Rapa Nui
Long before Europeans were able to sail the high seas, skilled Polynesian mariners had already ventured far into the ocean, exploring and colonizing even the most remote Pacific islands, among them Rapa Nui. Hundreds of years passed before new explorers reached the island; this time they were European travelers.
“This is the farthest we have come”, the well-traveled Captain Cook wrote in his journal, when he reached the island in 1774.
The island’s remoteness, stunning geography and rich culture led UNESCO to declare Rapa Nui a world heritage site in 1995.
