Polynesia is a region of Oceania consisting of more than 1,000 islands.
Easter island, Hawaii or New Zealand are some of the examples of Polynesian islands.
Easter Island – Polynesia
Easter Island – By Bicycle
After I landed on Easter Island, I went immediately to my hostel, and then wanted to visit the island; on foot… But the scale on the map; plus the way from the airport, made me think I should change my stupid plans. 😉 So I rented a bicycle. It was much better choice then walking, however, still not a perfect idea, considering how many sites I wanted to visit. I didn’t think, that “small island” is actually quite hilly volcanic island… So at the end of that day I was very exhausted… I was somewhere, no idea where on Easter Island, walking with my bicycle because didn’t have energy to cycle uphill again and again… And suddenly one big pickup passed me and… stopped and offered to take me to the “city”. They didn’t speak English, I didn’t speak Spanish, but we understood each others and they “save my life”. 😉
It’s not the end of the story…
We’re driving, and we met another girl walking with her bicycle uphill! It was kind of relief for me, I’m not the only one! 😀
Unfortunately, “my pickup” didn’t have more space to take her as well;
hopefully, there was another one who saved her. 🙂
Easter Island – How to Visit
You have many options how to visit Easter Island;
you can rent a car, motobike or kind of of ATV (all-terrain vehicle);
a bicycle is also an option, but keep in mind that the island is quite hilly.
Easter Island – How to Get There?
Easter Island is quite remote and there are not so many options how to get there;
you have fly from Santiago, Chile or Tahiti.
Easter Island – When to Visit
The best season to visit Easter Island is southern summer, i.e., from November to early April.
It’s the peak season, but also much more convenient than any other, because of e.g., numbers of flights.
Easter Island – Moai and British Museum
The British Museum in London is an amazing place. You can explore it for days (many, many days…) and don’t have enough; you can find there lots of wonderful pieces from all over the world; and you don’t pay for your visit!
You can also find there one Moai, Hoa Hakananai’a.
I wrote yesterday, it’s bit controversial topic – do you know why?
From one side, you can say, Moai was stolen and should be returned from London to Easter Island.
But, it’s much easier (and cheaper for many) to visit the British Muesuem then going to Easter Island; so more people can see Moai and learn a bit about history of Easter Island; and actually get inspired to visit Easter Island one day.
Some people even complain, that Easter Island doesn’t care enough for Moai; and Moai on Easter Island are slowly getting more and more destroyed (even by peeing dogs…); so the Moai in British Museum will survive longer in much better shape.
Easter Island – Where are Moai?
Moai are from Easter Island, but some of them were taken to other countries,
to join someone’s private collection or to museum, and everyone can see them.
On this Wikipedia website, you can check where Moai can be found.
Tomorrow, I’ll continue this topic, that seems to be a bit controversial.
Easter Island – Carved Moai
One of the description of moai says they are a type of rock carving found on Easter Island.
Some of moai, have even designs carved on their backs and posteriors, as post stone working.
And some of them, were also painted.
Easter Island – Easter Island Heads
Moai are often called as “Easter Island Heads”.
Moai heads are quite large, but the statues have the entire body,
however, it’s partly covered and not always visible.
Easter Island – Pukao & Moai
Pukao is the name of hats that are placed on top of some moai.
Easter Island – Eyes of Moai
Moai have eyes. 😉
Archaeologists found out that soem of moai have had eyes made of white colar (with black or red pupils).
Easter Island – How Big are Moai
Moai may be up to 10 m tall;
but the smalles have less than 1.5 m.
Easter Island – How Many Moai
There are about 900 Moai statues on Easter Islands.
Easter Island – Moai
In the following days, I’ll show you pictures of fascinating moai statues and will try to present some facts about them.
(I wrote “will try”, because there are different opinions about moai and it’s not always so obvious…)
Moai statues are massive monolithic figures on Easter Island, built between the years 1250 and 1500.
Easter Island – More warnings
“Look, don’t touch!” is usually a good advice and recommendation.
Easter Island – Dangerous
Easter Island can be dangerous, as shown in today’s picture. 😉
Easter Island – more names
I’ve actually read there are more names of Easter Island.
Before Europeans came to Easter Island it was called:
- Te pito o te henua (navel of the world),
- Mata-ki-Te-rangi (eyes looking to the sky).
Easter Island – Isla de Pascua
Isla de Pascua is another name of Easter Island.
This comes from Spanish language.
Easter Island belongs to Chile; the official language of Chile is Spanish,
so we have “Isla de Pascua”. 🙂
Easter Island – Rapa Nui
Rapa Nui is a name commonly used when people refer to Easter Island.
However, this name came after the name “Easter Island”,
and it’s connected with a slavery. 🙁
Easter Island – Name
Why Easter Island is called like that?
-Well, just the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen “discovered” the Easter Island on Easter Sunday in 1722; so here it is. 🙂