Ahu Vinapu
A platform whose stones fit together with remarkable precision, often compared to Inca stonework. It is a prime example of the island's stonecraft.
Vinapu lies south of the eastern end of the Mataveri airport runway and has two main platforms. The front of Platform One is built from huge basalt slabs, precisely cut and fitted together so tightly that a blade barely fits into the joints. It bears a striking resemblance to the Inca walls of Cusco, Peru, and Thor Heyerdahl used it to argue for a link between South America and Easter Island. In front of the platform lie several fallen moai and fragments of a rare female stone figure made of red scoria. The site is in the national park fee zone, and entry requires a national park ticket and a licensed guide (subject to current regulations). It is about 4 km from Hanga Roa and can be visited on the same day as Rano Kau and Orongo.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–18:00 (per park rules)
Nearby sights
- Ahu Huri a Urenga
- Puna Pau
- Rano Kau
- Hanga Roa
- Orongo
- Ana Kai Tangata
- Ahu Tahai
- Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum