The island reopened its borders in August 2022, after being closed for over two years due to the pandemic. This longed-for moment marked a milestone, as travelers were able to reconnect with the island, its culture and inhabitants, in addition to exploring this island with its ancestral culture again.
No other inhabited place in the world is as isolated in the sea as Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, which is one of the reasons why its people have managed to maintain their authenticity and mysteries. This place has abundant archeology, volcanoes and meadows and is home to almost 1,000 moai, which were built to remember and preserve the energy of their deceased ancestors.
THE EXPLORA LODGE
Rapa Nui is a remote volcanic island in Polynesia, hidden away in the infinite Pacific Ocean. This tiny triangle, born of the eruption of three volcanoes, is 3,500 kilometers from continental South America and surrounded by the clearest waters in the world.
The Explora Lodge, with 30 rooms, is in a privileged location on the island. Surrounded by trees, meadows and sweeping views of the vast blue Pacific Ocean, it offers an intimate and private atmosphere that makes it the ideal place for travelers interested in discovering what was once the cradle of a unique and enigmatic culture that persists to this day through its proud inhabitants, who pass it on from generation to generation.
EXPLORE WITHOUT LIMITS
Explora has developed over 30 explorations, which are all included and offered in different modalities, such as hiking, overland crossings, biking, self-guided tours, combinations, snorkeling and diving explorations to immerse yourself in the waters surrounding the island.
They also have different difficulty levels so all travelers can choose the form of exploration that suits them best.
Each exploration was designed to discover and connect with this territory and its powerful culture, transmitted through its stories, songs and dances.
TAPATI: A JOURNEY THROUGH AN ANCESTRAL CULTURE
This was the first year since the island’s reopening that the Tapati celebration was held with people from outside the island again.
During the first 15 days of February, all the inhabitants of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, which means “Big Island,” gathered to celebrate the Tapati Rapa Nui festival, an event that enlivens the island’s great cultural tradition by bringing out the best of each local family to crown a queen, engage in friendly competitions and share the various territorial traditions with visitors.
The result and celebration of this festival is the product of a full year of arduous preparations, family commitment, and local inhabitants seeking to respect and perpetuate the culture of this unique island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
“It is a long preparation that takes almost a year, where the candidates’ families work hard and prepare for the competitions, especially the dance ones, for which the island is divided into two groups, each of which rehearses together for at least a month before the celebration. Allegorical floats are also created, each candidate makes her own crown, and the presenters must be up to the task of the choreographies and the character,” explains Mea-Mea Haoa Tuki, an Explora guide in Rapa Nui and part of the Tapati Rapa Nui presentation staff.
If you want to know more about Tapati, we invite you to read the following article.
For more information about Explora and the lodge visit www.explora.com
