Day 28: Te Ara O Te Moai or "Camino de los moáis" and Anakena, one of the best beaches in the world
Today, the last full day we will spend on Easter Island, we get up when it is 7:00 in the morning, approaching directly to the terrace of the room to see what time awaits us during the day, since today we have a full day , in which we want to do Te Ara O Te Moai or the Way of the moáis, in addition to enjoying Anakena, one of the best beaches in the world.
Although we see that the sky is a bit cloudy, the forecast is that the day will open throughout the morning, giving us a hotter day than the last two days, including yesterday, which we visited for the second time Rano Raraku , the quarry of the moáis.
There are a few minutes to 8 in the morning when we approach the Poevara Restaurant of the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa to enjoy the most complete breakfast for, when it is nine and a little in the morning, return to take our rental car in Easter Island, approaching the State Bank first, to get some money to spend this last day here on Easter Island and then get on our way to Hanga Tetenga, since there begins Te Ara O Te Moai or "Way of the moáis", a small path of about 3 kilometers, which takes about an hour or so and is a walk through the interior of the island, in which you can see one of the roads by which moáis were moved from the quarry to its final places.
We are about 15 kilometers from the hotel, so at 10:30 in the morning we are already there with a much better time than we expected and that has allowed us during these days to see several faces of Easter Island: its days sunnier, a cloudy day, a day with heavy rain and today sunny but with clouds. In short, the magic of Rapa Nui, one of the most fascinating places in the world.
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
In Easter Island there are several outstanding walks that we recommend you to take into account, especially if you have an extra day on the island, since they are an excellent way to know from another perspective the Rapa Nui culture.
In our case we have decided to tour Te Ara O Te Moai or "Way of the moáis", one of the walks, but the most spectacular of the island.
The route is just under 4 kilometers, which you can do in approximately 1 hour. Initially we read that it could be done in one way or another, but in our case we found that just halfway there was a fence that did not allow us to continue, so we had to go back to the car and from there go to the point end and do the rest of the way we had left.
As you can see on the map, Te Ara O Te Moai or the "Way of the moáis"begins in the area of the coast, in Hanga Tetenga, at the point we have indicated as One makihi and ends in the skirts of Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis.
Here begins Te Ara O Te Moai or "Way of the moáis"
This hike is fascinating, both from the scenic and cultural point of view, as it is one of the routes where the Rapa Nui moved the moai from the quarry to their final destination. We assure you that it is fascinating in every way, and in addition, although in Easter Island we can say that we practically made the visits alone, in this case this “alone” makes special sense, since we do not cross with absolutely anyone in any of the Tours, something that we have to say also, attracts our attention, since we believe it is one of the most interesting visits that can be made on the island.
Being one of the paths through which the moais moved, along all the way, every few meters you will see different moai that fell in the transfer and never reached their final destination, being abandoned on the path, and that Today we can see how they were.
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Trail Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
In our experience, we believe it is best to make the path in the sense that we have done it, starting with the coastal area and heading towards Rano Raraku. A good option, if the path is completely open, and you can reach the quarry on foot, would be to make the visit to it, to end up having a unique vision of the process of carving and construction of the moai.
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
The first part of the path, since as we said we have not been able to make it complete at one time, it takes us approximately 45 minutes, taking it with great tranquility, since we stop every few meters, to enjoy both the environment and the moáis that we are finding ourselves abandoned on the road, which never ceases to amaze us and leave us totally impressed, since by having them so close, we can see with total clarity the size of these and understand, a little more, what we had read so far about the culture Rapa Nui.
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Shortly before arriving at Ma'unga Toa Toa, a small volcano that stands out in the landscape for being a perfect cone, we find the fence we mentioned earlier and that prevents us from continuing to Rano Raraku.
After consulting the GPS and seeing that we were not wrong on the way, we finally decided to retrace our steps, something we have to say costs us nothing, thinking that we will see the impressive moises lying on the ground again.
We return to the beginning of Te Ara O Te Moai or "Way of the moáis", in Ahu Tetenga, taking the car again and approaching Rano Raraku, where we see the images of the quarry again and where after parking the car, we approach what is the beginning of the path, just where you see a couple of moas upside down.
Moái in front of Rano Raraku
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
If you do this walk, it is highly recommended since it does not take much time and the feeling of walking along the path and finding moás is indescribable, do not forget to look at the face of the different moáis that you find lying on the floor, because thanks to this they have conserved practically intact their carving, something that will allow you to see from very close the excellent state of conservation of the area that has been covered by the inclement weather.
Just don't forget to be respectful and don't touch them.
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
Te Ara O Te Moai o "Way of the moáis"
After more or less 45 minutes that it takes us to make this section of the trail and when it is just after 1 pm, we return again on our steps, returning to Rano Raraku, to return to the car and again, get underway, this time towards Anakena, one of the best beaches in the world.
In Anakena, we were the other day, when we enjoyed the sunrise in Tongariki, and although now the day seems to have become cloudy again, we do not want to stay without enjoying what they say again, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Anakena, one of the best beaches in the world
On this occasion, instead of parking right at the entrance, where we did it the other time, we do it at the back of the restaurants, to be closer to the beach and also have views from this other perspective.
Anakena Restaurants
Being here we can not less than enjoy a while again in the surroundings of the beach proper, that now we can no longer doubt the reason that it is considered as one of the most incredible and beautiful in the world. If you want to know more about the moáis that are on this beach and the beach itself, do not miss the first day we were enjoying Anakena beach, where we talk about all this in detail.
Anakena
Panoramic Anakena
Anakena
Although the sky is somewhat cloudy, we find some tourists on the beach, although at no time it becomes overwhelming, since the beach is quite wide and people tend to separate quite a bit. There are a few minutes to two in the afternoon and we decided that before eating, we had to sit for a while in the sand, take a dip and above all, enjoy this incredible beach, in which in addition to the white sand, a turquoise water and the palm trees that surround it, some moas seem to be protecting it.
Anakena
It's half past 2 when the citrus begins to open, so we decided to stay to eat in Anakena, in one of the two restaurants that are, which are fully integrated into the environment, where we were the other day and where we have read that they do some Great empanadas. And that after trying them, we can confirm it.
We ordered two empanadas, one of tuna and cheese and another of shrimp and fruit, plus two pineapple juices and two express for 28600CLP, nothing cheap, but counting that we are in a privileged place, overlooking the beach and the moais, and also everything is great, we really can't complain ...
Eating in Anakena
After lunch, and when a few minutes past 4 in the afternoon, and without being able to say goodbye to an incredible place like this, we take a final walk along Anakena beach, swearing, as we have done at other times since we arrived to Easter Island, we will return, but to stay longer and thus be able to enjoy the island with much more calm and tranquility.
Anakena
Anakena
It's almost 5 in the afternoon when we take the car again, saying goodbye to Anakena and passing through Tongariki, where we can't avoid stopping to say goodbye too, and with a day like this and trying to make the most of it we can't avoid getting close to Ahu Akivi, the moas that look to the sea, again, the first moáis we saw when we arrived at Easter Island and that we will always remember and where we could not leave without saying goodbye.
Ahu Akivi
And from here and with the perfect excuse that yesterday was not very good weather, we also return to Puna Pau, since we are only 5 kilometers away, and we want to enjoy the Ahus quarry again. Although it seems somewhat exaggerated, as you can see and as we have commented on many occasions, the distances in Easter Island are minimal, so the transfers are made in a very short time, giving us the opportunity to return several times to the places that we most Like them, as has been our case at various times.
And so they give us 6 in the afternoon, at which time it is time to return the rental car in Easter Island, filling before the deposit, by 23000CLP, and then start our particular farewell of Rapa Nui: first seeing the trials of Tapati, which remind us that we have to return to Easter Island, if possible in February when it is celebrated , and after enjoying an impressive and unforgettable sunset in Ahu Tahai, which is the best way we believe, you can say goodbye to this magical place.
Ahu Tahai
Ahu Tahai
And from here we have to go back to the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa where we enjoy an incredible last Supper on the terrace and on a really spectacular last night, which we are sure, we will never forget.
Night falls at the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa
Day 29: Easter Island by rental car - Santiago de Chile
