Without any doubt, Easter Island or Rapa Nui is one of the best and most exotic destinations in the world. The volcanoes, beaches, the culture, and mainly the mysterious moai are unique. For this reason, when you go to Easter Island there are some attractions you must visit. Don’t kid yourself, despite the smallness of the island, there are infinite attractions. We have made a list of the places we believe YOU MUST VISIT. They aren’t the most special places, but the essential ones.
5. Terevaka: This place is on the list not because of its beauty or the moai you may see, but for the view. The Maunga Terevaka is the highest point in Rapa Nui, which means that you can see almost the entire island from the top. The landscape is really amazing. To get there you can walk or ride a horse, and it is completely worth it.
4. Rano Kau Volcano and Orongo: The Rano Kau is amazing for his creator and the cliff around it, but the most attractive part is the historic role it plays. The ancient inhabitants of the island ran through this place in order to reach the sea and compete for a reign that lasted a year. On one of the sides of the crater lies the Orongo village, where there are many houses that were used for ceremonial purposes. From this place you can also appreciate the Motu (islands where the bird-men nested), which was the competitors’ destination.
3. Ahu Tongariki: The tongariki ahu is one of Easter Islands’ postcards. They are 15 statues in a row. It is the ahu with more moai in Rapa Nui and it amazes tourists with the beauty and art of their presentation, as well as their impressive size.
2. Anakena Beach and Ahu Nau Nau: This beach is one of the places you must visit in Easter Island. Not just because it is a beautiful white sanded beach with palm trees and turquoise water, but because there you can admire the moai of the Nau Nau ahu in the background, which is one of the best preserved ahu (the statues have the red hats). The experience of Anakena is one of a kind.
1. Rano Raraku Quarry: If Anakena isn’t our number one place, it is because of the Rano Raraku, which not only is a volcanic crater with a lagoon in it, but also the quarry where the moai were manufactured. For this reason, it is where most of the statues of the island are concentrated. There are hundreds of them, of different shapes and sizes, finished and half-finished. If you want to see and understand the moai, this place is a symbol of Rapa Nui.