Top 5 Hanga Roa Historical Tours: Uncover Rapa Nui’s Past

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as it’s called by the locals, it’s almost a truly amazing place. Far away in the Pacific, its mysteries pull folks from everywhere to see its famous Moai statues and to take in its rich heritage. If you’re figuring out your next vacation spots, checking into the Easter Island historical tours could really enrich your adventure. And Hanga Roa, the capital of the island, it’s just the perfect base from where you can go visit these unique and awesome spots. Here’s your guide on a few of the best historical trips that might interest you.

Ahu Tongariki Tour: A sunrise spectacle you won’t soon forget

First up, you really should consider a visit to Ahu Tongariki, because it’s the biggest Ahu on the island, featuring fifteen Moai lined up facing inland. Getting there early for sunrise? Oh, it’s just something magical, believe me. The light as it comes up really adds to the spiritual feeling of this spot, and makes these already grand figures look even bigger. With several companies offering organized visits, getting a great view that gives insight to this setting doesn’t feel like a fever dream. They’ll explain what’s what with the history, how it fits into the Rapa Nui backstory and also, the logistics behind why the island even exists! This is very important historical knowledge.

Orongo and Rano Kau Volcano: Diving into the Birdman Cult

Got some curiosity? Orongo calls with its tales of the Birdman competition. Way up on the edge of Rano Kau volcano, with its amazing, ginormous crater lake, it’s pretty much mind-blowing. And at Orongo, things used to get really interesting. The leaders from each clan had to swim to a smaller, close-by island to grab an egg from a special bird. Why, might you ask? That designated their clan’s big boss for a year! If you join a tour, you’ll be able to see a lot of really old art carved in stone and learn more about this really weird custom. This really teaches about the unique cult practices in a way that makes them memorable, too it’s almost an intriguing cultural experience.

Rano Raraku: Meeting the Moai Creators

Okay, so Rano Raraku might be known as the “Moai factory.” That’s because you’ll find several hundred Moai, in different shapes, some in progress and some ready, carved right out of the rock. It will kind of give you some insight into what happened back in the day when they made these giants! Local trips often spend time here so people can walk all around, taking cool pictures and grasping just how carefully the islanders made these huge figures. Because here, seeing is believing, I’m telling you that. If you want some good information to mull over in order to better picture Rano Raraku visit guide sites before setting foot.

Anakena Beach: Unwind where Hotu Matu’a Landed

Next stop should definitely be Anakena Beach, it’s a sandy haven but it’s also big in the books of Rapa Nui tradition, believed to be the spot where Hotu Matu’a, the island’s main founder, stepped in. Here you could just chill, swim and check out the nearby Ahu Nau Nau, featuring statues having cool red headpieces, or pukao. Tours here are generally awesome as they throw in history and downtime. Maybe you want to just take in the sun, swim around a bit or maybe listen closely as your tour people tell some tales. It is all around, pretty neat beach history.

Ahu Akivi: The Moai that Look Out to Sea

And lastly, there’s the spot, Ahu Akivi, you’ll want to go see those Moai because those seven characters stare out into the Pacific, it’s almost different from all the others. Unlike other Moai placed near the coast, facing inland, these guys check out into the sea! It brings something to your mind; legends say it helped people find this place. During sunset, tours often stop by Ahu Akivi to give folks some super striking scenic views and let them hear about the secrets and interesting little points related to them. These statues have this crazy directional peculiarity that you can ask locals about as the sunsets, too it’s almost an amazing feeling, seeing it all come together.