Uncovering the mystery of Easter Island

The most remote inhabited island in the world, Easter Island intrigues with its mysterious stone statues

The people in this photo look tiny in comparison to the enormous Moai statues of Easter Island, which average about 4m in height.

Easter Island, part of modern Chile, is also known as Rapa Nui, home to Polynesians who settled in the island long ago around 300AD.

The island’s intrigue lies in the stone statues created by the early Rapa Nui people. To date, no one really knows what happened to the island’s early inhabitants — the Rapa Nui population was said to dwindle because of gradual deforestation, civil war and cannibalism — or why they built so many statues.

Mysterious Moai

The Easter Island of today hardly resembles its chaotic past.

Upon landing on the island, what will stand out most are the 887 Moai (Polynesian stone statues) scattered all over the island. The bigger statues are said to be twice the weight of the stones at Stonehenge.

Though they were whole-body sculptures, the statues, which were built for ancestral worship, were commonly referred to as “Easter Island heads” because they were buried up to their shoulders by the Rapa Nui.

Today, some statues have been excavated, rendering their bodies visible.

Easter Island in the modern day

The island attracts many curious tourists who flock to the island to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking statues, especially during sunsets.

But the statues aren’t the only things you must see on the island.

Many tourists also enjoy the pristine white beaches on the island, as well as water sports such as diving. Visits to the island’s volcanoes and caves, such as the Terevaka and the Poike, are also popular. The former is the island’s highest point while the latter is a mountain that produces the whitish lava used to make the Moai.

Caverns on the Poike’s cliff are accessible with the help of a local guide, though some paths and treks may pose a certain level of difficulty.

Easter Island is accessible through the Mataveri International Airport, the most remote airport in the word. Flights are available via Chilean carrier LAN Airlines.
By Samantha Phey