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Easter Island Vacations: Luxury Adventure Tours, Easter Island Cruises
Did you know that we are unique in the cruise and travel business. You can read about us here, or watch this video about us and see how we plan our renowned Easter Island vacations, cruises and tour experiences for our discriminatining clientele. There are more than 300 moais on the slopes of Ranu Raraku volcano alone, one of which is of 20 m (66 ft) in height and weighs more than 250 tons. Not all of the moais were finished, and there are many unfinished moais to be found in different stages of construction, that show up beautifully the carving techniques used with the very rudimentary tools available to the local population. In fact the wheel was not even available to the makers of the Moai, so in addition to the fine stonework it was an amazing feat in itself to transport these huge stone carvings to different parts of the island. The Moai themselves remain very much a mystery which archaeologists are still trying to unlock by interpreting an ancient language of the Rapa Nui, which is the key to understanding this culture, and is written on the so called 'rongo rongo tablets'. However, its unique characters that run left-to-right one line and then the reverse on the next line are still undecipherable. The island owes its origin to three volcanoes which erupted some three million years ago: Poike, Rano Kau and Maunga Terevaka. On the island there are also more than 70 craters which together with the volcanoes give shape to this island, one of low, smooth hills and beautiful extinct volcanoes. It is not known when or how the islands were first populated, but the most credible theory suggests that the Rapa Nui people came from other Pacific islands in the 4th century AD. It is perhaps difficult to comprehend today, but this culture, isolated as it was for over 1,400 years was convinced it was alone on the planet. Today some 3,000 people, (70% of whom are descendents of the original Rapa Nui), live in Hanga Roa, the island's main town. In addition to the cultural and archaeological interest, there are the beautiful beaches, transparent waters and coral reefs that might be expected of a Pacific Island. TAHAI: Group of ceremonials altars that form the best renewed archaeological centre near the town. It is formed by three AHU, KOTE RIKU (In the north), TAHAI (In the centre), VAI URI (in the south). In this place you can find the basis of a HARE PAENGA (boat house), named because of its similarity to a turned over boat; a HARE MOA is a thick wall which was used as a henhouse; The Paina ceremonial site is an ancient cooking stove dug in the ground and surrounded by stones. There are many other elements like caves with huge stone walls and eight entrance tunnels. ORONGO: Magnificent ceremonial site. Located in the west summit of RANO KAU Volcano. In this place was celebrated the most important ceremony of the second period of the island: The election of TANGATA MANU (birdman), which ended abruptly some 150 years ago with the arrival of the first Christian missionaries. VINAPU: Archaeological site formed by two AHU in ruins, it has a particular meaning because the existence of stone walls whose engraved it is similar to Machu Picchu ruins. The MOAIS that crowned this structure were since toppled, one being semi buried. They are located east of Mataveri airport, next to the coast. AHU AKIVI: Archaeological centre of ROHIO area, it was the first centre, which was renewed by scientists during the 1960s, and is an interesting ceremonial site not only for its location but also for the legend surrounding its 7 MOAIS. They represent the seven explorers that were sent by HOTU MATUA to map out the Island. ANA TE PAHU: Caves with easy entrance, allow the tourist to recognize a place that has probably used as a fortuitous houses. PUNA PAU: Located to the east of Hanga Roa, this is the site from which the reddish material used to make the PUKAO (hat) that crowned the Moai's head was extracted. Along this old track, some unfinished and abandoned Moais are found. RANO RARAKU: Volcano located to the northwest of Hanga Roa. It is one of the most important archaeological sites on the Island, a genuine "moai factory" since all moais were made from the rock of this very quarry. There is even an open section of rock showing part of this "production line". Here there are more than 300 monuments scattered around the inner and outer slopes. TONGARIKI: Is the biggest AHU known. 200 meters long, with 15 statues in a single, straight line. In 1960 was destroyed for a tidal wave that sent moias 100 metres inland. Now restored, this is one of the highlights of Easter Island. SOUTHERN COAST: In this extension you can find archaeological rests scattered in a longitude of 16 km, between RANO KAU and the base of POIKE bold. There are some 92 important archaeological sites along this section of coastline, including HARE PAENGA (boat house), HARE MOA (stone henhouse), MOAI religious and funeral monument, etc. In all this area of the island there is evidences of intense social and religious activity. AHU HEKI' I - TE PITO KURA: Two archaeological monuments of in their own right. Heki' I is the largest and TE PITO KURA (The navel of the world) has a perfectly round stone and the biggest carried Moai placed in an AHU of the island. ANAKENA: The most famous beach on the island, characterized by its warm, crystal waters, white sands, luminosity, and its coral sand bed. On this beach disembarked the expeditionary groups of ARIKI HOTU MATUA. It was the habitable centre of the ancient government and the school of the ancient MAORI (teachers). In this area you can find two totally restored AHU (AHU NAU and the AHU ATURE HUKI). The colourful Tapati Rapa Nui festival takes place at the end of January and beginning of February, with participants dressed in traditional dress, dancing to the rhythm of the Rapa Nui music. Various competitions take place, such as sliding down the hillside at Maunga Terevaka on unstable banana tree branches!
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