Easter
Island Pictures
Rapa Nui Photos
Adventure Life, the South America specialist, operates a good-value 5 day Easter Island Tour
Moai to the max at a typical cloudy Tongariki sunrise on Chile's Rapa Nui [Easter Island or Isla de Pascua in Spanish], December 2005. This, the largest shrine on the island and the work of several centuries, was restored in 1993.
Information: Chile Guide | Chile Pictures | Easter Island Guide
Not much of an activity centre and a long, expensive trip from the mainland, but Chile's Easter Island [annexed by Chile in 1888] is little developed, has a small Polynesian population and displays some of the world's oddest artifacts in a barren, volcanic landscape along with a bizarre, self-destructive history. This is definitely a must-see if you can afford it.
A view of Rapa Nui's Rano Raraku quarry- seen on the left - where most moai were carved, though the occasional red top hats came from Puna Pau crater in a different location. To the right is one lone moai a hundred metres from the Tongariki set.
Over on the west side of Rapa Nui the 1.5 km wide Rano Kau volcano not only provides support for one third of the explosively upthrust land, but also the rim carries fine remnants of the religion that replaced moai ancestor worship, the bird god Make-Make.
Rapa
Nui is triangular, 23km long by 11km wide, and was created by the
eruption of three volcanoes. The total area
of is 171 sq kms. There are just two sandy beaches, on the
north coast.
Climate: subtropical with an annual average temperature of 20C.
Coldest month, August [15C-18C]. Hottest month February [24C-27C].
Wettest month, May [16cm of rain]. The driest month is September.
September to April [i.e. the drier months] is
the main tourist season.
A minimum visit of two days in Easter Island is possible, but due to clouds and occasional rain that will disturb the ambience and attempts to take decent pictures, at least three or four days is recommended.
Rapa Nui/Easter Island Pictures © Bugbog.com. All rights reserved.