What do bunnies, eggs and an island have in common? Yip, you guessed it, Easter. Of course, none of these actually have anything to do with the ascension of Christ…

Easter Island got its rather bizarre moniker when the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen 'discovered' the island on Easter Sunday in 1722. Naturally he (and the rest of the western world) overlooked the fact that the island already had inhabitants — Polynesians who had settled there in 300 AD.

The island’s indigenous name is Rapa Nui and it is famous for religious rituals of an entirely different nature. Rapa Nui — which was originally called Te Pito O Te Henua (the Navel of the World) — is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Situated in the Pacific between Chile and Tahiti, the island is officially a territory of the South American country.

Unlike most Polynesian islands which are covered in lush tropical forests and white sand beaches, Rapa Nui is an island of rolling grasslands and rocky sea caves. So, why would anyone want to visit this godforsaken (not to mention chocolate-less) island in the middle of nowhere?

Easter Island heads

The island is famous for its monumental statues called 'moai', which were deemed culturally significant enough to crack the World Heritage Site list in 1995. A total of 887 moai have been counted on the island. They are estimated to have been made between the 10th and 16th century and range in height from one to 10 metres.

Moai are sometimes referred to as the 'Easter Island heads', however the monolithic stone statues are actually complete torsos — the figures are kneeling on bended knees with their hands over their stomachs. Admittedly, the heads are disproportionately big.

It is believed that the statues were commissioned as commemorative images of chiefs. Although they are stylised and do not portray individualised characteristics, some have inscriptions and markings that link them to specific chiefs.

The moai were positioned on platforms called ahu and, for the most part, faced away from the sea, watching over the people and providing them with protection. Unfortunately these monolithic statues could do little to prevent ecological destruction, civil war and the arrival of slave traders and missionaries.

For a long time it was a mystery how the Rapa Nui (also the name of the people) managed to move such big statues around the island. That is, until tests revealed that Rapa Nui was not always a desolate grassland. In fact, it was once covered in the palm trees common to other Polynesian islands.

The tree trunks had been used to transport the moai around the island. In their quest to make more (and bigger) moai, the Rapa Nui stripped the island completely of its forests. The deforestation led to soil erosion, crop failure and eventually a 'civil war' and cannibalism. The island’s woes were compounded by the arrival of slave traders and the missionaries who stripped the islanders of their culture. Within a few centuries, the once-vibrant population of 12 000 had shrunk to just 111 islanders.

Where to go

The island is not particularly big; however it offers a rich array of archaeological wonders. If you are pressed for time, make sure that these sites are on your itinerary.

Rano Raraku: There are half-finished or discarded moai still embedded in the volcanic rock in the quarry where the moai were created. Set aside several hours to explore what was once the cultural hub of the Rapa Nui.

Orongo: Perched on rim of the Rano Kau crater is the ceremonial village of Orongo. Built to worship the birdman cult god of fertility, Makemake, the village was also the site of a gruelling leadership competition in which the competitors would climb down the 300-metre cliff and swim through shark-invested water to retrieve an egg from one of the three small islets off the coast. Orongo is home to hundreds of birdman and Makemake petroglyphs

Anakena: One of two beautiful white sand beaches on the island, Anakena is also the site of two restored ahu with their moai. Be careful not to walk on the ahu, as this is regarded as highly disrespectful.

What to do

Once you’ve had your fill of archaeological delights, enjoy some of the activities that the island has to offer.

  • Hike along the rocky northwest coast from Anakena to Hanga Roa.
  • Go surfing at Calena Hanga Roa, Anu Tahai and Hanga Mataveri Otai.
  • Go horse-riding – it’s fun and inexpensive.
  • Swim at Anakena (on the north side) or visit the more obscure beach along the southern shore of the island near Ahu Vaihu. Be warned though that this beach can only be accessed via a rather treacherous path.
  • Go scuba diving or snorkelling near the islets of Motu Nui and Motu Iti off the south side of the island. There is a diving shop in the village where you can rent equipment and organise diving trips.

Getting there

Lan Chile Airlines flies from Tahiti and Santiago to Easter Island twice a week and more frequently during the high season (December to March). The flight is fairly long at five hours (from either side) and with no competition for fares, is rather pricey.

There is no public transport system on the island; however it is fairly easy to rent jeeps, dirt bikes, bicycles and horses. There are a number of taxis on the island.

Useful information

The language spoken on Easter Island is Chilean Spanish, but as a popular tourist destination it is also possible to find people who speak English or French.

The local currency is the Chilean peso, but American dollars are also accepted. Credit cards can rarely be used and doing so usually involves a heavy service charge. There are only two ATMs on the island and they only accept Cirrus, Maestro and MasterCard branded cards.

Most accommodation takes the form of guesthouses which are generally quite reasonably priced. The locals who operate these guesthouses will often greet tourists at the airport and offer accommodation.

The unofficial drink of the island is pisco — a hard alcohol made from fermented grapes. It is best drunk with coke (piscola) or lemon (pisco sour).

Outside of the village, there is no supply of safe drinking water, so don’t leave the village without a few bottles.