Playa Anakena
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Anakena Beach is the legendary landing place of Hotu Matua, the founder of Rapa Nui. This is one of the few beaches on the island that you can swim at relatively safely. The moai in the center are Ahu Nau Nau, of which four are in good shape complete with topknots. As you can see, this is a particularly scenic area- there are many more of the Tahitian palm trees just to the right of the image, making for a very pleasant area to spend time in.
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| From the opposite side, you get a good, clear view of this ahu and the
moai resting on it. Through the trees in the distance is the
parking lot, and in the midst of the trees is a picnic area- a pleasant
area for lunch, providing there aren't hundreds of other tourists
around.
Click on the image to the right for a full view.
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Just behind Ahu Nau Nau is Ahu Ature Huki. Thor Heyerdahl and the islanders re-erected this moai to prove how the ancients could do it. With wooden poles, it took nine days of heaving and placing rocks under it to hold it in place before it finally settled into place. Thus, it proved that with much time devoted to the task, nearly anything can be accomplished. |
On the backside of Ahu Nau Nau, this petroglyphs adorn the stones that make up the ahu, or platform. |
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Click on a moai to show a
more detailed photo. |
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All images ©2000 by Jeffrey L. Cooper
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