(CNN) -- There are, of course, those massive stone statues of ancient legend lining its coast. Then there's the epic isolation -- more than 2,000 miles from the nearest population centers (Chile, Tahiti), it's one of the most remote inhabited places on the planet. But those aren't the only reasons to rank Easter Island ("Rapa Nui" to locals) high on your list of exotic travel wishes. Polynesian in culture, Chilean in nationality, this volcanic archipelago in the southeastern Pacific Ocean remains a vibrant center of unique Polynesian culture and otherworldly scenery. What's more, it's not hard to get to, with Chile's LAN Airlines making the five-hour flight from Santiago to Easter Island several times a week.
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There is more than the incredible moai on offer
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The island's top celebration is February's Tapati Festival
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Seafood meals are outstanding
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Several eco-lodges are a highlight for many visitors
Most historians agree that @placeholder seafarers arrived around 400 AD, but no one knows for sure -- some have posited an extraterrestrial connection.
@placeholder isn't a gourmet destination -- years of deforestation have led to a scarcity of local resources.