I'm not going to tell you why you should visit here, you wouldn't have come so far if you were not interested in Moai. One of three places you can visit without a guide, others are Anakena & Ovahe beaches. Don't expect to have the place to yourself but it's such a large area so it never feels busy. It's THE place for sunset. Has the only moai which has had its eyes restored.

Ahu Tahai is a 15-minute walk from the main town of Hanga Roa and is a must-see on Rapa Nui. And it's even free to visit the site. There are several handsome moai here with a beautiful backdrop of deep blue water. A solitary moai, with both its hat and eyes preserved, was actually the most perfect we saw on the island. In fact, even more beautiful than the ones at Ahu Tongariki and Ahu Akivi in the national park.

While there are many non-indigenous “newcomers” to Rapa Nui that did their share of damage in the name of good over the years, there are also those that respectfully studied the culture they found before them. In the latter group we can certainly count William Mulloy, a professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming. Professor Mulloy made over twenty trips to the island before the days of effortless international travel and is responsible for restoring a number of sites on the island. Chief among these is Tahai (an area with a collection of three ahu), found on the western side of the island near what most consider the first permanent settlement of Rapa Nui. I visited Tahai and the surrounding area daily and at various times while on the island. My first experience was the most memorable and the one found on every traveler’s bucket list: an evening stroll from Hanga Roa while the sun sets. I passed through the area during the afternoon the following two days, and made a final twilight visit my last full day on the island. Evening libations at the restaurant Te Moai Sunset was an additional bonus, and I bought about half of my souvenirs here from the itinerant sellers. In addition to Ahu Tahai, there are two other platforms here including Ahu Ko Te Riku which displays the only mo’ai on the island with coral eyes. Scattered remains of a chicken house and boat house complete the surroundings. In summary, this was an above average experience but not entirely for the reasons I expected. The obligatory sunset visits were indeed memorable, even through a cloudy sky. Additionally and surprisingly, the trips provided opportunities for people and animal watching, sometimes both at the same time! The interactions between dogs and wayward horses were as humorous as they were confusing, and those between the semi-stray dogs and initially friendly tourists very predictable. As opposed to the relatively remote archeological sites found on other parts of the island, this area provided a more modern mixture of Rapa Nui in a condensed area… all without needing your National Park ticket (i.e. it’s free!). Two thumbs up.