After the Volcano Marathon: Anakena

The Route: Hanga Roa → Anakena Beach → Hanga Roa Logistics: Road journey of roughly 14 km straight line, longer by road. Hire car, taxi or guided transfer. Marathon Month: June Duration: Day trip

Hanga Roa ──(road across the island to the north coast)──> Anakena Beach
     ▲                                                          │
     └─────────────────────(same road back)────────────────────┘

Anakena is where the Volcano Marathon begins. Runners ride out from the hotel before dawn on a transfer bus, start on the sand and spend the next five or six hours heading back to Hanga Roa. Few of them have the time or the legs to look around. The day after the race, with the bus journey no longer a countdown, this is the easiest excursion on the island.

June in Rapa Nui: winter, with June averages of 17 to 22°C according to the organiser. The beach is sheltered by a low bluff, which takes some of the wind off, but the sea is cool in June and the breeze can be sharp when the sun drops. Swimming is possible for the hardy and a paddle suits most people. Nobody comes here in June for a beach holiday.

The beach and the moai

Anakena is a short crescent of pale coral sand on the north coast, with palms behind it and a low grass bank above. The surface underfoot is soft sand at the water's edge and firmer packed ground on the grass. There are no steps or climbs. The walk from the car park to the moai and the water is a few hundred metres on the flat, which is suitable for post-marathon legs, though soft sand makes calf muscles work harder than expected.

The moai stand on a stone platform, an ahu, on the grass above the beach. They face inland, as all moai on the island do, with their backs to the sea. Local tradition places the landing of the island's legendary first settler, Hotu Matu'a, at this beach, though archaeologists treat the arrival date as an open question. The site is part of the Rapa Nui National Park, so the park ticket applies (USD 100 for adult foreign visitors, about £75, valid for 10 consecutive days; check what your ticket already covers).

Practicalities

Hiring a car or booking a driver at the hotel is the simplest way to get here. Roads on Rapa Nui are narrow and surface quality varies, so drive slowly. The race organiser's free day suggests horseback riding, snorkelling, diving and stargazing as optional activities, and some of those operators run from the same stretch of coast, so ask at the hotel desk.

Take food and water. Facilities at the beach are limited, and what is open on the day depends on the season and the day of the week, so check before relying on it. A half day is enough. Back in Hanga Roa, the Nayara Hangaroa has two restaurants, Poerava and Kaloa, and the town has small restaurants within a short walk of the hotel.