I thought I would never find a place more fascinating to me than Petra (Jordan) but I think this could be it.
Originally called Te Pito o te Hanua (or Navel of the World) Rapa Nui (Easter Island) as it is now called is truly a wonder of the world.
Today we rented a scooter & headed off to the East Coast. At first there were the regular face plants off the ahu. However, on this our 5th day, we recognize more of the signs of habitation. We can pick out the ahu (alters), Manavai (sheltered gardens), Hare paenga (boat shaped houses) and of course the Moai (big hat heads).
This place is so completely different from the South America we´ve experienced. It belongs to Chile only by law. In reality Rapa Nui is truly a part of Polynesia. The people, the music, the lifestyle and the climate have little or nothing to do with Chile.
This isolated piece of God´s earth has a unique history and a proud people to support it. We started our week with a walk to Orango. The trail we walked took us past manavai and up through a forest to the rim of the Rano Kau Volcano. I thought the view towards town was good but at the volcano I was (literally & figuratively) blown away.
Orongo is an ancient townsite. It was here that the bird men of Rapa Nui competed. They would climb down the cliffs, swim against the raging surf to Matu Nui Islet to find the first Manutara (bird) egg. With it they attempt to be the first to get back to the village... egg intact. We saw a great movie about this years ago.
The homes are long narrow rock enclosures using, for the most part, each other for support. The narrow passageway would require a contortionist to enter. Pictographs of half men/half bird are still visible on the rocks. Amazing place!
Next day we broke out the hiking boots again for a trek to the ruins of Vinapu then up the south east coast for a loop to town. Walking this coastline brought us in touch with the difficulties faced by the early inhabitants. The challenges they faced... poor soil, rocky(!!) landscapes, lack of good (safe & sandy) harbors and potable water... are still challenges today.
The few trees on the island now are a result of reforestation. Early settlers brought coconuts, mangoe & other fruits to help make this a neew home away from home. Much of this early habitation was used in building, cooking & transporting the Moai or destroyed during tribal wars and has not yet recovered.
On day three we decided to explore more of the coast on foot trekking 24km or so from Anakena Beach back to town (north along the west coast this time). Virtually alone we experienced again the mystery of this place. Passed dozens of ahu & hare paenga with a few `face plant`moai thrown in. Got lost a couple of times as the trail petered out to nothing. With the ocean always on our right we weren´t too worried.
Huge waves crashed against the cliffs below us. At some points the trail gave me a stomach lurching don´t look down feeling. Was well worth my aching knee at the end of the day.
So today we rented a scooter.
(Side bar to our biking friends : just how do you feel the wind in your hair with a helmet on & as for your face... all I felt was windburn & dry skin!!? Still think I´m going for the sports car)
The east coast has the greatset number of intact moai. Moai always face inland and the wind alway(?) comes from the ocean as does the odd Tsunami. This would be the reason that most of the moai on the island are actually face down. However, when you get farther north you come to three amazing places where the moai are standing more or less intact.
One is at Anakena beach (where we started our long trek), Once completely covered in sayd these 8 maoi (7 on one ahu & 1 off to the side) stand ever vigilant. Four of them still have their pukao (red rock hairdos) on.
The second place is Tangariki where 15 moai stand proudly. Reconstructed with Japanese money after a Tsunami left them strewn in 1960.
The third and most amazing place to us was the Rano Raraku. This volcano has been used since 900ád by the people of Rapa Nui as a quarry for Moai. Today there are still around 390 moai in different stages of construction here. Abandoned some being carved lieing down & some standing. Some only carved down to the nose and some almost complete  
There are standing moai in town as well as on a ceremonial mount, Ahu Akivi, on a hillside nearby.
We´re going to rent a scooter again just to come back and spend time at those three magical places.... plus add in a little snorkling!
All in all this was a bonus for us. We were prepared to enjoy it but totally unprepared for the feelings the place inspires.
Though it is expensive to visit (average cost for dinner is $20 and a cheap room goes for $40) it is still a place to experience if you possibly can.