Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, is still part of Chile, and lies over 3600 km away from the mainland. The island has long since fascinated geologists, philosophers, historians, and any traveller who was lucky enough to get this far away from everywhere else in the world.

Primarily famous for its giant stone carvings (more info), the Maoi are remnants of a long passed era, where elders were carved into stone to cast a watchful eye over the island, and protect it from invaders. Those invaders came, and whether it was through an unholy mixture of civil war, European diseases, or Peruvian slavers, nobody will ever really know how the civilisation that managed these feats of engineering, disappeared abruptly, leaving undecipherable carvings, and up to 82 tons worth of monument.

The quarry, Rano Raraku, provides evidence of the scale of Maoi production, and is a fascinating placeto wander round. Close by, is the Tongariki set of 15 statues, lined up facing the ocean, stood on their ceremonial Ahu. The red hat mystery of the Easter Island statues appears to now have been solved too!

The main town of Hanga Roa is has an almost Hawaiian feel to it, laid back and low-key in its tourist upsell. Finally, the amazing crater of Rano Kao showcases the spectacular natural beauty with its giant crater adding a further surreal tone to an already space like island in the middle of the Pacific..

Rano Raraku