Easter IslandEaster Island: Updates & Travel
Travel in Easter Island?
- Easter Island is located in the South Pacific and belongs statewide to Chile (since 1888). Culturally, Easter Island belongs to Polynesia and forms one of the corners of the Polynesian triangle (the other two are New Zealand and Hawaii). Most people know Easter Island for its large stone statues called Moai. What is less known is that a Dutchman gave the island this name under which it is now known around the world. This Dutchman was the Zeeuw Jacob Roggeveen who caught sight of the island on Easter Sunday and gave it the name: Paasch-Eyland. The current inhabitants themselves call the island Rapa Nui “Big Rock,” and also called Te Pito O Te Henua “Navel of the World.”
- Easter Island is shaped like a triangle, was formed by several volcanoes and is about the size of Texel. The island has about 8,300 inhabitants (LP, 2017). The locals call themselves Rapanui, but many Chileans also live on the island. And you will also encounter tourists who have stuck around.
- Join the Tapati Rapa Nui festival. The festival celebrates the cultural richness of its inhabitants with demonstrations and competitions in more than 30 art and cultural forms. At the center are two (or sometimes more) candidates competing for the title of Queen and King. You can join the parade yourself in traditional attire and painted with Takona (body painting with cultural symbols), this makes for an extraordinary street scene.
- Although Easter Island does not have coral reefs, diving is definitely worthwhile because of the clarity of the water. On a calm day, visibility underwater can reach up to 60 meters.
- Watch a dance show by one of the island's dance groups: a true spectacle.
- Eat from the ground: the Easter Islanders have a special way of preparing their food, which is underground (Umu).
- Day tour to Rano Raraku (volcano) and along Ahu platforms with Moai statues; the volcano is the quarry from which most Moai statues are carved. You can still see statues in various stages of production.
- Hanga Roa is the only village on the island, but more and more people are building houses outside the village as well. Meanwhile, a new village is forming in the center of the island. In Hanga Roa, you can visit the Sebastian Englert museum with many objects collected by German priest Sebastian Englert (also linguist and ethnologist) for more than 30 years during his life on the island (1935-1969).
- Easter Island's most popular beach is Anakena, located on the north side of the island (30 minutes by car). Be careful when swimming, the waves here can be rough. You can also marvel at one of the platforms with Moai statues there.
- In one decade, the number of tourists per year has more than doubled to now more than 100,000 per year. It is unfortunately congestion these days at the typically archaeologically interesting sites of Easter Island, and taking photos without tourists in view seems impossible.
- For women, it is strongly advised against going out on the streets alone after dark. Robberies and rapes unfortunately also occur here.
- Alcohol and the strong cultural identity sometimes manifest themselves in fights.
Updates Easter Island
- More about Easter Island, updates and contributions, see the link below.
