Rapa Nui Traditional Dinner and Show
Hanga Roa, Chile
Rating: 
Trip Type: Dinner Theater
Duration: 4 hours
Immerse yourself in Rapa Nui (Easter Island) culture through food, myth and dance with this popular traditional Polynesian dinner and show. Sip a welcome drink as you learn about ‘umu pae,’ the ancient practice of cooking underground with hot volcanic stones. Meet festively dressed Rapa Nui people, and learn a few dance steps before feasting on a delicious buffet dinner. After dinner, enjoy a fantastic performance illuminating Rapa Nui history, music and dance. Pickup and drop-off from Hanga Roa hotels are included.
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Immerse yourself in Rapa Nui (Easter Island) culture through food, myth and dance with this popular traditional Polynesian dinner and show. Sip a welcome drink as you learn about ‘umu pae,’ the ancient practice of cooking underground with hot volcanic stones. Meet festively dressed Rapa Nui people, and learn a few dance steps before feasting on a delicious buffet dinner. After dinner, enjoy a fantastic performance illuminating Rapa Nui history, music and dance. Pickup and drop-off from Hanga Roa hotels are included.
After hotel pickup, head to the restaurant where your night festivities begin with a welcome ceremony in the pergola. Listen to live music, enjoy a tropical cocktail and observe the ritual of takona (painted faces). You can even have your face marked with the traditional kiea pigments.
Then gather around a pit for the umu pae presentation to learn about the Rapa Nui tradition of cooking food on top of hot volcanic stones. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the process, which includes wrapping the goods in banana leaves and placing them go in the ground to cook for several hours. While the meat cools, work up an appetite as you try out traditional dance steps with members of a performance group.
For dinner, the umu pae–style menu features dishes prepared earlier that day. You can expect some sort of meat — chicken, pork ribs, sausage and fish — plus seasonal vegetables like sweet potato, squash, carrots and taro. Take bites of the succulent meats and vegetables that have simmered for hours. Regular sides include rice, salads, sauces, bread and dessert. Beverages include red and white wine, fruit juice and mineral water.
Once you're full, head to the ballroom for a spellbinding folkloric extravaganza that brings Rapa Nui history and legends to life. In between the impressive dancing and traditional chants of ‘Hoko,’ ‘Moai’ and ‘Tanata Manu,’ the chieftain explains what you see.
After the performance, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
Then gather around a pit for the umu pae presentation to learn about the Rapa Nui tradition of cooking food on top of hot volcanic stones. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the process, which includes wrapping the goods in banana leaves and placing them go in the ground to cook for several hours. While the meat cools, work up an appetite as you try out traditional dance steps with members of a performance group.
For dinner, the umu pae–style menu features dishes prepared earlier that day. You can expect some sort of meat — chicken, pork ribs, sausage and fish — plus seasonal vegetables like sweet potato, squash, carrots and taro. Take bites of the succulent meats and vegetables that have simmered for hours. Regular sides include rice, salads, sauces, bread and dessert. Beverages include red and white wine, fruit juice and mineral water.
Once you're full, head to the ballroom for a spellbinding folkloric extravaganza that brings Rapa Nui history and legends to life. In between the impressive dancing and traditional chants of ‘Hoko,’ ‘Moai’ and ‘Tanata Manu,’ the chieftain explains what you see.
After the performance, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
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