Day 27: Puna Pau, Ahu Hanga Te'e (Vaihu), Ahu Akahanga, Rano Raraku, Te Ara O Te Moai, Ana Kakenga
After the relaxing day we took yesterday, we took the opportunity to explain what to see in Easter Island, today we wanted to get up a little earlier to try to make all the other visits that are pending, in addition to returning to Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis.
Although we expected the day to be a little clearer, as soon as we woke up we have seen that this is not the case and the sky is still quite cloudy, although in some areas of the island it seems that it wants to rise the sun, so with no intention of waiting for a day more, since the forecast is to continue raining, we have decided to have breakfast early and go to do all the visits that we have pending, since as we had commented at other times, the distances are quite small, so we can risk going looking for the island to the place where the weather is a little better and does not rain, to be able to make the visits that are pending.
And so when it is 8:15 in the morning, we leave the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa heading towards the first point of the day that is Puna Pau, the quarry of the headdresses.
Southeast Easter Island Route
As soon as we reach the access of Puna Pau, the rain begins to tighten, so we decided to take a quick tour, in case the day was not just fixed, and so at least get an initial idea of this incredible place.
Puna Pau
Seeing that the day continues without giving us too much truce, we change the plan, heading towards another area of the island and see how the weather is there.
The next stop is 6 kilometers from here, on the way to Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis, and it is Ahu Hanga Te'e or Vaihu, as it is also known.
It seems that the time of day has come when luck begins to be in our favor, since just when we arrive for a little rain, which allows us to visit another of the most impressive points of the island, where you can see the headdresses right next to the sea, where they stayed after falling from the moai.
Ahu Hanga Te'e
This platform, located in Hanga Te'e Bay, once had 8 moai, each with its characteristic red headdress. After being knocked down, the moai were in front of the platform, but the headdresses, due to their shape, rolled in several directions, leaving some of them on the shore of the bay, leaving us a very striking image and allowing us to see how they found themselves and how The platforms remained after being knocked down.
Ahu Hanga Te'e
In front of the platform you can see a huge circle of stones, called Paina, where the ceremony was held, which we talked about the day we arrived at Easter Island and in Tahai, we saw the same structure.
Ahu Hanga Te'e
We recommend that you do not forget to walk around the back of the platform, where in addition to seeing the headdresses that are practically on the shore, touching the sea, you can enjoy incredible views of the island.
From here we follow the coast to Ahu Akahanga, another key point of Easter Island, located only 3.4 kilometers from Ahu Hanga Te'e. We arrive when it is 9:20 in the morning and we find that the access area is closed, so we decided to wait in the car for a few minutes to see if they open at 9:30.
But in that wait, just a car arrives with a tourist who is accompanied by a guide, who we see access, jumping the small fence. Fast we get out of the car and we tell the guide if he knows the opening time or if can we come in As they have done. He tells us that if we do not come with any guide and we will see the area for free, we will best wait for the person to open so as not to have any problems.
We wait until it is practically 10 in the morning and seeing that 20 minutes have passed and there is still no one left, we decided to follow the route we have planned to try again later when we make the way back, to see if it is already open.
We follow the road that follows the coast until we reach the beginning of the Te Ara O Te Moai trail, which we will do tomorrow, where there is a moiai lying down that makes us intuit what awaits us tomorrow traveling the Way of the moáis.
Te Ara O Te Moai
After this brief stop, we continue the journey towards Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis, where after seeing that the day has cleared a lot, we will return to make a complete tour again and of course, including the crater, that the other day we could not see.
On the access path we pass parallel to the quarry again, having those fantastic views that we saw the other day from the quarry in the distance, but that gives us a much broader perspective of the place, allowing us to have a vision of what It was and is, Rano Raraku, one of the most incredible places in Rapa Nui.
Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis
Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis
Rano Raraku
Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis
Rano Raraku is known for being the place where the moais were carved and where today, more than 400 moais are still preserved.
In order not to repeat the whole explanation to our tour in the quarry of the moais on this day, you can see it in the article we published of the Sunrise in Tongariki, where we later visited Rano Raraku.
Rano Raraku
Rano Raraku
In our case today, even though we had already done the first part of the tour, somewhat fast and we only had to see the crater of Rano Karaku, how could it be otherwise, we took the opportunity to visit the quarry again, which although with a bit more cloudy weather, it has amazed us again and where we have not been able to avoid standing in front of each and every one of them, to try to take us in our retinas all the images that this incredible island is giving us.
Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis
Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis
The visit to Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis, including the crater, taking it easy, as you should do in this amazing place and making stops at the most important points, it can take you around 3 hours, so we advise you to come with enough time, so you don't have the right time and Stay with the feeling that you have left places to see and enjoy.
Rano Raraku
In addition, whenever you can, we advise you to visit when the day is clear and if possible in the afternoon, since this is the time of day when there is better light.
In our case, today we visited it during the morning, but having been the day of dawn in Tongariki in the afternoon, today we only came to see the crater, which is what gave us no time for the problem we had and seeing the weather, we did not want to risk not being able to return at another time because of the rain.
Rano Raraku
Do not miss the complete Tour of Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis here
After going for almost 1 hour and a half to the moises quarry, we return to the access area, where the roads fork, taking the one on the left, which will take us to the Rano Raraku crater.
The path to the crater does not take more than 10 minutes to travel, although it is necessary to take into account that there are somewhat steep sections that also, if it has rained, become skating rinks, something that you must take into account if you do not want to end up full of mud from head to toe.
It is worth taking it easy and gradually ascending, seeing especially where you step to avoid slips.
Rano Raraku crater
With a depth of 10 meters, the lake inside the crater was the only source of water in this area of the island, even before this was the place where the Moises were carved.
Initially the size of the moai was carried out in the area of the quarry where we were previously, but due to the high demand that existed, the size had to be extended to this area, where if you look at the slopes of the crater, you can See around 40 moáis.
Rano Raraku crater
After the visit to the crater, we conclude the visit to Rano Raraku, the quarry of the moáis, returning to the car and making way, again, to Ahu Akahanga, which we previously found closed and where now is the person carrying Check out tickets and where again, we are alone in the visit.
Ahu Akahanga
Ahu Akanhanga, like Vaihu, which we saw earlier, are two of the best places where you can see today how the moai were demolished.
Ahu Akanhanga
Taking into account that for more than 300 years that nothing is touched, and that they have not been restored at any time in history, we have only to be overwhelmed and with our mouths open, imagining how they should have been at the time of greatest splendor and seeing now, equally imposing, as they lie on the ground, keeping for them, all their incredible history.
The visit to Ahu Akanhanga is somewhat more extensive than what we did before in Vaihu, since the area is somewhat longer. Upon entering the first thing we see are the remains of several boat houses, like the ones we saw in Tahai.
After passing them, on the right, we can see a small cave, which once offered shelter and protection in times of adverse weather on the island.
Ahu Akanhanga Cave
Formerly, the road passed through Ahu Akanhanga, luckily this is now solved and passes parallel to it. On the right hand you can see an incomplete ahu, in which you can also see a demolished moai, right next to it.
If you look closely, the features of the moi, which are perfectly preserved, attract a lot of attention, since at the time he was shot down, he fell in such a way that his face was protected from the inclement weather, showing us day by day Today all its splendor.
Ahu Akanhanga
Once we reach the main platform of Ahu Akanhanga, it is when we can see the maximum splendor of this place, with a platform, which at the time had 12 moai, and in which when it was demolished, some moai, the largest, fell by the rear and the smallest by the front.
Ahu Akanhanga
As in Vaihu, here it is also worth walking through the back of the platform, but not only to see the moai that were collapsed in that area, but also to see a curious moai, known as E.T., because of its carving, which suggests that it was from a very early time.
Ahu Akanhanga
The visit to Ahu Akanhanga takes us about 45 minutes, more or less, since it is an area somewhat more extensive than the rest, where there are many interesting places and that of course, we recommend you visit in Easter Island.
From here and taking advantage of the fact that the weather seems to have cleared a bit and it does not rain, we approach Puna Pau, the quarry of the headdresses, which is 10 kilometers from here.
We parked at the door, showed our access tickets again, and finally we entered another of the places we most wanted to know.
Puna Pau
With the more than 1000 moáis that we can find in Easter Island, although it seems a lie, only 100 headdresses are preserved, something that shows us that these hats they were added much later, so the oldest moais did not have and this quarry began to be used from the 15th century
Puna Pau
The stone of the headdresses is volcanic rock, very porous, so its carving was quite fast and easy and after many studies, it has been determined that these headdresses were not hats, but were the hairstyles that were worn at the time , in which the hair was long and curled in the head as if it were a bun.
The slot to insert it into the moi, was carved once the headdress was in the final location, next to the moi, so in Puna Pau, we cannot see any finished headdress.
Details of a headdress in Puna Pau
In Puna Pau, the visit takes place relatively quickly. You just have to follow a path that takes you through the different headdresses, then start up the slope of the crater, from where you have a unique perspective, both if you look back, as well as inside the quarry and from the viewpoint in the upper part, from where you have practically 360º views over the island.
Puna Pau
Puna Pau quarry
We end the visit to Puna Pau when it is 2:30 in the afternoon, returning to the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa to eat at the Poevara Restaurant, where we enjoy an exquisite lunch,
Octopus
Eating at the Poevara Restaurant
Having made a fairly complete tour this morning, we also take advantage of this table to rest for a little while and when it is 5:00 in the afternoon we approach the Tahai area, from where we see that we are only a few kilometers from the entrance to Ana Kakenga , the Cave of the Two Windows, another of the places we wanted to visit.
Although we see that the road is quite muddy by the rain that has been falling since yesterday, we risk going through the car and driving carefully we arrive in about 15 minutes to the entrance, where the ticket control is done and where the parking is.
Once at the entrance of Ana Kakenga, we leave the car, mark the ticket and tell us that we have 1 kilometer 600 meters to reach the cave itself.
We have read that access is not too "easy", but when we ask they tell us that the views alone are worth it even if they do not enter, so we do not think much and start walking, enjoying only the views And the ride
Road to Ana Kakenga
Road to Ana Kakenga
Ana Kakenga
They say that this is the most interesting cave on the island, so if you want to visit any, this would undoubtedly be the best option.
After following a path of 1 kilometer 600 meters, you reach a kind of promontory, where just in front you can see the islet Motu Tautara.
Motu Tautara. Ana Kakenga
Initially it is quite difficult to find the entrance of the cave, since it is not very well signposted. Just turn left, past the sign where Ana Kakenga is indicated, you should look at the ground and you will see on the left a small stone mound, where you will see a rather tiny hole, with very narrow stairs through which you access the cave.
Ana Kakenga
Seeing what the entrance is like, I decide (Vanessa), to wait outside, while Roger goes into the cave, where it is about 20 minutes.
As soon as I leave, he explains that the feeling of being overwhelmed is not too much, although it takes a flashlight to be able to go through the passageways, since they are very dark as well as slippery.
Ana Kakenga
Ana Kakenga
After the visit to Ana Kakenga, we enjoy the area and the incredible views, where it is worth spending some time and enjoying the place.
Views from Ana Kakenga
After this last visit of the day and return to the trail, it is almost 7 in the afternoon when we return to the parking lot and we finish today, returning to the Hangaroa Eco Village Spa where we take a shower, have dinner and after enjoy a while on the terrace of our room, we go to sleep thinking that tomorrow is our last full day in Easter Island, a place that has fallen in love and where, we are sure, we will return.
Day 28: Te Ara O Te Moai or “Camino de los moáis” and Anakena, one of the best beaches in the world
