Anakena Beach
Easter Island

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A little of of Rapa Nui's (Easter Island) history

Pollen samples indicate the existence of forests of trees, including huge palms around 200 AD, and human habitation from somewhere between 300 AD and 800 AD depending on who you listen to. Large fishing canoes, palm shelters, edible nuts and wood fires would have comfortably supplied the people with the necessities of life. More...

Anakena beach. Photo by Jim.

Anakena is the best beach on Rapa Nui, one of only two decent strands of sand (Hanga Roa has a couple of very small rocky beaches) and the other - neighbouring Ovahe - doesn't have any tree shade, a good road leading to it, nor moai overseeing the marine action.

Palms give shade and locals sell drinks and barbied chicken. The beach is hardly used by humans other than weekends and public holidays.

Anakena beach's moai; note the funky hats and the fine un-eroded features thanks to a few hundred years buried under sand - later revived and re-established by Thor Heyerdahl. They also have the finest back carvings of all Rapa Nui moai.

Hanga Roa and transport oddities >>>

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