10th April 2023

The mysterious Easter Island, isolated in the Pacific Ocean, is famous for its moai statues, with over 900 iconic monoliths peppering the landscape. They are said to date between 400 to 1500 AD and look as if they were carved from the solidified volcanic ash of the Rano Raraku volcano on the island. Measuring 20 feet tall or more and weighing 20 tonnes, many had speculated why and when they were placed around the island. Its remote location makes it a perfect destination to visit on a cruise. Here are some of the highlights.

Hanga Roa

Easter Island is a Chilean territory with a small government presence. The capital, Hanga Roa, is the only urban centre where most of the island’s 4,000 inhabitants live. Here you can find a beautiful artisan market, run by the local crafts folk who make souvenirs to sell to visitors. It also has a tiny fishing port and a little church, the only one on the island.

Ahu Akivi

Nine miles inland, you will find the Ahu Akivi, also known as the seven watchmen. These are the only monoliths that face out to the ocean. The line of statues represents ancestors and ancient kings who were there to protect the local population and bring them good fortune.

Orongo Ceremonial Village

The 53 stone houses that makeup Orongo on the southern tip of the island sit between the slopes of the Ranu Kao volcano and the towering cliffs that plunge into the ocean. They were built in the 16th century to worship Makemake, the god of fertility. Every spring, a gruelling competition would start at the village when members of the birdman cult would gather on the cliff, scramble down the crater’s walls and dive into the shark-infested ocean waters. After this, they would swim to an island off the coast to look for a special egg and then have to return with it unbroken. The winner would then become the island’s ruler for a year.

Ahu Tahai

Believed to be constructed around 690 A.D., the five impressive figures at Ahu Tahai stand in a straight row and are all very different in scale and shape. At the centre is a colossal statue with two figures of similar size on its left. To the right, a more petite, rounder figure stands, plus the remains of an even smaller statue. All of them are on top of ‘atop ahu’, or stone altars and all have their backs to the sea. Ahu Tahai is home to the infamous Ko Te Riku, the moai with the hypnotising black and white eyes and topknot called a pukao on its head.

Ahu Huri a Urenga

This spot is unique because the statue, which has been re-erected here, has four hands. There is also an ancient sundial - this enabled the inhabitants to define the summer and winter solstices and plan their fishing and agriculture tasks.

?Want to visit Easter Island? Find a list of cruises that visit here.