| Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer | | | | on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, you'll arrive |
| hikers and I'll probably answer Easter Island. Here | | | | back in town in five or six hours (but take |
| on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long you'll find | | | | adequate food, water, and sunscreen). This is |
| nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues | | | | probably the finest coastal walk in the South |
| strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or | | | | Pacific. |
| littering the slopes of an extinct volcano. | | | | Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, |
| The legends of Easter Island have been | | | | although you're bound to run into other tourists |
| recounted many times. What's less known is that | | | | here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin |
| the island's assorted wonders are easily accessible | | | | early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone |
| on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, | | | | quarry where all of the island's statues were born. |
| Hanga Roa. Before setting out see the sights, | | | | This is easily the island's most spectacular sight |
| however, visit the excellent archaeological | | | | with 397 statues in various stages of completion |
| museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of | | | | lying scattered around the crater. And each day |
| town (the term "ahu" refers to an ancient stone | | | | large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to |
| platform). Aside from the exhibits, the museum | | | | sightsee and have lunch. However, if you arrive |
| has maps which can help you plan your trip. An | | | | before 9 am, you'll have the site to yourself for a |
| online map is available at | | | | few hours. When you see the first tour buses |
| The first morning after arrival, I suggest you | | | | headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on |
| climb Easter Island's most spectacular volcano, | | | | the coast, where 15 massive statues were |
| Rano Kau, where Orongo, a major archaeological | | | | reerected in 1994. From here, just start walking |
| site, sits on the crater's rim. But rather than | | | | back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along the south |
| marching straight up the main road to the crater, | | | | coast. You'll pass many fallen statues and enjoy |
| look for the unmarked shortcut trail off a | | | | some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, |
| driveway to the right just past the forestry | | | | simply go up onto the highway and stick out your |
| station south of town. It takes under two hours | | | | thumb and you'll be back in town in a jiffy. |
| to cover the six km from Hanga Roa to Orongo, | | | | An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum |
| but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. | | | | and follows the west coast five km north to Ahu |
| (If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you | | | | Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes pealed for |
| can take a taxi to the summit for around US$6 | | | | banana trees growing out of the barren rocks as |
| and easily walk back later in the day.) Once on | | | | these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland |
| top, you'll find hiking down into the colourful crater | | | | from Ahu Tepeu is one of the island's most |
| presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go | | | | photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues |
| right around the crater rim, but only do so if | | | | restored in 1960. From here an interior farm road |
| you're a very experienced hiker and have a | | | | runs straight back to town (study the maps at |
| companion along as shear 250-meter cliffs drop | | | | the museum carefully, as you'll go far out of your |
| into the sea from the ridge. | | | | way if you choose the wrong road here). |
| Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely | | | | A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller |
| Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on | | | | crater which provided stone for the red topknots |
| the north side of the island (you should pay under | | | | that originally crowned the island's statues. There's |
| US$10 for the 20 km). A few of the famous | | | | a great view of Hanga Roa from the three |
| Easter Island statues have been restored at | | | | crosses on an adjacent hill and you can easily do |
| Anakena and you could go for a swim, although | | | | it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right |
| the main reason you've come is the chance to | | | | around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which |
| trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free | | | | crosses the island just south of town. Near the |
| northwest corner of the island. You'll pass | | | | east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with |
| numerous abandoned statues lying facedown | | | | perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an |
| where they fell, and the only living creatures | | | | uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in |
| you're unlikely to encounter are the small brown | | | | Peru. |
| hawks which will watch you intently from perches | | | | |