The island was formed by volcanic actions in pre-history and its geology is based upon volcanic rock. It is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as moai, that dot the coastline. It was these that we’d come to see.
The island remains one of the most unique places on earth, it is a living museum that showcases a sad, lost civilisation. The landscape is amazing with volcanic craters, a few beaches, lava formations, small areas of forest or vegetation and, of the course, the statues. The island isn’t large. It is perhaps 24 miles long and 12 miles wide, roughly triangular in shape and with four peaks and three dormant volcano sites. While its peaks may not be very high, the island is surrounded by seas that are 3,000 meters deep.
Our flight on LAN Chile from Santiago took 5 hours and forty minutes. We were picked up at the Mataveri International Airport by Edith from the Tauraa Hotel. The airport, built by the American’s to provide an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle, has a huge runway which looks out of place in comparison to the rest of the island. The terminal though, is Polynesian. Edith greeted us with the traditional floral lei, a friendly hug and a waiting van.
Over the years, we’d already visited many of the islands of the South Pacific and we recognised all the signs of a Polynesian culture as we were driven into town. However, the local people turned out to be some of the most laid back, friendly and warm people that we’d met on our travels.
The main town, Hanga Roa, is spread out with perhaps a 4 x 3 street grid. This is the only town on the island. The houses, some simple, other quite modern, were surrounded by palm or banana trees. The shops were few and mostly of a corner-store variety. There was one market area and a nearby supermarket. There are two or three car or scooter hire places, one gas station and a number of churches. In town the roads are tar sealed but beyond that the roads are gravel. There is an area near the shops where the street has curbs and a footpath. Parking is pretty unregulated.
At the time of our arrival in 2008, there were no international style hotels but a number of smaller family run hotels and guest houses that are comfortable, convenient to town and affordable.
