November-December 2018

A legendary island of mysteries.

Easter Island seems well-known around the world. But because it's one of the most remote islands on Earth, it doesn't get visited as much as it could - fortunately. While owned by Chile, it's geographically, culturally, and even genetically Polynesian. Locals are fiercely proud of their non-Chilean roots.

We spent a week on the island when we were flying from Tahiti to Santiago. It's tiny, but there is a lot to do. We rented mountain bikes and pedalled all over the island, dealing with the heat and the wind to see the majestic moai statues, the amazing Anakena Beach, and enormous lava tubes. We stayed at an extremely basic campground near the airport, with the dirtiest bathroom imaginable.

It's not all paradise. Not everyone on Easter Island is friendly. The environment is destroyed, with invasive eucalyptus trees and cows everywhere which continue to overgraze. 

In my opinion, a visit to Easter Island must be accompanied by reading extensive literature beforehand to really understand the amazing history of this remote land.