Hanga Roa (Easter Island (Rapa Nui)) / Chile

In the southern Pacific Ocean, 3,500 kilometers from the shores of South America, lies the volcanic Easter Island. This small Polynesian island, belonging to Chile, is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. About 7,000 people live on the island, with nearly half identifying as Rapa Nui people.

The first people arrived on Rapa Nui, as the island is called in the language of the indigenous people, probably around the year 1200. On Easter Sunday in 1722, the first Europeans, led by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, anchored here and gave it its current name. In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile, whose "special territory" it remains to this day.

The triangular-shaped island is about 25 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide, with its highest point being Mount Terevaka, rising 507 meters above sea level. Nearby are several freshwater crater lakes, known as "rano." Easter Island boasts numerous volcanic caves and lava tubes, making it a paradise for geology enthusiasts.

Easter Island is world-famous for its monumental stone statues, "moai," which earned it a place on the UNESCO list. There are almost 900 moai on the island, with enormous heads often placed on massive platforms, carved from stone by the original Rapa Nui inhabitants between the 13th and 16th centuries.

The largest of the statues is known as "Paro," weighing 82 tons and measuring almost 10 meters. The largest group of upright moai on the island is Ahu Tongariki, while on Anakena beach stands the first moai, raised back onto its platform in 1955 by the renowned explorer Thor Heyerdahl using only human strength and wooden levers.

The island's capital is the port of Hanga Roa, with its central street Avenida Atamu Tekena, lined with numerous hotels, restaurants, and cafes. Those seeking knowledge should not miss a visit to the Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum, which features an interesting exhibition on the island and its statues. The charming Roman Catholic church, adorned with beautiful carvings, is also worth a short visit.

The collection of petroglyphs on Easter Island is one of the richest in all of Polynesia. Visitors can find around 4,000 images here – Birdman, sea turtles, and other worldly and ritual symbols – carved into stone at about a thousand different locations across the island.

Just a stone's throw south of the shores of Easter Island lie the islets of Motu Nui and Motu Iti, popular especially with divers. Those who prefer to stay on land can walk across the islands, where the culture and ceremony of the Birdman were born, and enjoy the stunning views from here.