What to see on Easter Island

There are 9 things you can only do on Easter Island

Isle of Easter is a small volcano island half way between Oceania and South America. It is especially known for the moai, solid man statues chiseled out of rock by the Rafa Nui between 1250 and 1500 AD. I am fortunate to have recently been to this minute point of an island in the midst of the huge Pacific Ocean.

The town of Rape Nui lies half way between Polynesia and Chile. Mataveri International Gate is how you get there. The airstrip of the airfield also traverses the whole island and is perhaps the best place on earth to see airplanes coming and going.... even if there is only one plane per days.

Collect the postmark! Every day there is a flight to Rapid Nui from Santiago, which means that you will get a Chilean postmark on your tough-pass. However, go to the inner city postal service and they will be friendly enough to put their own Rape Nui postmark on your pass. A feature that prevents predator tourists is the shortage of sandy beach suitable for postcards.

There is only one, Anakena, untouched like a Pacific paradise ad, full of pick nick desks, a series of very impressing moai, charritos (huts) that sell incredibly tasty empty houses of aton and, if you're fortunate, even a typical wedding with whites, members of the families and musicians (like when I was there). Heaven for archaeologists - of course without the nosy visitors who go over old marks.

Loose Moai is translated as "who" in the Rapa Nui tongue. It makes complete sense if one understands what these huge sculptures stand for - not for deities or extraterrestrials, but for an ancestor who watches over the country and shares qigong (life energy) with their people. They also explain why the Moai were demolished when the island was ravaged by indigenous civil war.

I' m serious - if you're not paying attention, you run the chance to step on Moai, stay near an hoo and get angrily stared at by guidebooks and parking attendants. This is Rano Raraku, known as the "Moai Factory" because most of the characters have been dug up there; and Tahai Ali Tahai, who is sure to provide the sundown of his life and is accessible from the centre of the island.

Almost everything the island consumes comes from the Continent of Chile (Conti). "and'lorana ("hello/goodbye") from the web, but find so much more from a Rana Nui traveler. From his grandmother our leader learnt the story and civilization of his tribe. They have a strong feeling of affiliation and are very proud of their past and legacy.

Have a look at the website, the prices and the package tours at hangaroa.cl and mahinatur.cl.