They do not celebrate Easter Monday on Easter Island… The protesters opened National Park, but they still have a control on it – on each entrance there is their check point and they register foreigners. But the entrance is free! For me it is good news, because the ticket to the park cost hefty 60 USD – a huge amount in the backpackers budget.
The French fellows from my guesthouse gave me the lift to the Anakena Beach on the other end of the island. It is like 18 kms. This is beautiful place – the only on the island where you can see palm forest and white sand. According to the legend Hotu Matua – the first tribal chief on Rapa Nui landed here with his people.
From Anakena I took a long walk back visiting the second beach -Ovahe, and then famous Ahu with 15 moai statues – Tongariki. From this place it is only 2 kms by gravel road to the Rano Raraku crater where they had a quarry to cut-of moais with primitive tools. This time I got also into the crater where finished and unfinished statues impressed me. The view from the rim of the crater was also great… What a day!
