Rapa Nui is world renowned for its hundreds of iconic UNESCO World Heritage-designated carved monoliths. However, beyond the stark, volcanic “face” of the island travellers will encounter an ancient history, rich spirituality and traditions, and the story of a land brought to the brink of environmental collapse. At the turn of the millennium, the island of Rapa Nui — later named Easter Island by a Dutch explorer —flourished with communities of early Polynesians. Delve into their legacy and history as you explore Easter Island and relish an opportunity to study the moai monoliths that still exist, standing tall in completion and laying half-finished in a quarry. With Pacific Islands Institute, visitors will meet archaeologists and historians who reveal the stories of Rapa Nui’s ancient peoples as well as local cultural experts who continue to call this sub-tropical island their home.
