About this place
Three restored ahu beside the ocean—Rapa Nui’s favourite free sunset spot within walking distance of Hanga Roa.
The Tahai complex strings together three ceremonial platforms—Ahu Tahai, Ahu Vai Uri (five moai), and Ahu Ko Te Riku, whose single statue carries a replica pukao and restored coral eyes, unique on the island. Because the site lies just north of Hanga Roa, it is many visitors’ first close encounter with moai silhouetted against the Pacific.
Visitor experience
Tahai is open without a national-park ticket, which makes it ideal for an evening stroll after arrival. Expect crowds at sunset; arrive 30–45 minutes early if you want a clear tripod line along the shore.
Photographers debate timing: mid-morning sun lights the moai faces, while sunset delivers dramatic silhouettes—plan two visits if you can.
Restoration context
Archaeologist William Mulloy’s mid-20th-century work here helped prove that careful re-erection could stabilise fragile statues without compromising scientific value—setting the tone for later projects at larger ahu island-wide.