Ahu Tongariki at sunrise

The smell of the salt water and the roar of the ocean came pouring through the open window. I kept my eyes focused forward, but I could only see about 10 feet in front of me. The old Suzuki Jeep’s headlights might never have been changed, and it probably had already lived a full life somewhere else long before it made it to this island so far from everywhere. The road wound along roughly following the coastline. Between the winding road and the numerous potholes, I was weaving like a Stammtisch regular leaving the Hofbrauhaus on this birthday. In the distance I could make out the horizon just off the coast at the end of the island. The hint of first light was sparkling over the waves creating a luminescent turquoise glow. It was a little before 7am in the morning, and I was heading to the site of Tongariki on the east coast, one of the best places to watch the sunrise on Easter Island.
I arrived yesterday in sunshine, but by the time I made it to my hotel, dropped off my things, rented a car and drove across the island, it had changed to on-and-off rain. Since I’m only here for a few days, I couldn’t afford to waste any time, so I went sightseeing anyway. The rain did not hamper my enthusiasm of seeing these giant stone statues and wondering why and how they came to be.
When I arrived at Tongariki, the sun was just breaking over the horizon. There were probably 150 people there with me to witness the sun rise, but there was very little talking. The clicking of cameras and the roar of the ocean was all that broke the silence. I don’t feel any spiritual connection with the moai, but the experience was inwardly peaceful and somehow comforting. As the sun climbed higher I could see the blue sky overhead and smiled at the prospect of a beautiful, rain-free day on Easter Island.

In the afternoon, I drove to Rano Raraku (the quarry where almost all of the moai were carved). It was a spectacular day with blue skies and a few billowy clouds. There are many statues still in the quarry, in various stages of completion. Enough to give your camera shutter button finger cramps, if you catch it on a pretty day.

The story goes that the carving of Moai stopped when war broke out between the clans. The tools were dropped and the carvers never returned. What caused the war is unknown, but one legend speaks of a queen being insulted because she didn’t get a piece of lobster at a gathering. More likely the battles were over the last of some quickly diminishing resources. When the giant palms were gone, then there was no reason to carve more Moai, since they could no longer be transported to the clan’s ahus.

Seeing the great amount of Moai left there, I wondered if there was a surge of carving being done at the end. A race to get one’s Moai purchased, carved and delivered before the last palm tree was gone.

While sitting and pondering the quarry, the moai brought to my mind grave stones. Not just from their upright, stelae like appearance, but also for what they represent: the high cost the clans were willing to pay to make tribute to their ancestors and to lord their power over their neighbors. And in the end, they stand as graven memorials to a way of life that passed when the resources which sustained were all used up.

For more information about the history of Easter Island, and some interesting facts about it, please read my post “Digging deeper into Easter Island”.

 

To fill in many of the important details and prepare for your trip, I recommend you purchase the book “A Companion to Easter Island” by James Grant-Peterkin. It will give you about as much information as most tour guides.

 


 

Why Go?Why go?

  • The moai are interesting to see and are very photogenic.
  • If you are interested to look deeper, this island hosts a long and involved history in just 1000ish years.
  • If you are looking to walk the road less traveled, then this is one of them.

 

What you need to know:

  • The island is only accessible through LATAM airlines, from Tahiti or Santiago, Chili. The flight from Santiago is about 5 hours.
  • The statues are called Moai and the platforms that many of them stand on are called Ahu. The moai represent ancestors, who are sometimes buried under the Ahu.  The Moai, ahu and surrounding area is considered sacred and is not accessible.
  • The moai are located on park land. You must purchase a Park Pass to visit them.  The pass costs $80 and is valid for 10 days.  You can purchase the pass upon arrival at the airport.  When you deplane and enter the overhang of the airport, join the queue of people on the left.
  • Some of the parks have a booth to check your pass and to solicit you to sign a guest book. You can enter the parks multiple times during the validity period (see note below).
  • NOTE: I was told by the rangers at Oronogo and Rano Raraku that I could only enter each of them once. I explained that I did not know this, and was able to talk my way back into both of them for a repeat visit.  The ticket is written almost entirely in Spanish, so I don’t know if it mentions this restriction.  If I were to stay on Easter Island for the full 10 day period that the pass is valid, I can’t imagine visiting these two important sites only once.
  • You will need transportation to get around the island. There are many rental companies in the center of Hanga Roa to meet your needs with everything from jeeps, to motor scooters, ATVs and bicycles.
  • Food can be expensive. Simple entrées in most restaurants run about 18-22 US dollars.
  • All of the moai were pushed over by rival clans during their civil wars. The moai you see standing now were erected by archaeologists beginning in 1955.
  • Since there are a limited number of erect moai to see, you will probably want to see them multiple times, preferable in different light (so your pictures don’t all look the same).
  • To make the most of your visit, in addition to seeing them during the day, I suggest you visit Tongariki (east coast) at sunrise, and Ahu Tahai (west coast) at sunset.
  • Weather: The island is very windy and switches from sun to rain frequently. You will want to bring layers of clothing to put on and take off as necessary.
  • The island is a territory of Chile, and the local currency is Chilean Pesos. However, US Dollars are also accepted freely.
  • The electrical outlets use the double round pins that much of Europe uses.
  • Bring earplugs. Hanga Roa is home to many stray dogs who like to bark throughout the night, challenged only by the roosters for who can wake you more frequently.
  • There are two banks on the island, both in Hanga Roa, about two blocks apart. They both have ATMs.
  • If you want/need a SIM card, go with Entel. It has greater coverage on the island, although outside of Hanga Roa it is still pretty spotty.  I was able to carry on FaceTime conversations, and share viewings of the moai around the town, and in *some* outlying areas.  I purchased my SIM from the Santiago airport before flying to the island.  It covered my time in Chile as well.

 

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge it.

Erecting the MOAI
Theory
Once at the platform, the MOAI would gradually be propped upright, by piling stones along its front surface, until it was
fully vertical.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #ErectingMOAI
...

Erecting the MOAI
Some of the MOAI had PUKAO (hats) on top. The Pukao were carved out of a red volcanic stone, and presented another challenge: how to place them on top of the statue.
.
Theory
It may have been lashed to the head of the MOAI and lifted at the same time. It is also possible that the ramp of stones in
front of the MOAI was used (if, indeed, the MOAI was erected using a ramp of stones)
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #ErectingMOAI
...

Transporting the MOAI
Theory Jo Anne Van Tilburg: Her method combined elements of Heyerdahl and Love`s ideas. The MOAI is placed on a log sled, either face up or down, and is then advanced on log rollers.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #TransportingMOAI #JoAnneVanTilburg
...

Transporting the MOAI
Theory Charles Love: After failing in an attempt with a different method, Love placed the MOAI on a asled of logs, which was then advanced on log rollers. He was able to move a MOAI 500 meters in two minutes using this method.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #TransportingMOAI #CharlesLove
...

Transporting the MOAI
Theory Pavel Pavel: This Czech engineer was inspired by the oral tradition, in which the MOAI walked to their platforms. He assumed that the upright MOAI were pretty stable due to a low center of gravity, with a wide base and a narrow head. He therefore made the MOAI "walk" by tilting them from side to side, guided by ropes, as the base was alternatively twisted left and right.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #TransportingMOAI #PavelPavel
...

Transporting the MOAI
Theory William Mulloy: His proposal is that two large posts were united in the form of a upside-down "V" and were tied to the neck of the MOAI, and the MOAI was lowerd face down onto a sled shaped in the form of a "Y" to protect the front of the statues. He suggested that the curved runners of the sled would make forward movement possible by pulling on ropes, and then advancing the "Y" as the MOAI rocked forward.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #TransportingMOAI #WilliamMulloy
...

Transporting the MOAI
Theory Thor Heyerdahl: His method consists of putting the MOAI onits back, and dragging it on a sled. This theory is
supported by the tradtion that the movement of the sled lubricated by vegetable oils like taro (sweet potato) and palm
fronds.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #TransportingMOAI #ThorHeyerdahl
...

Carving the Moai
Step 1
The MOAI is outlined on the Rock
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #CarvingMOAI #CarvingMOAIStep1
...

Carving the MOAI
Step 2
The MOAI is carved, leaving a `keel` on its back, keeping a connection to the bed-rock.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #CarvingMOAI #CarvingMOAIStep2
...

Carving the MOAI
Step 3
The keel is removed, and the MOAI is slid down the slope (note: they are carved from the side of a mountain).
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #CarvingMOAI #CarvingMOAIStep3
...

Carving the MOAI
Step 4
The MOAI is placed in a pit so that the carving of its back can be finished.
.
Easter Island - Carving, Transporting & Erecting Moai
Location: Hanga Roa, Easter Island
.
Note: Many of these steps were never documented, so what is presented are various options which *may* explain the process.
These pictures were taken in the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details: @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#EasterIsland #MOAI #MOAITheories #HangaRoa #FatherSebastianEnglert #FatherSebastianEnglertAnthropologicalMuseum #OsterInsel
#IsladePascua #RanoRaraku #Ahu #Howdidtheydoit #CarvingMOAI #CarvingMOAIStep4
...

Some of the visitors to the sunset at Tahai, Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
The Tahai Moai is the most popular location to enjoy the sunset on Easter Island. Hundreds gather sprawled out on the lawn waiting for the sun to sink behind the horizon with the iconic moia serving as a silhouette in the foreground.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #tahai #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua #sunset #sunsettahai #tahaisunset #ahutahai
...

Sunset at Tahai, Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
The Tahai Moai is the most popular location to enjoy the sunset on Easter Island. Hundreds gather sprawled out on the lawn waiting for the sun to sink behind the horizon with the iconic moia serving as a silhouette in the foreground.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #tahai #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua #sunset #sunsettahai #tahaisunset #ahutahai
...

Sunset at Tahai, Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
The Tahai Moai is the most popular location to enjoy the sunset on Easter Island. Hundreds gather sprawled out on the lawn waiting for the sun to sink behind the horizon with the iconic moia serving as a silhouette in the foreground.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #tahai #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua #sunset #sunsettahai #tahaisunset #ahutahai
...

Rano Raraku (the quarry) showing the holes left after some moai were carved out of the mountain.
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
Rano Raraku is the quarry where almost all of the moai (statues) were carved before being transported across the island for various clans. .
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #ranoraraku #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua
...

The giant: a large moai at Rano Raraku (the quarry) that was never completely removed from the mountain
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
This would have been one of the largest moai to be placed... if it had been finished and had survived its trip across the island. It is one of the many moai which were partially carved at the quarry, but were never completed.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #ranoraraku #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua
...

A Moai at Rano Raraku (the quarry) that was never completely removed from the mountain
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
This is one of the many moai which were partially carved at the quarry, but were never completed.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #ranoraraku #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua
...

The Moai at Tongariki
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
These are the Moai that were stood back up on their platform (Ahu). This picture was taken at sunrise. Tongariki has special exemption to be open for sunrise viewing. It‘s a magical moment.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more details about the moai, Tongariki and Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #tongariki #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #tongarikisunrise #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark
#ahutongariki #ahutongariki🗿
...

A Moai at Rano Raraku (the quarry)
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
This is one of the many moai which were carved at the quarry, but were never transported to their intended destination. This one looks to be completed (except for the eyes, which were always inserted once the moai had traveled to their destination.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #ranoraraku #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark #ParqueNacionalRapaNui #isledepascua
...

I‘m starting to fit in.
Location: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
.
I was just trying to see what he’s been looking at all these years.
.
Head to the link in my profile for more information about Easter Island! @mytravels.hdf
.
Picture taken: 10/2018
.
#Rapanui #EasterIsland #Moai #ranoraraku #StatueEasterIsland #moais #rapanui🗿 #statue #southpacific #rapanuinationalpark
...

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Hi,
    Really interesting narration.Any tips on car hire? Am concerned about the “no insurance ” policy! Are there tours companies doing sunrise and sunset tours?
    Thanks.
    Arup

  2. Hello Arup Ray,
    Thank you for the compliment! You will certainly need a vehicle to get around the island if you are not going to take group tours because the distances are too far to walk. I decided against tours because I wanted more flexibility. The main street of downtown Hanga Roa has several rental stores for cars, ATVs and bicycles. I went during the mid-season, so it was not that crowded and vehicles were easy to come by. It may be a little more difficult during high season, but I doubt you will have too much trouble based on the number of vehicles I saw for rent. I booked my stay at Cabañas Aorangi and rented a jeep from them for my entire stay.

    I read online before I left about at least one tour company that offered sunset tours, but they never responded to my emails. But, if you have your own vehicle, you can drive around whenever you want. You will just be limited by the opening hours of the sites.

    Sunrise: Ahu Tongariki opens just before sunrise. It is the exception to the normal opening hours for the Ahu. Since it is on the eastern shore it is most photogenic for sunrise photography. You will need a vehicle to get there from Hanga Roa.

    Sunset: Ahu Tahai and Ahu Ko Te Riku, just on the outskirts of Hanga Roa are better suited for sunset pictures. While these sites technically have the same opening hours as the others, there are no walls around them, and people wander around them until way past dark.

    I understand your concern about the “no insurance” policy, but remember that everyone is in the same boat. I took pictures of the outside of my jeep before accepting it, to make sure that I would not be charged for any pre-existing damage, but I had no problems with it. The roads have many potholes, so you do have to be careful driving (especially when heading to Ahu Tongariki before sunrise), but all the vehicles I saw for rent were sturdy and built to handle some “off road” treatment.

    Especially if you are going to tour the island on your own, I recommend that book “A companion to Easter Island”. (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Companion-Easter-Island-Guide-Rapa/dp/9563326415) I found it to be a wonderful resource!

    You may want to check out this forum topic at Tripadvisor about renting cars on Easter Island that I contributed to: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g316040-i7121-k11907331-Tours_or_hire_car-Easter_Island.html#97501420

    and this link to my profile there lists some more information about Easter Island: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Profile/feickertd

    I hope you have a wonderful time there!

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