Visiting Easter Island (Land-Based)

Hotu Iti Cove and Ahu Tongariki

Hotu Iti cove, as seen from the craggy cliffs of Rano Raraku. We anchored in this cove when I was aboard Nine of Cups. This is also the place where our anchoring gear got overstressed in a sudden onshore squall, requiring us to raise the anchor and motor away under difficult conditions.		Hotu Iti, as seen from a slightly lower elevation on Rano Raraku.

You can easily see the 15 moai atop restored Ahu Tongariki. The cliffs at left are caused by the sea eroding into the flank of Maunga Pukatikei; the islet is Motu Marotiri.		You can see Hotu Iti in the background, but in the foreground there's a cara-cara bird perched on a boulder near Rano Raraku.

After the world-class spectacle at the moai quarry, anything else would be a letdown. But since I was in the neighborhood, I might as well visit the restored moai at Hotu Iti. I drove over and took the obligatory pictures, but frankly I was just going through the motions. Although Ahu Togariki and its moai were spectacular, there was something about the presentation that just didn't click. It was a little too perfect, bordering on Disney-esque. The restoration project had been funded by the Japanese, and I think they spent a little too much money trying to make it look a little too perfect.

Two views of Ahu Tongariki, which was painstakingly restored with Japanese financial assistance.