NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

-Easter Island National Park, it not only contains beautiful natural resources, but also a valuable legacy from the Rapa Nui culture. Its Moais (giant rock figures) and its Ahu, (ceremonial centers), still amaze the world. For this reason it was declared a World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 1995.
The park is considered to be an open air museum, and a "paradise" for the archaeologists that arrive here to research the monumental creations of the ancient Rapa Nui, in order to clarify many doubts about this mysterious culture, whose legacy amounts to one thousand Moai and almost 300 Ahu, as well as many stone carvings and remains of villages.
All these attractions are located in a peacefully rising and falling landscape dotted with the cones of extinct volcanoes, with a flora formed by native and imported (by the early immigrants) species, and enriched by the seeding function of the droppings of migratory birds. This natural attraction extends over 7,130 hectares, representing around 40% of the island's surface area. It is under the protection of the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF).

-Anakena beach, its crystal-clear waters and fronded coconut-palms have turned it into one of Rapa Nui's most beautiful beaches.
According to an ancient legend, here was the place where the first island king, Ariki Hotu Matu'a, disembarked with his expedition. It is said that it was the political, social and cultural hub, and the dwelling place of the first governors of the island, and the location of the masters of the ancient rongo rongo wood engravings, whose meanings have yet to be deciphered.
Here are found the Ature Huki Ahu and the Nau-Nau Ahu, ritual sites that were restored by the Kon-Tiki expedition in 1954. It is positioned 18 kilometers Northeast of Hanga-Roa.

-Ovahe beach, placed very close to Anakena, this is a calm and small volcanic beach. Its sand has a golden appearance due to the blending of red coral sand and white sand.

-Poike Peninsula, This place is of enormous historical and anthropological importance. There stands the Poike volcano, one of the first that emerged on the island, about 3 million years ago. On this peninsula lived the Hanau E'epe, a large and powerful tribe that introduced the technique of tattooing and defeated the Hanau Momoko tribe by digging a long trench and using it as a booby-trap.
On the peak of the now dormant Poike, there are three hills called Maunga Perehe, Munga Tea-Tea and Munga Vai a Heva. In this area, one can admire a huge carved head and an interesting cave with stone engravings known as Ana O Keke, where virgins used to whiten their skins.
It is to be found 23 kilometers northeast of Hanga Roa.

-Rano Raraku Volcano, this is an important place in the island since it is the open-sky quarry where the ancient Rapa Nui used to carve out their Moai. 300 half-carved statues are scattered around the volcano, forming the so-called Moai trail.
Among the unfinished statues is "El Gigante", with a height of 22 meters and a weight of 165 tons.
The volcano is 100 m.a.s.l. Its oval shape and crater containing a lagoon over 50 meters deep it makes it a prime attraction. It is 18 kms away from the northeast of Hanga Roa.

-Rano Kau Volcano, this was one of the first volcanoes that emerged from the ocean, and is located at the extreme southern part of the island. Its name comes from the words rano (volcano), and kau (huge). It had its measures taken in 1947: a 1 kilometer diameter and over 280 meter-deep lake in its crater. It is at 4 kms from Hanga Roa.

-Maunga Terevaka, it is almost 500 m high, and is one of the oldest in Rapa Nui, with the Poike and Rano Kau volcanoes. The lava originated by its constant eruptions formed most of the body of the island. Its most recent activity was some 10,000 years ago. Now it is dormant.