely to encounter are the small brown hawks which will watch you intently from perches on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, you’ll arrive back in town in five or six hours (but take adequate food, water, and sunscreen). This is probably the finest coastal walk in the South Pacific.

Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, although you’re bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone quarry where all of the island’s statues were born. This is easily the island’s most spectacular sight with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around the crater. And each day large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 am, you’ll have the site to yourself for a few hours. When you see the first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on the coast, where 15 massive statues were reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along the south coast. You’ll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto the highway and stick out your thumb and you’ll be back in town in a jiffy.

An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum and follows the west coast five km north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for banana trees growing out of the barren rocks as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of the island’s most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road runs straight back to town (study the maps at the museum carefully, as you’ll go far out of your way if you choose the wrong road here).

A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater which provided stone for the red topknots that originally crowned the island’s statues. There’s a great view of Hanga Roa from the three crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses the island just south of town. Near the east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.

Easter Island’s moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross country hiking, and you won’t find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour the island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see the main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and you’ll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.

Retrieved from “http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/a-hiking-guide-to-easter-island-by-david-stanley-21500.html”

(ArticlesBase SC #21500)

David Stanley –
About the Author:

David Stanley is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific which has a chapter on Easter Island. Stanley’s guide to Easter Island and Easter Island travel photos may be perused online.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, so long as the byline and resource box are included. Please do not use this article without the byline and resource box. Many thanks!

]]>

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