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Far out in the Pacific Ocean two lonely islands, belonging to Chile, beckon: the mysterious Easter Island and the Juan-Fernández-Archipelago, the origin of the Robinson legend.
EASTER ISLAND
3,800 kilometres off the Chilean coast in the middle of the Pacific lies the most solitary island of the world: Rapa Nui to its indigenous people, Easter Island to the western world. The undulating volcanic island with sub-tropical climate bears the traces of a grandiose cultural heritage, whose origins stem from Polynesia. The Moai, stone figures measuring up to 21 metres in height, were mighty effigies of their ancestors, and the 'talking sticks' told ancient legends with carved pictograms.
During tribal feuds each and every Moai was toppled, and later on the island's natives were almost exterminated by unscrupulous slave traders and sheep farmers. Nowadays Rapa Nui display a new-found confidence - a cosmopolitan and hospitable people. Numerous Moai were re-erected and never fail to leave a huge impression on visitors, as do the many colourful customs and jolly festivities of the South Sea islanders. Annual highlight here is the Tapati festival that takes place towards the end of every January and the beginning of February.
Tour Offers Easter Island
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ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND
"Just" 700 kilometres off the continental coast lies the Juan-Fernández-Archipelago, whose main island is named after one of the best-known adventure stories of all time: Robinson Crusoe. And indeed, the Scottish seaman Alexander Selkirk, who offered Daniel Defoe the material for his world-famous novel, lived on the island for more than four years from 1704 to 1709, all alone! The lusciously green island is regarded as a Noah's Arch for rare plants and animal species, and the small number of only 600 island inhabitants make their living primarily from catching crayfish and tourism.
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