Our adventure on Rapa Nui, the original name for Easter Island, continues. This remote island holds secrets that have captivated researchers and explorers for centuries. On day 3 of our discovery, the tropical weather was merciful with us. Under a gray but dry canopy of clouds, we set out to island tour 2.
Full-day tour 2: our itinerary
Our second guided tour turned around the capital of Hanga Roa. It was a shorter tour compared to our first one (read about our full-day tour 1 here). But it was at least as filled with mystery and legend.
aOrongo and Rano Kau – a village by a former crater
Rano Kau is one of the two Rapa Nui National Park sites that you can enter only once. It’s shrouded in legend. Rapa Nui culture visibly changed here during the sixteens and seventeenth century. The king (ariki) lost his importance and warrior leaders (matato’a) gained priority. Unfortunately, unrestricted tourism led to partly destruction of the site in the past.
Every year in September, hundreds of manutara nested on Motu Nui. Motu Nui is a small and rugged, uninhabited islet in front of the Orongo area.
The eggs of the migratory bird manutara were the goal of the yearly bird-man (tangata-manu) competitions. Bird-men had to climb down the steep, 300-meter-high cliffs in front of Orongo and swim approximately 1.5 km to the islet. Arrived on Motu Nui, they often hid and maybe created petroglyphs related to their cult in the islet’s small caves. At the end, the bravest and strongest bird-man, who made it all the way back and brought the first egg to Orongo, became the new warrior-leader.
Still today, you can see that the crater grounds are prosperous. Our guide Lonti described it as a natural hospital in the past. The Rapa Nui people came to the crater for medicinal plants, pineapples and bananas.
Only at the end of our trip we realized that we hadn’t fully explored Orongo. The extinct volcano Rano Kau is known for UFO sightings at night. The Rapa Nui people talk about UFOs without hesitation or shame. Apparently, every islanders has seen unidentified flight objects at least once in their life. UFOs are believed to be attracted by the island’s special magnetic power. What would we have loved encountering a extraterrestrial life there!
Vinapu – the most perfect platform
Vinapu houses Ahu Tahira, the most perfect platform that resembles the perfectly cut stones at Machu Picchu. The resemblance and perfection of this platform is impressive. It made us think that higher powers reigned here in the past.
These thoughts were even further supported by our conversation about UFOs with Lonti. Rapa Nui residents talk about UFOs as a completely normal thing to happen. We heard of experiences from lots of different people, both Rapa Nui and foreign residents. At some point, you start believing that there is more to this island than just legend.
Ahu Huri A Urenga – the only moai with 4 hands
Ahu Huri A Urenga stands alone, watching towards the sunrise. It’s the only moai with 4 hands, representing the four seasons. This massive moai of 13 meters long and 4 meters wide left us with lots of question marks.
Rapa Nui people apparently were or still are deeply connection to astronomy. This moai probably helped them predict seasonal changes for agriculture and fishing. Our modern civilizations have lost this kind of knowledge, although we master more modern techniques today. But sometimes we should maybe stick more to the traditional and manual way of life.
Puna Pau – quarry of the moai hats
Puna Pau is located in a former crater, high above Easter Island. In this former quarry, the moais’ symbolic headdresses were born. The red volcanic stone here, known as hani hani in the Rapa Nui language, was used to craft the distinctive pukao, or topknots, for the moai statues.
This site gave us an impressive view over the tropical green island. And once more, we felt mystery and a special energy in this site.
Ahu Akivi – the seven moais that look out to sea
Ahu Akivi were the first moais to be restored. The seven moais are aligned facing the sea. During the spring equinox, they face the sunset and during the autumn equinox, they face the sunrise. According to local legend, they represent the seven explorers sent by King Hotu Matu’a to discover the island. They are believed to be looking back towards their ancestral homeland.
Ahu Akivi is located inland, away from the coast. The moais’ perfect position adds to the mystique, as most moais on the island face inland towards villages. Unfortunately, the island administration put quite far limits to the site. But even from a distance, it was one of the most beautiful and impressive sights for us.
Hanga Kio & Ahu Akapu – the prototype of moai platforms
From a historical point of view, you see the first ever-built ahus or platforms there. The structures are very basic, as are the moais, or what is remaining of them. They stand in front of a small bay where waves crash against lava cliffs. According to our guide, the site was once a temporary residence for the island’s kings, or ariki. In addition, it also hosted a school for carving kohau rongo rongo, or talking tablets.
We could have reached this lesser-known site without a guide. It’s a beautiful place to enjoy the sunset with a picnic. Personally, I was missing more insight here – what actually happened and what do these statues stand for? But these questions often remained unanswered during our two day tours on Rapa Nui.
Tahai – the sunset site
Tahai is a very popular and easily accessible site for both tourists and locals during sunsets. We went there at least three times during our Rapa Nui stay. In Tahai, there are three restored ahu platforms: Ahu Vai Uri, Ahu Tahai, and Ahu Ko Te Riku. Ahu Ko Te Riku is particularly famous for its restored eyes, made from white coral and obsidian.
As our second full-day tour of Rapa Nui drew to a close, I felt a seldom sense of intrigue. This remote island hasn’t only experienced ecological collapse. It has proven resilience and adaptation, with its people maintaining a vivid culture despite centuries of challenges. Even though lots of questions remained unanswered, I felt a deep appreciation for this unique island and its inhabitants. Rapa Nui captivates both researchers and visitors – and now I’m one of them.
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