Ahu Akivi

The only group of seven moai on the island that is inland and faces the sea. Legend says they represent seven explorers sent out by the first king.

Ahu Akivi lies on the inland highlands on the southwest slope of Terevaka, about 3 km from the coast. Its seven moai are similar in size and stand in neat formation. This is the only group on the island facing the sea. Most of the others face the villages with their backs to the ocean. Rapa Nui legend holds that they represent seven young men whom King Hotu Matu'a sent ahead to scout before he landed on the island, so the statues face the direction they came from, the distant homeland of Hiva. Archaeologists have found that the platform is aligned with the heavens. At the equinoxes, the sun sets directly behind the statues, which shows the ancients had knowledge of astronomical observation. The statues were re-erected in 1960 under the direction of American archaeologist William Mulloy and Chilean archaeologist Gonzalo Figueroa, making this the first scientifically restored platform on the island. Nearby is the trailhead for Terevaka (about 507 m, the island's highest point). From the summit you get a 360-degree view of the entire coastline. There is also the Puna Pau red scoria quarry, the source of the pukao topknots that sit on the moai's heads. Ahu Akivi is in the national park fee zone and requires a guide. It is about 8 km from Hanga Roa and is often combined with Puna Pau and Terevaka as a half-day tour.

Ahu Akivi

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby