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This perfectly round stone has magnetic qualities (bring a compass to prove it). Scientists and archaeologists are at a loss for how the stone got to Easter Island, as it is not endemic to the island. Its name translates to “navel of the earth” and was considered the center of the island. Legend has it, this is the spot where Hotu Matu’a, the first man to set foot on Easter Island, landed.

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Despite having miles of coastline, there are only two real beaches on Easter Island: Anakena and Ovahe Beach both on the north side of the island. The water is warm and conducive to swimming, and there are stands on the beach selling cold drinks.

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Explora Lodge can arrange for their guests to take boat trips to the beautiful uninhabited islands, home to the famous Birdman cult competition.

Easter Island’s coast is home to over 800 caves that were formed by lava flowing from volcanoes into the ocean. These caves later provided shelter and lodging for many Rapanui people. There are three in particular worth visiting. Remember to bring a flashlight.

• Ana Kai Tangata This cave, on the west coast of the island, has walls covered with beautiful bird paintings. There are rumors of cannibalism occurring here during a particularly impoverished era, and the cave’s name translates to “man eating cave.”

• Ana O Keke On the east side of the island, this cave contains drawings in the rongorongo language, the island’s original etymology.

• Caverna Dos Ventanas On the northwest coast, the entrance to this cave is through a hole in the ground that intrepid visitors can crawl through. It opens up to extraordinary ocean views.

Explora Lodge can arrange for their guests to go on fishing expeditions. Big eye tuna is the prize catch in the area.

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One mile in diameter, the vast crater that was once a volcano is a breathtaking site. Not only wide, it is also deep—it dips so low, it has its own microclimate at its base, which filled with reeds and water. The lip where the lava flowed into the sea is still apparent and makes a dramatic view even more spectacular. No one is quite sure how deep the water goes, but when the island suffered a recent drought, locals washed their clothes in the lake.