Ahu Tahai sits on the rocky westcoast, just north of Hanga Roa, the island's capital. Pundits think Tahai saw one of the earliest settlements of Polynesian families that sailed their large doublehulled canoes all the way from islands thousands of kms west of Easter Island.

 

William Mulloy was the driving force behind the restoration of several sites, including Tahai. His ashes are buried here.

 

Tahai features a hen house (hare moa), the ruins of a boathouse (hare paenga), a boat ramp and 3 ceremonial platforms.

Ahu Vai Uri has five damaged moais, Ahu Tahai feateres a severely eroded statue. Ahu Ko Te Riku is a fully restored moai, including eyes and a pukao, a red hat.

 

Walking a km to the north brings you to Hanga Kio’e (Mouse Bay), a site rarely visited by tourists. There are remains of boathouses, a hen house and a tall moai.

 

In Hanga Roa, past the cemetery, is the Hanga Vare Vare area with the Moai of Peace. Created in 1992, this statue has traveled the world but returned in time for the 2010 total solar eclipse.