Featured image: 12 Moai in a row on Easter Island | Photo by Joyce Perrin

Reflections on an adventurous solo trip to Chile’s remote islands

by Joyce E. Perrin

Mystical, mysterious, mana, and moai. These are the words that capture the haunting allure of Easter Island, Chile. Easter Island is often described as the most remote inhabited island on Earth, sitting more than 2,000 miles away from any major population center in the middle of the South Pacific. It feels like the edge of the world, and in some ways, it is.

In 2001, I visited Easter Island on a solo trip. On my first night, I made my way to Ahu Tahai, a reconstructed ceremonial site perched near the crashing waves. The sun was melting into the ocean as if being swallowed by the horizon. Three stone platforms held the moai—the towering, enigmatic statues for which the island is famous. They stood in silence, guardians of a forgotten time. The surf broke against the black volcanic rock, the only sound in the golden quiet. Other tourists stood still, no words spoken, as if under a collective spell. I took photo after photo, trying to capture the way the light danced on the weathered stone.

Nearby, horses grazed lazily. One lifted its head and stared right at me, unbothered. It all felt so natural until I turned to the single standing moai with restored white coral eyes. I felt drawn to it. I wanted to stand in front of it and whisper, “Tell me your story. How did you make your journey from the distant quarry? Why do you face inland, and what do you see? What do you represent?” These questions are what make Easter Island endlessly fascinating. They pull at you, softly but persistently.

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What are the moai?

No one really knows why the moai were carved or how they were transported. Theories abound. Some locals believe a spiritual energy called mana helped the statues walk.

Others say they were rolled on logs or moved in a clever rocking motion. A few believe slings or ropes were used. But no theory has ever been proven. What is known is that the moai face inland, watching over the villages they once protected. Over time, many were toppled during tribal conflicts, and what stands today has been reconstructed with care and reverence.

The island itself has been known by many names: Te Pito O Te Henua (Navel of the World), Rapa Nui, and Easter Island, named by Dutch explorer Admiral Roggeveen who happened to arrive on Easter Sunday in 1722.

The following morning, I visited the island’s small but fascinating museum. It offered a foundation of knowledge before I began exploring in earnest. I joined a full-day tour with Patricio, an engaging guide who struck a perfect balance between history and humor. Another day, I ventured further with Rosita who worked at the museum during the off- season. Together in a four-by-four, we explored more isolated archaeological sites, often in complete solitude.

What to see on Easter Island

Over three days, I stood in awe before the island’s most iconic places:

• Ahu Vinapu, with its precisely cut stones and a rare headless female statue.
• Ahu Akahanga, where the remnants of a boat-shaped house lie among the grass.
• Rano Raraku, the quarry where the moai were born, has more than 390 still embedded in the hillsides like silent sentinels.
• We climbed to the crater’s edge and gazed at the ocean stretching out on both sides.
• Ahu Tongariki, the grandest of all, with fifteen massive moai lined up shoulder to shoulder.
• Ahu Nau Nau, nestled near palm trees and Anakena Beach, where the first settlers are believed to have landed.
• Puna Pau, the red scoria quarry where the moai’s distinctive topknots were carved.
• Ahu Akivi, the only site where the moai face the sea, is believed to represent the first explorers sent to find the island.
• Ana Kakenga, a sea cave with two natural windows viewing the endless Pacific.

The island also draws adventurers. Divers, surfers, sunbathers, and trekkers all find something here. My passion is scuba diving, and I was not disappointed. I dove with Orach Diving, owned at that time, by Henri Garcia, a former member of Jacques Cousteau’s crew.

The water was clear, alive with fish and coral. We swam past a sunken anchor and schools of fish darting like silver arrows. Time vanished beneath the waves.

Off the beaten track on Easter Island

One afternoon, I rode horseback along the western and northern coasts. We followed rugged trails, passed more moai and hidden caves, and gazed out at jagged cliffs where waves crashed like thunder. The sunlight sparkled on the sea, turning it into a canvas of blues and greens.

Later, I chose to walk the steep trail to Orongo, an ancient ceremonial village perched on the rim of Rano Kau volcano. The climb was steady, the views breathtaking. Here, the famous birdman competition once took place. According to oral history, when tribal fighting had escalated, the chiefs decided to choose a leader through a different method. Young men would descend the cliffs and swim to the offshore islets to retrieve the first sooty tern egg. If successful, they would tie the fragile egg to their forehead and return. The leader of the first man back would rule for the year, his face painted in red and black, his hair and eyebrows shaved. He lived in isolation, tended to only by priests. The last known ceremony was in 1867, and a petroglyph of the birdman remains as a lasting tribute.

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My last evening was spent again at Ahu Tahai, watching the sun disappear into the horizon, just as I had on my first night. The light softened the moai’s edges, as if turning them to gold. I still had questions. The statues offered no answers. They simply stood, calm and unchanged.

As I reflect on my time there, one thought lingers. The people of Rapa Nui were not primitive. They were ingenious, artistic, and resilient. They carved hundreds of massive statues, moved them without machinery, built ceremonial villages in perfect harmony with the land, and developed rituals that held communities together. Their achievements deserve recognition. They deserve to be seen not only as a mystery but as a testament to human brilliance.

The mana is still there. You can feel it. And the moai are still watching.

How to get to Easter Island

Easter Island is wonderful all year round. March is best for beach weather, meeting travellers, and cultural life (post-Tapati festival). June is best for quiet, budget-focused trips with fewer tourists and more local interactions. September is ideal for balanced weather, moderate costs, and spring landscapes.

From North America, take LATAM, Air Canada, Copa or Delta through Santiago, Chile. Check for flights here. 

Where to stay

There is a range of hotels and hostels on Easter Island. Hostels start at $26 per dorm; mid-range hotels range from $85 to $140 per room, and more expensive hotels like Hotel Puka Vai start at $180 a night. Find a place to stay on Booking.com.

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