nature

A handful of fascinating facts about the most isolated island anywhere, courtesy of explora Rapa Nui

Easter Island, Chile – photo courtesy of Hotel Explora Rapa Nui

An exotic dot in the southern Pacific, Rapa Nui – a.k.a., Easter Island – is nothing if not mysterious. Rising 6,600 feet from the seabed, the island has hosted many over the centuries – from the first settlers from Hawaii to the early Rapa Nui, who dotted its volcanic slopes with silent stone moai; the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen, who popped by in 1722 while searching for the Great Southern Continent and gave Easter READ MORE

Between June and mid-December, some of the largest mammals in the world, Southern Right whales, gather for breeding season in the Atlantic waters just off the Valdes Peninsula. The wind-whipped coastline in Argentine Patagonia, about 870 miles south of Buenos Aires, is the best place in the country for incredible wildlife-spotting opportunities. Along with whales, you can also see Magellanic penguins, elephant seals, sea lions, and dolphins year-round.

Puerto Madryn is the typical jumping-off point for vacations in the Valdes Peninsula. The streets of this small coastal town are lined with tour operators offering a countless array of boat and kayaking excursions, horseback-riding trips, and driving tours of some of the peninsula’s many traditional Patagonian sheep ranches. The tourist information office (Avenida Julio a Roca 223) is a good place to start.

With any luck, you might be able to spot whales right from Puerto Madryn. The town is lined with a wide, sandy beach, and it’s possible to see the slap of a giant tail or the spray of Southern Rights from there.

~Andrea, Argentina Insider