Kal Korff

The Maoi Statues of Easter Island

by Kal K. Korff
Internationally Syndicated Copyright 2012 by Kal K. Korff - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Located some 3,500 km off the coast of Chile is a small piece of land known as the Easter Island. Claimed by the country of Chile as one of its territories, it is just 160 square kilometers in size and is one of the worlds most remote inhabited islands. Easter Island was discovered by Dutch European explorers on Easter day in 1722, hence its name. Its population during this time was around 3,000 inhabitants, the vast majority of whom were polynesians from other islands. Today, it boasts a population of nearly 4,000, its main source of income is, of course, tourism. Unless you choose to arrive by ship, the only way to get to Easter Island is by aircraft. If you prefer to fly, you can book your journey from mainland Chile itself. There are also several tourist agencies which offer Easter Island packages, complete with accommodation. When arriving at Easter Island, you better be prepared to do some serious walking. The very nature of the island itself is such that you do not want to explore it by vehicle. Not only is there is a distinct absence of roads, but, unless you have the right kind of vehicle such as a Land Rover, ordinary cars would get stuck anyway. Easter Island does not have the kinds of luxury furnishings one would expect when staying in a large city while travelling. Where there are rooms which can be rented, dont expect the few supply stores which do exist to either be open at all hours. Also, they dont stock many of the more modern goods that you might be accustomed to. The weather on Easter Island is fairly warm throughout the year. A nice breeze is practically a constant, most welcome during the hotter months, but, an irritant during the cooler winters.

Easter Island is an archaeologists dream. Scattered throughout the island are hundreds of Maoi statues, large monolithic structures which were carved by the natives. Some of these statues show just the heads of people, while others are complete figures towering tens of meters in height. Obviously, touring the areas where these hundreds of statues exist is where the action is. The good news is that the statues ring the entire island. No matter which way you head off trekking, youre going to find them. The bulk of the hundreds of Maois reside along the coast on nearly every side of the island. When exploring, it is best to stick to the coastline and keep the ocean always in sight when you are walking to reduce the chances of getting lost. Further inland, there are not very many distinguishable landmarks, since the island itself is largely barren. The coast consists, in some areas, of steep cliffs which jet up out of the ocean, as well as flat plains. In addition to the stunning site of these splendidly carves statues, Easter Island also has many petroglyphs and other carvings in groups of rocks which are very interesting to explore. There are also carvings which exist inside caves which are fun to explore. If you travel to Easter Island, do not explore it by night unless you have some very experienced local guides with plenty of lights. Since there are no cities on the island, once the sun sets, things get pitch dark real fast. Easter Island became world famous in the hearts and minds of westerners thanks to the movie Chariots of the Gods? by Swiss author Erich von Dniken. Von Dniken theorised that the statues on the island were made by advanced beings from another world. He postulated that ancient astronauts had visited the Earth, intermingling with humans and erected some of the worlds greatest ancient monuments, including the famous pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Of course, science has proved otherwise. Visible even today on Easter Island are the original rock quarries and chisel tools that the natives carved their curious statues with. Easter Island has been declared by the UN as a World Heritage Site. If you love exploring small islands which are largely unpopulated, remote in their location and contain great archaeological artifacts, Easter Island is for you.

Copyright 2012 by Kal K. Korff - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this content may be reproduced in any form nor by any means without the express, written consent of Kal Korff. Fair use, does NOT apply. By reading this document, you willingly agree to be legally bound by its terms and conditions. Violators of this policy will have a felony DMCA Copyright infringement notice filed against them with law enforcement. First time offenders may be fined up to $500,000, imprisoned for five years, or both. For repeat offenders, the maximum penalty increases to a fine of $1,000,000, imprisonment for up to ten years, or both. This is a DMCA protected document, illegal copying and/or reproduction of its contents are tracked on the Internet and reported to law enforcement for felony prosecution.

When not exploring it, you can also take rides in some of the small fishing boats which dot the Island. You can go as a tourist, or join a real fishing expedition. Either activity is a blast, especially if you like the ocean. There are nearly 20 hotels on Easter Island, ranging in price from $50-$150 per night. While most exist along the coast, all of them are fairly small (you wont find a Hilton there) and have a personal touch about them. Service is great; the hotels treat their guests with respect and try to cater to your every need. Go ahead and book your tickets now! 1.0v1 April 22, 2012 Kal K. Korff is an officially accredited internationally known author, columnist and investigative journalist.

Copyright 2012 by Kal K. Korff - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this content may be reproduced in any form nor by any means without the express, written consent of Kal Korff. Fair use, does NOT apply. By reading this document, you willingly agree to be legally bound by its terms and conditions. Violators of this policy will have a felony DMCA Copyright infringement notice filed against them with law enforcement. First time offenders may be fined up to $500,000, imprisoned for five years, or both. For repeat offenders, the maximum penalty increases to a fine of $1,000,000, imprisonment for up to ten years, or both. This is a DMCA protected document, illegal copying and/or reproduction of its contents are tracked on the Internet and reported to law enforcement for felony prosecution.