Easter Island - HD stock travel footage and travel photography

Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Five hours and 40 minutes by plane out of the Santiago lays in the Pacific Ocean an island that is considered the most isolated place on Earth.
Easter Island's isolation is measured by the fact that no matter that there are islands around it, none had any inhabitants in time and only accidents of the present history brought several inhabitants on some of its neighbors, the closest densely inhabited places around it, Chile and Tahiti, being located 2000 miles away in opposite directions.
The island is a triangular spot of volcanic tuft with a maximum length of less than 30 km.
During the long and tumultuous geologic history of the Pacific, three volcanoes erupted repeatedly and after a while the area around their cones rose considerably above the sea level creating the island. Discovered by the first Europeans in 1722 was for the first time excavated in 1957 by the expedition led by Thor Heyerdal whose theory about the island and its population was presented in several books including the best seller, "Aku-Aku".
Easter Island is known mainly for the colossal statues named "moai" that were placed on the local temple platforms, "ahu", watching impassable inland to protect the clan that raised them in that place. They represent the "mana" or the spiritual power of the deceased leader of the local community named in the island "ariki". The mystery that surround these statues still persists no matter that more or less their history and origin are explained in various theories but when you visit the island the mystery stays with you during the entire visit.
The island's name is the same as the language spoken on it, "Rapa Nui" but the legendary name is more significant meaning the Navel of the World.
The legend says that the first king of the island, Hotu Matua, dreamt that he will move his population on this island and landed on one of the few beaches shortly after that. He brought here a population that was named in history the Long Ears, a name that came from the elongated ears' lobes caused by the heavy ear rings they wore. Later, a new population came or was captured and brought to the island and named the Short Ears, these new inhabitants becoming the builders of the existing "moai".
Unfortunately, the conflict that developed in time between them brought down the "moai" from their elevated platforms, as a revolt against authority and for destruction of the "mana" that was protecting the Long Ears tribes.
But if you are not an archeology fan you can take Easter Island as a charming Polynesian Island, with two palm tree covered sandy beaches and turquoise waters and a very pleasant climate with houses surrounded by luxurious gardens, extremely friendly people and interesting customs.
Watch our travel video and you'll find out more about the history of the island taking a tour around it and visiting its most important religious places, the stone carriers where the "moai" where cut and where their colossal hats were shaped, various renovated "ahu" where the "moai" were recently raised and also the place were the cult of the "birdman", a relatively recent tradition, flourished. We'll visit its volcanoes from where the views are majestic and its sandy beaches and we'll join the locals at their Sunday mass.