Rapa Nui and the festival of Tapati
Santiago was just a stop over as we (I) really was looking forward to go to Easter Island, so when the day came getting ready in the morning still hot in Santiago, again with Metro to the bus station @ Universidad de Santiago from there you can get direct bus transport to the airport – best to get a round ticket as it is cheaper by about 500Pes.
Flight was pretty full, of course we did not know that we happened to get there at the Annual festival.
WE did take some of our food with us which is was good since on the island food is not cheap at all!
The anticipation arriving in Rapa Nui got bigger as we flew over one tip of the island and we could see some of the Maoi’s.
Getting on the ground we got picked , we did not get any flowers .. most visitors did get them form the hote..then again I got some in the south pacific and what are you going to do with them anyhow…on the way to the hotel a Guy from Tomuco did talk with us and we arranged to hire a car together as it would be cheaper.. good idea especially considering the festival was on., It was sunny and hot, got our bags sorted out and walked down to town to see some of the Maoe’s as well the stage of the festival. Next day we took off for a round trip of the island with the car. The east site along the coast is sealed road and most maoi’s are tumbled over, still we stopped at each point on the map.- Map’s are sadly not really accurate as there other things around we did see just by accident when watching people walking amoungst the rocks – we stopped to investigate and found “lava tubes” where you could climb in too.
The festival did start about 9pm in town with dances and singing competitions, where 2 teams “fight” it out about the crown of the next queen of the island.
2 nd day I was planning to go scuba diving\, I was looking forward for this mostly, we did asked in the guest house and they told us we could go with one of their business. It was Sunday and at the festival they had one of the major contest, I was supposed to be picked up @ 10 am – no one there so the guy form the guesthouse gave me a ride to the dive shop.
He however had a short top and I could see he was cold.. too bloody bad mate!! I I took him for a tour on myself and ended up 45 min before I gave him the signal to go back to the boat.
Afternoon dive @ 6pm still plenty of sun out and we this time got to go in front of the town, where a “maoi” supposedly was found. (in reality it was a carved one made for a Kevin Costner film) still the dive site had a interesting anchor and hard corals as well plenty of large fish. I did ask them why they did take me to the first spot at all? No answer. But I know time was a issue because the where rushing me out the water to get to the festival show.
Next day just lazing around checking a bit of the town.
Still Easter Island is a great place to visit and experience, however next time I would camp pay a guide to show me around so I would not miss some of the attractions not on the map.
Interesting fact of the island, almost all native vegetation had been eradicated and is gone, there are hardly any trees around so little or no shady spots for people who don’t like to much sun on their skin. Farming is still done by Horsepower as it used to be in the old days. Parts of the3 island are littered heavily with volcanic rocks which would make it difficult to farm the land anyhow
But there it goes, We did book a double (not twin) in the main house with shared bathroom, when arriving we did get a twin room because they did not want to clean the other rooms just for us... good we had our private bathroom,
The room was Ok not the best or clenest I ever seen but 35$ a night is ok
but then we had to change to our booked room in the main house.. man how bad .. nothing seemt to be ever cleaned all though the host where friendly but still a bit of tieding up could not hurt.. breakfast included where sometimes we did not get all the same but most time we did..
it looks and was still under "construction" and where ever they dropt things it was left..
Sadly the bathrooms where hardly ever cleaned and out of toilet paper too..Honestly I would have booked a camping ground stayed in a tent and would spend the money on the tours.
When one of the guest did book a Car not with help of them the owner seemed to be a bit unhappy about this.. looked like a big family business (net).
the kitchen for self cooking and the campers is just a mess and a health hazard.. people sadly, took food of other guests with out asking left the kitchen in a terrible mess left over food on the stove @ 30'C of course this doe snot help with the littlest critters.
oh yes and we had never a key to our room as a fact there was not even a lock to it. and our shower had not hot water what so ever so we chose to use the other shared bath....
I guess if I could recommend any of it is to get in on a shared room as this looked the best option and cheapest other then camping
