Rapa Nui (Easter Island) · Chile · Wall
Motu Nui
Sharp islet cliffs where the birdman egg hunt took place
Photo: TravelingOtter · CC BY 2.0
Motu Nui is one of the three Motu islets off the south-west of Rapa Nui, the historic rock where eggs were fetched for the birdman competition. Its cliffs are sharp and imposing, and the Motu sector around Motu Kao-Kao, Motu Iti and Motu Nui reaches 60 m and holds some of the island's most sought-after dives.
Also known as Motu Kao-Kao, Motu Iti.
Where it is and how deep
27.2012° S, 109.4528° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The cliffs of the Motu islets are sharp and imposing, and the approach by boat shows them minutes before the dive begins. Motu Nui is the historic islet where eggs were collected for the legendary birdman competition of Rapa Nui.
The 60 m figure covers the whole Motu sector, Motu Kao-Kao, Motu Iti and Motu Nui together, not Motu Nui alone. Divers need a PADI certification to dive here.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Rapa Nui (Easter Island): Austral summer (Dec-Mar) brings the calmest seas and warmest water; austral winter (Jun-Aug) can bring swell that limits boat access to exposed sites.
Dive videos
RAPA NUI. Motu Nui and Motu Iti diving. A brief story of the island. · Blue Sea Corner on YouTube
Sources
- Guía para bucear en Rapa Nui — TrotandoMundos
- Los 5 mejores puntos de buceo en la Isla de Pascua — TrotandoMundos
- Buceo y snorkeling — Easter Island Travel
Photo credits
- Motu Nui, a low rocky islet in deep blue sea, with the sea stack of Motu Kao Kao rising beside it by TravelingOtter, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Similar dives elsewhere
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Hook into the plateau lip and let the sharks stack up off the edge
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