Hanga Roa:
The islands only settled town, is in the southwest corner of the island. The town is pleasant enough--along its long streets you'll smell the fragrant eucalyptus trees. There are not many sites here aside from a stone church where the city's inhabitants all go on Sunday morning--something you should definitely experience if you're around, as all the congregants sing unforgettable Polynesian hymns. There are some souvenir shops and a few small supermarkets. If you are not camping, this is where you'll want to stay.

The sothern circuit:
This sightseeing route should start off in Vinapu (from Hanga Roa, take Ave. Hota Matu south), where you can see the site of two huge ahus (the platform on which moai stand). The craftsmanship of these stone blocks is thrilling to behold. Take the coastal road northeast toward Poike, and you'll be treated with the site of toppled moai along the way to the next best stop, Vaihu. Here, you'll be arrested by the site of eight large moai lying face down on the ground. Next, you'll reach Ahu Akahanga, another scene of fallen moai. At Ahu Hanga Tetenga, further up the coast, is one of the island's largest moai, standing at an impressive 9.4m, on a platform at that. Take the road until you reach Tongariki, where 15 monolithic moai stand--the largest number standing on a single ahu. North of Tongoriki is the Ranu Raraku quarry, where almost all of the moai were carved. There are still many statues remaining. Dozens of giants heads seem to be sprouting from the ground. Start walking up the crater's slopes, and you're truly in for a surprise, as you begin to notice that the "rocks" you're stepping on are actually unfinished statues carved right into the rock. Thus is probably the most spectacular and moving of all moai marvels on the island. There's free camping at the crater. Finally, the coastal road begins to wind inward, past the Poike peninsula,where few people visit, but where you can hop the fence and walk around the penisula's edge in four hours. The road will then take you to the Ovahe beach, a small hideaway of a place, and further up the coast, Playa Anakena. This beach comes highly recommended--picture a large beach, with white sand and palm trees. Don't camp here, though: cockroaches come out at night by the hundreds!

The northern circuit:
Though the southern half of Easter Island holds the majority of sites to see, the north is also worthwhile to visit. There are two main roads serving this area, which you can cover in a circular route, either on foot (about 6 hours), on horseback, or by rented vehicle. Walking north from the caleta, past the cemetary, you'll reach Tahai, where there are three moai platforms. Five kilometers north is the Museo Antropologico Sebastian Englert (Tues-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm and 2-5:30pm, Sat and Sun 9:30am-12:30pm; CH$1000). This museum informs on the customs and daily life of the Rapa Nui, and has a great collection of black and white photographs dating from 1915 and on. Continuing north on the coastal roads, you'll come across a stone cairn, which marks a path down to the Dos Ventanas Caves. If you take the inland road from Hanga Roa to Ahu Akivi, you'll reach a sign that heads west to Puna Pau, a volcanic crater made of rust colored rock. The islanders used this stone to make pukao ("hats" for the moai heads). Back on the road, continue on to Ahu Akivi, where the only moai constructed inland are. There are seven in total; they are also the only ones ot face the sea. Back on the road, look out for another path branching to the left. Follow it down, and you'll encounter an underground garden at the bottom of a cave. If you continue through the tunnel you'll reach the Te Pahu Caves, formed by volcanic activity years ago.

Ranu Kau and Orongo:
Orongo, a ceremonial village is perched atop the large volcanic crater of Rano Kau, undoubtedly the most magnificent location on the island. The crater contains a large lake covered in a blanket of green algae. On the other side, the crater's steep side plunges to the ocean. You can reach Orongo by taxi (10 minutes), or by foot (about a hour): follow the path branching right from the main road, right after the Conaf sign. The village is made up of squat huts that you can just barely crawl through. On an overlook nearby are the famous petroglyphs, depicting human figures with birds' heads, in honor of the annual cult of the birdman ceremony.

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