T2-THE MUST-HAVES OF RAPA NUI (non-cruise visitors)

Royal residence, one of the first human settlements on the island. Very beautiful restored example of the ancestral living space, shaped over the centuries. And a very nice view of Hanga Roa Bay in the background.

Here too, one of the most beautiful panoramas of Rapa Nui. The large crater of the extinct volcano and its indentation on the vastness of the South Pacific reminds us of the geographic isolation of Easter Island.

Tangata Manu, the cult of the Bird Man. The ceremonial village of Orongo, repeatedly restored, was built on the side of a cliff, facing the islets that shelter the seabirds that come to lay eggs there during the southern spring. The quest for the first egg designated the religious authority of the year.

On the north side of the island, opposite the only village, the white sandy beach of Rapa Nui: Anakena. This is where the first Polynesian settlers arrived. An idyllic place, worthy of the most beautiful postcards, bathed in translucent waters and sheltered in the only coconut grove of Easter Island. Here, too, the site has been completely restored, and its Moai are the best preserved that we can still admire today.

Then we will arrive at one of the architectural gems of Polynesia: the Ahu Tongariki. It is the most important and undoubtedly the most remarkable restored site on the island. 15 Moai, these monoliths that have made Easter Island world famous, face visitors. Supposed to be astronomical, the sunrises give the place a special atmosphere.

Rano Raraku Almost all the stone giants of Easter Island have been carved here. The Moai quarry is the site that most fascinates visitors. Hundreds of statues are still there and continue to captivate tourists from around the world who wander among them.

Its particular geographical location (inland) gives the site all its specificity: landscapes and colors are different. The celestial orientation of the platform completes the singularity of the place.