May 8th, 2015
I wake up endlessly sad that my last real day on the island has arrived (my flight leaves at 1 a.m the next day). Still there’s nothing to be done for it, so I pack up my day pack and watch the late sunrise from Tipanie campground still trying to figure out how best to alter my original plans.
At first I’d hoped to do another 6-8 hour trek ending at Anakena beach, but the blisters on my left foot have gotten to the point where walking is really not pleasant so I’m having to adjust on the fly. The taxi I’ve organized to get to the start of the hike shows up early and I climb in mildly annoyed I didn’t get a chance to cancel and ask him to take me to Anakena beach. He checks with the radio before informing he can’t and that he is Chilean originally and so is not allowed past the Rapa Nui roadblocks. He’s understanding though and let’s me out of the taxi which works well for me as hitchhiking to Anakena shouldn’t be too hard.
I decide to sit down and watch the sun rise a little more before going only for another taxi to pull up. Apparently the owners of Tipanie Camping noticed me there and called a taxi. At least this one is Rapa Nui so she agrees to take me to Anakena beach for 10,000 CLP. I probably overpaid a bit but I was caught off guard.At any rate the taxi ends up being worth it as I wander out onto this beautiful beach to find it entirely abandoned, unless you count two dogs strolling across the white sand and playing with each other.
To have a beach like this to yourself… it doesn’t seem real in so many ways, and I know it probably won’t last long. I hurry up towards the Moai and bask in their early morning glory before heading back down the dunes to the actual beach, peeling off my clothes and rushing into the tranquil abandoned waters.
Their cold embrace welcomes me home and pulling on my snorkel I swim around looking for whatever I can find. Sadly it’s only a few fish and leads to no footage worth uploading to youtube. By the time I make it back to the beach about an hour later I’m no longer alone, a small smattering of 4 or 5 people having joined me on the beach.
Frankly, I consider this to be utterly ridiculous (sarcasm) and so, after enjoying a simple cheese sandwich and reading for a few minutes I pack up my things and head off in search of a hidden gem of the island: Ovahe beach.
Hobbling along the coast line I encounter another local fishing off the raised and jagged black rocks, casting her line into the ocean and pulling out fish after fish. I pass her by and keep walking hopping my taxi driver was right saying this much less known and much smaller beach is only 1 km from Anakena.
It’s slow going over the rough and tumble coastline. I hike up and over a few rolling green hills with wild horses grazing and cairns built up which always reminds me of my childhood days in Nova Scotia with my mum and dad.
Eventually I round a point and look down on a narrow crescent of white sand at the end of a nice inlet. The path down is a little steep and very narrow but nothing too difficult and soon I’m down on the empty beach with cliffs backing it. I climb in the water right away, splashing around in gentle surf for a few minutes before retreating to the beach and settling in to do some reading.
My eyelids start to grow heavy and I end up settling into one of the best naps of my life, the cliffs shielding me fro the sun and then gentle sound of the waves lapping up against the sound soothing away all thoughts.
I wake up a few hours later to find a few other people have joined me on this gem of a beach, a group of four german girls camped out on the sand to the right of me, and three chilean guys out in the water snorkelling.
After warming myself up in the sun for a while I grab my snorkel and go pro and head into the water. It’s impossibly clear, with better visibility than anything I’ve ever seen. Sadly the wildlife is nowhere near as varied and plentiful as in the galapagos but it’s still a fun hour and a half of swimming out along the reef following fish. Here’s a few videos, just know that the fish in the second video is a puffer fish and while I didn’t see it inflate, it’s still cool to know I’ve seen one.
Snorkelling done I head back up the way I’ve come, walking back to Anakena beach after taking a few photos for the German girls on a crest above the beach.
Once back at Anakena, which is now much more crowded though still not swarmed I stow my stuff on the sand and have one final swim in the distant isolated reaches of the pacific ocean. That done I spend another half hour wandering through the palm groves behind the beach marvelling at the incredible natural beauty of this place.
Eventually, the sun starting to get low in the sky, I force myself to rejoin the road and walking along it for about 20 minutes with my thumb out, before the 5th vehicle to pass me stops and lets me climb into the back of the truck for an open air ride back to the centre of town.
Two empanadas later and I’m heading back to Tipaeni campground to pack up my bags and head to the airport to wait for my flight with LAN airlines back to Santiago. I can’t believe my week on this wondrous island has gone by so fast. There is so much to do on this tiny remote pacific Island, so many beautiful landscapes, incredible historical sights, tasty food, and friendly friendly people. If you are coming to south America and there’s any way you can manage including easter Island in the itinerary, do not hesitate, come and discover the countless wonders of this island gem.
