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Enigmatic, intriguing, mysterious, wilder-than-wild… Nope, none of the English language’s adjectives quite sums up the majesty of one of the world’s most incredible destinations, Easter Island or Rapa Nui. A teeny-tiny speck in an ocean of blue, 3,700-kilometres from Chile (and even further from Tahiti), the island has captured the hearts and minds of travellers for centuries, most of whom come to see the mysterious moai or stone faces. Strikingly-familiar from travel guides and magazines, there’s nothing quite like seeing the statues in the flesh; defying all gravity, they cling to hillocks, peer out from sandy coves and guard remote plains. Entrust a local guide to take you to the best spots, and when you’ve pondered enough, it’s time to explore. Hike volcanoes, cycle or horseback remote trails, visit ceremonial villages and discover lava tubes, or take to the water for scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing experiences that are extraordinarily good. Then, recharge the batteries and flop onto one of the archetypal Polynesian beaches, made all the more astonishing by the forbidding scenery you’ve just experienced.
Quite simply, it’s breath-taking. This is the kind of place that will make you question everything you thought you knew about travel, culture, history – and make you tell anyone and everyone who will listen!
Criss-cross the many walking trails on foot for the best of the island’s sights. Our favourite? The uninhabited clifftop path to Anakena beach that takes in the haunting inland terrain, long-forgotten villages and ends at nirvana-like Anakena beach with its glittering sand and swaying palms.
We won’t lie, Easter Island is a little challenging to get to – perhaps a plus point! – but the 5-hour flight from Santiago only contributes to its other-worldliness and magnetic pull.