Easter Island is truly a fascinating, intriguing and mysterious place.   I was drawn to the island to see the Moai statues in person.  I had seen pictures of them over so many years, but just like most places, pictures can't replace physically being there.  This is especially true of Easter Island.  

My 4 day visit was truly exciting.   Guides took me to the major sites, sharing insights and stories - some that have been documented by archeologists and historians, others that had been handed down by parents and grandparents through storytelling.  The guides told me there is no written history, and little to no oral history, so much of what they know and share is what historians, archeologists and family think happened - but nothing is certain.  Thus the intrigue and mystery continue!   

Easter Island is truly a fascinating, intriguing and mysterious place.  Seeing the Moai in person - how big they are, how they were carved and so many in various stages of completion - nothing like it.  Despite not knowing the exact "why" behind the statues, the guides believed the Moai were carved to honor their ancestors, those with Mana - spiritual energy and protective powers.  

Moai were erected on platforms facing inland, towards the villages they are protecting.  Maybe it was just the excitement of being there, but I have to admit, when I took a moment to take it all in, I could feel the Mana all around the sites.  
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Yes, Easter Island is fascinating, intriguing and mysterious.

NOTE:  During my visit, I stayed at the Explora Hotel.  See my review here.  Guided excursions are part of the Explora experience. 
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Ahu Tongariki

Day 1 afternoon:  Ahu Tongariki is the largest platform on the island with 15 Moai.  Per the government of Chile, the 15 Moai were toppled in the 17th century, believed as part of tribal warfare.  They were struck again to misfortune in May 1960 when an earthquake caused a tsunami that scattered the statues and alters from their bases.   We (my group of 5) were the only ones visiting the site in the afternoon - so peaceful.

​Orongo Village: Birdman Cult Village

Day 2 morning excursion: A 6 mile hike through pastures, up the southern slopes of volcano Rano Kau.  The reward: beautiful views of the ocean, the rim of the volcano and Birdman Village.  The Birdman Village cult - very interesting history about an annual competition to swim out to the islet to grab eggs from a bird that only arrives once a year.  Too much detail to describe here but quite fascinating.  The arrival of Christianity on the island stopped this ritual.    

Rano Raraku - Moai Statue Quarry

Day 2 afternoon excursion: The quarry sits on the outer slopes of volcano Rano Raraku.   Around 400 statues are in the quarry in varying stages of completion.  One sees mostly the heads which is only about 1/3 of the total size of the statue.  The remainder is under ground.  As you walk the trail up the hill you can see the various "trails" from the site - trails the Rapa Nui used to transport the statues to the various corners of the island.  Numerous Moai in various shapes lie along the trails.  

​Kings Landing

Day 3 morning excursion: A lovely 3 mile coastline hike past 3 archeological sites, ending at Kings Landing, today a lovely park and beach area, especially nice for families.   It was once an area strictly for royalty.  The platform found here with 7 Moai was well preserved as it was found under the sand - so damage was little.   

​Pitokura, Lava Tube Caves and Tahai

Day 3 afternoon excursion:  First stop Pitokura, the only inland platform with Moai looking out to sea, westward towards Tahiti.  It is believed the platform honors the 7 warriors who found Rapa Nui and were helping guide their king and people across 2000 miles of ocean from the Tahiti region to Easter Island.  Stop 2 - Ana Te Pahu lava tube cave.  Like many Pacific islands, Easter Island is volcanic, and it has miles of lava tube caves.  These caves were used by the Rapa Nui people to hide from Europeans looking for slaves.  The caves were able to store water and were ideal for growing fruit trees, including avocado trees.  Today a number of them are explored for tours.  I had a choice of exploring one or three.  The third one has you crawling on hands and knees to the tube exit offering a beautiful view of the ocean.   One cave was enough for me - opted out of the crawling through the other two.  A fellow guest shared his photo - absolutely beautiful, but crawling with less than  2-3 feet space - not for me.   Last stop - Tahai, an archeological complex with 3 generations of platforms (ahus) and the only Moai on the island with completed eyes .  I wasn't there late enough but this site is known for watching amazing sunsets.

Interested in Easter Island? Connect with me HERE - I'd be happy to chat with you about the experience.