easter island travel 2022

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Wild Junket

How to Visit Easter Island: A Complete Travel Guide

Last Updated on March 11, 2024

Easter Island remains one of my favorite places in the world. Here’s how to visit Easter Island and everything you need to know to plan a trip there.

Easter Island is a place that has captivated my imagination since I was a little girl — and I’m thrilled to finally get here. Standing in isolation in the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island is one of the world’s most remote places. It took me two whole days and three flights to get here, but it was well worth every single second of the long journey.

Rapa Nui , as it’s known among natives, is made world famous by the mystery surrounding its array of 1000 giant stone figures that date back many centuries. Dotted all over the island, the stone statues, known as moai , measure as tall as 21 m. Archaeologists from around the world have flocked here since the 1940s to solve the mystery, but some bits of the puzzle still remain unknown today.

Many travelers, including myself, are drawn here by the mystery of the moai. But we soon find that there’s a lot more to Easter Island beyond its history. The unique mix of Polynesian culture and Chilean influence, and the remote location of the island, have resulted in a place that’s unlike anywhere else in the world. I have completely fallen for the island and can safely say it’s now one of my favorite places in the world .

Table of Contents

Where is Easter Island?

Language and people of easter island, brief history of easter island, how easter island got its name, is it easter island or rapa nui, easter island today, how to get to easter island, how to get around easter island, when to visit easter island, day 1: take the northern circuit.

• Day 2: Do the Southern Circuit

Day 3: Explore Hanga Roa

Day 4: go diving or horseback riding, national park rules, day tours on easter island, driving around easter island, hiking on easter island, 1. visit sebastian englert anthropological museum, 2. hike around rano raraku, 3. catch sunrise at tongariki, 4. see sunset at tahai, 5. chill out at anakena beach, 6. walk around the volcano crater, rano kau, 7. visit orongo ceremonial village, 8. wander around the town of hanga roa, 9. catch a rapa nui traditional show, high-end: explora rapa nui, high-end: hotel hangaroa eco village & spa, midrange: rangi moana, midrange: hostal pukao, budget: camping mihinoa, budget: hostal marari, where to eat on easter island, recommended restaurants in hanga roa, cost of travel on easter island, expenses in usd, why visit easter island, how to visit easter island.

Located in the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island is at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. Its closest neighbor, Pitcairn island, is 1200 miles (1900km) away, while its motherland Chile is 2300 miles (3700 km) away. It is one of the most remote places in the world and getting there is part of the adventure.

Even though Rapa Nui is a territory of Chile, its people hold on tightly to their Polynesian culture. The blend of Chilean and Polynesian culture is a really interesting and unique one. If it wasn’t for the Spanish language that’s commonly spoken here, you would think you were somewhere in Tonga, Hawaii or Fiji.

Most people visit Easter Island as part of their Chile itinerary   since most flights to the island leave from Santiago, Chile. If you have two weeks in Chile , definitely try to squeeze in some time for Easter Island!

The current population of Easter Island is around 5000 and the main language spoken is Spanish. Rapa Nui natives also speak the Rapa Nui language, but it is slowly diminishing as the language is losing its importance. The Rapa Nui language shares some similar words to the indigenous languages spoken in Tahiti and New Zealand.

Thankfully, many natives are working hard to preserve their traditions. Stories about their ancestors are passed down through oral tradition, in the form of folk songs and dance. Each February, they hold a major cultural festival called Tapati Rapa Nui Festival to celebrate Rapa Nui traditions. People get dressed in traditional costumes and perform rituals or ancient sports that their ancestors would have participated in centuries ago.

Over one-third of the people living on Easter Island are Chileans who migrated to there to work in tourism. Chileans and Rapa Nui natives get along well and inter-marriages have resulted in a mixed culture. As tourism is the pillar of the economy on Easter Island, most people here speak English as well.

Despite its extremely remote location, the island has been inhabited for around 1500 years and has a rich and intriguing history. Tradition holds that the first people arrived from the Marquesa Islands around 300-400 A.D. The first king of Rapa Nui was Hoto Matu’a, who landed at Anakena beach. He was worshipped by his followers like a God.

Between 900-1200 A.D, the islanders built giant stone statues known as moai to worship their deity-like kings. Over 1000 moai were erected on the island and ancestral worship became their religion and way of life. The moai were built on stone platforms known as ahu , and villagers lived facing the moai and the ocean.

Much have been known about why they built the moai and how they made them, but the biggest mystery remains: why are the statues where they are and how were such big stone statues transported from the quarry on the hills to various spots all over the island?

Easter Island got its present name when the first-recorded European, Jacob Roggeveen from Netherlands, landed here on Easter Sunday in 1722. Many other Europeans arrived thereafter, including James Cook, and thus began the downfall of the island.

Nobody knows the exact reason that caused their population to be almost decimated, but experts think it’s a combination of civil war, climate change and rapid deforestation during the time of moai construction. Most of the moai were knocked out of their place and many destroyed during the civil war, but they have since been carefully restored.

Eventually, Easter Island was annexed by Chile on 9 September 1888, and the government of Chile signed a treaty with the Rapa Nui people which still stands today. 

The first name Easter Island received was “Kahukahu o Hera.” They were shouted out by the first explorers to King Hotu Matu’a to let him know that the island wasn’t suitable for vegetables because of the fast and easy growth of grass and weeds.

They said: “E haho e! Kainga kino, kahukahu o hera mai te unu, mai te vere, mai te”. This translates to mean, “Ahoy, you out there on the sea! It’s bad earth, weeds grow where you pull them up, weeds where you uproot them, and there are more than enough weeds.”

The name Rapa Nui (Big Rapa) came later. There’s another Polynesian island named Rapa Iti (Little Rapa) and when people came to the island and saw the similarity, they named it after their island. Today, the world knows it as Easter Island, even though locals call it Rapa Nui.

Since 2007, Easter Island has been administered as a territoria especial (special territory) by Chile. The island retains a certain amount of autonomy, while being financially supported by the mainland.

Recent years have seen a lot of changes to how Easter Island is administered. Rapa Nui National Park is co-managed by the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) and the island’s authorities. The national park covers 40% of the island and it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site . 

Only Rapa Nui natives are hired to work in the national park.  Land that doesn’t belong to the national park can only be owned by Rapa Nui people.

Due to its remote location, getting to Easter Island is not easy or cheap. Only one airline (LATAM Airlines) flies to Easter Island. They fly three times daily from Santiago (Chile) to Easter Island in high season and twice daily in low season. There is also one weekly flight from Pape’ete (Tahiti) to Easter Island . Be aware that flights are regularly delayed due to high winds, which means you may find yourself stranded in Santiago or on the island.

In order to control tourism numbers, flights to Easter Island for foreigners are incredibly expensive. Prices are around US$1000 or more for the return flight from Santiago to Easter Island. The journey takes 5 hours each way. However, there is a way around it. I’m not asking you to cheat, but hear me out.

Chileans actually pay a fraction of the price (around $300 return) that foreigners pay. To get the Chilean price, what you can do is get a VPN or use LATAM’s Chile website . The system is smart enough not accept any credit cards from outside Chile.  Their website didn’t accept my card, but it did hold my reservation for 48 hours. I then called the LATAM office to pay. When I gave them my credit card number, the price increased but it still turned out cheaper than otherwise, at just $550 return.

Search for Flights here!

The island is rather small but there is no public transport anywhere. Most people book day tours to learn more about the story behind the moai from a guide. It can make a big difference when you have a knowledgable Rapa Nui guide. I traveled with Easter Island Travel and learned a lot from my local guide who was informative, fun and engaging.

Another way to see the archaeological sites is to rent a car. I did that on my third day, after going for two day tours. There are many car rental companies in the city centre and most have 4WDs — I booked mine at Insular Rent-a-Car and paid 45,000 CLP ($68) to rent a Suzuki Jimny for 24hours.

You can also rent a quad that costs around the same, at 40,000 CLP ($60) for the smallest model. It goes slower but can be more fun. There are also motorcycles or scooters as well as bicycles that you can rent. I was pretty determined to rent a bicycle until I saw how hilly the island was.

The most popular time to visit Easter Island is during the first two weeks of February when the annual  Tapati Rapa Nui festival  takes place. This festival is possibly the best chance to experience and learn about Rapa Nui culture. On the penultimate day of the festival, all of the participants and families parade through the streets of Hanga Roa. Everyone is dressed in traditional Polynesian wear, dancing to upbeat music. 

However, this is the most expensive and busiest time of the year to visit Easter Island. Prices for flights and accommodation skyrocket during those two weeks. Visitor numbers shoot up during this time too, so don’t expect to have the place to yourself. Also many restaurants and shops shut down as locals all flock to attend the festival.

Otherwise, the best time to visit Easter Island is during the low season, which are from April to June and September to November . Weather is balmy and pleasant, flights are much cheaper and there are less tourists.

How Much Time to Visit Easter Island?

Forming a triangle 14 miles long by seven miles wide, the island has an area of 63 square miles (163 square km). It takes less than an hour to drive from one end of the island to the other. Around 40% of the island is a national park chocked full of archaeological sites, with almost 1000 moai on display. You can see all of the sites in three days if you pack them in.

I stayed on Easter Island for four days and found it sufficient, though I was so captivated by Rapa Nui that I wished I could stay longer. Here’s my suggested itinerary — for more details of each site, scroll down to ‘things to do on Easter Island’.

• Visit Orongo village and learn about the ‘birdman’ religion
• Walk around the Rano Kau volcanic crater 
• Feast on panoramic views at Puna Pau
• Visit the only moai that face the ocean, Ahu Akivi
• Chill out on Anakena beach

Day 2: Do  the Southern Circuit

• Start at Vinapu
• Learn how the Rapa Nui used to live at Hanga Te’e
• Hike around the quarry Rano Rarauku
• See sunset at Tahai
• Catch sunrise at Tongariki
• Climb to the highest peak of Easter Island, Tere Vaka
• Wander around the town of Hanga Roa
• Visit the museum
• Watch a Rapa Nui traditional dance
• Go scuba diving or snorkeling
• Take a boat trip to the islet of Moto Nui
• Or horseback riding
• Or sign up for a stargazing tour

When you land on Easter Island, make sure to purchase a national park ticket which costs 54,000 CLP ($80) for foreigners. You can buy it at the airport’s terminal building before baggage claim. If you forget to do this, you can still purchase it at the tourism office in Hanga Roa (next to the soccer field by the seafront).

The entrance ticket allows entry to all the archaeological sites for 10 days. You can visit all the sites as many times as you want EXCEPT for the quarry Rano Raraku and Orongo village (only once). Both of these special sites are must-see places as they are of historical significance. But they are extremely popular, thus the control.

The authorities are rather strict — make sure to keep your ticket in a safe spot as you have to show it at every site. If you lose it, you’ll have to go back to Hanga Roa and buy a new ticket. All of the sites (except for Tongariki which is popular for sunrise) open only at 9.30am.

To preserve Easter Island’s heritage, there are a few simple rules that must be respected:

• Do not touch any archaeological remains.
• Do not stand on the platforms or  ahu .
• No driving outside of the marked trails.
• No camping is allowed within the National Park.
• Respect all signs and markings on the sites.

The breach of any of these rules is subject to heavy penalties. Most recently a Finnish tourist was fined $17,000 US for touching a moai and breaking its earlobe as a souvenir. The archaeological sites are protected by law because they are deteriorating at a fast pace and tourist activities accelerate the process.

Day tours are a great way to learn more about the history of the island and dig deeper into the mystery surrounding the moai. There is no info at the archaeological sites and even Lonely Planet offers very limited explanation in their book. Prices for a day tour start from US$90 and last from 9.30am – 4pm.

I booked two day tours with Easter Island Travel: one was Journey of Legends which covered the northern coast of the island, and the other was Megaliths covering the southern coast. I would recommend doing the tours in that order, as Megaliths will show you the more epic sites (and like they say, save the best for the last!).

Both my guides were excellent. They were very interesting, fun and engaging and their storytelling skills were brilliant! One of them was a Rapanui-Chilean mix and she gave some very interesting insights from both cultures.

If you are planning to rent a car, I would recommend renting it in the afternoon so that you can drive to see the sunset at Ahu Tahai and get up early the next morning to drive to Ahu Tongariki for the sunrise. That was what I did, and both sunrise and sunset were spectacular and definitely worth the effort.

Strangely it’s not possible to get car insurance on Easter Island. That means you’re responsible for any damage that you make on the vehicle. Also, most cars on the island are manual cars, so get yourself familiar with driving a stick! Note that the speed limit on most roads on Easter Island is 50km/hour and in town it’s 30km/hour. Many the roads have potholes and there are lots of dogs and horses on the side of the road, so be careful when you’re driving.

Driving on Rapa Nui is relatively easy. There are very few roads and it’s hard to get lost.The roads on Easter Island don’t have street names (except in the heart of town) so it can be difficult to find places and hotels. Most locals know where everyone lives, so you can simply ask for directions.

Most archaeological sites are easily accessed from the carparks and there are marked trails that weave their way around the sites. Just keep to the trails and you will be fine. You don’t need to have a certain level of fitness to visit the sites.

For those who want to go hiking, you’ll be happy to know there are quite a few hikes you can do around the island. Hiking around Easter Island is fairly easy as the hills are not too high and there are marked trails everywhere.  It’s not necessary to hire a guide if you want to go hiking.

The most popular trekking options are recuperation zones which cannot be accessed with any kind of vehicle:

• Terevaka , the highest point of the island, stands at 1676 feet (511m) above sea level. Hiking up to the highest point is an easy 1.5h hike. It offers 360 degree views of the entire Easter Island. You can also get there with a horseback riding operator as well.
• Rano Kau  can be easily reached by foot from Hanga Roa. It takes around 2 hours on foot each way. When you reach the volcanic crater, just take the path on the east side of the crater to see some scenery not accessible by vehicles.
• North-West coast  is a hiking route that takes approximately 5-7 hours and requires some planning and preparations ahead. Most people start from the main beach Anakena and move along the coast all the way back to Hanga Roa. While there are several archaeological sites, not many are of great interest. Among them is a cave filled with petroglyphs.
• Poike  is an isolated northeaster peninsula with high cliffs falling away to the ocean below. Some of it is now used as a cattle station. It takes around 1.5h to climb to the top. Along the way, you might see some interesting details including the infamous “cave of the virgin”.

Things to Do on Easter Island

Anyone who’s heard of Easter Island would have seen images of the iconic Tongariki, with 15 giant moai  standing in a row. But Easter Island is a lot more than just that. With over 1000 moai spread all around the island, the national park is an open-air museum that you can explore at your own pace and time. Here are just some of the most interesting sites that are worth visiting:

Start your trip with a visit to this museum in Hanga Roa — it makes an excellent introduction to Rapa Nui and the moai. There are very detailed and well-written explanations on the history of the island, as well as interesting archaeological items like a rare female moai and different kinds of tools used to carve the moai. Plus, the museum is free to visit. It’s located next to Ahu Tahai, and just a 10-minute walk from the centre of Hanga Roa.

This is my favorite archaeological site on Easter Island and one of the two sites that you can only visit once with your park ticket. It is home to 397 moai, which is quite an incredible sight to see all on one hill.

Known as the quarry, Rano Raraku is a volcano where most of the moai on Easter Island were cut. The islanders would carve each statue into the slopes (horizontally), with the statue still attached to its mother stone. When they were done, they would then remove the last bit of stone and then slide the statue down the hill.

There are a few trails that weave their way around the southern slope and up to the top of the volcano. You’ll be wandering among plenty of statues, each of them in a different stage of progress. Here’s where you’ll also find the biggest statue on the island (still attached to the mother stone) that measures 21 m tall.

You’ll recognize this site from the iconic image of Easter Island that appears on every postcard and article. Ahu Tongariki is the biggest ahu ever built, with 15 imposing statues standing guard over the coastline.

Scattered among the surrounding field are several pukao, topknots that some moai adorn on their heads. The ancient Polynesians used to wear their hair in a bun (both men and women) on the top of their hair — it’s still a tradition that continues today.

This is the best spot on the island to see sunrise and it’s hugely popular with tourists. During my visit in March, the sunrise was at 7.30am. We got there 30 minutes early and the place was already packed. Most people were respectful and kept to the invisible boundary line where everyone lined up their cameras. Once in a while, I still got a photo of one or two thick-skinned people and their selfie sticks.

For the best sunset, head to Ahu Tahai , just a 10-minute walk from Hanga Roa town. Again, it’s a popular site but there is plenty of green space for everyone to sit and watch the sky light up in all kinds of vermillion rays.

There are three ahu platforms: the main Ahu Tahai is in the middle, with a solitary moai. This is the oldest moai on the island, built around 900 A.D. On its left are five moai of different shapes and sizes, and on its right is the only moai on the island restored with coral eyeballs.

Placing eyeballs with corals on the moai was the last and most important stage of the process. They believed that once the eyes were placed on the moai, it became a living face of the god.

Anakena is one of the very few white-sand beaches on Easter Island, which has mainly black rocky coastlines. This beautiful spot is known as the birthplace of Rapa Nui culture as this was where the first king Hoto Matu’a landed.

He settled down at this very exact spot with his entourage and his first child was born right here (you’ll find a wooden carving depicting his wife giving birth at the entrance).Other explorers such as Thor Heyerdahl and James Cook also landed here on Anakena.

Besides the alluring palm trees and beautiful beach, you’ll also find two ahu platforms here. Ahu Nau Nau is made up of seven moai built on a unique ahu that spots similarities with Inca architecture. Some experts say to prove that ancient Polynesians made contact with the Incas.

Standing tall at the southwestern end of the island is a volcano crater called Rano Kau . Geographically, this site has one of the most dramatic landscapes in the South Pacific. Perched at 980 feet (300m) above, the crater’s rim is almost perfectly circular, with steep jagged slopes that drop vertically into the crater lake, and the Pacific Ocean on one edge.

The crater lake below is a green house of endemic biodiversity, home to some unique and truly special plant life amidst its totora reeds. Locals often climb down the slopes to frolic in the crater lake, but it’s forbidden for visitors to enter these days due to safety concerns.

Built onto the side of the slopes surrounding Rano Kau is an important archaeological site known as Orongo . This was a ceremonial village and main gathering point for the islanders when they started worshipping the birds in the 18th century. The village has excellent info about the ‘birdman’ religion that Rapa Nui natives followed after the moai-building days.

They used to hold an annual competition where the strongest men in the community would compete to see who could nab the first eggs of the birds that migrated here each year. The winner would then become the next king. From Orongo, you’ll get a spectacular view of the little islet of Moto Nui where the annual birdman competition was held. 

Hanga Roa is the only town on the whole island i.e. all the museums, shops and restaurants are concentrated here. Don’t expect a vibrant lively town  — you are after all on a remote island of 5000+ people! That said, it’s got a nice Polynesian beach town feel to it and it’s small enough to walk everywhere. Streets are lined with tiki bars, restaurants and souvenir shops.

I recommend checking out the Mercado Artesanal that has all the artwork and souvenirs under one roof. Right across the road from there is the Catholic Church of Rapa Nui , with interesting Polynesian architecture. Another place worth visiting is Arte Manaroas, a modern art gallery run by local artist Oscar Cuevas. I had a great conversation with him and it was very interesting getting to know Rapa Nui through him. And don’t forget to get a special Easter Island passport stamp from the tourist office next to the soccer field — it’s free!

In the evening, don’t miss the traditional Rapa Nui dance shows! I was a bit skeptical at first and wondered if the show would be as commercialized as the ones I’ve seen in Hawaii. But after catching the show at Ballet Kari Kari, I was really impressed by the energy of the dancers and the authenticity of the shows. There are three different entertainment venues in Hanga Roa that showcase the traditional dance: Ballet Kari Kari (the oldest establishment) holds its shows on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; Vai Te Mihi holds the shows on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Be sure to book your tickets either by email or through your hotel one day in advance. Prices for the 1-hour show are standard, at 10,000 CLP or US$15. For the dance and dinner included, the price is 27,000 CLP or $40 per person.

Where to Stay on Easter Island

Hanga Roa is the only town on Easter Island, so all the hotels and lodges are concentrated in the area. You’ll also find restaurants, shops, supermarkets and car rental companies in town. Accommodation on Easter Island is pricey and quality of accommodation isn’t great, so make sure to scout around. Most accommodations offer free airport transfers, so be sure to check with your hostel/hotel and provide them with your flight details.

For those looking to splurge, this is the best hotel on the island. It offers high quality accommodation and stylish design, plus an outstanding location in the green hills 5 miles outside of Hanga Roa. It’s not cheap, but the fantastic panoramas throughout the property and all-inclusive features make it worth every penny. In fact, rates include all transportation, meals, beverages and over 20 free excursions around Easter Island. Check the latest rates.

This upscale option is located on the oceanfront, within a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute drive from Hanga Roa town. The modern hotel has very tastefully designed rooms and features spa facilities, a huge outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant overlooking the ocean. It’s an excellent fusion of luxury and rustic design. If I were on my honeymoon, this would be the place I’d stay! However, there has been controversy surrounding the land on which the hotel has been built. Apparently a Rapa Nui native had sold the land to the hotel which is against the law, and many people are protesting against it right in front of the hotel. Check the latest rates.

I stayed at this comfortable family-run lodge with individual cabanas that have been newly built. It’s very well priced, especially for solo travelers as you pay for just half the price of a cabana rather than the full price. The big green spaces, swimming pool and large family cottages make it a great place for families. The owners are very friendly and welcoming. Airport transfers are included. It’s around a 20-minute walk from Hanga Roa, or a $4 taxi ride away. Check the latest rates.

Another well-priced option is Hostal Pukao which is blessed with lots of green spaces and lush surroundings. There are lots of vibrant colors all about the property and modern and comfortable furnishings. They have great reviews, especially for their excellent breakfast. They also charge solo travelers half the price of a room instead of the full price. But the hostal is located close to Puna Pau, which is a 15-minute drive outside of Hanga Roa. That said, it’s a great spot to base yourself if you want to hike all over the hills surrounding Puna Pau. Check out the latest rates.

Located right across the road from the beach, this campsite is possibly the best option for budget travelers because of its waterfront location. There are options of staying in tents or their bungalow rooms. There are shared bathroom facilities as well as three big kitchens where you can cook your own meals and hang out with other travelers. It’s about a 15-minute walk from town but the location is pretty good considering you are sleeping in front of the sea. Be aware that this campsite gets booked up very quickly, so you’ll need to make reservations well in advance. Check the latest rates.

For those on a budget, this comfortable hostal is a great choice as it’s affordable and located in Hanga Roa but close to the airport. The family-run guesthouse feels more like a homestay and the owners are very warm and welcoming. They often invite guests to join the family for dinner and drinks, so if you’re looking to socialise and learn more about the locals’ way of life, this is the place to go. Check the latest rates.

Search for More Hostels on Easter Island

Food on Easter Island is a fusion of Polynesian ingredients and Chilean flavors. You get mainly fish like tuna, mahi mahi, and swordfish, as well as seafood like lobster, shrimp and a native lobster known as rape rape. They also eat a lot of crops that are grown on the island such as sweet potatoes, taro, yams, plantain, and sugarcane. 

The most traditional Rapa Nui dish is the  Umu Rapa Nui  or  Easter Island curanto , which is cooked in a hole in the ground with firewood and red-hot stones, the same way it was made hundreds of years ago. The hot stones are covered with plantain leaves. Then, meat, chicken, and fish is placed on the leaves and covered again with more leaves and stones. Te Ra’ai is the only restaurant where you can try this traditional preparation.

There are quite a few good beachfront restaurants in Hanga Roa to choose from, and many of them have excellent sunset views. A restaurant meal on Easter Island is expensive though, expect to spend around 15000 – 28000 CLP for a meal with drinks.

Tataku Vave — This was recommended by my guide and it turned out to be my favorite place to eat at on the island! It’s secretly tucked away from the tourist trail and serves up huge portions of fresh ceviche and fish at a beachfront location great for sunsets. There are also fresh rape rapa lobsters and shrimps on the menu, plus refreshing cocktails.

Hani-Hani — Hip and trendy, this welcoming beachfront restaurant has an excellent menu and live music right by the sea. They’ve got a very refreshing Polynesian fusion menu, with an array of sushi rolls and pizzas to choose from. The cocktail list is also impressive — don’t miss the in-house special pisco!

Te Moai Sunset — It’s lauded as the best restaurant in town for sunset as it is located right next to Ahu Tahai. This high-end gourmet restaurant is where you’d want to go for your last meal in town!

Tumu Vida Sana — This is one of the cheaper joints in town, with affordable sandwiches, fajitas and great beer (try the Michelada which is beer with lemonade served in frosty mugs rimmed with salt and chilli). Great atmosphere too!

Hai Tonga — Another bar with beach vibes and swings, located close to the seafront. Its breakfast menu is particularly good and you can also find local artisan beer here.

Besides the airfare, accommodation and food prices can make Easter Island an expensive destination. As the island is so remote, almost everything needs to be imported and thus products that are not from the island are expensive.

Before your trip to Easter Island, I recommend buying food on mainland Chile to bring with you. I brought some muesli bars, salami and cheese for my breakfast and picnic lunches. I couldn’t resist eating out at the restaurants for dinners to treat myself. 

Bring plenty of Chilean pesos in cash as not many places accept credit cards. There are two ATMs on the island but it’s worth stocking up. Easter Island is very very safe so you shouldn’t worry about bringing cash onto the island.

Here is a breakdown of my expenses as a solo traveler during my 4-day trip to Easter Island (NOT including airfare):

• Accommodation: $240
• National park entrance: $80
• Day tours: $90 + 90
• Car rental: $68
• Gas/petrol: $10
• Traditional dance: $15

TOTAL: $613

Easter Island is a terrific destination to visit, and the islanders have done a great job in limiting the number of visitors and protecting their sacred historical sites. The geographic landscapes, remote location in the Pacific and unique blend of Chilean-Polynesian culture all contribute to make Rapa Nui a place that’s one of its kind. For those who make that extra effort to visit Easter Island, this special place does not disappoint.

Do you have any questions on how to visit Easter Island? Leave your questions in the comments field below and I’ll do my best to answer them!

Here are other articles related to Easter Island and Chile:

• 2-Week Chile Itinerary
• My Complete Guide to Torres del Paine
• 2-Week Argentina Itinerary
• 2-Week Brazil Itinerary
• How to Visit the Galapagos Islands

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to companies I use and trust. I get a small commission when you click on my links, at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.

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Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is the founder of WildJunket. Originally from Singapore, Nellie has traveled to over 150 countries across 7 continents. She is a book author and Lonely Planet guidebook writer. As an adventure travel blogger, she has a special interest in unusual destinations and deep experiences. Follow her travels on her Facebook and Instagram .

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The Comments

grahame pike

Always wanted to go to Easter Island and your post here is the most informative one I have ever come across. An excellent article. I’m going to use this for later reference. Thanks a lot, Nellie

I haven’t been here but I have always been curious of this place! I really need to tick this off my bucket list!

What a superb travel journal to read, i went to Rapa Nui in 2001 and reading yours brought back so many happy amd amazing memories, 4 flights and two days travelling eack way – from the U.K. loved it, want to go back and now take my family but know i will never be able to afford it! Keep up the good work. Si

Aww thank you Simon! Yes I initially wanted to bring my kid with me to Chile and Easter Island too, but it was just so expensive! Hopefully we’ll be able to return in future.

Great info. Thank you. Going next week. Can’t wait :)

Awesome info! I leave in 3 weeks, can’t wait!

Gwen Kelley

Truly inspiring. Looking for a place where to escape as soon as COVID let us go and that could be the one! Thanks a lot for so many great tips.

Just want to a big thank you! I am going to South America next April and planning to visit Easter island. After lots of researches, I was struggling whether it’s worthy to go due to the high expenses. Luckily, I read your article and I followed your suggestion. Just got a cheap flight as the way u said and booked the same hotel at great price where u stayed!

Aww so happy to hear that you article has helped you! Easter Island still remains one of my favorite places on Earth, I hope you love it as much as I do!

Fransisca Iskandar

Hi, I will go Easter island next April. Thank you for your article , so much helping. I want to ask , Do you need a guide to see sunrise at Ahu Tongariki? Can I have contact of your guide?

hi Fransisca, no you don’t need a guide if you have your own transport. I rented a car and drove there early in the morning. If you don’t drive, it might be good to arrange a taxi through your hotel. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for sharing. I learnt a lot from your article before visiting Easter Island. It’s very expensive from flight to the tour in the island. I will save money for this trip as it is my dream. Have a great adventure wherever you go.

Stephanie L Sales

Greetings! Thanks for all the information. Can you tell us how to complete the SERNATUR, for approved lodging requirements online? Thanks

SERNATUR in English that is

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An independent travel blog helping you to visit off the beaten track destinations

Easter Island

Similar to all tourist destinations, Easter Island was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic hard. However, the recovery has been speedy. Expect many tourists, and book your accommodation well in advance, especially if you arrive during the peak in early February . This Easter Island travel guide has the following sections:

• Brief History of Easter Island

Easter Island in Numbers

Covid-19 restrictions, other arrival requirements, national park tickets, national park guide, when to visit.

• Top 5 Things to Do in Easter Island

Transportation

Accommodation, overall tips, easter island overall rating, who does not want to visit easter island.

One of the most remote places on earth. 2,250km away from the closest inhabited island of Pitcairn. 3,752km to Santiago on the Chile mainland. 6,921km to New Zealand. 14,300km to Fukuoka in Japan.

Secondly, everybody has probably seen the Easter Island statues on TV or in books If you watched it as a small child, it might have become one of the items on the lifetime bucket list, similar to the Kyoto temples in Japan, pyramids in Egypt or Machu Picchu in Peru.

Given its importance, the Rapa Nui National Park on Easter Island is a UNESCO Heritage site:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/715/

Not only moai

Easter Island is home to the unique moai , the intriguing monolithic stone statues, which made the island world famous. You can view them still neatly standing at Ahu Tongariki , fifteen of them peering into the distance.

Only 23km at longest stretch, the island is triangular with the extinct volcanoes protruding from each corner. You can hike to the largest volcano Rano Kau and will be rewarded with nice views of its collapsed caldera against the blue ocean backdrop.

And the language is exotic and melodic. The original people called themselves Rapa Nui , the moai statues standing on their ahu. Even the Spanish name “Isla de Pascua” sounds nice.

It will leave a mark and you will want to return.

Brief history of Easter Island

No Easter Island travel guide should skip the history of the enigmatic Rapa Nui. According to the current estimates, the original inhabitants of Easter Island arrived from Polynesia around 800-1200AD . They have created a thriving and industrious culture, which was able to construct the enormous moai. However, by 1722 the Rapa Nui population was estimated at only 2-3,000 .

Let’s think about this for a second. Not millions or hundreds of thousand of people, but a tiny society on a tiny island was able to design, construct, transport and erect those stone mammoths. Pretty impressive.

The first recorded European to visit was a Dutch naval commander Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday in 1722 . Similar to the approach in other places (e.g., Christmas Island, Ascension Island), Rapa Nui was then named “Easter Island”.

Commodore Roggeveen spent only one day on the island, but recorded the presence of the “particularly high erected stone images” . 52 years later the famous British Captain Cook (of the HMS Endeavour fame) stopped by the island to cure the scurvy among his crew. He also recorded the existence of the “stupendous figures”. However, many of the statues were already on the ground.

By 1825 all of the moai had been destroyed.

So what happened?

Interestingly, if all the moai had been toppled, it probably means that no single clan won the long and brutal war. Otherwise, their statues would have survived intact.

In other words, similar to many other conflicts in the human history, there were only losers coming out of this war .

But what might have caused the war in the first place?

The current scientific consensus is that the land clearing for cultivation and the excessive resources dedicated to the moai construction led to hunger and tribal infighting for the scarce resources. In addition, the European slave traders and the introduction of TB and smallpox reduced the population to 111 by 1877.

Critically, because Rapa Nui has not had any written history , a crucial part of the island’s culture and collective memory was lost. The last ariki henua (main chief) and moari (keepers of sacred secrets) perished without passing their centuries-old knowledge to the next generation.

Chile annexed the depleted Easter Island in 1888 . Since then Rapa Nui has been a special territory (“territorio especial”) and part of the Valparaiso region.

But what are moai?

Those statues were carved by the Polynesian colonizers between 1250 and 1500 .

Strangely, all moai have large oversized heads making 3/8 of their overall size. What is the reason for that? The scientific consensus is that the statues are living faces (aringa ora) of deified ancestors (aringa ora ata tepuna).

They are similar to their Polynesian counterparts with large heads, large broad noses, oblong ears, heavy torso and indistinct legs. Almost all of them have been carved in the Rano Raraku quarry and are made of the volcanic ash.

4 giraffes stacked on top of each other

There are on average 4m (13ft) high with a weight of 13 tonnes each . They are truly massive. The tallest moai, called Paro, was 10m (33ft) high and weighed 82 tonnes. One unfinished sculpture in Rano Raraku is 21m (69ft) weighing about 150 tonnes.

But what is 21m in real life beyond the moai in this Easter island travel guide?

In the U.S. this is more than the distance between the baseball home plate and the pitcher’s mound .

Among the living creatures, the tallest land animal on our planet is a giraffe in Africa at around 16 feet (5m) tall. In other words, you would have to stack 4 giraffes on top of each other .

Finally, most U.S. two-story homes (ground floor and first floor to the Europeans) are approximately 17 feet (5m) tall. So this largest moai would be again 4 average two-story houses stacked vertically .

Pretty incredible.

In total, there are approximately 900 moai , out of which a staggering 394 are still in Rano Raraku in various stages of completion. Let’s think about this for a second. Rapa Nui must have worked on many statues at the same time. Secondly, they also must have abandoned completion of some in favor of the others.

So who made it to completion and the coveted space on the ahu platform?

Archeologists believe the statues represent the ancient Polynesian ancestors . They were symbols of power and authority, both political and religious. In addition, they were believed to preserve the sacred spirit or mana indispensable in daily life. In the Polynesian mythology, mana is the a supernatural power of force and energy. The more mana, the better your everyday life.

You will notice that most moai face away from the ocean. They are watching inland and protecting their people . The exception is the seven statues on Ahu Akivi facing the sea to help sailors find the island.

And for this protection, the ancient Rapa Nui were willing to spend an enormous amount of time and resources to build, transport and erect those monoliths.

Enter competing clans

They were also ancestors of the individual clans protecting their own . This might explain the sheer number of the sculptures. Secondly, in the clan infighting in the 18th and 19th century when the European ships started visiting, the moai protectors of the opposing families were toppled. They would no longer be able to offer the sacred spirit and protection to their families.

In the time-honored tradition of megalomania across thousands of years (e.g., pyramids in Egypt, Mayan temples in Tikal, Angkor Wat in Laos), bigger moai were considered to have more mana and be more powerful. Consequently, the larger the mana of the moai on the ahu platform, the more mana for the chief who had commissioned the sculpture.

Finally, mana was believed to reside in moai’s hair . Therefore, some statues have a cylinder on top of their heads symbolizing the topknot with the sacred energy. Archeologists believe that it was painted red, which is still the sacred color in some communities in Polynesia. This cylinder is made from a light rock, but it is still heavy.

How were they constructed?

No matter how we look at them, moai were expensive to construct, transport and erect on their platform. Archeologists believe that a distinguished group of professional carvers with a high status in the community conducted the work. Also, the Rano Raraku quarry was divided among various clans each working on their sculptures.

In the quarry you will be able to see many sculptures not finished . They were chiselled out of the rock face until they were attached to it by a thin keel along their spine.

Once completely detached and further processed (eyes, smoothing, coloring), they were transported to their ahu platform.

How were they transported?

Nobody really knows. But the consensus bet is that they were travelling on wooden sledges or on top of rollers. This might explain the oral tradition talking about the statues “ walking across the island ” to their platform.

In other words, a similar technology supposedly used by the Egyptians in transportation of the stone blocks for the pyramids. Although nobody knows for sure either, how they did it in detail.

Final step: erect it

So let’s imagine the statue was transported intact without any major damage, which was probably a big assumption in the first place. How to erect it? And secondly, how to erect it without causing any damage in the process?

In 1955 Thor Heyerdahl , a colorful Norwegian adventurer criss-crossing oceans in papyrus boats, challenged the island’s mayor to raise a fallen 25 tonne sculpture at Anakena beach. 18 days later 12 islanders did raise the fallen structure by using two levers and placing layers of stones under the statue as it was being tilted. Finally it slid into its place on the platform.

The final engineering thought for the impressive moai masters from approximately 800-1200 years ago. The (red) stone cylinder symbolizing the topknot on their heads. Assuming they had no modern cranes, how did they raise and put it on the moai head at precisely the right place?

Which also begs the question, how did they measure and confirm the balance of the moai in the first place, so that the prized topknot does not fall down? All this for some topknots which are 2m in diameter and weigh 11 tons.

Correct, nobody knows that for sure either.

One recent hypothesis is that the Rapa Nui used a ramp and a rope technique. They might have built an upward-going ramp with a moai leaning toward it at the end. Then they would roll the round hats until the statue, where the hat would be placed on the statue. Finally, the would tip the moai upright.

The end is near

Suddenly, around the time of the arrival of the first Europeans in the eighteenth century, this delicate clan-based society collapsed. Carvers abandoned their tools at the Rano Raraku quarry abruptly. Many obsidian weapon s were manufactured suddenly. Archeologists found remains of skulls with violent cracks. Caves were used as refuge places at that time. Oral tradition is also talking about cannibalism during this troubled period.

However, the most apparent evidence are the fallen moai across the island. The warring families toppled hundreds of statues trying to desecrate each other’s sacred places. That would remove their mana protecting their families .

Scary stuff.

How did this happen?

Many sophisticated civilizations collapsed over the centuries (e.g., Mayan in central America, Khmer in Asia). Also in Easter Island archeologists believe that the collapse was due to the overexploitation of the island in quest to build ever more moai at the expense of the daily survival.

In a society that small spending such a significant amount of scarce resources on creating more sculptures de-forested the island, so impairing the critical ocean fishing and agriculture. This might have occurred at the time of a weather change led to prolonged hunger. All families were desperate to capture scarce food, arable land and shelter.

And faced with a threat to their very survival, the clans did what we humans usually do in such circumstances.

They started a war.

Population: 8,000

Capital: Hanga Roa

Language: Rapa Nui and Spanish

Currency: Chilean peso (CLP)

Exchange rate (November 2022): USD 1 = CLP 919, EUR 1 = CLP 919, GBP 1 = 1054

Electricity : standard European 230V with 50Hz frequency, standard European plugs

Restrictive. You have to take a PCR test with a negative result within 48 hours of boarding your flight in Santiago to Hanga Roa.

On 1 October 2022 the Chilean government eliminated all Covid restrictions (vaccination passes, face masks and mobility passes).

However, this does NOT apply to the Easter Island as of today.

This Easter Island travel guide recommends checking the Covid-19 restrictions before your departure. As we have all learned during 2020 and 2021, they have been changing quickly. Nobody wants to have any problems when boarding your flight in Santiago.

Because Easter Island is part of Chile, citizens of USA, EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan do not need a visa to enter.

Chinese passport holders need to apply for a visa at the local Chile embassy.

Similar to other countries living off tourism, Rapa Nui has additional arrival requirements. They are designed to protect the island, and generate employment and revenue for the local population. This is similar to mainland Chile.

You will pay for three main things: (1) SERNATUR-registered lodging, (2) National Park tickets and (3) a National Park guide.

SERNATUR-registered accommodation

BEFORE boarding a plane in Santiago, you must show a proof of a lodging booking in Rapa Nui. All accommodations on the island are required to register with SERNATUR, so you will automatically comply with that.

All non-residents must buy a national park ticket to enter the archeological sites. It is valid for 10 days . Secondly, you can enter Rano Raraku and Orongo only ONCE per ticket . No limit on other sites at present. Similar to mainland Chile, there is a two tier system, where foreigners pay 3.5 times more than Chileans.

Current prices:.

• Non-Chilean adult: CLP 72,000 ($68)
• Non-Chilean child: CLP 36,000 ($34)
• 0-6 years: free

You can buy tickets at the airport, online (site is only in Spanish) or in the central market in Hanga Roa town center.

At the airport the National Park booth is after the luggage claim but before the arrival hall.

In central Hanga Roa you can buy the ticket at the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community Central Office.

National Park opening hours:

• Summer: 09:00 – 20:00
• Winter: 09:00 – 18:00

In addition, you will have to have a licensed National Park guide . Yes, they introduce the history and help protect the sites (who wants to see some lame graffiti scribbled on a moai?). However, it is also an employment- and revenue-generating program for the local population.

You can satisfy this guide requirement in two ways. Firstly, join a tour group . Secondly, hire your own guide . Neither is cheap as everybody knows you will have to pay and there is no way around it.

A six-hour tour of the island , which covers all sites, is approximately CLP 130,000-200,000 ($123-190) per person. This might be the whole island, or just the northern or southern side as described below under Itinerary .

The weather on Easter Island is pleasant year round with average temperatures of 64-73F (18-23C) . Late January and early February are the most popular due to the annual Tapati Rapa Nui festival.

Beyond the weather, please consider the cruise ships schedule. Similar to other locations (Venice, Split) they regularly send crowds to the shore. Those are usually day tourists who will clog the main sites on Rapa Nui as well.

Cruise ships are regularly docking at Rapa Nui and you can find their schedule on the web.

This chapter in the Easter island travel guide is easy.

Given Easter Island completely relies on tourism, violent crimes against tourists are unheard of.

As a hotel owner in Zimbabwe eloquently said “You do not shoot walking dollars”.

Top 5 Things in Easter Island

Given the small size, you will see all the main sights within two full days. However, given it is expensive to get here, you might as well stay for another one or days and take it easy. The island is remote, the air unpolluted and clear, and the ocean views in every direction magnificent.

(1) Visit the Rano Raraku quarry and the Ahu Tongariki close nearby

This is my favorite. Rano Raraku is located on a low hill with many moai in the ground or still unfinished in the quarry. Then it is a great short walk to the 15 statues on the Ahu Tongariki

(2) Hike the Rano Kau volcano and the neighboring Orongo

Having seen all the moai, it is is a picturesque easy hike to the volcano. The caldera collapsed creating a nice view to the ocean.

(3) Sit on the Anakena beach and peer in the direction of Maccu Pichu in Peru

(4) Return to Hanga Roa along the southern shore through Akahanga, Vaihu and Vinapu

(5) See the sunrise on the beach with a moai in Hanga Roa

This itinerary will take at least 7 hours , and more if you want to stay longer in individual sites or walk some sections.

Except the volcanos, the island is flat so easy walking.

Many tour companies or individual guides will want you to split this around-the-island tour into two separate ones done on two days. This is also an excellent idea, especially if you do it with different guides to hear their take on the history and culture.

However, as you would expect, the cost will be approximately twice.

Standard loop with extension

This is a standard itinerary that all whole-day tours are following.

A loop with an extension to the Rano Kau volcano and Orongo in the south. You have a choice in this extension.

You can either start or finish at Rano Kau, some do it for the sunrise. Or you can finish the tour around sunset which will be nice as well. But if your time allows, probably the best option is to go to Orogno and Rano Kau on another day.

Finally, the tour companies and individual guides split the loop into the northern and southern routes on separate days. They backtrack on the same way to Hanga Roa.

In addition to the tour(s), please also just walk around the island . Those are easy hikes with firm and flat surface with no mud, aggressive insects or potholes. The views are pretty spectacular and outside of the main tourist sites, there is usually nobody around.

Flying to Easter Island

Ouch, there is no way around. Getting to the Easter Island is a pain .

Yes, this is the reason why there are not so many visitors. But it is not much of a consolation to your body when you are sitting in a cramped airplane seat for 18 hours straight.

Secondly, the Chilean airline LATAM has a total monopoly on the flights from Chile to the Easter Island. In other words, we are at their mercy when they fly and at what cost ($1700 from New York is considered a “bargain” according to the online alerts).

Oneworld frequent flyer miles?

As LATAM is part of the oneworld alliance with American and British, you can try to use your frequent flyer miles. Two thoughts based on our experience, given there is no competition on this route. Firstly, you will need a lot of miles. Secondly, LATAM sometimes just refuses to sell for miles and cash is the only way to book your seat.

Again, if flying directly from the U.S. or Europe with no overnight stay in Santiago (SCL), just get ready that getting there will take a long, long time . There is little reason to check the clock because it still will be hours away. Just hunker down and accept it. This aluminium tube with two engines attached will get there at one point of time in the future.

But then a miracle happens. Everybody is visibly upbeat when the plane is already descending for the touch down.

Ground transport

Given the island size, you will rely on a tour vehicle, a rental car and walking .

If arriving at the peak early February, book a rental car in advance. There will be crowds for the Tapati Rapa Nui festival.

Easter Island has only one town, Hanga Roa.

Hiking (favorite of this Easter Island travel guide)

The island is small and flat with spectacular views pretty much in every direction you look. The weather is moderate with no excessive sunshine or rainy season as in the south-eastern Asia.

Give n the constant tourist numbers, a broad range is available. A private room is $70-150 and up. Few budget options but they do exist.

All lodging is located in or around Hanga Roa.

The usual accommodation booking sites cover Easter Island.

Food (favorite topic in this Easter Island travel guide)

As you might expect on this tiny island, seafood is abundant and excellent . A special mention goes to Tuna Ahi cooked over red-hot volcanic stones near the shoreline. Tuna ceviche is also amazing.

And do not forget the empanadas piping hot straight from the oven in a panaderia.

Wifi available in hotels and homestays, speeds can vary.

This Easter Island travel guide learned it the hard way to bring enough cash. Do not make the same mistake as we did.

(1) Bring cash. USD is widely accepted on the island. Caution: at different exchange rates. Check the USD to CLP rate on your arrival to avoid scams.

(2) We are aware of three ATMs on Rapa Nui. One at the airport (opens two hours before the plane arrives and closes when plane departs). Banco Santander and Banco Estado in Hanga Roa have one each, both working 24/7.

(3) Bigger restaurants and shops accept credit cards.

(4) Tap water is chlorinated. Drink filtered or bottled water if you have a sensitive stomach.

Given everything has to be imported from the Chilean mainland, everything on the Easter island is expensive. Food, accommodation, car rental, gas.

Fresh fruit and vegetables can cost 3-5 times more than on Chile mainland.

Restaurant prices will be similar to the US or Europe.

Highly recommended , probably a once in a life time experience for most of us.

Far away, but those moai in this remote setting do make an impression.

Other countries?

Beyond this Easter Island travel guide, you might like another another enigmatic site Göbekli Tepe in Turkey ( Sanliurfa and Göbekli tepe (11,000 years old!) ). Allegedly 11,000 years old, which makes it much older than the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge in the United Kingdom.

In addition, another unique Greek monument close nearby is Guide to Nemrut Dagi, Turkey (2022) .

And when you are in the neighborhood, you might also like Uzbekistan with its magnificent Bukhara and Samarkand . Also representing the peak achievements of another culture, they are merely 9,700 kms or 6,000 miles away from Rapa Nui.

Other excellent historical venues is Tikal, Guatemala , for the stunning Mayan pyramids in the jungle. Or across the border, Copan Ruinas in Honduras .

In addition to this Easter Island travel guide, this website cares deeply about avoiding excessive crowds. The list of tips learned through our travels is here Avoid Crowds When Travelling – Top 21 Tips (2022) .

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How to Plan a Trip to Easter Island

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

The Points & Miles Backpacker is a weekly column appearing every Monday. TPG contributor Brian Biros , who has backpacked the globe for the past 15 years, discusses how to fund this adventurous, budgeted and increasingly popular form of travel with points and miles. He'll also explore all things backpacking-related. Read his story here and his high-level approach here .

Few places on the planet posses the intrigue of Easter Island, where iconic moai statues guard the coast. To this day, the legends surrounding the Chilean territory attract tourists from across the globe. For many travelers, one of the greatest mysteries is how to even begin planning a trip to this remote island 2,100 miles from continental Chile.

Easter Island — called only by its native name, Rapa Nui, on the island — was never fully abandoned. Thousands of Rapa Nui people continue to live there to this day. And those imposing moai statues? They're thought to represent the spirits of ancestors, and were placed on stone altars called ahus across the island, usually near the ocean.

Though hypotheses abound, there's still plenty of mystery encircling Rapa Nui — like how the massive moai were transported across the island in the first place.

One thing that's not a mystery anymore? How to get there, and what you should do once you arrive. Having just spent a week on Rapa Nui, I couldn't help but feel like an archaeologist exploring a destination with so much history still to be uncovered.

Why You Should Go Here

At some point, Easter Island beckons every seasoned traveler. The extremely isolated location and significant effort and expense to reach it mean it's rarely one of the first ticked boxes on any bucket list. But travelers searching for something intriguing and unexpected will probably be drawn to this island destination eventually.

There's plenty of information about Easter Island readily available, but no documentary can encapsulate the feeling of gazing up at a moai that stares past you toward the horizon — or sitting in a park with a local cursing the explorers who came to his island and thought they could explain his people's history. (This happened to me.) During a trip here, you'll undoubtedly learn a lot about the tension between Rapa Nui and Chile.

And the landscape is unlike anywhere else I've visited on my South Pacific itinerary . Some inland stretches more closely resemble the rocky, rolling fields of Ireland than an island in the South Pacific.

Things to Do on Rapa Nui

Rapa nui national park.

Rapa Nui National Park is spread across the island and contains the most important archaeological sites and restorations. Rano Raraku is the volcanic crater from which the moai were formed. Here, you'll find the widest range of moai in various sizes and stages of completion — many overgrown or toppled over. The construction site was abruptly abandoned centuries ago.

Nearby, Ahu Tongariki has the most standing moai . Fifteen are lined up in formation and tower over admirers below, many there to witness the sun rise behind them.

With swaying palms and a white sand beach, Anakena is the one spot on the island that resembles elsewhere in the South Pacific.

Walking distance from the main town of Hanga Roa, the moai of Ahu Tahai overlook a grassy field large enough to comfortably host seemingly every tourist on the island at sunset.

Head to Orongo to see the eerie bog deep inside the Rano Kau crater and the views beyond, to the Pacific Ocean. But stick around and explore the national park site that tells the story of the so-called Birdman cult that enraptured the Rapa Nui people.

Elsewhere on the island, you'll find plenty more archaeological sites and moai — nearly 1,000 of them were created.

Eat the Ceviche

Most goods are shipped to Rapa Nui from far away, which normally means higher prices and lower quality. The obvious exception is seafood, and Rapa Nui does that right.

Ceviche is a popular favorite, and the locals head to Makona for the best combination of quality and value. Note that the entrada, or appetizer, portion is almost as big as the main course and costs less than half the price. Wash it down with delicious (but pricey) Mahina beer, Rapa Nui's very own microbrew.

What You Can Skip

A lengthy stay.

This small island is only about 10 miles across, and you really only need a few days here. Many visitors feel the need to stay a week or longer to justify the journey and the expense, but they often find themselves queued up at the LATAM airline office in town switching to an earlier flight out.

Prebooked Guided Tours

If you're traveling with company or have made friends, you can save money by renting a car (from $60 per day) instead of paying for a guided tour. However, make sure you have a thorough guide or reference book. If you don't want to miss a local guide's information, you can opt for a half day tour where you'll hear the majority of pertinent information, and then explore the rest of the island at your own pace. Everything is cheaper booked locally and sometimes negotiable.

It is possible (but not recommended) to see all the major sites in one long day, but even spread out over few days, you may run out of activities and sites quickly. If you are planning a longer stay, a few top-notch dive sites can keep you occupied, as can exploring the caves in Tahai or hiking and horseback riding the oft-overlooked region near Maunga Terevaka.

I highly recommend you plan your visit during the annual Tapati Festival during the first two weeks of February every year. A playful combination of Polynesian Olympics and an extraordinary talent show, the upbeat display of Polynesian culture might be the best in the South Pacific. With only an event or two per day (such as banana tree sled races and choreographed dance performances starring hundreds of Rapa Nui in traditional costumes) you'll still have plenty of time to explore the national park.

How to Get There

Flights to book.

LATAM is the only airline that services Mataveri International Airport (IPC), so there's little incentive to discount tickets, and the carrier's flights from Santiago (SCL) are almost never bookable with miles from a partner carrier. (In fact, you may have better luck getting there in a Polynesian canoe than with a Oneworld partner award ticket from Chile.)

However, LATAM does have frequent availability on the once-weekly flights from Tahiti for just 12,500 British Airways Avios each way.

Otherwise, round trip flights from Santiago will usually cost over $500, although I've heard of them occasionally dropping to $300 last minute. Make sure you also compare flight prices using a Chilean point of sale.

If you do find yourself paying a steep fare, check the business-class price, which is sometimes comparable or even cheaper than economy! And if you want to go next level, Rapa Nui works very well as a stop on a Oneworld around-the-globe ticket .

Where to Stay

Pretty much all of the lodging on the island is in the town of Hangoa Roa, next to the airport. Expect to pay between $100 and $200 for a room, or more. You won't be able to redeem hotel points at any properties here, so it's a good candidate for the Citi Prestige fourth night free benefit . (Think: the ultra-luxury Explora Rapa Nui, where a four-night stay during the low season starts at $2,280 per person.)

If you're traveling solo like I did, La Casa De Kori is a decent hostel with beds starting at $27 per night. Which is great, because there aren't many other budget options.

If you're looking to back that pack up and get some guidance, send your questions to [email protected] !

All photos courtesy of the author.

This story has been amended to clarify that partner award flights to Easter Island are extremely difficult to get, but not impossible.

The Ultimate 6-Day Easter Island Itinerary

01 mar 2024 14 jan 2019 | dan.

Easter Island is one of the world’s most remote and mysterious places, a tiny isle in the Pacific with a big story. Get ready for some unforgettable outdoor adventure and Rapanui culture with our 6-Day Easter Island itinerary.

Your first encounter with a  moai , the enigmatic stone sentinels of Easter Island, is one you’ll never forget.

For us, that moment came right on sunset, just as the rays of the dying sun exploded in a starburst between the stoic heads of  Ahu Vai Ure . We’d just arrived on this tiny isle, a speck of grassy hills and rocky coastline in the middle of a vast, blue ocean.

Now, as we watched the sky turn fuscia above the carved giants, just as it has for hundreds of years, we had to pinch ourselves. Easter Island had been a lifelong dream destination, and we were finally, really, here.

For many people, Easter Island is a quick side trip from Chile’s capital, Santiago. Maybe 3 or 4 days at most. But to really experience this unique isle – to discover the story of its fraught past, its transformed landscape, and its fascinating modern culture – Easter Island really deserves longer.

In our 6-Day Easter Island itinerary, we get our outdoor adventurer on and explore the island by foot, bicycle and hire car. We also venture into its crystal clear waters for some scuba diving.

If you love being outdoors and active and if, like we did, you want to see as much of this unique Pacific island as you can, then pack your outdoor gear and get ready for a destination like no other.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: It is now mandatory for all visitors to Easter Island to have a local guide with them when they visit any of the archaeological sites in Rapa Nui National Park, except Ahu Tahai near Hanga Roa, and Anakena Beach on the north-east coast. This is in addition to the National Park entry fee. We’re currently looking into how this impacts visiting the island independently with a view to updating this post. In the meantime, check out this website and this online guide for more information.

Day 1 – Arriving On Easter Island & A Moai Sunset

With its closest continental neighbour – South America – almost  4,000 kilometres  to the east, the easiest way to travel to Easter Island is by plane from Chile’s capital, Santiago.

There are other ways to travel to Easter Island. With time, flexibility and money, you could consider the weekly flight from Tahiti, or visit the island as part of a South Pacific cruise ship   itinerary.

Flying To Easter Island Easter Island is a territory of Chile, and LATAM is the only airline servicing the island. Chile’s capital, Santiago, is LATAM’s international hub, so unless you’re coming via Tahiti, if you’re flying to Easter Island, you’ll be departing from Santiago. Santiago is a fantastic city in its own right, and we highly recommend using your stopover to get out and explore. If you’re after some inspiration, hit up our post on  20 cool things to do in Santiago .

In our case, we planned our Easter Island trip as part of a longer journey through  South America , using Santiago as our base.

We gave ourselves a tonne of time to get to Santiago airport on the day of our flight to Easter Island. Not that it mattered. Shortly after checking in, our scheduled 9.30am flight was delayed due to weather.

Travel Tip: Factor in extra time in case your flights to Easter Island are delayed Located as it is in the middle of  nowhere  the Pacific, Easter Island is subject to the whims of ocean weather, and flights can be delayed or cancelled at a moment’s notice. Our flights to and from the mainland were both delayed due to weather. Just one more reason why it’s worth giving yourself more time than less, plus some extra time before and after, if you’re planning a visit to this special place .

By the time our plane finally hit the tarmac at Mataveri International Airport on the island, a little over five hours after taking off, the afternoon sun was already dipping towards the horizon.

Welcome To Easter Island!

Known in Spanish as  Isla de Pascua , one of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive is the unique mingling of Rapanui and Spanish culture on the island.

The Rapanui were the original settlers of Easter Island, arriving from other Pacific islands more than a thousand years ago.

Following waves of destructive European contact and colonisation in the 18th and 19th centuries, Easter Island was annexed by Chile in the late 19th century. By that stage, the Rapanui population on the island had been reduced to just over 100 people.

Today, Spanish is the official language of Easter Island, but the Rapanui culture and language lives on through the descendants of those people. We speak very (very!) basic Spanish, but we found most people we met, particularly in the hospitality and tourism businesses, also spoke English.

Buy Your Rapa Nui National Park Ticket At The Airport

Before you leave Easter Island’s airport, stop by the CONAF booth and buy your Rapa Nui National Park entry ticket   (CONAF is the organisation that manages Chile’s national parks).

This saves the hassle of sorting out your ticket later, though you can also pick one up at the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community Central Office on Atamu Tekena Street in Hanga Roa (the only town on the island), or at the CONAF office in Mataveri.

The Rapa Nui National Park ticket is US$80 for foreign adults and US$40 per child, and it’s valid for ten days from the first entry stamp.

While you’ll only have your ticket stamped at a couple of sites around Easter Island, you can be asked to show your ticket at any time while you’re within the park. And as almost half of the island is national park, your best bet is to carry your ticket with you throughout your stay.

“Do I have to buy the Rapa Nui National Park ticket?” We’ve been asked this question several times: is there a way to get around the Rapa Nui National Park entry fee? We get it, it’s steep, and yes it’s frustrating that the ticket grants only one-time entry to two of the most incredible sites on the island (Rano Raruku and Orongo Ceremonial Village). But our position is this: Easter Island is one of the world’s great historical and cultural treasures. If you’re making the effort and spending the money to travel all the way to this remote corner of the world, then spending a bit more to help support the protection and maintenance of its fragile environment and extraordinary artefacts is the least that we as travellers can do.

Check In To Your Accommodation

Once you’ve collected your bags and purchased your park pass, make your way to your accommodation and settle in.

Easter Island accommodation is available at a range of price points, from camping and hostel options to luxury resorts. Most stays are located in and around Hanga Roa, and this is a good, central spot to be.

We opted to stay in a small, self-contained cottage a half-hour’s walk from the centre of town. It meant we could save money by self-catering when we felt like it, and wander into town for dinner via the coast and a handful of the island’s famous stone statues, the  moai .

We also had gorgeous sunsets from our front verandah; the perfect spot for winding up busy days with a bottle of locally brewed Mahina Pale Ale.

Experience Sunset At Tahai Ceremonial Complex

Once you’ve dropped your bags, if you have time for a quick wander around Hanga Roa, then go for it (and maybe take the opportunity to pick up some food from the supermarket in town if you’re self-catering). But aim to be on the hillside above the  Tahai Ceremonial Complex , just north of town, before sunset.

As the nearest moai   platforms to Hanga Roa, this collection of statues and  ahu (stone shrines) is the most popular sunset spot for visitors and locals on the island.

This was our first real encounter with Easter Island’s mysterious moai. With their backs to the ocean and their eyes turned skyward, the clouds above turning pink and purple, and golden rays of light glancing between the stone heads, this was the moment for us when the magic of Easter Island really took hold.

Once twilight has settled in, make your way back to Hanga Roa for dinner.  You’ll find a range of eating options around town serving up everything from fresh seafood (tuna steak is a tasty staple on the island), to Chilean specialties and good ol’ fast food like pizza and burgers. Given most things need to be shipped in to Easter Island, eating isn’t cheap – a ‘budget’ main will still set you back around US$20.

Day 2 – Explore Easter Island’s Centre & West By Pedal Power

Greet the sun with a moai.

If you’re staying near Hanga Roa, we recommend starting Day 2 back down by the moai of  Ahu Tahai  for dawn.

Watching as the sun peeks over the high hills and creeps up the stone to light the restored white coral eyes of the moai on  Ahu Ko Te Riku  sends tingles up the spine.

Organise Your Easter Island Bike Rental & Hit The Road

After an early breakfast, head into Hanga Roa and collect some basics for a packed lunch. Make sure you have lots of water too.

If you’re into scuba diving, this is a good time to drop by the dive centres down by Hanga Roa harbour to  book in some diving for tomorrow .

Next, make your way to Atamu Takena Street and  hire a couple of bicycles  for 24 hours. There are several stores in Hanga Roa where you can hire bikes, including a place where you can pick up battery powered ebikes.

Once you’ve checked bike tyres and adjusted seats, start pedalling out of town towards Anakena along Camino Vaitea Anakena.

As you cruise through the countryside, watch out for a left turn called Pia Taro. Just down here is a lonely inland moai,  Ahu Huri A Urenga , which is famous for having four hands. This moai is also perfectly aligned to watch the winter solstice sunrise.

We only stopped here briefly, but there was a wonderful ambience as we took in the scene: just us, our stone friend, and hundreds of dancing dragonflies.

Back on the main road, keep pedalling through the rolling landscape, watching out for glimpses of the sea across fields of yellow flowers. You’ll soon come to the corrugated iron remnants of a historic farm, the Instalaciones Historicas del Fundo Vaitea.

Just near here, on the left, is a path that leads into the woodland and up to  Maunga Terevaka .

Make The Climb To Easter Island’s Highest Point

Don’t be deceived by the gently sloping rise ahead: the peddling gets decidely tougher as you power up this 507-metre hill. We ended up dismounting and  hauling ourselves panting and red-faced  enjoying a slow walk with our bikes up to the peak.

Maunga Terevaka is the highest point on Easter Island and from the top, you’ll have epic panoramic views across the entire island.

It’s a great spot to stop for lunch and ponder the profound isolation and history of this remote island surrounded by sea. You may also be joined at the top by riders who’ve made the journey up on horseback.

The ride back down the other side of Maunga Terevaka is much easier and a bit of a thrill as you feel the wind in your hair.

Sense The Past At Shrines, Ruined Villages & Caves

At the base of Maunga Terevaka, follow the path to  Ahu Akivi , where seven moai maintain a timeless watch over the landscape.

Akivi is considered unusual in that its moai seem to be facing the sea, rather than having their backs to the ocean. Actually, the sea is a couple of kilometres away and, like all moai, they were erected to watch over their village, which in this case was further inland than others.

From Akivi, it’s a short ride west to the awesome underground space of  Ana Te Pahu .

This vast cave, remnants of a lava tube, was a home and refuge for Rapanui people back in the day. You can still see vestiges of their lives here, like stone ovens and veggie gardens, where banana trees and avocados still grow.

Onwards and towards the coast, watch out for our next stop:  Ana Te Peu . This was once a large and thriving Rapanui village.

Wander the ghostly ruins, keeping an eye out for the circular stone walled gardening plots, the elliptical hut foundations, and the impressive ahu platform (go around to the ocean-facing side to see the best of its beautiful masonry).

The road gets quite bumpy and rocky along the coast here, so take it easy as you continue pedalling south.

Our next stop is another cool cave called  Ana Te Pora . This was also a refuge of sorts for the Rapanui people, who were often at war for dominance over the island and its dwindling resources by the 19th century.

There’s a strange, flat stone platform in this cave. Some reckon it was a bed, but it wouldn’t have been a particularly comfy one.

Our last stop along the rubbly trail back to Hanga Roa is  Ana Kakenga , a narrow cave that opens out on two fronts in a cliff face overlooking the ocean.

Blink and you might miss the entrance, but if you don’t mind small spaces, crawling into this one is worth it just to feel for a second like a Goonie on a great adventure.

As you pedal the last stretch along the coastal track back to Hanga Roa, look out for the moai at  Ahu Akapu . Then continue on back to your hotel for a well-earned shower and a cold beer.

This is a huge day, but you’ll feel pretty buzzed by the end of it, and exhausted. After rolling back into our stay, we watched the sun go down from our porch, then pulled together a meal from our fridge before passing out for the night.

What are the ‘ahu’ and ‘moai’ of Easter Island? ‘Ahu’ is the Rapanui name for the stone shrines located all over Easter Island. They were built by the Rapanui people, mainly between the 15th and 17th centuries. These shrines, of which there are literally hundreds in various states of ruin and repair, usually consist of a stone platform with a sloping cobbled ramp and a flat space in front. Some ahu were topped with stone statues, the famous Easter Island heads called ‘moai’. Thought to represent ancestors, there are said to be close to a thousand moai around the island. Historical records suggest most, if not all of the moai had been pulled down or destroyed through clan wars by the close of the 19th century. Today, the standing moai you see around the island have been re-erected and restored to their former glory.

Day 3 – Scuba Dive Easter Island’s Underwater World

Get beneath the surface of rapa nui.

After yesterday’s epic effort, today is a little more low-key, although we’re still getting out for some Easter Island adventure. This time, it’s under the waves.

Getting to bed early means you’ll be nice and fresh for another dawn with the moai. Take your pick of sites if you have a car, but if you’re near Hanga Roa, head to  Hanga Kio’e  and the  Akapu moai  for sunrise.

After brekkie, cycle into town and return your hire bikes. Then head over to your chosen  scuba dive centre  down by Hanga Roa harbour.

We opted to do our Easter Island diving with  Mike Rapu Dive Centre  and they were awesome. Having booked the day before, it was a smooth check-in and by 8am, we were geared up and ready for our two boat dives.

There are a handful of dive sites around Easter Island, mainly clustered on the western side of the isle.

Marvel At A Cathedral

Our first dive, at a site called  Cathedral , was a 20-minute boat ride from Hanga Roa, a great experience in itself for seeing the island from the water.

Cathedral is a cavern dive, and we were served a beautiful show of light as the sun twinkled through the rocks.

The visibility was astounding and while we saw very little fish life, the sponges and corals were healthy and eye-catching, and we had a fun surge on the day we dived.

Meet The Underwater Moai

After a break, we made our way out for a second dive, this time to the island’s most renowned dive site:  the sunken moai  in Hanga Roa Bay.

The underwater moai is a modern addition to the island’s folklore, a replica that – word is – was made and submerged for an early 90s Kevin Costner film called, you guessed it,  Rapa Nui . Incidentally, the film flopped (I secretly love it).

Fake this moai may be, but coming upon the big head as it rests in 23-metres of crystal clear water, slowly being reclaimed by patches of coral, is an experience you definitely won’t have anywhere else.

Explore Hanga Roa, Easter Island’s Only Town

After diving, head back into Hanga Roa for lunch. Diving always takes it out of us, so we spent the afternoon of Day 3 relaxing back at our cottage.

If you’ve got the energy though, then use this afternoon to  check out Hanga Roa . There’s not a lot to do in this tiny town, but as the business and residential heart of the island, it’s worth a wander.

Check out the carvings at  Iglesia Hanga Roa  (the Holy Cross Church), a blending of fascinating Catholic and Rapanui traditions.

If you fancy buying souvenirs, there are a couple of souvenir markets in town. The  Mercado Artesanal  just near the church is a great place to buy art and handicrafts made by the islanders.

You could also include a visit this afternoon to the  Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum  (unless it’s Monday, as the museum will be closed). Otherwise, we’re leaving this highlight till our last morning on Day 6.  

Hiking The Northwest Corner – An Alternative Easter Island Adventure On Day 3  If you aren’t a scuba diver or if you’d prefer to stay dry, and you’re looking for an alternative outdoor experience on Day 3, then consider hiking Easter Island’s northwest. There’s no road, just a track that skirts the coast around Maunga Terevaka, from where the road ends at Anakena Beach all the way back to Hanga Roa. This is the quietest corner of the island; it’ll likely just be you, maybe another hiker or two, and the broken ahu and moai that scatter the coast here, just as they have for centuries. We considered walking this trail in the afternoon after diving, but it’s better to set aside the whole day for this hike. We’re told it can take a good six to seven hours.

Be Captivated By Easter Island’s Traditional Dancers

Tonight, head into town for a  cultural performance  by one of Easter Island’s traditional dance groups.

Of all the things to do in Easter Island, this might at first seem like the one with the greatest potential to be a bit cheesy. We weren’t sure what to expect when we booked a 9pm show with  Kari Kari.  But we were completely captivated by the engaging, high energy performance, which brings to life the ancient language, songs, stories and dances of the Rapanui people.

There are several dance troupes on the island, performing on alternate evenings, so no matter when you’re there, chances are there’ll be a performance on somewhere.

Once you’ve decided which show you’d like to see, ask at your accommodation where to book (they may book for you); in our case, we visited the Kari Kari office in Hanga Roa in the early afternoon on the day of the show.

Easter Island Car Rental Days 4 & 5 of our Easter Island itinerary involve a hire car. To make sure we had as much time on the road as we could, we arranged a 48-hour car hire through our accommodation, and had it delivered at 7pm on Day 3.  That way we were able to get on the road before dawn on Day 4. The car hire folks brought the paperwork with them when they dropped off the car, and we completed all the formalities right there and then.

Day 4 – Road Trip Easter Island’s Northeast

Watch the sun rise at tongariki.

With our hire car, a cute little red jeep, delivered the evening before, we were up and on the road while it was still dark on Day 4 to be at  Ahu Tongariki  for sunrise.

Ahu Tongariki is, without doubt, the highlight of Easter Island’s moai sites. Fifteen giant stone statues adorn the 220m-long platform here, forever gazing inland in an incredible, unforgettable scene.

It wasn’t always so. Like all of the island’s moai ,  the sentinels of Tongariki had been toppled by the late-1800s as a result of clan wars, and some of them were swept hundreds of metres away from the ahu when a huge tsunami hit the island in 1960.

Today though, the restored Tongariki inspires awe once more, and it’s a truly spectacular place to welcome the morning sun. Even moreso when there are only a couple of other people there, like the morning we visited.

Wander The Ancient Quarry of Rano Raraku

From Ahu Tongariki, make your way over to nearby  Rano Raraku . Alongside Tongariki, this place turned out to be our favourite on the island.

Rano Raraku was the great quarry of the Rapanui people. Just about all of Easter Island’s moai were carved from the volcanic tuff here before being transported to their ahu sites around the island.

Many more moai still remain at the quarry, half-carved and emerging from the stone, or rising up out of the hillside, partly buried forevermore on the slopes of the ancient volcano.

Rano Raraku is an extraordinary, mysterious place, and it’s a profound feeling wandering among the haphazard, scattered moai. The scene feels recently abandoned, as though the Rapanui were only just here, grinding away at their ancestral statues before suddenly vanishing into the mists of time.

The Rapa Nui National Park ticket gives you just  one entry to Rano Raraku , so take your time here.

There are nearly 400 unfinished and broken moai visible on the hills of the quarry and if you arrive early enough, you may have a chance to ponder the moving scene with few others around.

Keep an eye out for our faves:  Te Tokanga , the largest moai ever carved (but never finished, it was simply too big);  Ko Kona He Roa , a moai with a three-masted ship carved onto its chest; and  Tukuturi , a kneeling, round-headed moai unique among its peers.

Rano Raraku is a volcano crater. After wandering the quarry on the outer slopes, head around to the crater entrance and check out the beautiful scene within the crater itself. More moai have been quarried and abandoned in here too.

Mysterious Rock Carvings, Fallen Giants & Pristine Beaches

From Rano Raraku, we get back on the road and explore further northeast, starting with the unusual  Pu o Hiro , a mysterious rock with petroglyph carvings and holes, through which a trumpet-like sound can apparently be made.

It’s thought to be an ancient instrument used for rituals, and we read somewhere that there are Rapanui locals who can ‘play’ this curious creation. Alas, there was no one on hand to demonstrate so for us, at least, this unusual rock remains an intriguing….rock.

Further on, make a stop at the petroglyph site of  Papa Vaka . If the sun is still relatively low, it may be easier to make out the various sea-related carvings than when the sun is high in the sky. Look out for marine creatures like turtles and tuna, as well as curly fishing hooks, and a large double hulled canoe.

Our next stop along the north coast road is  Te Pito Kura , home to  Paro , the biggest moai ever to be transported and raised on an ahu in one piece. Sadly, these days the 10-metre-tall, 80-tonne  Paro  lies face down and broken, just where it fell so many years ago.

There’s also a strange smooth round stone here, surrounded by four smaller stones, that will apparently send your compass spinning, should you have one to hand.

We were ready for a break by this point in our road trip of the northeast circuit, so we took the opportunity to stop at one of the island’s gorgeous beaches, the beautiful  Ovahe Beach , for a swim and some lunch ( tip: bring a packed lunch today and tomorrow as there are few opportunities for food outside of Hanga Roa ).

Ovahe, not far from famous Anakena Beach, is the quieter of the two. We laid out our towels in the shade of the sheer red cliffs that back the beach (not too close though as they occasionally shower down pebbles), and enjoyed a dip in the refreshing turquoise waters.

From Ovahe, it’s a short drive to  Anakena . This is where the first Rapanui are thought to have landed more than a thousand years ago.

Anakena is a stunning place of bright sand, aqua-blue water, swaying palms, and the impressive  Ahu Nau Nau , where four of the moai – the best preserved statues on the island – wear red  pukao  hats.

This is one of the island’s most popular spots, and it’s a gorgeous place to finish up our car tour of the northeast (again, we lucked out with very few people about on the day we visited).

There are some food and drink stalls if you’re after a late lunch or snack, otherwise, take your time and enjoy a wander of this serenely tropical scene. There’s plenty to linger for here.

You could stay on in this corner of the island and take in sunset at Anakena, or back at Tongariki. Otherwise, return to Hanga Roa via IPA1 through the centre of the island and enjoy sunset and dinner at another spot of your choice.

Travel Tip: Watch Out For The Wild Horses When out and about on Easter Island, and particularly if you’re driving, and especially if you’re driving at night, keep an eye out for the island’s wild horses. Horses were introduced here back in the 19th century by missionaries, and there are literally thousands of them wandering the island today, owned and branded, but free to roam. You’ll see them everywhere, including on the roads.

Day 5 – Road Trip Easter Island’s South & Southwest

Discover the intrigues of the birdman cult.

We’ve got our hire car until 7pm tonight, so today, we’re going to be exploring the highlights of the island’s south and southwest.

Our first major destination today is  Orongo Ceremonial Village , high up on the rim of the Rano Kau volcano on the southern tip of the island.

Orongo opens at 9am, so en route, make a stop at  Ana Kai Tangata , a sea-side cave with ancient paintings high up the wall.

It’s thought that the cave, with its paintings of birds that were sacred to the island’s historic Birdman Cult, had some role to play in the annual Birdman competition (read on for more about this unusual challenge).

Head up to Orongo for opening, as the morning sun rises high over the island. The views en route over the great  crater lake of Rano Kau  – an extinct volcano – are spectacular.

Orongo is the one other place where your Rapa Nui National Park ticket is  valid for one visit only , so again, take your time here. There’s loads to see, starting with the Birdman exhibition at the entrance.

From there, wander the precariously perched cliff-edge ceremonial village, with its clusters of grass-capped, stone houses with tiny doorways. Chiefs and competitors would stay in these huts during the Birdman competition and ceremony. Around the village, beautifully detailed petroglyphs cover the rocks.

Orongo’s stone huts were perfectly positioned to watch over the tiny  motus (islets) at the heart of the Birdman race for clan power: competitors representing each clan would swim out to the isles and wait for the first sooty tern egg of the season.

The first to find an egg and bring it safely back to the mainland would win for his chief the coveted Birdman title and island leadership for the next year.

Journey Through The Past Along The South Coast

From Orongo, head back into Hanga Roa, turn right onto Hotu Matu’a and follow the road until you reach a sign for  Vinapu . This is the first stop on our tour of the remnant  ahu  and  moai  of the south coast.

Highlights in this fascinating complex include a unique red stone ‘feminine’ moai, and an ahu platform built with such precision, it’s given rise to theories that there was contact between the Rapanui and their rock star contemporaries on the continent, the Incas.

From Vinapu, head northeast and onto the IPA2. This stretch of coast, though barely 15 minutes from town, feels entirely removed from civilisation. Make your way from the fallen giants at  Ahu Hanga Te’e  to the village ruins, stone ovens and moai of  Ahu Akahanga .

We stopped constantly along this stretch of coast to investigate the atmospheric remains of stone platforms and broken, eroded moai. Haunting ruins and remnants of the ancient Rapanui literally scatter the rocky shore along here, from Vinapu all the way to Tongariki.

When you reach  Tongariki  again, stop for one more wander around the fifteen stone giants at this epic site (it’s impossible not to). Then make your way back towards Hanga Roa, turning right and travelling inland to reach the Camino Vaitea Anakena.

Explore A Moai Hat Factory

Our last stop for the day is the  quarry of Puna Pau . This quirky site, in the crater of an old volcano, is where the Rapanui people sourced the red scoria rock they carved into  pukao : the red hats that once capped the moai   (some of the restored moai at Anakena, Tongariki and Tahai have donned their caps once more, but you’ll see the red stones lying around ahu sites all over the island).

Random pukao still scatter the site. It must have been something, watching the Rapanui people transport these giant lumps of red stone and raise them onto the heads of their giant moai.

Our car hire ends this evening, so once the car has been collected or dropped off, set out for one last sunset before dinner.

Day 6 – A Morning At Easter Island’s Museum

Round out your easter island itinerary.

It’s our last morning on Easter Island, but if – like us – your flight doesn’t leave until mid-afternoon, there’s time for one last island highlight: the  Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum .

First though, sunrise. There was a full moon while we were on the island, so we were up extra early on our final morning to watch the glowing round orb dip towards the black sea, and the sun rise behind us over the moai of the Tahai complex one last time.

The Museum opens at 9.30am every day, except Monday when it’s closed, so if your last day is a Monday, hit up the museum at some other point during your stay.

Enjoy a leisurely morning and head over to the museum once you’ve checked out of your stay. You really only need an hour or two here. The museum – which is small but nicely set up – offers a fascinating round-up of the island’s history, its people and geology. It also has some exceptional historical, artistic and cultural pieces in the collection.

Farewell To The Moai

After lunch, it’s back to the airport and goodbye to this extraordinary little volcanic rock in the middle of the Pacific.

Six days might seem like a long time in a tiny place like this, but with so much history and intrigue packed into every corner of Easter Island, it’s just about enough time to get a taste for the place.

We’ll definitely be back, and next time for longer.

Good To Know

How to get to easter island.

The most straightforward way to get to Easter island, unless you’re visiting by cruise ship, is by plane. The only airline that services the island’s Mataveri International Airport is LATAM, with daily flights from Santiago in Chile, and weekly flights from Tahiti.

Do I Need A Visa For Easter Island?

As a territory of Chile, visa requirements for visiting Easter Island are the same as for visiting Chile – check your country’s travel advice for information specific to you.

In August 2018, the Chilean government introduced extra rules for visiting Easter Island, in an effort to balance the benefits of tourism with the resource and environmental limitations of the tiny island.

If you’re flying from Santiago, you now need to fill out a form when you check in for your flight in Santiago. You need to be able to show a return ticket, have appropriate ID, and your Easter Island accommodation booked. There are some small variations to the process if you’re flying from Tahiti or coming by cruise.

Visitors can now only stay on the island for 30 days max.

What Currency Is Used On Easter Island?

The currency used on Easter Island is the Chilean Peso. There are banks with ATMs in Hanga Roa. We had no trouble using these to withdraw cash.

How To Get Around Easter Island

You can explore Easter Island by foot, bicycle, ebike, motorbike, horse, quad bike, taxi and hire car.

Car and bike hire shops, and tour companies offering tours and organised travel around the island, cluster in downtown Hanga Roa.

There’s now a bus service too that does the run between Hanga Roa and Anakena at certain times throughout the day. It’s called the Te Ao Tour bus.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Easter Island?

Easter Island is warm pretty much year-round. Peak season is January to March, which is also summertime and the hottest time of the year (though it apparently never gets too nasty hot).

The best times to visit are April to June and October to December. We visited in May and while the days were quite warm, the evenings were really pleasant. This is the middle of the Pacific Ocean though and the weather can change quickly. Be ready for anything.

Want to know more? Send us your questions in the comments section below. If you’ve been, let us know what you loved most about magical Easter Island!

4 thoughts on “The Ultimate 6-Day Easter Island Itinerary”

Hi very informative article! Did yiu have to hire a tour guide to visit some places? Or if you have a valid ticket, it wouldn’t be a problem? Thanks in advance.

Hi Jihye, thanks for your message and for your important question. We understand there is now a policy in place that requires all visitors to Easter Island to have a guide for all national park sites (which is effectively the entire island). Guides are mandatory, and payment for their services is in addition to the national park entry fee. We’ll be looking into this in more detail and updating our post accordingly as this policy wasn’t in place when we visited and it does significantly change the way you will explore and experience the island. For the latest information, we would suggest checking out this website and this online brochure . We wish you all the best with your travel planning!

Loved your itinerary. Were you able to get maps or information at the airport or at your accommodation? Is the grocery store in town fairly well stocked with items to make picnic lunches or breakfast?

Hi Brenda, thanks so much for your feedback! Things may have changed by the time Easter Island reopens to tourists (as at mid-April 2022, commercial flights still haven’t started back up), but when we visited, we were given a map of the island with info when we purchased our national park tickets at the airport. There was also tourist info at our accommodation.

There were several grocery stores in Hanga Roa when we were there; they weren’t large but we found what we needed for brekkies, lunches and a couple of dinners.

We hope you have a chance to visit this magic island! Happy travels!

Dan & John

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Everything you need to know about Easter Island

Welcome to Rapa Nui , also known as Big Earth or Easter Island, one of the world’s most remote (and mysterious) civilisations.

This tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which also goes by the name te pito o te henua (navel of the world), might be a long five-hour flight from Chile – but this is a destination well worth the travel time. Trust us.

Photo by Adwo.

Rich in iconic legend, home to a unique indigenous culture, and boasting near-perfect weather year-round, Rapa Nui is so much more than just its moai stone carvings. Although, don’t get us wrong, the logic-defying moais need to be seen to be believed.

INTRIGUED? EXPLORE EASTER ISLAND ON OUR 4-DAY EASTER ISLAND ADVENTURE NOW 

If, like many adventurers before you, you’re feeling that magnetic pull, here’s everything you need to know about exploring Easter Island:

1. The whole island is one big mystery

Photo by abriendomundo.

The question of how, when and why Rapa Nui came to be first inhabited is one of mysterious, albeit debated, legend. I mean, Chile, the next nearest landmass, is over 2,700 kilometres away. The idea of ancient peoples crossing this rough sea and landing at Rapa Nui either on purpose, or perhaps by accident, is incredible to imagine.

The most accepted theory is that a bunch of Polynesian seafarers navigated their way to the island around 400 AD, using the stars and ocean to plot their course. Which is amazing in itself considering the European world was still hanging around, too scared to sail because they thought the earth was flat.

Photo by Kym Campton.

Then there is the question of the moai – those giant stone heads for which the island is famous. Known as the ‘faces of the ancestors’, hundreds of these huge portraits once stood on platforms all around the perimeter of the island, like brooding sentinels of the sea. What is mind-boggling, however, is the logistics behind these carvings. Each moai stands at least four metres high and weighs in at a hefty 80 tons. That would take at least a hundred people to drag across the island. You see? Mind boggled.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL RANGE OF SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES IN CHILE NOW

2. Water sports are a thing

Photo by Sergio TB.

Considering its status as an island, it should come as no surprise that the Rapa Nui way of life depends on the tides. You can snorkel, you can swim, you can definitely go scuba diving (you can even see a moai statue underwater). That said, I was surprised to learn that the island came with a surfing history. Word on the street is that when the early arrivals sailed from Polynesia they came with crude boards which they used for travel and fishing.

Then in the 1990s, the island hit the world surf scene. Ever since, surf pros have been making the trip out to try their hand (well, feet technically) on the local waves. If you’re a surf master, or just a new kid on the break, the best time of year to surf is during the island’s winter months (January and February). But waves are pretty consistent all year-round. Classes are informal – it’s more of a ‘find a local who is keen to show you the ropes’ situation. But if you’re a water baby, this is definitely an afternoon well spent. After all, who else can say they’ve surfed Easter Island?

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3. You can witness a sacred volcano ceremony

Photo by lovelypeace.

Orongo village is one of the island’s most special sites. Set atop the southwestern ridgeline of the the extinct Rano Kau volcano, this is a sacred place where the local community perform their ancient rituals.  

This village was originally inhabited by the chiefs and VIPs of ancient tribes, who hoped to collect the first sacred spring egg of the manutara bird. The first stone houses here are said to have been built in 1400AD, and inside some of these houses are paintings thought to be related to the bird-man ceremony. Today, the village is still used for sacred ceremonies.

A little tip: Orongo is well-worth a visit at sunset, when the light lands on the houses and petroglyphs.

RELATED: CHILE BEYOND PATAGONIA: 4 DESTINATIONS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

4. Life’s a beach

Photo by Karol Kozlowski

When on the island, everywhere you look there is a view to the ocean. There are rolling crystalline seas flagged by pristine white sand beaches, swaying palms, and volcanic soils. It’s the best kind of remote paradise.

It’s also got near-on perfect weather year-round and the kind of relaxed local vibe that you come to expect from island life. The locals are friendly and welcoming, excited to share their culture and their bounty of nature’s best with foreigners. If you ask for directions, they’ll likely tell you to head to Anakena, the island’s most famous beach. It’s a rugged, isolated delight that’s perfect for an afternoon of hammock and chill. You better start embracing the Easter Island life.

RELATED: BOHEMIAN BAÑOS: THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY YEAR IN SOUTH AMERICA

5. You should always eat the seafood

Photo by Inspired By Maps.

One of the greatest perks of island living is the 24-hour access to fresh seafood. And Rapa Nui is no different. Considering its nearest neighbouring land is a casual five-hour flight away, I would recommend eating as local as possible. And that means more tuna, mahi, swordfish, lobster and shrimp than you can stomach.

Definitely try a traditional Umu Rapa Nui, a dish that is cooked in a hole in the ground using firewood, hot stones and plantain leaves. It’s a mixed bag of delicious chicken and fish, followed by sweet potatoes, taro and tapioca and is eaten as a whole community. Also, try the pineapples (they’re tiny!), and the tuna and cheese empanadas. Que bueno!

Interested in exploring Easter Island? Of course you are! Check out our 4-day Easter Island experience now . 

Feature image by April Wong. 

Feeling inspired?

Tayla Gentle

I'm a travel writer guilty of visiting places that often give my mum mild anxiety. Likely born in Jamaica in a past life, travel for me involves dancing to afrobeat, drinking Mekong whiskey and wearing pyjamas on long haul flights.

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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Easter Island

Everything you need to know about traveling to Rapa Nui, Chile.

Located in the Pacific Ocean, more than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, Easter Island is one of the most remote inhabited places on earth. It marks the southeast corner of the Polynesian triangle, with Hawaii to the north and New Zealand to the southwest.

The island covers 63 square miles of land and is home to approximately 900 mesmerizing moai statues, often called the "Easter Island heads." The giant, monolithic carvings are scattered around the island, some standing proudly against the ocean backdrop, while others are buried up to their necks in soil.

Though the statues are an obvious draw, there are other reasons to travel to Easter Island. The far-flung island offers a calm atmosphere, and though typical amenities like air conditioning and Wi-Fi are lacking, being able to gaze out at the Pacific over dinner and spot wild horses roaming the hills makes up for it.

The History of Easter Island

It’s long been thought that the first people to come to Rapa Nui , the Polynesian name for Easter Island, arrived between 300 and 400 C.E. But recent studies are questioning this line of thought, suggesting it was several hundred years later. It's believed that as resources began to dwindle on the island, starvation and warfare nearly caused the population to go extinct.

On Easter Day in 1722, Dutch explorers landed on the island and dubbed it Paaseiland, meaning Easter Island. The next hundred years were not kind to the people of Rapa Nui: it’s thought that soon after the Europeans arrived, there was a slave raid from Peru and then an outbreak of smallpox.

In the 19th century, Chile annexed Rapa Nui (or Isla de Pascua as it’s known to Chileans), and in 1965 the people of Rapa Nui became Chilean citizens. Today, the island has a population of about 8,500, made up of both Indigenous Rapa Nui people and ethnic Chileans.

How to Get to Easter Island

Though getting to Easter Island isn’t hard, per se, it is a long journey. The only airline that flies there is Chilean airline LATAM, and travelers must fly through Santiago, Chile.

It takes around 10.5 hours to reach Chile's capital city from New York or Los Angeles, and a little over nine hours from Atlanta. From Santiago to Hanga Roa — the capital of Easter Island — the flight is roughly 5.5 hours, and there are about a dozen flights each week. U.S. passport holders don’t need a visa as long as they plan to stay for less than 90 days.

Another way to get to Easter Island is with a cruise. Several cruise lines, such as Seabourn and Silversea , offer sailings that include Rapa Nui, but these trips will cost you a pretty penny.

What to See

The most recognized features of Rapa Nui are the moai — those giant stone shrines that dot the island. But the carvings aren’t just heads. Because some of the most widely photographed figures are those buried up to their necks, many people don’t know the moai are monolithic, full-body carvings. The statues, some of which stand up to 32 feet in height, were carved to honor important people after their deaths.

Moai were carved using a toki (a chisel made of rock). The best quality toki were made from a very hard stone known as hawaiite , only found in the Rua Toki-Toki quarry. One of the biggest enigmas of Easter Island is how people in ancient Rapa Nui were able to move the gigantic stone statues from their carving site to the places they would eventually stand.

Covering nearly half the island, Rapa Nui National Park is the best place to see the imposing carvings, created between the 10th and 16th centuries. UNESCO lists the park as a World Heritage Site , describing its legacy (which includes the sculptures and other archaeological elements) as “one of the most remarkable cultural phenomena in the world.”

The best way to learn about the moai is by touring the national park with a knowledgeable local guide. Purchased independently, a 10-day ticket to access the park costs $80.

Though you can see moai all over the park, there are a few must-sees for any visitor. Ahu Tongariki, on the southeast shore, is home to 15 moai standing shoulder-to-shoulder and silhouetted against the sky. Though much of the coastline is rocky, you’ll find Playa de Anakena, a beautiful, white sand beach with turquoise water. Not far inland, Rano Raraku is an impressive volcano where hundreds more moai , in various stages of carving, still stand. It's also a great spot to hike, as it offers stunning views of the island.

A good place to start your trip is the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum . It’s the only museum on the island and, though small, boasts an impressive collection of ancient fishing hooks, a white coral eye of a moai stone carving, and mata (obsidian stone tools). In addition to the artifacts, it walks visitors through the history of the island. Visits are free, though donations are accepted. Opening hours can vary so check before arrival.

Another great spot for adults and children alike is right in town. The Hanga Roa harbor is a perfect place to see sea turtles. If you stop by while fishermen are hauling in their catch and cleaning the fish, you can spot the turtles floating just beneath the surface, waiting to snack.

Where to Stay

Though the population of Rapa Nui is small, there is a surprisingly large selection of accommodations. Most of the hotels are located central to Hanga Roa.

Hare Uta Hotel is a few minutes' walk from the center of town and overlooks the water. Friendly staff members go out of their way to make guests feel at home, and the poolside spa offers traditional treatments featuring local banana leaves and volcanic soil. The restaurant is popular with guests as well as those staying elsewhere.

Another favorite for visitors is Altiplanico Easter Island . The bungalows are about a 30-minute walk out of Hanga Roa, but the coastal views along the way — and welcome drinks upon arrival — make up for any inconvenience. Rooms are bright and airy, with open-air showers and private terraces.

Where to Eat

There are plenty of places to dine on the island, and most restaurants are in Hanga Roa. Be prepared for slow service, and plan accordingly if you are eating before meeting a tour guide.

La Kaleta, which sits right on the coast and has a great view, is a visitor favorite. The menu is written on a chalkboard outside and changes daily.

Nearby, Te Moana also offers beautiful ocean views. Portion sizes are slightly larger than many other restaurants in town, and prices are more expensive. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, including oysters and ceviche.

Another highly rated spot in town is Neptune's Island Restaurant. Guests can dine inside or on the veranda and enjoy views of the Pacific from either spot. The staff here is friendly, and prices are modest.

How to Get Around

Getting around on Easter Island requires advance planning since very little of the island has cell phone reception. While taxis often drive around looking for passengers, it's a good idea to prebook transportation before setting out on your daily adventure. The same applies to pickup from the airport, which can help you avoid scams.

Rental cars are available on the island, but few companies offer insurance, and the roads can be rough.

One of the best ways to see the island — both for convenience and an insider perspective — is to book a tour. There are many options for both private and group tours (the latter being more environmentally friendly), lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

If you're up for an adventure (and a workout), you can also travel by bike, on foot, or on horseback. Some places aren’t accessible by car, so going by horse or on foot can allow you to reach some of the island’s hidden treasures.

Spanish and Rapa Nui are the most commonly spoken languages, but some people in the hospitality industry also speak English.

The official currency on Easter Island is the Chilean Peso (CLP). There are only two ATMs in Hanga Roa (though not all credit card types are accepted) and a handful of places to exchange currency. Visitors should be aware that the exchange rate on the island won’t be as favorable as that available in mainland Chile, so it’s advisable to withdraw and exchange enough cash before flying from Santiago.

Still, if you forget, don’t panic. Many local businesses will accept U.S. dollars (though at a higher rate than you would pay in pesos), and several hotels and restaurants also accept credit cards.

The daily cost of staying on Rapa Nui can vary widely, but more highly rated properties tend to be at least a few hundred dollars per night. A meal, meanwhile, can cost upwards of $50 per person. Bargaining is not a part of the culture of Rapa Nui. Tipping is common practice, and a service charge of 10 percent is often added to bills.

What to Buy

Vendors selling souvenirs won’t be hard to come by in Hanga Roa, but if you prefer to wander markets to collect treats for friends at home, head to Mercado Artesanal. Located on Ara Roa Rakei, this market features handicrafts made by local artisans. Small moai , carved from stone and wood, are a favorite, given their prominence in local culture. And there are plenty to choose from. Visitors can also buy more traditional souvenirs, including T-shirts and jewelry.

At Feria Artesanal, you can find similar types of souvenirs, though vendors also hawk produce and fresh-caught fish in the mornings.

Tamure Rapa Nui is a small shop that sells clothing and jewelry. It’s located on Atamu Tekena and offers higher quality (and slightly more expensive) items such as colorful floral wreaths, Polynesian-print textiles, carved bone earrings, and woven fiber bags.

Best Time to Visit Easter Island

The temperatures on Easter Island are consistently mild throughout the year. During the summer season between December and March, temperatures typically hover below 80 degrees Fahrenheit and during the winter months of July and August, they rarely dip below the mid-60s. Because the island is located in the middle of the Pacific, visitors will find there’s often a cool ocean breeze.

There isn’t a bad time of year to visit Easter Island, though if you want to stay dry, avoid traveling in April when the island gets most of its rainfall. The driest months are between October and February.

In addition to the great weather, there’s another reason to travel to Easter Island in February. Tapati Rapa Nui is the island’s namesake festival that began in the 1970s to celebrate culture and heritage. During the two-week celebration, there are several competitions, including dancing, canoeing, horse racing, and a chance to try Haka Pei — a sport where people use a banana leaf to sled down Rapa Nui’s steepest hillside.

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• WORLD HERITAGE

Discover the Mysteries of Easter Island

The isolated Rapa Nui developed a distinct architectural and artistic culture that weathered the centuries.

Rapa Nui’s mysterious moai statues stand in silence but speak volumes about the achievements of their creators. The stone blocks, carved into head-and-torso figures, average 13 feet (4 meters) tall and 14 tons. The effort to construct these monuments and move them around the island must have been considerable—but no one knows exactly why the Rapa Nui people undertook such a task. Most scholars suspect that the moai were created to honor ancestors, chiefs, or other important personages, However, no written and little oral history exists on the island, so it’s impossible to be certain.

A Polynesian society blossomed in this unlikely locale after hardy souls somehow navigated a fleet of wooden outrigger canoes to this tiny speck in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Here, in isolation some 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) west of South America and 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) from the nearest neighboring island, the Rapa Nui developed a distinct architectural and artistic culture. That culture reached its zenith during the tenth to 16th centuries, when the Rapa Nui carved and erected some 900 moai across the island.

It is generally thought that the Rapa Nui’s demise resulted from an environmental catastrophe of their own making.

It’s not clear when the islands were first settled; estimates range from A.D. 800 to 1200. It’s also not clear how quickly the island ecosystem was wrecked—but a major factor appears to be the cutting of millions of giant palms to clear fields or make fires. It is possible that Polynesian rats, arriving with human settlers, may have eaten enough seeds to help to decimate the trees.

Either way, loss of the trees exposed the island’s rich volcanic soils to serious erosion. When Europeans arrived in 1722, they found the island mostly barren and its inhabitants few.

Today’s tourists are numerous, and most visit the Rano Raraku quarry, which yielded the stones used for almost all of the island’s moai. Rapa Nui’s ancient inhabitants left the quarry in a fascinating condition—it is home to some 400 statues, which appear in all stages of completion.

Meanwhile, across the entire island, many moai are reversing the creation process and deteriorating rapidly from priceless carvings back into plain rock. The volcanic stone is subject to weathering, and intensive conservation efforts are needed to help preserve Rapa Nui’s stone legacy in its present, awe-inspiring state.

How to Get There

It’s miraculous that Polynesian peoples ever reached Rapa Nui in the first place. Getting there today is far easier, but the island is still very far afield. Long flights service Rapa Nui from Santiago, Chile and Tahiti.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

When to Visit

High season on Rapa Nui is the Southern Hemisphere summer—January to March. Though winter can get a bit chilly, average maximums still hover around 72ºF (22ºC) and minimums dip to only 57ºF (14ºC)—so the weather is really rather pleasant year-round. Reduced crowds are an added attraction in the off-season.

How to Visit

Cars, motorcycles, and mountain bikes are available for hire and all are good ways for visitors to explore the island’s scattered archaeological sites. While most people visit Rapa Nui to explore its cultural history the island is also home to some excellent diving, surfing, and enticing beaches when a bit of relaxation is in order.

Giant moai statues dot the grassy flanks of an extinct volcano on Easter Island.

For Hungry Minds

Related topics.

• WORLD HERITAGE SITES
• ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

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Easter Island Travel - your ultimate Easter Island tourism resource

Welcome to Easter Island Travel - your ultimate resource for Easter Island tourism and travel ! Planning a trip to the Navel of the World? Find out everything you need to know about travel and tourism for your Easter Island vacation here. We invite you to discover the ancient mysteries of Easter Island with us!

Shore excursions

Pay less for more in our cruise ship shore excursions . When cruising the Pacific Ocean, many see Easter Island as the highlight of their trip. Make sure you get the most out of your visit by. Check out our award-winning, comprehensive shore excursions with competitive prices to find out why our independent tours are such a popular choice for so many cruisers.

Explore shore excursions »

Easter Island regulations

Proof of vaccination

• Before leaving Santiago, you must show proof of vaccination

SERNATUR-registered lodging

• When boarding in Santiago, you must display a confirmation of booking of a lodging that's registered with SERNATUR, the Chilean National Tourism Service

National park ticket required

• To enter any of the archaeological sites, you must carry a national park ticket

Guide required

• You must be accompanied by a guide when entering the archaeological sites

Read about regulations and a lot more in our Easter Island travel guide .

Easter Island tours

Discover Easter Island the way you imagined it with our award-winning guided tours . Tour the most well-known highlights of the island or hike through the desolate remoteness to reach hidden archaeological treasures. Travel on horseback for days and camp under the stars in the wild under rough camping conditions and feel the true spirit of Rapa Nui.

Tour A: Journey of Legends

Tour B: Megaliths

North Coast

Ancestral Adventure

Subterranean Exploration

Explore more tours »

Learn about Easter Island

On a tiny speck of land in the world's greatest ocean, tribal chieftains raised colossal megaliths to praise their dead. One day, the the people almost vanished , and stories were passed down between the few descendants that were left, trying to remember the past. Scattered all over the island are the mysterious statues with lips forever sealed, as an evidence of the greatness that once was.

Easter Island is the place where history meets legend. Fascinating history is present in an almost surreal way.

From once existing in the numbers of only a bit more than a hundred people , there are today approximately 3000 people who share the Rapa Nui lineage, in a small society mainly driven by tourism. Rapa Nui is today part of Chilean territory and the influences from Chile are strong. The Rapa Nui decendants constantly strive to remember their cultural heritage through practicing their culture in dances, art and music .

Read Easter Island facts and info »

Moai statues

Tapati festival

Learn Rapa Nui language

Notable people

Travel guide book online for free

Travel well-prepared, knowing that you'll make the most out of your trip. The distance is far, so it's a good idea to do some planning. Before you make any definite plans, read our free online travel guide book , full of travel tips, suggestions, guidelines - all tourism and travel information you will ever need!

Read the Easter Island travel guide »

Places to visit

Easter Island has an incredible amount of beautiful and interesting places to visit. Learn about them below!

Ahu Tongariki

Rano Raraku

More places to visit »

Things to do

Get inspired and have ideas of vacation activities from our list of things to do at Easter Island.

Dance shows

Scuba diving

Plane spotting

Restaurants

More things to do »

• Testimonials

Read what others say about us at our TripAdvisor page .

The Best Time to Visit Easter Island: Weather & Season Guide

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 17th March 2024

Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island, is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. And this eastern Pacific island is an endless source of fascination, with some 100,000 travelers visiting annually.

Formed from the ash and lava of three underwater extinct volcanoes and lying a six-hour flight off the coast of Chile , it’s known for its immense stone sculptures, the moai , who were erected on huge platforms by the indigenous Rapa Nui people as an homage to their ancestral chieftains.

Getting here is expensive and a long-winded affair. But, as I discovered on my trip to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to research Moon Chile , it’s more than worth it.

However, before you start planning your trip to Rapa Nui (Easter island), it’s worth thinking about the weather conditions that you can expect to find on this island.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about the best time to visit Easter Island.

Click to navigate this article:

• January: Generally, the weather during January is near-perfect as it’s the middle of summer. It’s one of the most popular times to visit the island and falls in the middle of the high season. However, due to the warm temperatures and high humidity, you may find the conditions challenging.
• February: This is the last summer month in Rapa Nui. February experiences similar weather and temperatures to January. It’s also the month when the annual Tapati Festival, a cultural festival where families compete in sporting, musical, and dancing events; expect accommodation costs and flights to rocket during this month as 20,000 people land on the island.
• March: This is the beginning of Rapa Nui’s shoulder season, with lower average temperatures. It’s a great time if you want to explore the island on foot, as humidity levels are beginning to drop.
• April: There’s a gradual decrease in temperature as you head into the southern hemisphere winter. Tourist numbers are on the wane, so you can expect fewer visitors at key archeological sites across the island making this one of the best times to visit.
• May: This is the official start of Rapa Nui’s low season and has similar weather to April, but you can expect lower nightly temperatures and some rainfall. It’s one of the island’s rainiest months, with a fortnightly average of 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain. It rarely rains all day, however.

• June: This is the start of winter and one of the most pleasant months to visit Rapa Nui. Average temperatures fluctuate but are generally ideal for exploring some of the archeological sites and beaches on the island. The rain starts to begin, however, with showers common and overcast days the norm. However, with cooler temperatures, this is the perfect time to go horseback riding along the coastal cliffs.
• July: Rapa Nui’s rainy season peak has otherwise pleasant weather, though nights can get cold. Temperatures average 65.6°F (16°C), so it’s best to pack a light jacket. 
• August: With winter ending, August is a good month to visit Rapa Nui – especially if you plan on spending as much time outside as possible. However, it’s also the coldest month, and nights can get chilly. If you plan to head to higher points, such as the Rano Kau volcanic crater, the wind can make it feel even cooler.

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• September: Expect moderate rainfall and similar temperatures to August. Lower humidity means improved hiking and exploring conditions. If you’re an avid hiker, this is the best time to head out on the island trails.
• October: This is the beginning of Rapa Nui’s spring and the second shoulder season on the island. Temperatures are lower but so is humidity, making this one of the best times to visit.

• November: November brings together the best of spring and summer. Temperatures rise gradually as the month progresses.
• December: December kicks off Rapa Nui’s high season; tourist numbers increase dramatically. This is the second sunniest month after January, so expect a sharp rise in temperature.

What you need to know about visiting Rapa Nui

As well as understanding the weather on Rapa Nui, you’ll need additional information before setting off.

Want to avoid the hassle of organizing your flights, accommodation, and tours to Easter Island?

EcoChile Travel is a brilliant Chilean tour operator run by local experts based in Chile and Argentina.

Their four-day trip to Easter Island costs from $1,130 USD per person (and you get a 5% discount if you mention Worldly Adventurer when enquiring!).

They’ll help you with everything from booking those all-important flights to sorting accommodation and finding you a brilliant guide to take you to the island’s remarkable historic sites.

General information for your Rapa Nui trip

The giant stone statues (moai) are the main attraction of Rapa Nui, but the island has much more to offer. When putting together your itinerary, keep the following in mind:

• You should always travel responsibly , which means – among other things – arming yourself with background information. As a mark of respect to Rapa Nui culture, always refer to the island as Rapa Nui rather than Easter Island. Easter Island is the name given to the island by the Dutch when they arrived here in the 1700s; it was, however, already called Rapa Nui by the local people.

• Respect native Polynesian culture while visiting the island. You can do this in several ways: by attending talks about the remarkable Birdman cult in the Orongo Ceremonial Village or visiting the ethnological museum in the main town of Hanga Roa.
• Explore the coast as well as the culture. There are a handful of beaches on Rapa Nui, so bring appropriate swimwear. There is also an abundance of snorkeling and scuba-diving sites.
• Rapa Nui is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site, so do heed local environmental rules while exploring the island. Remember that thousands of tourists visit here every year; if you do not keep sustainable travel top of mind, you could inadvertently contribute to the island’s degradation.
• Since the Covid pandemic, you must be accompanied by a certified local guide or host when visiting most places on the island. Expect trips to Rapa Nui to be more expensive than they were a few years ago.
• Although Rapa Nui has excellent year-round weather, January and February get very busy. Expect accommodation prices to skyrocket.

How to get to Rapa Nui

Now that you know the best time to visit for your preferred travel style, read on for further information on how to get to Rapa Nui.

• Although it is possible to get to Rapa Nui by sea, the rough waters of the Pacific Ocean make it an unpleasant and arduous experience. For this reason, almost all visitors to the island do so via plane. Direct flights from Santiago de Chile International Airport are the best way to reach the island.

• As well as a visa for entering Chile (dependent on your home country), you’ll need to complete the Rapa Nui Entry Form before heading for the island. You can find it here .
• Note that post-pandemic, flights are less frequent than before: only three per week are available, operated by LATAM Airlines and departing from Santiago, Chile. Expect an average flight time of roughly five hours and I recommend getting a seat on the lefthand side of the plane for the best views of the island when you come to land. Flights are also frequently delayed; when I visited in May, we waited at the airport for a number of hours to board our flight.

Which seasons offer the best weather conditions for Rapa Nui?

Rapa Nui is small: just 163 square miles (422 square kilometers). For that reason, you won’t need to prepare for varying climates from place to place.

As Rapa Nui is in the southern hemisphere, its high season runs from December to February. Though tourism numbers are relatively low compared to destinations such as Machu Picchu , it can feel crowded due to the island’s size.

That said, visiting during the high season is a great idea if you want to experience the island’s traditions – particularly festivals and other cultural events.

Visiting Rapa Nui between May and November is the best time from a weather point of view. This is because, while most visitors explore the island by car, there are options for hiking on the island. The best include heading north from Ahu Te Peu along the western edges of the island to reach Anakena (six hours, 13.5 kilometers; this can also be done on horseback) as well as a hike from Ahu Akivi up to the summit of Terevaka volcano (four hours, nine kilometers) and around the Poike peninsula (five hours, 11 kilometers).

Though conditions are cooler during these months, Rapa Nui is a tropical island, so it’s still warm enough to head to the beaches in Hangaro and Anakena for swimming and snorkeling.

Rapa Nui weather by season

December to march (high season).

Expect hot temperatures. The summer months of December, January, February, and March mean warmer weather. In many ways, this is the perfect time of year to visit; don’t expect reasonable prices, though.

Daytime highs can reach up to 82/86°F (28/30°C), while nightly temperatures dip to 63/68°F (17/20°C). Temperature is rarely an issue, however; it’s the wind and rain you’ll need to pay attention to.

December: With an estimated 240 sunshine hours, sunny days dominate December. The island sees only ten rainy days, with a maximum of 3.5 inches (90 mm) of rainfall.

January: January has a total of 275 hours of sunshine per month. Rainfall levels are similar to December, though slightly lower.

February: Like December, February averages 240 hours of sunshine. Compared with the previous two months, February experiences less rain, with around nine days and 3.1 inches (80 mm).

March: Towards the end of summer, days on Rapa Nui become shorter: you’ll have about 7.5 hours of sunshine daily, with 230 hours for the month. Expect similar rain conditions to February.

April to November (low and shoulder season)

Beginning right after Easter, the low season kicks off on the island in April and lasts until November. You’ll experience an average daily high temperature of 77/79 °F (25/26 °C); nighttime temperatures drop to about 61/67°F (16/19°C). Rarely, nightly temperatures can fall to 45/48°F (7/9°C).

Low season falls in the Austral winter, which begins in June and lasts until September. There are a few key differences that may affect your trip.

April: April averages 6.5 hours of sunlight daily, with about 195 hours for the month. Rain increases during the start of the shoulder season; April is the second wettest month of the year. Expect around 4.3 inches (110 mm) of rain spread over roughly 13 days.

May: If you’re visiting Rapa Nui during May, you’ll experience the wettest month of the year and fewer hours of sunlight each day. Expect an average of 5.5 hours of sunlight per day. Rainy weather is at its peak during May; prepare for around 14 days and up to 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain.

June and July: Although the island does not feel the full force of the southern hemisphere winter – especially compared to winter in the northern hemisphere – June and July can feel a little cool. They have the least amount of sunshine per day – averaging five hours – and a total of 145 for the entire month. There is a gradual decrease in rainfall, dropping to 3.9 inches (100 mm) across roughly 13 days. When I visited in June, I found the weather largely overcast, which wasn’t ideal for photographs.

August: With a slight uptick in climate and temperature, August is the beginning of the end of the austral winter. This means you’ll have more sunny days – not many, though, as sunshine per day is still only about 5.5 hours and 170 for the whole month. Expect an average of 3.1 inches (80 mm) of rain over 13 days.

September: As the austral winter comes to a close, sunlight increases daily to about six hours per day and 180 for the entire month. While not the sunniest month, this is a welcome increase if you’re out and about. Expect similar rainfall patterns to August.

October: October opens the second shoulder season on Rapa Nui and brings spring-like weather. Daily sunshine increases with around seven hours per day and a cumulative 215 hours per month. Rainfall patterns are similar to September.

November: Closing out the final shoulder season of the year, November heralds the start of the austral summer: daylight rises to 7.5 hours per day and 220 hours throughout the month. While not particularly rainy, expect rain amounting to 3.1 inches (80 mm) over around 10 days.

Insider Tip: You can keep up to date with any weather changes during your Rapa Nui getaway with Meteoblue .

Which months are better for avoiding crowds on Rapa Nui?

If your main priority when visiting Rapa Nui is to avoid the crowds, there are several things to consider.

The Tapati Rapa Nui festival runs from early February and takes over the island. At other times, things quieten down, and prices become more affordable.

However, if you’re keen to see the island at its quietest and get the chance to speak to the local people and see daily life here, I recommend September and October or April and May. These shoulder seasons see good weather, few tourists, and lower levels of rainfall than during the austral winter months (June through August).

If you’re a keen photographer and want to explore the island, these months are a great time to visit. You’ll get the best experience when visiting popular sites such as Ahu Akivi, where seven of the moai keep watch over the South Pacific Ocean, due to not having to share it with too many other tourists.

To take full advantage of lower tourist numbers during these months, set out on a sunrise visit to Ahu Tongariki. It’s one of the most important megalithic monuments on the island, with 15 well-preserved moai. Weather permitting, this is a great spot for photo-taking.

The same goes for Rano Raraku: almost 400 moai statues sit in this volcanic crater, in varying stages of completion. However, a cool ocean breeze means you’ll need to dress warmly.

With the relatively mild winters on Rapa Nui, it’s never too cold to enjoy the many hiking trails around the island. The same goes for its beaches; the sandy, palm tree-lined shores of Anakena Beach are less crowded in these months.

So, when is the best time to visit Rapa Nui?

Luckily for prospective travelers, there really is no bad time to visit Rapa Nui – it depends purely on your preferences.

If you want to immerse yourself in the highlights of Rapa Nui’s local calendar, such as Easter Sunday or Tapati Rapa Nui, then go during peak season, from December to March.

You’ll have full access to the island’s cultural diversity, as well as competitions such as Haka Pei. But hotel prices, airfare, entrance tickets, and tour costs spike and will make your trip quite expensive.

By contrast, if you’re planning on in-depth exploration the best time to visit would be during the shoulder season months of April and May and September and October. Low humidity and mild weather make these months a great time to be on the island, with everything from hiking (not normally so pleasant due to the sticky temperatures) and horseback riding far more pleasant during this period.

Bear in mind, some tour operators do stop running tours due to a drop in tourist numbers, so it’s worth reaching out to a handful beforehand to check they’re operating (we’ve got recommendations for the best in this guide to Easter Island ).

Looking for more inspiration? We’ve covered how to visit Easter Island , as well as rounded up the island’s best hotels . If you’ve got extra time to spend in Santiago, read our guide to the best things to do in the Chilean capital , the best day trips from Santiago , and our favorite Santiago hotels (with recommendations for the best neighborhoods in the city).

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Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Easter Island

Last Updated May 1, 2024 William Tang

You are here: Home » Travel Guides » Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Easter Island

Easter Island is a place of imagination, wonder, and mystery. With over 800 megalith statues scattered all over the island, you’ll find yourself drawn to the stories and legends of why they were built, how they got there, and why it suddenly stopped.

As you start planning your trip, you’ll want to know how travel to this remote island works. With this guide to visiting Easter Island, we’ll be sharing all the important details of what to expect including the new Rapa Nui National Park rules, how much it costs, which guide to use, ways to save money, where to stay, secret travel tips, and more.

Read more about Chile

• FULL 1 Month Chile Itinerary
• 6 Day Atacama Desert Itinerary
• Ultimate Atacama Travel Guide
• 10 Day Torres del Paine Patagonia Itinerary
• The Ultimate Patagonia Packing List
• Best Chile Travel Guide Content

How to get a good price on Easter Island

• Hotels – With Genius tier , you can save 10-15% on Easter Island properties on Booking.com . We stayed at Takarua Lodge .
• Car rental – You won’t be able to rent from the standard car rental companies. We ended up renting from Insular and we cover the details in our guide to rental cars on Easter Island .
• Guides – In order to visit the main sights, it’s mandatory to have a guide now. We’ve partnered with Green Island Tours and EcoChile to provide you a great deal. Keep reading to find out what they are!
• Travel insurance – If something happens, you want to make sure you’re covered, especially with the closest major hospital being over 2,000 miles away, you want to make sure you pick the best travel insurance for your trip and also Medjet in case you need a medical evacuation back home.
• Flights – We have an insane hack on how to save hundreds. Don’t miss it in our article on how to get to Easter Island !

In This Article

Things To Know Before Going To Easter Island

• How To Get To Easter Island

When Is The Best Time To Visit Easter Island?

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As we’ve done with our extensive Torres del Paine travel guide and San Pedro de Atacama travel guide , there’s a lot of information to cover and we want to make it as digest-able as possible.

In this section of our guide to visiting Easter Island, we’ll start with the high level facts about the island.

• Country – Easter Island is part of Chile.
• Type L (Italy and Chile)
• Type F (most of Europe)
• If you have Type F adapters, these will work fine. No need to invest in Type L.
• $1,000 CLP = $1.089 USD = $1.469 CAD = 1.089€ EUR
• For many, it’ll just be easier to consider $1,000 CLP as $1 USD but if you want something more accurate, make sure to print a currency conversion cheat sheet before you go.
• Timezone – GMT -05:00 (all year round).  This means it is 2 hours behind continental Chile (including Santiago) and is 3 hour ahead of EST (New York, Toronto). Easter Island observes daylight saving time (DST) as does most of mainland Chile.
• ATMs – These are 2 ATMs on Easter Island – Banco Estado and Banco Santander.
• SIM card – The main cellular companies in Chile are Entel , Wom , Claro , and Movistar .  As you may have seen from our Patagonia guide and Atacama guide , we highly recommend Entel based on local recommendations because of their excellent rural coverage. Entel works the best on the island but set your expectations low as the speed is quite slow. More on this in the connectivity section .
• Alternative data options – eSIM or wifi hotspot are good alternative options. For eSIM, we recommend Airalo (15GB/10 days Chile only for $18 USD) and for hotspots, you can’t beat the price of PokeFi especially with our special offer where GAP24300 saves you $25 USD ($200 USD for the device and extra battery and 5GB, top up of data is 5GB/2 years global coverage for $15 USD).
• Measurement system  – Metric scale is used for distance and the Celsius scale for temperature.
• Tipping – Tipping is standard practice in the country including Easter Island.  Chile is unique in that at most restaurants, an automatic 10% tip is applied and you can accept, decline, or change. Guidelines for these tips provided in the money section .
• Language – The official language is Spanish. The local Rapanui people speak the Rapa Nui language which is an Eastern Polynesian that’s similar to Tahitian and Marquesian language. It’s estimated that there are only 4,000 speakers in the world.

Where is Easter Island?

Even if you’ve heard of Easter Island, seen the pictures of the stoic stone heads, or read about their story, you still might not know where it is located on the world map.

Easter Island is one of the islands in the Pacific and but is the furthest east when you look at the Polynesian Triangle which is a loosely defined area for the areas in which the Polynesians traveled to and settled.

What makes this island so unique is because it is the most isolated inhabited island in the whole world. The closest inhabited island is Pitcairn which is roughly 2,000 km (1,243 mi) away and the closest mainland is Chile’s coastline at 3,700 km (2,299 mi).

On top of being isolated, it’s in the southern hemisphere and belongs to the country of Chile.

10 Reasons To Go To Easter Island

Our 9 day Easter Island itinerary shows just how incredible a trip to this mysterious island is but if we were to summarize the top reasons to go to Easter Island, we’d distill it down to these points:

• There are moai (Easter Island heads) everywhere on the island and there are way more than you think there are.
• The stories, history, and culture of Rapa Nui is absolutely fascinating.
• See the full snapshot in time through archeological sites to find out what really happened with the cult of the moai.
• It’s under-developed and raw. You’ll appreciate that the island isn’t packed with resorts and big tour buses.
• The island is laidback and has ample ways to enjoy its beaches or read a good book by your favorite moai.
• The moai and their platforms are ridiculously photogenic.
• The seafood is superb.
• Locals are incredibly friendly.
• It’s a place that very few people have set foot on.
• The rano kau crater is eroding and eventually much of the village will have to be relocated. See it while you can!

Brief history and chronology of Easter Island

Of all of the archaeological mysteries in the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island has generated the most literature thanks to the iconic ‘heads’. For most of us, ‘Easter Island’ is a name that we are familiar with but don’t know the full story about.

A trip to Easter Island will fill your head with the as complete of a picture as has been discovered so far but we wanted to prepare you with a brief chronological history of Easter Island. Note that all dates are approximate.

• 3 million – 100,000 years ago – The island was formed by 3 volcanic eruptions, resulting in its triangular shape.
• 700 AD – The intrepid Polynesians paddled over 2,000 miles from, most likely, French Polynesia, with the hope of starting a new outpost.
• 1000 to 1600 AD – Ancestor worship was strong ingrained in Polynesian culture but somehow, it became part of tradition to build platforms and carve ancestral representations in stone in order to look over the village and descendants. Over time, they became more proficient, and thus, larger and more intricate.
• 1722 onwards – The first European explorer arrived. Jacob Roggeveen from the backing of the Dutch West India Company, put eyes on the on Easter Sunday of 1722, and thus getting the name ‘Easter Island’. Several other ships came by including Captain James Cook.
• 1770 to 1838 – The moai were overthrown by humans with the two theories being, inter-tribal wars because of lack of resources or the islanders lost faith in the moai.
• 1862 to 1866 – This is when the Rapa Nui culture effectively came to an end. Peru abolished slavery in the 1850s but were in need of cheap labour. They started to round up Pacific islanders and Easter Island became an easy target. There was international outcry but only 15 were sent back to the island, and with smallpox, decimating the population. Only 111 people were left on the island in 1877.
• 1888 – Through the ‘Deed of Cession’, Chile was given full sovereignty over Easter Island for an indefinite amount of time.
• 1903 to 1953 – A Scottish/Chilean nitrate and sheep farming company, Williamson, Balfour & Co, acquired the island through a 25 year lease and literally set up ‘Easter Island Exploitation Company’, turning the entire island into a sheep ranch. This was further extended by another 20 years in 1936. At the same time, the local islanders were segregated to the capital of Hanga Roa.
• 1953 to now – This is the most recent segment of history. Turning the corner, islanders were allowed to elect their own mayor in 1965 to finally getting full Chilean citizenship in 1966. There’s been a slew of other changes including the island being a secret US spying station, Rapa Nui National Park declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the recent growth in tourism.

This is just a tease of how utterly fascination the stories are and what you’ll learn from your Green Island Tours guides during the 9 days on Easter Island .

Save Money with EcoChile

Looking for a packaged tour where you can be more hands off with planning and allows you to see all of the main sights? This 4 day Easter Island tour is an excellent option. This package includes accommodations, activities, airport transfers, entrance fees, and breakfast.

Save up to 5% – We’ve partnered with EcoChile to offer you 5% on all pre-packaged tours (not just Easter Island). You can also book a custom tour but the discount will vary. Simply put your inquiry through our form below!

What is the proper name of Easter Island?

While most people know the island as Easter Island, talk to any local, and they refer to their home as Rapa Nui .

According to the history books, Rapa Nui isn’t necessarily the original name of the island but it was the first recorded name dating back to 1863.

Of the survivors of the Peruvian round up, they referred to their home as being a larger version of the French Polynesia island of Rapa . As a result, they named it Rapa Nui which literally translates to ‘Big Rapa’.

In 1873, it was recorded that oral history has islanders calling it Te Pito O Te Henua which translates to ‘The Navel of the World’. It’s possible that this was the original name, especially given it’s geographical isolation.

The truth is, the concept of naming an entire island probably wasn’t introduced until the explorers showed up. It’s more likely that islanders simply named specific areas of the island such as a hill or bay. With no other island nearby, they simply called it Te Kainaga , translating to ‘The Land’.

In Spanish, the island is called Isla de Pascua so you’ll see that name used fas well.

Getting to Easter Island seems like a tall order. The truth is, it’s more do-able than you think.

What’s important for you to know is that you can only get to Easter Island by flying with LATAM from Santiago, Chile. It’s that simple!

Looking for more details such as, whether you can use points to fly there, what their frequency is, the special check-in process, COVID entry rules, the flight experience, Easter Island travel restrictions and more, we’ve written a separate article on how to get to Easter Island that’s definitely worth reading next.

There are 2 primary seasons for travel to Easter Island – summer and winter. That said, it makes more sense to look at dividing the best time to visit by how busy it gets.

Keep in mind that Easter Island is in the southern hemisphere so the seasons are flipped, but since it’s close to the equator, the changes aren’t the most dramatic.

As with travel to most places in the world, the best time of the year to go to Easter island is during the shoulder season (April to June and October to December).

High Season (January – March)

These months are the busiest because this is when the summer holidays are for those in the southern hemisphere, including all of South America.

This is the warmest time of the year but it doesn’t get insanely hot and evenings are very comfortable. The highs average at 28°C (82°F) and lows of 20°C (68°F).

Prices are typically the highest during this season and accommodations fill up quickly.

National Holidays:

• Jan – New Year’s Day

Shoulder Season (April – June, October – December)

The shoulder season are the months between summer and winter. April to June is autumn into early winter and October to December is late spring into winter.

This is a great time to go to Easter Island because the crowds are kept at bay and the weather is quite moderate. Highs average around 24 °C (75.2°F) and lows of 18°C (64.4°F). This means that the climate is quite comfortable but you might need a jacket when the sun dips.

The flip side to good weather is that being spring, April to June has the most rain. As a result, it’s not quite beach weather every day but you can definitely get out to Anakena and Ovahe Beach. Just don’t expect it to be Greek Islands hot.

LATAM will also sometimes reduce their schedule starting with the shoulder season.

As a quieter part of the season, prices are sightly lower, especially the flights and accommodations.

• Apr – Easter Friday
• May – Labour Day
• May – Battle of Iquique Day
• May – Corpus Christi
• Jun – Saints Peter and Paul Day
• Oct – Columbus Day
• Nov – All Saints’ Day
• Dec – Conception Day
• Dec – Christmas Day

Low Season (July – September)

The least desirable time of the year to go is between the months of June and August.

In the winter, the swings in temperature aren’t massive and it doesn’t get cold in the traditional sense. The highs range from 21°C (69.8°F) and lows of 16°C (60.8°F).

It’s worth noting that July usually has the most days of rain in the year.

From a daylight perspective, winter has the shortest days but not by much. The shortest day is Winter Solstice in late June at less than 10.5 hours. By the end of September, this grows to 12 hours and 20 minutes.

With all of the above, you could say that it’s really not that bad. Winter isn’t overly cold but winds pick up that gives it a cooler feeling. This means that a good windbreaker and layers are needed.

Prices are definitely the lowest during this season but it’s possible that some businesses will close. The other thing to consider is that if you’re extending your trip to other parts of Chile, winter might not be an ideal time of the year to visit, especially Patagonia.

• Aug – Assumption Day
• Sep – Army Day

Special events to consider

In terms of festivals and events on Easter Island, there are two that are worth mentioning.

Tapati Rapa Nui Festival – First two weeks of February

During high season is the most important event of the year, the Tapati Festival which translates to ‘Rapa Nui Week’. This is a 2 week cultural festival that celebrates the traditions of the people of Rapa Nui and is one of the most important events in Polynesia.

For 15 days, the whole community competes in various artistic and sport activities to honor their ancestors, relive important traditions, and is meant to select the Queen of Tapati from the candidates presented by the different clans.

One of the main highlights is haka pei where challengers race down a hill with sleds made of tied-up banana tree trunks. The winner is the one that travels the furthest distance.

While it’s an amazing time to experience the best of Rapa Nui culture, keep in mind that it’s also one of most expensive, the capital balloons to 20,000 people, and traffic is a disaster.

Arts and Culture Week – End of April

This is a relatively new event that started in 2010 and is organized by the Tongariki Cultural Center. During this week, there’s a showcase of local products, handicraft workshops, musical performances, and other activities.

Easter Island Marathon – June or July

For those that are looking for a unique races in the world, the Easter Island Marathon starts in Hanga Roa, crosses the middle of the island to Anakena Beach and turns back.

Participants can choose to do the full marathon, half-marathon, or 10K and the event is capped at 180.

9 Day Easter Island Itinerary

This seems to be a lot of time but this ended up being the best way to see Easter Island. Get a day-by-day breakdown with this itinerary.

9 Days on Easter Island

Covering 43% of Easter Island, Rapa Nui National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a protected area that is meant to preserve the Rapa Nui culture.

The park encompasses 71.3 sq km (28 sq mi), has 888 moai statues, 398 moai remaining at the quarry of Rano Raraku, 300 ceremonial platforms called ahu , more than 500 petroglyphs of Make-Make, remnants of the Birdman Cult, delicate ecosystems, and more.

Of the 888 moai statues (including a new moai discovered in 2023 ) on the island that have been discovered, 398 at the quarry of Rano Raraku, 288 were erected on ahu, and 92 left enroute.

Currently, Rapa Nui National Park is under the administrative control of the Ma´u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community , gaining back control of their ancestral lands on December 1, 2017.

The intangible value of Rapa Nui National Park’s cultural heritage is enormous.

Rules for visitors

As a precious and delicate place, it’s incredibly important to respect the National Park rules . Not only are there potential fines, you want to do our best to make the least impact as possible so that visitors can enjoy and learn about the Rapa Nui culture for generations to come.

These are the main rules to follow:

• Don’t touch – You might be tempted but the cumulative impact of touching has long-term effects.
• Respect the perimeters and don’t walk on the platforms – At most sites, there are wooden signs that identify how close you can get to the platforms but at others where there aren’t any, you want to make sure you don’t step on the ancestral burial site.
• Stay on the path – The curated trails are designed to keep you at a distance so that visitors do the least damage to the archeological sites.
• Drones are not allowed – There are no exceptions.
• Smoking is not allowed – You’re not allowed to smoke within the limits of the National Park.
• No alcohol or when under the influence – This is another National park law that you must abide by.
• Don’t litter – Dispose your garbage in proper bins back in town and don’t leave anything in the park.
• Don’t remove any objects or structures – You’re not allowed to take any element, whether archeological or geological (sand, stone polished stone, obsidian, etc.).
• No pets – Sorry, your furry friends aren’t allowed!

The National Park guards/rangers take these rules seriously and there are hefty fines if you cause damage.

STORY: Stories of vandalism are rare but in 2008, a tourist removed part of an ear lobe from one of the moai at Anakena. This required him to climb onto the platform to get up there as well. He was caught and was fined $17,000 USD and was placed under 3 weeks house arrest.

Where to buy tickets for Rapa Nui National Park

One of the first things you’ll need to do when you visit Easter Island, is you need to get a Rapa Nui National Park ticket which is valid for 10 days from the day of purchase.

As a foreign visitor, the cost of the ticket is:

• Adults – $72,000 CLP (approximately $80 USD)
• Children (7-12) – $36,000 CLP (approximately $40 USD)
• Children (6 or younger) – Free

There are two ways you can purchase a Rapa Nui National Park ticket.

1 – Buy your ticket online

The easiest way to buy your tickets is to do it online ahead of time through the official Rapa Nui National Park page .

We did not go this route but we presume that you’ll get an e-mail with your ticket after purchase. When you need to show your ticket, you can simply pull it up on your phone.

Something we haven’t confirmed is whether you can drop by the support office to pick up a map. These aren’t maps that they freely hand out and even when we purchased our tickets in-person, they wouldn’t give us two.

TIP: When paying online, you’ll be asked to choose between ‘International and National Credit Card’, Webpay, and Khipu. A heads up that Webpay charges an extra fee if you’re using Mastercard or Visa. Khipu isn’t for non-Chileans.

2 – Buy your ticket in person

We’ve noticed that they’re really making a concerted effort to not mention that you can purchase the tickets in town but rest assured, you can buy tickets at the Ma’u Henua customer support office .

The office is right in the center of Hanga Roa and easy to get to and has ample parking. The office is connected to the souvenir market, Feria Artesanal.

There is one main counter there and usually two attendants. To purchase your tickets, they’ll ask for your passport or a form of personal ID (driver’s license will do). They only take credit card and the machine will charge you in Chilean Pesos (CLP).

It’s worth noting that there used to be an office at the airport and you can still see signs for it right when you enter the terminal, but it’s permanently closed.

Hours: Monday to Friday 9AM – 5PM, Saturdays 1PM – 5PM, and Sundays 9AM – 1PM.

TIP: Don’t show up in the last 15 minutes of their hours. They start shutting down their systems ahead of time so don’t cut it too close.

How to visit Rapa Nui National Park

In the early days (pre-COVID), you were allowed to freely explore Rapa Nui National Park , which is why so many older travel guides recommend renting a car. They abolished this in August 2022 when the island re-opened to the world and that has drastically changed how you plan your visit.

As most of the island is part of the National Park and the archeological sites are scattered all over, there are no official gates or specific entry points.

Entry rules

Currently, you can only visit the Rapa Nui National Park in one of two ways:

• With an accredited guide – They have a full list of guides but we ultimately used Green Island Tours
• A Rapanui host of legal age (18+) – This is primarily for friends and family of those living on the island.

If you’re thinking outside the box, this means that any local can in theory can get you in. This could be taxi drivers, random locals, or the guards (called muto’i) themselves. More on travel tips later.

Which sites are actively managed

Rapa Nui National Park sites are officially open Monday to Sunday from 9AM to 6PM.

The exceptions are the sites that are popular for sunrise and sunset.

• Tongariki – Monday to Sunday 7AM – 6PM
• Tahai – Monday to Sunday 9AM – 9PM

Officially, these are the 13 sites that National Park actively manages. You can visit all of these more than once with the exception of Orongo and Rano Raraku in order to protect the most fragile parts of the island:

• Orongo – You can only visit once
• Akahaŋa (Akahanga)
• Rano Raraku – You can only visit once
• Ahu Toŋariki (Tongariki)
• Te Pito Kura
• Haŋa Rau (Anakena) – You don’t need a ticket to visit
• Tahai – You don’t need a ticket to visit
• Roiho – This leads to Ana Te Pahu
• Ahu Akivi – There’s also a guard booth for the road that you have to walk to get to Ana Te Pahu

The truth of how sites are managed

As much as they are managed in terms of having an attendant/guard booth with official entrance, here are a couple of notes about what the truths of what’s really happening on the ground:

• The hours aren’t reliable – It’s unfortunate but the stated hours aren’t the most reliable when it comes to the smaller sites (basically everywhere but Rano Raraku and Orongo). Even with our guides, we’d stop by somewhere and the gate would be locked and the booth unattended. This could be in the middle of the day or near the end when officially, it should close at 6PM. It was head scratching to say the least.
• There are unmanaged sites – Beyond the 13 sites above, there are several that don’t have any guards. There are also no guards for the hikes up to Poike or Terevaka, the trail along the north shore, and around the right side of Rano Kau crater.
• There are moai everywhere – There are moai statues scattered close to the edges of the island and sometimes even next to the road, and some are in private property. Since these aren’t managed, the ones that are accessible, you can walk close to. In speaking to locals, this is totally fine if you have your own car as long as you respect the moai and adhere to the same rules.
• Sometimes the guards just aren’t there – In some cases, you might roll up to a site and the booth is empty and the gate is left open as well.
• About Tahai – This is the famed sunset spot that was walking distance from our hotel, Takarua Lodge . While they don’t check for tickets here, there are guards there and particularly noticeable during sunset where they’ll whistle at people if you accidentally walk past the the designated perimeter or break any other rules.
• About Anakena – This is where you’ll find the iconic Ahu Nau-Nau and Anakena Beach. This is the other location that doesn’t check for National Park tickets but similar to Tahai, there are guards walking about so make sure you follow all of the rules.

Which sites are not managed

So what are the main sites within Rapa Nui National Park that aren’t actively managed where there are guards checking for tickets and enforcing the rules on require a guide?

This list is by no means complete because there are hundreds of archeological sites but more importantly, these are ones that you can easily visit with a car rental.

• Hanga Kio’e – To the north of Tahai is a lesser visited moai and two ahu.
• Pu’o Hiro – This is a small “stone trumpet” and ancient musical instrument that is on the side of the main road.
• Papa Vaka – There’s an unmanned turnstile off the side of the main road that’ll take you into a site with quite the significant petroglyphs of fish hooks, canoes, tuna, and other marine life.
• Ana Kai Tangata – South of the airport you’ll be able to take stairs down to a large sea cave with cave paintings of Manutara  or the sooty tern (part of the cult of the Birdman). It’s not actively promoted because the cave ceiling is said to be unstable.
• Ana Te Pora – On the northwest coast is a refuge cave similar to Ana Te Pahu where you’ll find a structure of rocks that resembles a bed or grave.
• Ana Kakenga – This is the cave of the two windows, another lava tube except this one exits out into the ocean.
• Ahu One Makihi – Near Rano Raraku is a great example of an unrestored ahu with fallen moai.
• Ahu Huri A Urenga – Restored in 1976, you’ll find a single moai that has two pairs of hands. You’ll spot it driving on the main road but it’s hard to find the parking area. Use GPS coordinate 27° 09′ 15″ S 109° 24′ 04″ W.
• Ovahe Beach – From the parking lot, you can walk down to the twin beach which is quite popular for local Rapanui.

Which sites have restrooms?

There are only 3 restrooms in Rapa Nui National Park so plan your day accordingly:

• Orongo – There’s a new visitor center here and there are good facilities here.
• Rano Raraku – A bit of an older restroom area but totally serviceable
• Anakena – Being a public beach as well, this is the largest restroom area with plenty of stalls.

Those are a lot of names of sites and if you were like us, your head is spinning a bit because there’s no connection to which is which. If you keep reading, you’ll learn about the most important archeological sites, and ultimately the importance of using a tour guide.

Thinking About 1 Month in Chile?

If you’re looking to go beyond just Torres del Paine and Patagonia, we have you covered with our practical month in Chile that covers Atacama, Santiago, and Easter Island as well.

1 Month Chile Itinerary

There was once a great civilization that developed here. As ‘Te Pito o te Henua’, the navel of the world, it was a thriving Polynesian culture that ballooned to possibly a population of 17,500 .

One of the cornerstones of their beliefs was in carving large stone reincarnations of ancestors of each clan. The moai began as basic stone carvings and evolved to become massive ceremonial centers with platforms, full rows of statues, ramps for canoes, and funeral spaces.

In one hand, there’s an incredible amount of evidence that can explain how this process worked. From the quarry at Rano Raraku where the volcanic stone was carved out of the mountain, the quarry at Puna Pau where they carved out the red stone used for the top knots/hats, broken moai abandoned along the way, and all of the ones fallen or restored on the platforms.

On the other hand, there’s still many mysteries about how they managed to transport the 100+ tonnes of stone across the island, whether the red stone was used to represent a hat or a top knot, why they abruptly stopped making moai, the rise of The Birdman cult, and the civilization’s ultimate demise.

How you’ll learn about the moai

The best way to learn about the history of Easter Island and the moai is through a local guide because it’s the visual connection of what you’re seeing, the stories that accompany it, and even in song.

This is why we’re in favour of seeing the island with a guide such as Green Island Tours , because there are so many hidden stories that you won’t get from exploring on your own.

Another great way to deepen your knowledge of Rapa Nui is at the MAPSE Museo Rapanui which has the Easter Island Museum (also known as the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum ) open the public. This is the only museum on the island and has a very well-curated exhibit about its history.

It was so good that we ended up buying their companion book for $10,00 CLP.

Lastly, before you come to Easter Island, it will be worth watching the 1993 movie, Rapa Nui, which is available for streaming on Amazon . While not necessarily historically accurate, it will give you good cross-section of the Rapa Nui history with cherry-picked facts and theories about the moai and its people.

Unlike car-friendly islands like on Paros in Greece , or around New Zealand where the answer is clear-cut, it isn’t as straightforward on Easter Island.

In the past, you used to be able to explore Rapa Nui National Park on your own but with the new changes where you can only visit with a guide, it changes the calculus of whether having a car is even worth it.

Since we’ve gone through the rules of what’s allowed in the National Park, there is some wiggle room and cases where having a rental car makes sense but it depends on how much time you have.

Here are the main ways that you can get around Easter Island:

• Book a tour – Use certified local guides to get you into the main sights in Rapa Nui National Park.
• Book a taxi – Taxis mostly do routes in the town of Hanga Roa but they also make good guides.
• Rent a car – Having your own car will give you the freedom to drive around the entire island but you’ll only be able to go to certain places on your own.
• Rent a bike – If you’re prefer to cycle, you can rent a bike from your accommodation or in town.

There are no buses on Easter Island.

How to rent a car on Easter Island

On most trips, you’d be looking at renting a car but this isn’t really the case with the new rules on the island. Still, some of you may still want to so how exactly do car rentals work on Easter Island?

We’ve written an extensive guide on rental cars for Easter Island that you won’t want to miss.

I’m sad to report that Uber and Lyft don’t exist on Easter Island. Instead, there are cars that have yellow “TAXI TOUR” signs on the windshield.

These are as official as taxis get around here. Hail them as you normally would and they can take you anywhere in the island.

Locals also told us that any sedans on the road can potentially be taxis as well. If you flag them, and they stop, they might be willing to take you to where you need to go.

They don’t have traditional meters so you’ll have to negotiate a rate beforehand. Payment is by cash (ideally CLP but I’m sure they’d be willing to take USD if you ask) and a round-up or 10% tip is expected.

As an example fare, we took the taxi from Ohi Sushi at Aloha Food Truck to our hotel, Takarua Lodge , cost $5,000 CLP ($6.22 USD) and that is within Hanga Roa town limits.

If you’re looking to do longer trips, that fare can be negotiated. As an example, a ride from Hanga Roa to Anakena should cost $25-$30 USD round trip. In scenarios like these, you definitely want to schedule a return time because cell phone coverage is quite spotty outside of town and you don’t want to be stranded.

TIP: Taxis can also be guides. They might not speak English but you can negotiate a driver to take you around to all of the main sights. We spoke to another guest at our hotel and they were able to secure a driver for $150,000 CLP ($187 USD) for a full day, and $80,000 CLP (99.47 USD) for half a day.

This is the perfect segue to who you should book as your guide when visiting Easter Island. With the new rules on mandatory guides with Rapa Nui National Park, having a quality guide will make or break your experience.

As you delve into this research, you’ll realize that most of the tours are very similar. By nature, the tours are designed to be more compressed because most people don’t tend to stay on the island too long, or are passing through on cruise ships.

In addition to being mandatory, we felt that having English speaking guides enhanced our experience significantly. With a guide, you’re able to understand what you’re looking at instead of walking around in wonder but not really understanding its significance and “Easter eggs” (pun intended).

Our shortlist of the best tour companies in Easter Island are:

• Green Island Tours Easter Island – We eventually chose them because of their breadth of offerings, customizability, and how hands-on the owner is, whom I got to know from watching his Rapa Nui Life videos. Also ranked #1 on TripAdvisor . They’re also one of the few that offer photography tours.
• Kava Kava Tours – Similar tour offerings with the others, just with different names, such as Full Day Easter Island Highlights , The Birdcult , and Moai Monuments Tour .
• Easter Island Travel – They have some interesting offerings such as ancestral BBQ lunch and they have a 2-day highlights . That said, I was a bit confused with their website because it presents like a blog but they are actually a tour company.
• Easter Island Spirit – Author of A Companion to Easter Island , they are a high-priced operator but has the benefit of including lunch.

When choosing your guide, cost is a factor but you also want to make sure that the guides that they employ are experienced, could put together a custom private tour, are well-connected with the community, can tell the full story of Rapa Nui, and the very important skill of helping take photos.

We felt that Green Island Tours ticked off all of the boxes and that is why we ultimately went with them.

Save with Green Island Tours on Easter Island

We had an amazing experience with Green Island Tours and our guides, Marc and Ludo, were what made it such an informative, fun, and engaging tour of Rapa Nui. We spent a total of 3 days with them including Moai Monuments Tour, Historic Pathways Tour, Stargazing Experience, and North Coast Adventurer.

Learn more – Don’t just take it from me, check out Marc’s own YouTube channel and the reviews on TripAdvisor .

Special offer – Use “Going Awesome Places” under “discount code” and receive Marc’s photography e-book for free and if you’re booking a private tour, save up to 10% .

We’d be remiss to not include the highlights of archeological sites and top activities.

Instead of stretching out this guide to visiting Easter Island, we’ve actually written a separate article on the top things to do on Easter Island .

We did say that this is the most remote island in the world, right?

As a solo female traveler, here as a family or couple, or in a large group, Easter Island is incredibly safe.

Whether you’re traveling solo, as a family, as a couple, or in a large group, San Pedro de Atacama and the Atacama Desert will never feel unsafe. That said, you always want to be aware of your surroundings and travel smart.

Intuitively, as an island that is hard to get to, expensive to live in, is highly dependent on tourism, and is a place where everyone knows each other, crime is nearly non-existent. Where are you going to run, right?

That said, you can’t say that the island is crime-free. There is a prison next to the airport for a reason after all!

Regardless, common sense should always prevail when traveling so keep your valuables out of sight when you can, never leave your bags unattended, and leave your passports in the hotel if you don’t need it.

When it comes to your personal health, Easter island doesn’t have too many high risk areas but it’s worth covering the main topics.

Tap water comes from underground freshwater and is then treated in a plant. While it is completely safe to drink, even locals will tell you that it’ll taste funny.

Everyone reacts to this kind of water differently so the general recommendation is to stick to bottled water. In order to reduce the impact of plastics, we suggest buying large jugs of water and make use of re-useable bottles such as the Hydrapak SkyFlask .

Of course, you can totally use tap water to brush your teeth.

On Easter Island, the best place to buy water might be your hotel, eliminating the need to have to carry it all the way from town. Hanga Roa also has numerous markets that sell water. The cost of a 6L jug in town is $6,490 CLP or thereabouts.

TIP: Check the prices for water at your hotel. At Takarua Lodge, we discovered near the end of our trip that they were significantly cheaper than in town at $5,500 CLP for a 6L jug.

Other than the requirements entry Chile and the special requirements for Easter Island, there’s no need for any other special immunizations.

West Nile, Zika, Yellow Fever, and Malaria are not known issues here. There have been cases of Dengue but frequency of cases is decreasing.

Traveler’s diarrhea is always a possibility when traveling so you can look into getting Dukoral before your trip. That said, Easter Island isn’t known contaminated food.

It’s worth noting that there is only one hospital on the island but the good news is that it’s relatively new with the Chilean government’s injection of funding to modernize and support the island. However, when it comes to complicated operations, an evacuation is necessary to the mainland.

We highly recommend that you have the right travel insurance before you go to Easter Island

You’ll be glad to hear that altitude won’t be an issue when visiting Easter Island, unlike the Atacama desert , but being a volcanic island with cliffs, sharp rock, caves, and rough waters, you need to be careful.

Outdoor activities

You’ll be spending all of your time on Easter Island outdoors and the main thing as travelers is to be aware of your surroundings and to know your limits.

These are the main things to be aware of:

• Physical fitness – The trails and summits are defined as moderate difficulty but everyone has different levels of fitness. When it comes to activities overall, do the ones that you know you’re capable of doing and don’t push yourself over the limit.
• Watch for cliffs and edges – It’s easy to get distracted with taking photos or it might look like an edge is stable but it isn’t.
• Know where you’re going – You can explore on your own but in many parts of the island including the trails, things aren’t as well-marked as you think. Use apps such as AllTrails or Gaia GPS or the Apple Watch Ultra backtrack feature to ensure you can find your way back or have path to follow
• Volcanic rock is sharp – Whether you’re trying to squeeze through rock, using it as a hold, or walking over them, remember that it is the least forgiving type of rock and will cause cuts without remorse.

Don’t be fooled by Easter Island’s tropical status. It’s warm but is never really hot and it feels like it should be incredibly humid, but its often not.

• Temperature drops at night – Once the sun goes down, you’ll start feeling the chill. It’s always a good idea to have a windbreaker type of jacket or shell with you.
• It feels dry – It’s not as bad as the desert but you’ll notice that it isn’t as nourishingly moist as other tropical islands. We developed plenty of hang nails during our trip.
• It can get windy – On stormy days, it can get quite blustery on the island.
• Unpredictable weather – Weather systems can pass through quickly and sometimes with a vengeance. Check the forecast regularly and adjust your itinerary on the fly if you need to.
• UV – Easter Island is quite bare and thus there’s essentially no cover anywhere you go. Make sure you have a good hat like a Tilley , have breathable long sleeve like the Echo Hoodie , use plenty of 50SPF sunscreen , and stay hydrated with water.

There are mosquitoes on Easter Island but they are not a heavy presence.

The subtropical climate and higher humidity in the summer means that they can certainly thrive but at the same time, the island is relatively quite dry and lacks trees, so they are not very noticeable.

It’s worth noting that there was a dengue outbreak in 2002, most likely coming from Tahiti. Since then, there were a few blips in 2016 and 2018 but cases have been dwindling.

We suggest that if you are prone to mosquito bites to use mosquito repellent.

The primary animals you’ll encounter are the horses that roam free, stray dogs, and cattle and sheep from farms.

Stay dogs are primarily found in Hanga Roa but there are nowhere near as many as there are in San Pedro de Atacama.

Horses are also relatively harmless but it’s recommended that you leave them alone and avoid getting too close.

As we mentioned in our How To Get Around Easter Island section , the biggest danger is driving at night when horses, cattle, and sheep love to be on the road.

Is Easter Island safe to travel alone?

Yes, Easter Island is very safe for solo travelers.

In addition to the island itself being safe, Rapa Nui also has the benefit of weeding out (most) bad travellers as well because of it’s natural barriers to entry (distance, cost, travel requirements).

Whether you’re staying at one of the many hostels on Easter Island to split costs of tours, or staying on your own in a hotel, you’ll find the locals to be welcoming, and other travelers you meet to be friendly as well.

Anecdotally, we were scuba diving with two solo travelers, George and Juan, who had met on the plane ride to Easter Island. They ended up touring around the island together which seemed like a win all around.

Be safe just in case

Out of an abundance of caution, you should always be prepared for the worst whether it’s visiting Easter Island or anywhere else in the world. It’s not something you really want to think about but there are a couple of things that we always make sure we have in place for any trip.

• Pack a first aid kit – It’s always a good idea to have a mini first aid kit . If you’re prone to blisters, make sure to pack moleskin and other remedies.
• Hydration pack – Having a hydration bladder system as part of your backpack is super handy to make sure you have water accessible at all times.
• Stay connected – Let your friends and family know your itinerary and buy an Entel SIM to get access to cellular data when it’s available on the island. If you’re taking taxi as a guide, let the hotel know!
• Have travel insurance – With the amount of outdoor activities you’re doing, we highly encourage you to have insurance in case sh*t happens. A medical evacuation back home, trips to the hospital, and other health emergencies, you’ll want to make sure you’re protected.

If you’re in Canada, check RATESDOTCA to make sure you get the best rates.  If you’re anywhere else in the world including the United States,  World Nomads is a popular provider that we know many people use because they have excellent sports coverage.

Given that Easter Island is part of Chile, Spanish is the official language of the island. Secondarily, the local Rapanui speak their own Rapa Nui language, which is close in dialect to Tahitian and New Zealand Maori.

Outside of tour guides that offer their services in English such as Green Island Tours , knowledge of English will be quite minimal between restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and shop owners. Your life will definitely be a lot easier if you can speak Spanish.

When comparing to our experiences in Atacama and Patagonia, we definitely felt like we could get by a bit better with English on Easter Island. With a majority of people being part of the tourism industry, it feels like you’ll encounter more locals that have some knowledge of it.

TIP: Make sure to download Google Translate’s Spanish language pack for offline use before you go.

What Should You Do On Easter Island?

Our compilation of the best archeological sites and other activities on the island.

Best Things To Do on Easter Island

The food on Easter Island is better than you think it will be and that’s largely thanks to the amazing seafood it has access to.

Food To Try on Easter Island

When we think about our top meals in our 9 day Easter Island itinerary , here were our most memorable dishes.

TIP: Stick to the seafood on Easter Island. We gave other meats a shot but we kept going back to seafood. They know how to cook their fish and usually cheaper as well!

There’ll always be the debate about whether Peruvians or Chileans invented ceviche but it doesn’t matter because it is so good here.

You’ll find ceviche practically on every single menu and it’s one of those things that you can rely on being delicious no matter where you go.

Each restaurant will have a slightly different spin on it and there’ll be several types available including the classic Leche de Tigre (Peruvian style), or a local chef’s special. The fish they use is the local selection they can get access to which ends up being either tuna or other type of white fish.

Grilled Fish

Simple, fresh, and delicious, pescado grillado or grilled fish is always a winner.

Traditional local fish that are grilled include Matahuira, Kana Kana, Mahi Mahi, Pici, and Sierra.

Every single one we had was grilled to perfection and well-balanced with vegetables and rice.

Like it was for us in Atacama, empanadas became our go-to takeaway food for lunch especially since it wasn’t included in our guided tours.

Marc from Green Island Tours introduced us to the over-the-top friendly Panaderia y Pasteleria Hitu and we just kept going back over and over again.

They’re constantly churning piping hot empanadas with flavors such as shrimp, chicken, octopus, and tuna to name a few.

The prices are quite reasonable and they’re a good place to pick up some coffee, pastries, and cookies to go.

Umu Rapa Nui

Also known as Easter Island curanto , this is when a meal is cooked in the ground with fiery hot stones and firewood, covered with plantain leaves, and then loaded with meat, chicken, and fish.

This is similar to umu all around the Pacific Island and the only places you can find this are Te Ra’ai , which is also the location of the traditional Rapa Nui dance performance, and Via Moana Hotel .

Fresh Fruit Juices

This seemed to be a trend throughout Chile but continued into our Easter Island leg of the trip.

When we weren’t ordering the local Mahina pale ale beer, we were choosing from one of the fresh fruits available for their juices.

Pescado A Lo Pobre

This is a very typical Chilean dish. The difference here is that instead of this being a beef, pork, or chicken, it’s beef instead!

There’s something very comforting about being able to have fresh fish that’s topped with a fried egg (done over-easy) and French fries.

Where To Eat on Easter Island

Over the course of our 9 days visit to Easter Island, we managed to try a lot of different restaurants in Hanga Roa. Not all of them were hits but the ones we felt were most memorable were these ones that you should definitely consider adding to your trip itinerary.

• Neptune’s Island – A charming oceanside restaurant where the portions were large, and everything was delicious including their grilled fish and seafood curry. This is one restaurant I’d recommend for special occasions because of their level of service, reasonable price-point, atmosphere, view, and food.
• Panaderia y Pasteleria Hitu – There are a lot of local empanada shops but we didn’t dare try anywhere else after tasting theirs. In addition to being a great place for takeaway lunch, we loved their friendly service despite not speaking much English. While you’re here, also try their cookies.
• Makona Restaurant – One of our favourite ceviche’s. Loved their seafood Pil Pil dishes as well.
• Ohehe Surf Cafe – Cozy surf shack vibes with epic proportion Pescado a lo Pobre where a bed of fries is topped with the perfectly grilled tuna steak, caramelized onions, and egg over-easy.
• La Taverne du Pecheur – Located beside the row of diving shops, we were surprised by the quality and presentation of their ceviche and fresh fish (Matahuira). That said, I have to deduct a few points for using plastic straws – something you’ll rarely see on the island.
• Dulce Mar – Would definitely recommend them for lunch. They have fresh fruit smoothies, sandwiches, fish, and tortilla bowls.
• Polynesian Coffee and Bar – For those looking for healthy options and are on a budget, this is an excellent lunch and dinner spot (yes, we went twice!). Their tuna croissant, açai bowl, fajitas, and Pil Pil were excellent.
• Te Moai Sunset – It certainly has a great view of Ahu Tahai. To guarantee the view on the second floor, it’s recommended to make reservations. We enjoyed the food but thought it was a little expensive.
• Te Moana – The fresh Pissi fish and ceviche here was outstanding, albeit on the pricier end.

Not all of the restaurants we visited were hits though. Here are a few that we wouldn’t recommend:

• Ohi Sushi at Aloha Food Truck – Rice was mushy and ultimately not up to our sushi standards from back home.
• Poco Poco – This might’ve been more because they told us they had no fish in stock that day but we thought the beef and pork dishes we had were pretty average. Again, stick to the fish!

It’s worth mentioning that having visited near the start of the re-opening after the pandemic, many restaurants were still closed but scheduled to re-open and some just completely closed.

• Hai Tonga RapaNui
• Hani Hani TunuAhi&Bar
• Berta Empanadas – Confirmed to be permanently closed.

The last thing to keep in mind is that it is quite challenging to get supplies onto the island. As a result, prices are naturally higher than on mainland Chile. While we were there, we heard that there was a recent Coca Cola shortage.

TIP: Many restaurants close on Sundays such as Te Moai Sunset. Also, Neptune’s Island is closed on Monday.

The internet is bad on Easter Island. When I say bad, it’s REALLY BAD .

Here’s a breakdown of ways you can connect to the internet while you’re here and well, just how slow it is.

This is pretty straightforward. Outside of the free wifi you’ll get from your hotel, don’t expect to find free wifi.

This means that you’ll be hard pressed to find free wifi at restaurants as well. The only exception is perhaps Te Moai Sunset.

From a speed perspective, it’s very slow. While I don’t have any actual numbers, I do know that I had attempted to run a speed test multiple times on my laptop and smartphone, but each time, it failed. That’s how slow it is.

Streaming any sort of video, whether Netflix or YouTube, will be impossible and any heavy-loaded websites will either fail loading or will take an extremely long time to load.

If you’re using social media apps like Instagram, videos would either fail or somehow miraculously push through. Posting photo-based Instagram stories and posts were do-able.

The reason why the connection is so slow is because there isn’t a physical line connecting Easter Island with mainland Chile. As a result, any internet connection on the island is ultimately via satellite.

TIP: Make sure you download as much as you can offline before coming to Easter Island. This includes books, movies, and TV shows on your favorite apps.

The other way you can access the internet is through cellular service. You can do this through:

• Local SIM card
• Roaming with a home SIM card
• Wifi hotspot device

Local SIM Card

There are 4 main providers in Chile that have prepaid SIM cards – Entel, Wom, Claro, and Movistar. Without a doubt though, Entel is the best one because they have much better rural coverage, including Easter Island.

What you’ll love about Entel is that specific music, social media, and message apps are unlimited and don’t use data. This includes Spotify, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Where can you buy an Entel SIM card? To buy a prepaid Entel SIM card, you can head to the Entel store on Easter Island, which is located next to Banco Estado. It’s $2,500 CLP for a SIM card that’s loaded with 1GB and 30 minutes and you’ll find these in most local pharmacies or convenient stores. You don’t need to go to an Entel store.

Is it easy to activate the Entel SIM card? It’s quite easy but since the SMS instructions come in Spanish and require you to complete steps in Spanish, you might need a local to help you out. Activation takes 2 minutes.

Is it easy to recharge the Entel SIM card? You can load more data to your plan by going to a pharmacy or convenient store. Another way to do it is through the Entel app. You first have to load money into your Entel account with a credit card. With that money, you’ll purchase a data and minutes plan ($8,000 CLP = 20GB, $5,000 CLP = 10GB).

TIP: Many of your credit cards have two-factor authentication enabled on international purchases where it’ll send you a text message with a code. This won’t work because your phone will be using the Entel SIM. There’s not much you can do about that but there’s bound to be a credit card that doesn’t do this so we recommend that you bring as many credit cards as you can on the trip.

How is Entel’s coverage on Easter Island? Entel’s coverage in Hanga Roa is quite good but becomes quite spotty once you leave. There isn’t a consistent map if coverage here so you’ll find that it comes in and out.

How fast is Entel’s internet speed? This is probably the better question. The speed is similar to the hotel wifi. It’s not consistent in that sometimes it’ll be faster than wifi and sometimes unusable. All I can say is that it’ll drive you crazy if you try to do anything serious on your phone.

NOTE: This only works if your phone is unlocked.

Advantage – The cheapest method and ensures you are connected to Entel.

Disadvantage – Buying a SIM card may not be as convenient and may require a local Chilean to help with activating and reloading.

Home SIM Card

If you don’t want to deal with buying an Entel SIM card and getting it set up, it might be easier to just roam with the SIM card from home.

We don’t recommend this because it’s really hard to say whether your home network will be able to roam onto Entel. If it can’t, you won’t get any connection and your phone will continue to hunt for a compatible carrier.

TIP: Make sure your plan has international roaming enabled. This is usually done from your carrier’s online portal or you can call in.

Advantage – Requires no additional work.

Disadvantage – Easily the most expensive method of connecting and ultimately may not work with Entel.

Wifi Hotspot

If you already own a wifi hotspot device, this may be a good option for you. These are pocket devices that you load up with data and can roam onto local 3G and 4G signal and converts them to wifi signal that you and your family/friends can connect to.

There are many companies that sell these devices and plans including Solis and PokeFi .

PokeFi is the most affordable where plans are $15 USD for 5GB. The device itself is $200 USD and ships from Hong Kong.

However, similar to roaming with your home SIM card, there’s a chance that your hotspot won’t latch onto Entel.

Advantage – You can share the connection with multiple people and it can work globally.

Disadvantage – Hotspot device needs to be charged and it is not as cheap as a local SIM. There’s also a risk that the device you have doesn’t connect to Entel.

PokeFi Exclusive Promotion

Are you an avid traveler and could use an affordable wifi hotspot system? Invest in a PokeFi and take advantage of our special promo code.

Use the code GAP22231 to get $200 HKD or $25 USD off the starter package which comes with an extra battery and 5GB built in.

CHECK OUT POKEFI

The newest method of connecting to cellular data while travelling is through eSIM technology. If your smartphone has this capability, you can definitely consider this option. In some cases, some phones only allow eSIM.

eSIMs aren’t physical cards but something that can be activated by software on your phone.

The biggest player in the eSIM market for travelers is Airalo . With them, you have the option to purchase an eSIM that can work globally or be specific for a country.

Here are their sample rates:

• Local Chile eSIM – 20GB for $23 USD (valid for 30 days)
• Global eSIM – 5GB for $35 USD (valid for 30 days)

Notice how the prices vary quite a bit between the two. Depending on your trip and whether you’ll be hopping to different countries, you can choose what makes sense.

We ultimately don’t recommend this either because it’s hard to know whether the eSIM will connect with Entel.

Advantage – Relatively convenient solution that is completely digital and can be done from home. The prices are also reasonable.

Disadvantage – Airalo has limited validity days unless you purchase the larger packages. The prices are definitely higher than wifi hotspots and local SIMs. There’s also no way to tell whether it’ll work with Entel.

Let’s dive into the topic of money. It’s something that’s easy to overlook but this’ll help guide you through figuring out how much money you should change, other currencies to carry, how ATM withdrawals work, hidden fees, and more.

To start, the local currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso or CLP .

Banknotes come in the denomination of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 pesos. Coins come in 10, 50, 100, and 500 pesos.

Easter Island has two banks in Hanga Roa which makes things easy in case you don’t have all of your cash on hand. That said, it’s a good idea to have at least some CLP with you when land.

The VAT tax in Chile is 19% and is simply built-in.

When will you need to use credit card?

The good news is that you can use your credit card in most places when visiting Easter Island. There are a few exceptions though which we’ll cover next.

You’ll be able to use your credit card everywhere from restaurants, gas station, grocery store, pharmacy, some souvenir stores, tour operators, and some entrance fees.

On Easter Island, there are also a few things that is a good idea or mandatory to pay by credit card:

• Rapa Nui National Park Entrance – This is mandatory whether paying online or in-person.
• Hotel – Since your hotel bill will be quite large, it doesn’t make sense to pay by cash.. Unlike in Atacama, where you can save 19% tax by paying in USD, it doesn’t matter here. In fact, even if you book through Booking.com and it says you’ll be paying in USD, they’ll likely charge you in CLP.
• Guide – Many of the tour companies require you to pay in full when booking online. They take credit card or some even Paypal. The charges are typically in USD.
• Car rental – You need to provide a credit card as a guarantee. When you return the car, they’ll put the charge on that same card.

When will you need to spend cash?

To help with figuring out how much cash you should actually have with you, let’s look at where you’ll be spending cash. It’ll also be useful to know how much of that should be USD.

Here are instances where you’ll want to use cash:

• Tips – You’ll want small bills for airport transfer, guides, restaurants, and housekeeping (CLP or USD)
• Souvenirs – Everything from the souvenir market to the small business stands selling moai (CLP)
• Scuba diving – They only take cash (CLP)

The rest, such as restaurants, grocery stores, and gas station, are at your discretion. Depending on where you are on your trip, you may want to conserve your use of Chilean Pesos and shift to credit card use, or you want to spend as much as you can so you don’t have any left over.

Where can you get Chilean pesos?

There are 4 ways travellers can get Chilean pesos:

• Money changer in your home country
• Large bank in your home country that has an exchange office
• Withdraw from an ATM in Chile
• Money changer in Chile

Why change money at home? Depending on your itinerary, you may not have time to exchange money in Santiago or when you land on Easter Island. It’s nice to not have to stress about going to the ATM right away. We’ve also heard stories of ATMs on Easter Island running out of money. Use a local money changer in your home country or your bank. CLP is a bit of a specialized currency which means that you might need to put in a special order, so plan ahead.

Is it safe to withdraw from ATMs in Easter Island? Yes, it is safe. There aren’t any stories of cards being cloned on the island. This is a different story in Santiago where we heard from one traveller that their card got cloned after using an ATM in the Santiago Airport’s T2 (international) terminal.

Can you withdraw money at the bank counter? Yes you can but you’ll need to bring your passport. Rates will of course be worse here than in say, Santiago.

Which banks are available on Easter Island? Easter Island only has Santander and Banco Estado banks. Both of them are located nearly next to each other in Hanga Roa.

Do ATMs in Chile charge a fee?

While we were in Santiago, we experimented with most of the banks in Chile to figure out what their ATM withdrawal fees are for international debit cards. Since Easter Island only has two banks, we’ll only mention those ones. If you’re curious about the others, check our Atacama Travel Guide .

• Santander – $7,000 CLP ($200,000 CLP limit)
• Banco Estado – $5,500 CLP (no posted limit)

Keep in mind that your home bank might also charge an international withdrawal fee. It will show up as a “PLUS” transaction. In our case, this was $5 CAD.

Is it a good idea to use money changers in Chile? While you can, the rates that they offer are typically not favourable. That said, we did not notice any money exchange offices on the island but it’s possible we weren’t looking that hard.

What other currency should you carry?

The only other currency worth carrying when visiting Easter Island is the US Dollar. Some places may take the currency as an alternate form of payment but this is typically limited to tour operators.

What confuses a lot of travelers is that a lot of prices are listed in USD but this is done to make it easier to understand their prices. In reality, most businesses still charge in CLP.

You can also pay tips in USD but I’m pretty sure they would prefer CLP. It works in a pinch though.

Compared to other currencies, USD also has the better exchange rates compared to say CAD, GBP, or EUR.

Overall, it’s a good idea to have at least $200-$300 in USD for emergency use.

Credit card fees

Your life will be much easier if you are okay to use your credit card throughout Chile. This alleviates how much cash you have to bring.

Foreign Conversion Mark-Up

By using your international credit card, just remember that you’ll be charged an additional 2.5% on the currency conversion. It’s a hidden fee that’s embedded into the rate that’s used to convert to your home currency.

The exception of course are special credit cards that don’t have no foreign transaction fees (0% fx) such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card in Canada.

Point of Sales (POS) Credit Card Machine Fee

From Transbank (a majority of POS credit card machines), their machines added a new fee for international Mastercard and VISA starting February 1, 2021. On the receipt, this shows up as Recargo tarjeta extranjera .

According to Transbank these are the current surcharges but they are based off of a USD fee so it will change according to the exchange rate. This is supposed to be adjusted annually.

Our recommendation: This feels counterintuitive to say but American Express is the way to go in Chile. Avoid using VISA and MasterCard.

Tipping recommendations

Carrying over what we learned in Patagonia and Atacama , tipping is said to be not essential, but at the end of the day, is common practice.

These are the standard tips for Chilean tourism services:

• Guides – $10 – $15 USD per person, per day, given directly to your guides
• Restaurant Staff – 10% of your restaurant bill
• Housekeeping – $5 USD per room, per night
• Drivers – $5 USD per person per day, given directly to your drivers

Of course, adjust your tipping based on actual service received.

Tipping in restaurants

Something quite unique to Chile is that restaurants automatically add a 10% tip but instead of sneakily leaving it there, they’ll usually ask whether it’s okay or not. You have the option of saying yes or no.

On the bill, it’s labelled as propina (Spanish for tips).

Personally, I found 10% to be quite reasonable and appreciated the fact that we had the choice instead of some countries where they slip it in without you knowing and you end up paying double the tip.

When visiting Easter Island, you know you’re in for an expensive trip but there are definitely ways to save so it softens the blow on your wallet, even if it’s just a little bit.

Here are a few obvious, and not-so-obvious tips we wanted to share from our experience.

• Pack snacks from home – Especially on tours where lunch isn’t included or even free days, save money on lunch by munching on granola bars , energy gels , and other snacks. You can pack them from home or in Santiago if you have a layover.
• Buy food from the grocery store – Restaurants are expensive and it can add up. You can easily buy food from the grocery store and make it at your accommodations if you have access to a kitchen.
• Book flights from the Chilean website – If you’ve read our guide for how to get to Easter Island , you’ll know that there are significant savings when you purchase your flight to Easter Island from https://www.latamairlines.com/cl/es . We’ve confirmed that you can use International credit cards on the site so you don’t need to do the complicated process of calling in afterwards.
• Save on credit card foreign transaction fees – Use a credit card that doesn’t apply a 2.5% rate mark up on the exchange rate.
• Don’t use MasterCard or VISA – Transbank in Chile clearly has beef with them so make sure you have an American Express or other branded card for your credit card spend.
• Choose CLP when using your credit card – For machines that give you the option, always choose CLP because your home bank will usually have a better conversion rate.
• Drive manual transmission – If you know how to drive manual, you’ll find cheaper car rental rates.
• Check Viator and GetYourGuide – Before booking any guides or activities, check Viator and GetYourGuide platforms because we noticed that those prices are sometimes lower.
• Booking’s Genius Tier works – You can find properties on Easter Island that participate in the Genius program and offer 10%-17% off. This is why we booked Takarua Lodge on Booking instead of direct, because it came out to be cheaper! Cancellation is also super easy and you don’t need to send that awkward “sorry” e-mail that you would if you booked directly.
• Alternative for guides – If you’re on a budget and looking to bypass official guides, you can 1) book a taxi as a guide. They likely won’t know any English but you can book them for a full day or more, and 2) Pay the guard to be your guide (we heard $10,000 CLP per person at each site).
• Look for cheaper souvenir moai – Yes, they’re mass produced and probably not made from actual stone, but if you’re looking for an iconic Easter Island souvenir, keep an eye out for the roaming vendors.

THINKING ABOUT PATAGONIA AS WELL?

If you like all of the details in this Atacama travel guide, make sure to jump over to our Patagonia travel guide that focuses on Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.

Torres del Paine Travel Guide

If you’re looking to buy something for friends and family back home, or as a your own travel keepsake, there aren’t a lot of crafts that stand out, especially if you’ve already been to other markets in say, Santiago, or San Pedro de Atacama.

Skipping over most of the made-in-China type of generic souvenirs, there are only a few things that will stand out on your visit to Easter Island.

• Stone-carved moai – This is the obvious selection. There are miniature moai at every single shop and stall. The key differentiator is size, quality, and the stone used. The cheaper ones are low quality rock while the expensive ones use actual volcanic rock, similar to the ones found at the Rano Raraku quarry. All of them come with a red top knot. The cheapest price for a medium-sized moai we found was $5,000 CLP for 2 or 3 small-sized moai for $5,000 CLP.
• Wooden moai – Instead of stone, these are wood-carved moai. In comparison, these are more expensive than their stone counterparts.
• Necklaces and head pieces – Similar to the ones worn by the Rapa Nui dancers, you can also buy them at the markets.
• Guide book – You’ll find that there is just so much information to absorb about Rapa Nui that it might actually make sense to buy a book while you’re there. This is more for you so you can read more about the sites that you’ll be visiting. We ended up buying A Companion to Easter Island from our hotel reception.

Of course, if you collect things from your travels such as postcards, magnets, and patches, you’ll be able to find them as well.

Where to shop for souvenirs?

If you’re looking for one of the popular souvenirs on Easter Island, you’re better off focusing on these locations

• Feria Artesanal – This is next to the National Park ticket office. It has quite a few vendors and pleasant to walk through because it’s a newer building.
• Mercado Artesanal – They are much large when compared to the other one and have more vendors. This is farther but still walkable. The extra distance means that it’s less busy as well, although don’t expect much of a price difference.
• Randomly at sites or on the main street – This is the hardest to pinpoint because these are basically traveling vendors that focus on extremely cheap moai. We saw different ones set at the entrance Tongariki and Tahai. We also walked past one on the main street of Atama Tekena.

There are also souvenir stores in some of the permanent stores in Hanga Roa but the above markets always had better selection.

Not sure what you need to pack for your trip to Easter Island? As a continuation of our trip that started in Patagonia and Atacama, you’ll find everything I packed in the Patagonia packing list but we’ll highlight a few things that are Easter Island specific.

• Windbreaker jacket – A waterproof shell is handy to have because the island does get rain.
• Pack layers – Temperatures can vary from day to day and from daytime to night time. It’s handy to have a thin fleece like the Arc’teryx Kyanite Lightweight Hoody in case it gets chilly.
• Hooded long sleeve sun shirts – The sun is pretty strong and there isn’t a lot of cover on Easter Island. The long sleeve and breathable Echo Hoodie is excellent.
• A good hat – If you want good coverage, the Tilley Airflo LTM6 is great but for something low profile, we like the Arc’teryx Calvus Cap .
• Shorts and Swim suit – You won’t really need this for Atacama and Patagonia (unless you’re doing hot springs) so remember to pack these for these for the beach and scuba diving.
• Lip balm – The worst feeling when travelling is having dry lips and not having lip balm.
• Nail clippers – Hang nails are going to happen so you’ll want to have this handy.
• Eye drops – Your eyes will get dry.

Travel gear

• Re-useable water bottles – Reduce your use of plastic bottles by refilling your own water bottle.
• Good hiking shoes – You’ll likely have these already but just a reminder that Easter Island is far from being a beach vacation. You’ll be doing a lot of walking and hiking so have a good pair of Keens on top of your flip flops or sandals.

Electronics

• USB Key / SD Card – If you plan on going diving and take advantage of the photography package, you’ll need to give them one of these so they can transfer the photos to you. Remember, the internet speed is really bad here.

Finding a good place to stay on Easter Island is an important part of trip planning but with the exception of one big name, there aren’t any recognizable hotels on the island.

In fact, there really aren’t any hotels or resorts on the island. With the decision to not let much outside investment into Easter Island, it’s prevented big resorts from demolishing big pieces of land, and this is a good thing. Instead, what you’ll find here are mostly locally-owned and small-scale lodges that have that cozy B&B feel.

In fact, hotel is not a word often used to describe these accommodations. Most of them on the island are called cabañas which are very similar to a pension in French Polynesia .

When making your decision for where to stay on Easter Island, here are a few questions you’ll want to think about.

• How far out of central Hanga Roa are you willing to be? More specifically, how much walking are you okay doing every day?
• Do you want to be close to the main streets or would you rather be in a quieter part of Hanga Roa?
• Is it important for you to have breakfast included with your stay?
• What style of accommodation are you looking for? Something closer to a full-service hotel, a unit rental, or hostel?
• Is there free cancellation and do you need to pre-pay?
• Do they offer free airport shuttle service?
• Does the hotel have Starlink wifi?

While it should be easy to trust that Easter Island properties on Booking.com , Expedia , or Hotels.com are on the official list of approved hotels, it’s still worth checking the second step of the Single Entry Form . That is why I’d be weary of VRBO unless you can verify that they are on the list.

Hotels and Lodges

Luxury: Explora en Rapa Nui

When we said earlier that there hasn’t been outside investment, this one is the exception. The owner of the land was allowed to lease to a private company

Explora is a luxury all-inclusive resort that puts an emphasis on conservation and sustainable travel. They are deeply ingrained in South America with properties in Atacama, Patagonia, Machu Picchu, and El Chaltén.

In addition to all meals being included, you have your choice of activities that they call “explorations” that have a mix of hiking, biking, snorkeling, diving, and cultural tours.

High-end: Takarua Lodge

This was truly a treat of a hotel to stay at and while we didn’t know it a the time of the booking because we didn’t have a good grasp of the where things were located but we absolutely loved being close to Tahai.

Sure, it’s a 20 minute walk into the center of town, but every morning we could step outside of our room and see moai and at sunset, it was easy to run to our room to grab camera gear and back out as if Tahai was in our backyard. I mean, it kind of is!

Takarua Lodge only has 7 units and it’s a simple construction that’s simple, elegant, and modern that’s fitting with the island’s vibe. Each is designed like the wooden bungalows of Tahiti especially with its pointed high ceiling and open square space divided between the bedroom and bathroom. The walls look like sheathing but it works.

Inside the room is a small square table with chairs and this is where you’ll eat or where you’ll work from if you have a laptop. On the other corner of the room is a small wooden organizer with a mini fridge below and LCD TV above it.

Behind the wall is the bathroom and closet area. On one side is a room with the toilet and another with the shower. There’s a single vanity and tons of counter space for the sink that’s in the middle. The shower has good pressure and consistent hot water.

Lastly, the closet area has several open shelves with more than enough organizing space to lay out what you have. There are also hangers for your clothes and a mini safe.

One of the advantages of staying here is the inclusion of breakfast. Each evening, you can either let them or write on the whiteboard, what time you’d like to have breakfast. Breakfast is delivered straight to the room and comes with a healthy mix of fruit, bread, yogurt/cereal, a rotating dish (i.e omelette, Chilean deli/cheese), cake, juice, coffee, and tea.

They also offer complimentary shuttle service from the airport. They contract this out to a local driver and upon arrival, you’ll be given a lei and on the way back to the airport, you’ll get a souvenir wooden moai necklace.

The check-in process is quite easy. You’ll be given a welcome drink and like other hotels in Chile, they’ll make copies of your passport and PDI document when you entered the country.

Lastly, if you’re renting a car, there’s a patch of grass by the Takarua Lodge sign and the sliding gate that can be used. Right in front is the Tahai public parking lot.

Mid-range: Inaki Uh Hotel

A property that was a top contender for us as its prices were a bit lower and was recently renovated.

The key to this property is that it’s located right in the heart of Hanga Roa, making it ultra convenient and a short walk to all of the shops, restaurants, and services in town.

Their rooms are modernly furnished and decorated that is reminiscent of a Hawaiian holiday rental. Inside, you’ll find a TV, mini-fridge, and mini safe.

Shared between the units is a common area under a gazebo, kitchen and water dispenser.

All guests also get free breakfast each morning with your choice of 3 menu items.

From reviews, it’s noted that they use Starlink wifi so internet speeds should be much faster than our experience.

Affordable: Cabañas Christophe

This was the initial lodge that we booked on Easter Island. It has glowing reviews, is tidy and spacious, and very affordable. There’s very much a cabin feel to this place.

Cabañas Christophe is a typical Rapa Nui bungalow right at the slopes of Rano Kau. There are multiple private rooms here that are equipped with an LCD TV and fridge. They also have a shared fully-equipped kitchen and dining area.

While they don’t cook breakfast for you, the kitchen is stocked with breakfast supplies.

The only thing you have to keep in mind is that it’s located on the outer fringes of Hanga Roa. In fact, it’s right across from Ana Kai Tangata which is south of the airport and then some.

We highly recommend that you rent bikes from them or have a car rental if staying here. We walked all the way out here one day, and in our opinion, it’s a bit too far on foot.

A bonus is that they have their own car rentals. Before we cancelled our booking, they let us know that they charge $50,000 CLP for a Suzuki Nómade.

There 4 hostels that we’d recommend on Easter Island that have a sufficient number and mostly positive reviews are:

• La Casa del Kori – Highest rated score.
• Hostal Vieroto – Most number of reviews. During our scuba diving, we met Naomi from Vegan Nomads and they said they loved their stay here.
• Hostal Aorangi – Well reviewed and has a Genius discount.
• Chez Hiva Hostal – They’re called a hostel but honestly is more of a lodge and extremely affordable.

Each one of the above are on the approved list of properties on the island.

Airport Transfers

Most properties (including hostels) offer free airport transfers but be sure to double check when you book.

If airport pick-ups aren’t included, there are services like this private arrival transfer that costs $40 USD.

While the town and most hotels aren’t far from the airport, there’s still a considerable amount of walking you’d have to do so it’s best to stick to transportation options.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ATACAMA

Complete the Chilean triangle by visiting Easter Island and then combining it with Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. If you liked the amount of detail in this guide, you’ll love our Atacama travel guide.

Atacama Travel Guide

We cover the topic of how many days you need on Easter Island in our article on how to get to Easter Island because especially when flights aren’t running daily, you’re at the whim of the schedule.

Expanding on our previous thoughts, let’s look at this question from a different perspective.

Tight on time and want to cram everything in

Perhaps you’ve got a small budget and really want to visit or you don’t have the time to carve out that many days for Easter Island.

A better question is maybe “what is the minimum number of days you need to visit Easter island?”. In which case, we’d say 1 day and two half days (total 3 days) is the absolute minimum.

The tour operators have adapter their tours to account for this type of traveler and as a result, many offer products that do exactly this. Being a small island, there’s a lot of things you can cram in.

The amazing thing is that you’ll pretty much see all of the main Easter Island sights but the tradeoff is that it’ll be a whirlwind, it’s a quick pace, and you won’t have time to really let it all sink in. Before you know it, you’re off again.

You want to do Easter Island justice

Now let’s say you have a bit of time to work with and want to see everything without feeling rushed.

For most people, we think that 4 days and two half days (total 5 days) is a great choice.

With 2 days already taken up by the standard tours (Green Island Tours calls them Moai Monuments and Historic Pathways tours), this gives 2 choose-your-own-adventure days. Depending on what your interests are, you can get active and do a hike or go scuba diving, see the spectacular sunrise at Tongariki and not be absolutely exhausted, perhaps you want to add stargazing, or maybe have a chill day.

You want to take it slow and see Easter Island thoroughly

Our 9 day Easter Island itinerary certainly falls in this category. To be honest, the flight options forced us this direction at the time, but in retrospect, it worked out really well.

Travelers that are a fan of slow travel will enjoy spending 7 days and two half days (total 9 days) or more.

On top of the advantage of being able be thoroughly immersed in all things Easter Island, the extra time had these benefits:

• If something unforeseen happens, you can more easily shuffle things around.
• It’ll make more sense to rent a car and drive around yourself.
• You’ll have the time to go off the beaten path. Very few people get to hike the north coast, summit Terevaka, or explore the Poike Peninsula.

This is probably the big elephant in the room. How much does a trip to Easter Island cost?

Easter Island is ultimately a relatively expensive destination. Considering how remote it is and they have to bring all of their supplies in by plane or by large cargo ships from Chile, it shouldn’t be a surprise. In addition, the new National Park rules and inflation have made a big impact so it’s definitely not as cheap as some other guides make it seem.

How much a bucket list trip like this comes down to several variables and what end of the range you’re in.

• Flights – Do you book early and use the Chilean website trick or do you pay the steep last minute prices?
• Tours – This is expensive but worth it. Of course, you could find ways to hack (see our money saving tips ).
• Accommodations – Hostels can be $50 USD/night. Middle of the pack is roughly $150-$200 USD/night. Not unreasonable but you’re also not getting a fancy resort either.
• Food – The food isn’t cheap but we thoroughly enjoyed all of our meals. On average, dinners will be $25-$30 USD per person but you can also find nice price points at the local empanada bakery and a restaurant like Polynesia Coffee & Bar where it’s just $10-$20 USD per person.
• Activities – Factor in costs for things like diving, boat trips, and Rapa Nui dance shows.
• Car rental – With how Easter Island is set up, this is more of a nice-to-have. Expect to spend $60/day for this including gasoline.

Hypothetical Easter Island trip expenses

In the previous section for how much time to visit Easter Island , we shared 3 likely scenarios for those wanting to plan a trip to Rapa Nui. Using these, we’ll give you an idea of what a trip to Easter Island will cost.

For all of these suggestions, we’ll be choosing a mid-range hotel where the expectation is that you’ll be eating out for dinner and having simpler meals for lunch. Flight prices will also be averaged out. All of these costs are in USD and for two people.

2-night stay

4 night stay

8 night stay

Real Easter Island trip expenses

Instead of speaking in hypotheticals, it makes the most sense to share our practical expenses.

In our itinerary for Easter Island , we break down all of our real costs but here, we’ll show you the expenses at a category level.

From the above chart, you can see that a majority of your expenses will be in flights, your guide, and accommodations.

In total, our trip was $5,385.68 USD which for 9 nights is much cheaper that our example estimate tables. There are definitely ways to find efficiencies especially in meals, cheaper flights, accommodations.

In the end, we ended up paying roughly $2,700 USD per person over 9 days .

At $300 USD per day , that’s not on the low end but it’s also not astronomical. For comparison Atacama was $240 USD per day and Patagonia was $760 USD per day.

Easter Island is absolutely bucket list worthy and lives up to everything we imagined the trip would be.

Why a trip to Easter Island will blow you away:

• You’ll be able to slowly peel away the onion around the mystery of the moai.
• There is such a diverse display of artefacts that it’ll feel like you’re on an archeological expedition.
• The Rapanui story is one that you’ll contemplate, create theories for, and force you to think about the effects of climate change and resource mismanagement.
• There are way more moai sculptures around the island than you think.
• There’s a pure and rawness to traveling to Easter Island that are harder to find in places like Thailand and Iceland as an example.

What a visit to Easter Island isn’t:

• This isn’t your typical tropical getaway where you get pampered and you stay at your resort.
• The snorkelling and scuba diving aren’t particularly memorable.
• Going beyond the moai, you won’t find a large diversity of activities.
• Don’t get us wrong, we recommend that you stretch out your trip and try to spend at least a week here, but it’s not necessarily a place where you can say you’ll want to stay here forever. Eventually , you’ll get to the point where you’ll feel like you’ve seen enough moai.
• It sure isn’t cheap. When you add it up, it’ll make a bit of a dent in your wallet. Not to say that you can’t find ways to save money, it just isn’t necessarily a place you would go if you’re looking to travel on a shoestring.

In our opinion, Easter Island ranks as one of our best trips around the world and that includes the likes of safari in South Africa , road tripping in Iceland , hiking the Inca Trail , Maldives , and of course Patagonia .

If you’re building a trip to Chile, it would be a shame to not include Easter Island itinerary. You have to go through Santiago to get there and it may be your only chance to make it happen.

We learned a lot from our visit to Easter Island. Like every trip, you discover a lot along the way that can trip you up or cause you to scratch your head. It’s part of the process but whatever I can do to make

• When in doubt, WhatsApp – We’re used to relying on e-mail as an official form of communication but that’s not the case here. If you’re able to find a business’s phone number, check to see if they are on WhatsApp and reach out to them there.
• Communication is slow – This is very much a Chilean way but when you add to the fact that they have terrible internet speeds, it’s no wonder you never hear back or their websites don’t work.
• Keep track of the day of the week – Not everything is open everyday. For instance the Kari Kari show is currently only Wednesday and Friday, Mike Rapu is closed on Sunday, and the Easter Island Museum is closed on Monday.
• Have your cash sorted before you come – The worst is stressing about running out of cash. Trust me, converting your CLP at home will make things easier.
• Internet is extremely slow – Come to Easter Island expecting to have a slow connection (i.e. tell your workplace) and enjoy disconnecting. Remember to also download your TV shows and movies for offline viewing before you leave Santiago.
• Entel SIM – For those that are going with the local SIM option, we also recommend that you get that sorted in Santiago ideally so you don’t
• Buy your National Park ticket online – Having bought the tickets in person, we realized that it’s cheaper to buy them online. With 10 days to work with, there’s almost no reason why you shouldn’t. Do it when you land in Santiago or the day before you leave home if you’re worried about things changing.
• Plan buffer days – You never know when bad weather might hit or something unforeseen might happen. With the 9 days we had to work with (7 full days), we were lucky to have to room to shuffle things around when we had a bad day of rain. We were also there during the Rano Raraku fire of 2022 and they closed for a few days. Easter Island is definitely worth staying a week or more.
• Setting the time on your phone – You’d think your phones would pick up on Easter Island’s timezone automatically but for some reason it doesn’t. Make sure to do this manually or else you might inadvertently still be on Santiago time.

The opportunities for incredible photography are through the roof on Easter Island. The raw landscape, rugged coastline, and of course, the moai are endlessly photogenic from all angles.

Whether you’re new to photography or a pro, we’ve compiled some learnings and tips that we think will help set you up for success.

What photographers should know about Easter Island

• Having a guide that understands photography is helpful – One of the reasons why we booked with Green Island Tours is because Marc is a photographer himself. This is important because they understand the importance of light, the extra time and care that’s required for good photos, and is someone that can handle the camera.
• Photography tours – Again, Green Island Tours also has photography tours that are all about capturing the best photos. This is perfect for those that really want the best photos of Easter Island.
• Entering Tongariki at sunrise – According to the newest rules on guides, you need to pay someone to basically take you in. We were lucky to be let in by a hostel’s guide who actually offered to let us in. This means that you should be able to do this too. Ask another guide bringing guests in and I’m sure they’ll help you out.
• Sunrise composition at Tongariki – itself has a lot of space to work with but most people will stand smack in the front middle which can really ruin your shot. Using a tripod is recommended for low ISO but be prepared to run around.
• Sunrise location at Tongariki – Most people are looking for that perfect sun flare between the moai. Most of those classic shots are in the summer where the sun comes up right behind. In the winter and shoulder seasons, the sun comes up at more of an angle. It’ll be worth using an app like PhotoPills to check this ahead of time or ask your guide.
• Timelapses at Tongariki – You’ll want to plant your tripod somewhere close up, or far back. You won’t have any control of people walking in and out of your shot so think about this ahead of time.
• Middle of the day is incredibly harsh – There’s no cover at any of the main archeological sites so at mid-day, the sun blasting and is often in your shot. If you’re doing a private tour and you want to capture a location at the best light, make sure you let them know ahead of time so they can move things around.
• Sunset at Tahai – This is a popular location because of how close it is to town, making it convenient for you to grab dinner before or after. When you’re done, you can easily walk back to your hotel. In addition, you don’t need a guide to enter and there’s plenty of space to move around to get all the angles you want.
• Tripods are allowed – There aren’t any restrictions for tripods anywhere on the island so no worries here.
• About drones – This is an absolute no-no and extremely difficult to get permits for. Just don’t bother.
• Astrophotography – The moai make great foreground elements for astrophotography
• Special access at night – Green Island Tours might be the only ones with the ability to get into National Park sites after dark.
• Off-the-beaten-path spots – Ahu Tahai comes to mind as somewhere that everyone goes to but if you do a bit of walking, shooting sunset at Hanga Piko (south of town) or Hanga Kie’o (north of Tahai), you’ll be able to capture sunset without anyone around you.

Photography tips

• Telephoto lenses won’t get a lot of use – While I had my OM System 150-400mm f/4.5 lens with me, it basically saw no use because there aren’t that many birds and other wildlife on the island. For Easter Island, I think a compact telephoto like the OM System 40-150 f/4 is the most reach that you’ll need which will come in handy at Tongariki. There’s an amazing shot where you can be composed in front of the giant moai with a unique compressed perspective.
• Bracket your shots – It’s almost a best practice of mine to take bracketed shots of 5 frames across 2.0EV. When you do this, this gives you the option to process these for HDR using whatever combination of frames. This is super helpful for tricky lighting situations where the sky is too bright and the moai aren’t well lit. The only exception are shots that I take for more documentary purposes.
• Wide angle and multi-purpose lens will get the most use – Paired with the OM-1 body , the 7-14mm f/2.8 and 12-40mm f/2.8 got the most use on Easter Island because it’s mostly landscapes you’re shooting.
• Ask for the corny photos – What I loved about Marc at Green Island Tours is that he knew all of the touristy photos. I wasn’t that into it at first but they were the cutest photos with my wife either jumping, pushing the moai upright, or being in line with the moai on the platform. Normally they’re super cringy but in this case, I really liked how they turned out.

The best time to go to Easter Island is during the shoulder season months of April to June and October to December. This is when prices are low, weather is fair, and there are very few crowds.

It’s recommended to spend at least 5 days and 4 nights when visiting Easter Island.

Easter Island is in the shape of a triangle, being made out of 3 volcanos that combined to create 173km 2 (66.8 mi 2 )

It is incredibly safe to visit Easter Island.

Easter Island is in an area that can get tsunamis but the last one to hit was in 1960 so the chances are low. There are no specific seasons for tsunamis.

You used to be able to get up to see a better view of the moai on the interior of the crater but that’s not possible anymore. It is also not possible to hike the side or upper reaches of the crater.

No, there are no taxi-hailing apps available on Easter Island.

There are a total of 888 moai that have been registered and this includes the ones that are outside of Easter Island.

The newest moai was discovered inside the Raro Raraku crater but it was left in its current state and you cannot visit inside the crater.

Yes, there is one post office on the island called CorreosChile. They sell stamps and you can drop off your postcards in the mailbox outside. Their hours are 8:30AM – 12:30PM and 2PM – 5:30PM on weekdays. They are closed on weekends.

Both Santander and Banco Estado are only open Monday to Friday 8AM – 1PM. The ATMs are open 24/7.

What you should read next

• 22 Best Things To Do On Easter Island
• Guide To Traveling Torres del Paine in Patagonia
• Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Do The W Trek
• Hotel Las Torres Review – Stay Inside Torres del Paine in Style
• Chile Nativo’s Riverside Camp Review

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100% .

Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card . Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature . Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

Data: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices like PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are so good and you can use it globally but recently, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. The best one is Airalo . Save money by getting region-specific eSIMs and use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase. Ubigi is another one that we’ve had success with where they uniquely offer 5G coverage. Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts . The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. TripAdvisor is also useful for reviews and bookings.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental.

Tours: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

• Insured Nomads – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks.
• RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
• SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
• Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
• InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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Welcome to Easter Island Spirit, the leaders in highly personalized tours of the world’s most isolated inhabited island.

James Grant-Peterkin and his team have over 20 years’ experience in arranging unforgettable trips for our guests, specializing in Private Tours with some of the island’s very best guides.

The National Park authorities now require all visitors to Easter Island to be accompanied by a local guide in order to visit the archaeological sites, meaning that independent touring is no longer possible. It’s not a change in the rules that we particularly agree with, despite the obvious benefits to our business. However, given these new regulations, all we can do is try to offer our guests the most personalised and enjoyable series of tours in order to maximise their visit here. Don’t come all the way to Easter Island and risk that your experience be negatively dictated by the large tour group that you join; we highly recommend paying slightly more for private services and ensuring that your once-in-a-lifetime trip is exactly that.

Few places on the planet evoke a greater sense of mystery than Easter Island, a small volcanic island in the South Pacific Ocean, and one of the most isolated places on earth.  Home to one of the world’s most awe-inspiring and least-understood cultures, Easter Island now offers the curious traveller a destination like no other, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to marvel at the island’s archaeological and natural wonders.

Easter Island Spirit  is a highly specialized and professional tour company, based locally on the island, and thus able to offer a truly dedicated and authentic experience to each of our guests.

We invite you to explore these pages and find out just how good your Easter Island trip could be.

Easter island spirit.

TU’U KOIHU S/N , HANGA ROA

Zip code / postal code: 2770000, [email protected].

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Easter Island Tours

Tailor-made Itineraries by Local Experts

Discover the fascinating archaeological heritage of a remote polynesian civilization with our private and small group Easter Island tours. Often referred to as the world's largest open-air museum, Easter Island boasts some of the world’s most fascinating archeological treasures scattered across stunning scenery. Travelers often describe Easter Island as hauntingly beautiful. With archaeological treasures, riveting volcano hikes, and picturesque beaches, Easter Island offers an incredible number of attractions for visitors to explore. Contact us to start planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip to this unforgettable island in the South Pacific.

Join small or private group tours.

Great hotels with superior attention.

Founded in 1998, look at our amazing testimonials.

Fully Customizable Tours

Let our team of expert travel advisors help build your dream trip to South America. Our fully customizable vacation packages allow you to hand-pick the destinations you wish to see at the exact pace you wish to see them. All of our offerings are also vetted firsthand by our team to ensure top quality and comfort. Contact one of our travel experts today to start planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip!

Enchanted Easter Island & Santiago

Santiago and Easter Island 6 Days $ xxx -->

Fly from mainland Chile to a remote archipelago that captivates archeologists and travelers alike.

What to Do in Easter Island

Explore the mysterious monumental statues and fabulous scenery of the remote Easter Island. Your Latin America For Less travel advisor can help you create the perfect itinerary tailored to your interests and preferences.

Rano Raraku Quarry

The highlight of any Easter Island tour is visiting the enormous statues known as moais which lie scattered across the landscape. At the Rano Raraku quarry, you can see over 300 moais in various stages of completion.

Orongo Ceremonial Village

Poised on the edge of the Rano Kau crater, the Orongo ceremonial village boasts one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes. Here you can visit the altar where bird cult rituals were performed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Scuba Dive in Motu Nui

Motu Nui is the largest of the three islets found on Easter Island, and a great place to strap on your snorkel or scuba gear and dive into crystal clear blue waters to explore the wealth of fish, algae, rocks and coral in this diverse area.

Customize Your Trip

Adventure Tours

Ask your Latin America For Less travel advisor about how you can add some extra adventure to your personalized itinerary. Get your adrenaline pumping with hikes and multi-day treks, jungle expeditions, white water rafting trips, mountain biking tours and more. We are experts in planning personalized travel experiences in Latin America, so talk to one of our advisors today to start planning your adventure.

Cultural Tours

Ask your Latin America For Less travel advisor about adding cultural tours and experiences to your personalized itinerary. Discover the rich cultures of Latin America and learn about the unique customs and traditions maintained by its people. We are experts in planning personalized travel experiences in Latin America, so talk to one of our advisors today to start planning your cultural tour.

Spa & Wellness Tours

Ask your Latin America For Less travel advisor about how you can add spa & wellness tours to your personalized itinerary. Take advantage of a free day to enjoy some rest and relaxation at a resort, or visit a spa to unwind after a long day of exploring. We are experts in planning personalized travel experiences in Latin America, so talk to one of our advisors to start planning your spa & wellness tour.

Ask your Latin America For Less travel advisor about how you can add food tours and culinary experiences to your personalized itinerary. Discover the unique cuisines of Latin America and enjoy exclusive visits to some of the world’s top restaurants. We are experts in planning personalized travel experiences in Latin America, so talk to one of our travel advisors today to start planning your food tour.

Family & Friend Tours

Ask your Latin America For Less travel advisor about how you can add family-friendly tours to your itinerary. Our team can help you build the perfect trip for your family, whether your group has small children, teenagers, senior citizens, or all of the above. We are experts in planning personalized travel experiences in Latin America, so talk to one of our travel advisors today to start planning your family tour.

Explore Chile

With a fascinating culture and some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes, Chile offers countless wonderful destinations for travelers. Discover some of the best places to visit in Chile below.

Arica, the “city of eternal spring” and gateway to Lauca National Park, is the capital of the north country and famous for long, lazy beaches and a rich cultural history.

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San Pedro de Atacama

The driest desert in the world, the Atacama Desert is also one of the most beautiful with exciting destinations like the Valley of the Moon, the salt lakes and Tatio Geysers.

Hit the slopes in Chillan, one of Chile's top ski and snowboard resorts and home to the longest run in South America at eight miles. At night, soak in the natural thermal baths.

Punta Arenas

The southernmost city on mainland South America, Punta Arenas overlooks the historic Strait of Magellan and the beautiful jagged peaks and white landscapes of Patagonia.

Puerto Montt

With its absolutely stunning location on the Gulf of Ancud, Puerto Montt will lead you directly to the Lake District and the arresting landscapes of verdant valleys, striking mountains and beautiful lakes.

Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park, and arguably Patagonia’s most spectacular place to visit with immense sweeping landscapes that leave long-lasting impressions.

The metropolitan Chilean capital, Santiago is a vibrant cultural hub with fascinating history and lively nightlife, surrounded by world-class skiing and wine valleys.

The bustling port city of Iquique is the ideal base to explore the massive geoglyphs, nitrate ghost towns, and thermal baths of the Chilean desert.

Valparaiso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and coastal, bohemian city with a peculiar charm that has made it a favorite of writers, artists, and poets for centuries.

La Serena is located in the Elqui Valley and one of the most beautiful cities in Chile with picturesque churches, sandy beaches, and some of the clearest skies in the world.

Shared by Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is a wild land of cleaving glaciers, deep forests, and piercingly blue waters that offers countless opportunities for sightseeing, nature watching, trekking and more.

Easter Island Hotels

Discover the best places to stay on Easter Island with our top pick Easter Island hotels.

Hotel Altiplanico

Lote E, sector Hinere, Hanga Roa, Easter Island 2770000

Hotel Altiplanico combines a sleek, modern design imitating the style of a traditional Easter Island boathouse and the comfort of home. This hotel strives to commune with its natural environment and is a model for efficiency and quality. Enjoy lush gardens, a beautiful swimming pool overlooking the sea and large open spaces. Rooms are independent units with private terraces and entrances, with a bathroom and shower opening to the exterior making you feel closer to nature. With its huge secluded property and first rate service, Hotel Altiplanico is the perfect place to stay on your Easter Island vacation.

Hotel Iorana

Ana Magaro S/n, Hanga Roa, Easter Island

Conveniently located just outside the center of Hanga Roa, guests at Hotel Iorana can marvel at the stunning landscapes of Easter Island right outside their window. Hotel Iorana is a comfortable family-run hotel committed to making you feel at home during your stay.

Hotel O’tai

Te Pito o Te Henua s/n, Easter Island

For more than 40 years Hotel O'tai has been treating its guests to the best possible Easter Island vacation experience. All rooms are equipped with a private bathroom and terrace to make your stay more enjoyable in this beautiful floral setting radiating tranquility and peace. The outdoor swimming pool is nestled amidst a lush garden, maintaining this hotel’s fine blend of rustic feel and luxurious amenities. The restaurant serves traditional island cuisine in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Thanks for putting together a great itinerary. I had a fabulous time. Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Santiago de Chile each were exciting and interesting in their own way and greatly exceeded my expectations!

New Mexico, USA

We are back in Malta! We would like to thank you and your team for a most enjoyable vacation. Considering the many countries (Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil) we visited, and the 14 flights we took, all went well.

Our trip was incredibly successful in three different countries: Chile, Brazil and Peru. And in every instance, the coordination of details and execution were impeccably accurate regardless of the country visited.

What are Machu Picchu’s operating hours?

Machu Picchu is open from 6:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. every day including weekends and holidays.

Which Machu Picchu tour is best for adrenaline seekers?

The Machu Picchu ruins have two on-site hikes: Huayna Picchu Mountain and Machu Picchu Mountain. Both can be combined with a Machu Picchu tour and take 2–3 and 4–5 hours to complete, respectively. For even more adventure, you can hike over multiple days to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail, Lares or Salkantay treks.

Where should I stay if I spend multiple days at Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu hotel and hostel options are plentiful in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the Machu Picchu ruins. Our Top Pick hotels here are:

• 5-Star Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
• 4-Star El Mapi
• 3-Star Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu
• 2-Star Waman Hotel

How many days do I need to tour Machu Picchu?

1–2 days. Two days and one night is the best amount of time to tour Machu Picchu at a leisurely pace: one day to arrive by train and another for the tour and return to Cusco. A whirlwind one-day Machu Picchu tour from Cusco is possible but it will be a long 16–17 hour day.

How long is a guided tour of Machu Picchu?

A guided tour of Machu Picchu is 2 hours long. The ruins operate on a one way circuit that leads to the exit of the ruins and re-entry is not allowed with a Machu Picchu general entrance ticket.

What will I see on a Machu Picchu tour?

A tour of Machu Picchu includes stops at the Guardhouse, agricultural zone, main gate, fountains, tower, temple zone, Temple of the Three Windows, astronomical observatory, Sacred Rock, Group of Three Doorways, royal enclosures, Temple of the Condor and storage area. You will also have views of the west agricultural zone and main square while walking through the ruins.

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Documents and requirements to travel to Easter Island in 2024

Find out all the information about the necessary documents and requirements to travel to Easter Island in 2024 . It includes the new law 21,070 for tourist entry.

New law 21.070 to protect Rapa Nui

Update of covid-19 requirements to enter easter island, documents and requirements for chileans, documents and requirements for foreigners, passengers from santiago de chile, passengers from tahiti, cruise passengers, easter island, a dream and fragile destination.

As it happens in other areas of the planet, Easter Island has experienced a fast tourist growth in recent years . Low cost flights, offers and tour packages, along with the national and international promotion of Rapa Nui through fairs, events, media and social networks have managed to position this remote and unique territory as one of the destinations dreamed by many travelers.

Currently Easter Island receives more than 100,000 tourists each year. This figure, which may seem modest compared to other consolidated destinations, involves a considerable number of visitors compared to those received a few years ago.

This increase in tourists has favored the economy and the development of the island, improving the living conditions of its inhabitants and their purchasing power. However, this rapid growth also represents a threat to a very vulnerable ecosystem due to its small size and extreme isolation .

The increase in waste , the scarcity of water resources and the overpopulation of the urban nucleus are some of the problems that development has brought with it. For this reason, the authorities and the Rapanui citizens have decided to control the growing flow of tourists and residents before it is too late.

On August 1, 2018, the new law No. 21,070 came into force that regulates the exercise of the rights to reside, stay and move to and from the special territory of Easter Island.

The intention of this new regulation is to favor a harmonious and sustainable development of the territory and protect the island from a possible collapse due to saturation of inhabitants, visitors and vehicles.

The text of Law 21.070 indicates that every person, Chilean or foreigner, will have the right to enter and remain on the island for a maximum period of 30 days , extendable under certain conditions. The exception will be given to people who meet special requirements, for example: for the exercise of some economic activity; by a family relationship; by labor ties; or by the exercise of any public function in organs of the State.

On December 1, 2022 , the Chilean Ministry of Health reported that due to the considerable improvement in epidemiological conditions on Easter Island , the current sanitary measures for the transfer of people to Rapa Nui are updated. So, according to the new resolution No. 1645, all visitors must comply with the following security protocol:

The Chilean Ministry of Health decided in 2023 to eliminate any restrictions on the transfer of people to Rapa Nui in relation to Covid-19.

1. National and foreign passengers traveling by air or sea from the national territory to Easter Island DO NOT need to take any PCR test prior to boarding .

2. National and foreign passengers who travel to Easter Island DO NOT need to present the certificate that certifies their vaccination schedule against Covid-19 .

A new law to protect Rapa Nui

The new law 21.070, which regulates residence and permanence in Rapa Nui, indicates that every person, Chilean or foreigner, will have the right to enter and stay on the island for a maximum period of 30 days , extendable under certain conditions. The exception will be given for people who meet special requirements, for example: for the exercise of some economic activity; for a family relationship; for labor ties; or for the exercise of some public function in organs of the State.

On this page we only talk about how the new law affects the transit and stay of tourists who are going to visit the island. We do not address issues related to residency on Easter Island.

Those who want to know more about the new law can download the official document for reading.

Download law No. 21.070

For practical purposes, the vast majority of domestic and foreign tourists who will travel to Easter Island will hardly notice any difference with respect to the previous regulations.

According to the statistics, the average stay of most visitors is less than a week, they buy a round trip ticket (Santiago-Easter Island-Santiago) and they come with the accommodation booked in advance. So, in general, tourists already comply with the new law, will only be affected by a bit more bureaucracy and a slightly longer waiting times at the airport.

Below we explain the documents and requirements that visitors, both national and foreign, must meet in order to visit Easter Island today.

According to Article 7 of Law No. 21,070, for Chilean citizens can enter Easter Island must submit the following documents:

• a) Identity card or passport according to the current general regulations.
• b) Return ticket from Easter Island , which allows the effective fulfillment of the term provided in article 5 (30 calendar days).
• c) Reservation in authorized establishment by Sernatur to provide tourist accommodation services, proving the place where they will stay during their stay in Easter Island, or letter of invitation from any of the people referred to in article 6 (persons authorized to stay for over the period maximum of thirty days) or of a person belonging to the Rapanui people. The regulation will regulate the form of authorization of these accommodations and the way in which they will be disseminated to the people who require it.
• d) Unique Entry Form (FUI) . You can enter the data digitally here and avoid this procedure at the airport. After filling the form, you will receive a confirmation email that must be submitted to the PDI at the airport. You can also ask for the printed form in the counter and present a copy.

What document does a Chilean child need to present to enter Easter Island as a tourist?

Minors of Chilean origin must present the same documents as an adult as we have seen in the previous section.

In addition, due to the many doubts or contradictory information that parents hear, it is important to clarify that when a minor of Chilean nationality is accompanied by only one of the parents, he does NOT need a notarial permission to travel to Easter Island . Although Easter Island is a territory considered special, it still belongs to the Chilean state and therefore the Chilean law governs.

The notarial authorization is only necessary when a minor travels abroad. This would be the case of a minor accompanied by a parent whose final destination was Tahiti in French Polynesia and who stopped at the Easter Island airport. Then it would be necessary to request the power of attorney to leave the country.

Foreign citizens wishing to travel to Easter Island have to meet the general requirements of Extranjería (Immigration department) to enter Chile and also the requested documentation according to article 7 of law No. 21,070.

Documents to travel to Easter Island

In addition to the general requirements for entry into Chile discussed in the following paragraphs, foreign citizens wishing to enter Easter Island must submit the following documents:

• d) Rapa Nui Entry Form (IRN) . You can enter the data digitally here and avoid this procedure at the airport. After filling the form, you will receive a confirmation email that must be submitted to the PDI at the airport. You can also ask for the printed form in the counter and present a copy.

It should be remembered that although a foreign tourist can stay 90 days in Chilean territory, the new law 20,070 that comes into force on August 1, 2018 restricts the stay in Easter Island to a maximum of 30 days, as it is considered a territory special.

Information and documentation to travel to Chile

The general requirements for foreign tourists to access the country are explained below.

Who are considered “tourists” in Chile?

Foreigners who enter the country for recreation, sports, health, studies, business management, family, religious or similar purposes; without purpose of immigration, residence or development of remunerated activities.

All tourists must prove, when the police authority deems it appropriate, that they have enough economic means to survive during their stay in the country.

What documents must an adult present to enter Chile as a tourist?

• The current passport, which must be presented to the International Police at the time of your entry.
• Citizens residing in the following countries can enter Chile as tourists presenting their current National Identity Document: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. However, if these people wish to apply later for a temporary residence visa from Chile, their passport will be required.

What document does a minor need to present to enter Chile as a tourist?

a) If the child is traveling accompanied by both parents, the following documentation must be presented:

• Passport or National Identity Document depending on the country of origin.
• Birth certificate or family notebook, in original, attaching three simple photocopies.

b) If the child is traveling accompanied only by one of their parents, the following documentation must ne presented:

• Passport or National Identity Document, depending on the country of origin.
• Notarial authorization of the father who does not travel, giving his consent for the departure of the minor, or the authorization of the corresponding Family Court, in original and three simple photocopies in any of the two cases.
• Death certificate, in case one of the parents is deceased, in original enclosing three simple photocopies.

c) If the child does not travel accompanied by their parents, the following documentation must ne presented:

• Notarial authorization of both parents, giving their consent for the departure of the child, in original plus three simple photocopies.
• Death certificate in case both parents are deceased, in original enclosing three simple photocopies.
• Authorization of the Family Court that corresponds, delivering the consent for the trip of the child, in original and three simple photocopies.

In the case of minors residing in Chile, action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of law N ° 16.618 in article 49: It is not necessary to legalize before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the notarial travel authorizations for minors who leave the country without their parents or legal guardian, except if the minor is going to settle abroad.

Is it necessary to carry out any procedure or request an authorization before entering Chile as a tourist?

As a general rule, no visa or prior authorization is required to enter Chile as a tourist.

The citizens of South America, the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia do not need a visa as a tourist. However, citizens of some countries must pay a cash fee (reciprocity tax) when entering by plane to Chile, a measure that is being phased out to favor tourism.

For residents of some countries it is necessary to request an authorization, called “Tourist Visa” ( See list of countries that require a tourist visa) that must be requested at any Chilean consulate or via online .

It is recommended that people wishing to travel to Chile as tourists, approach the Chilean Consulate of their country of residence to learn about the entry requirements to the country.

How long can I stay in Chile as a tourist?

90 days from the date of entry into the country. However, the authority may exceptionally limit the stay of the tourist for a shorter period. The maximum time a foreigner stays as a tourist in Chile can be consulted here .

What should I do to extend my stay as a tourist in Chile?

There are two alternatives:

• Request an extension of tourism: if the authority limited its stay to a period of less than 90 days. Procedure exempt from payment. See requirements .
• Request an extension of tourism: To stay for an additional period of 90 days. This procedure is carried out within the last 30 days of validity of the tourism term. The amount to be paid is US $ 100 (equivalent in Chilean pesos) and is normally delivered for an additional 90 days. See requirements . See dollar value .

Both procedures are carried out in the Immigration Department of Santiago or in the governorate of each province . You can reserve your attention hour here .

What should I do if my period of stay as a tourist has expired and I need to leave Chile?

You must go to the Department of Immigration of Santiago or the nearest provincial government to apply the penalty and be granted the authorization that will allow you to leave the country. It is very important that you consider that this procedure can NOT be carried out at the exit points, neither at the airports nor at the land border crossings.

Entrance procedure to Easter Island

Most of the national and foreign tourists who arrive at Easter Island by plane embark in Santiago de Chile. The control of the documentation in the airport of Santiago de Chile will be carried out to all the passengers, national and foreign, of the following form:

• 1. The passenger will approach as usual to the LATAM airline counter (the only airline that flies to Easter Island) to check-in for your flight to Rapa Nui. There the personnel of LATAM will deliver a form to each passenger, both national and foreign. This must fill out with your name, surname, nationality, travel document number (identity card or passport), and the name of the accommodation where you made the reservation.
• 2. After completing the check-in and with the completed form, the passenger will approach a counter / kiosk of PDI (Chilean Police), where the information contained in the form will be inspected. Only passengers who have reservations in accommodations registered by Sernatur or who present a personalized invitation letter from a citizen of Rapa Nui origin may enter.
• 3. Then the passenger will go to the departure lounge to await the flight.

Passengers arriving at Easter Island from the Papeete airport in Tahiti (French Polynesia) must present the necessary documentation at the Mataveri airport on Easter Island.

Passengers who arrive by plane to Easter Island and embark on a cruise to continue their journey or those who arrive with a cruise with stopover on the island and embark on a plane to continue their journey must present a document that endorses enter or leave the island with such a cruise. This document will be used to verify that they are staying in the vessel and to verify their date of departure from Rapa Nui.

The Investigative Police (PDI) will be in charge of registering all the visitors when they arrive to the island and verify that they leave it within the established period, for which they will have a list of the residents.

You may also like

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• Download for free our Easter Island App

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Easter Island Tours & Trips

If you are up for an exotic adventure far, far away, consider one of our tours to the Easter Islands . This chilean piece of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is known for Moai, human figures carved in stone by the Rana Nui people. You can start your adventure in Santiago or directly in Hanga Roa.

15 Easter Island tour packages with 17 reviews

• In-depth Cultural
• Sightseeing
• Christmas & New Year

6-Days trip to Easter Island

Magnificent, incredible, indescribable and unrepeatable, I highly recommend doing this incredible tour. You will not regret from minute 0 this is the best.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Easter Island Discovery (4 Days)

5 Days Magical Easter Island

This tour was great! Accommodations were great, tours were well spaced out and included all the must sees and there was plenty of down time to explore the island and Hanga Roa on your own. Almost everyone took credit card, so we didn't use our CLP as much as we thought we would and with the introduction of Starlink internet, I was able to connect and work during my time in Easter Island. Highly recommend!

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Short Break

Great hotel. Great tour. Local tour guides were fantastic

Easter Island: Archeology & Sunset with Moais

Above and beyond our what we expected. Wonderful tour guide Martín spoke great English and explained things and gave lots of time for pictures.

Easter Island Unmissable - 4 days

7 Days Discover the Mystical Easter Islands

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Rapa Nui Experience (4Days/3Nights)

The tour was excellent thanks to the local provider - MAHAKITOUR and the guide Daniela. She really knows the history of the Rapa Nui people. Having a great passion for the heritage of the Island, Daniela told a lot of interesting stories. Was a great three days. The Moai statues are amazing and the history is dramatic and enthralling

The Mysteries of Rapa Nui

4-Day Easter Island Adventure Tour

Easter Island Experience 4D/3N

Excellent communication and explanation when visiting heritage sites

4-Day Trip Best of Easter Island

4-Days trip to Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

The Easter Island - 3 days

Independent Santiago City Stay with Easter Island

Excellent. Guide and driver were helpful and knowledgeable. They helped us through the whole process and with the multiple transfers in our trip

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How Easter Island has changed since pandemic

Following one of the longest quarantines in the world, the authorities of the island are considering curbing the pre-pandemic tourist turmoil.

As the first commercial plane descended on Chile’s Easter Island on August 4, after 872 days of closure due to the pandemic , the passengers crowded the windows to photograph it as if they were facing some rare species in the middle of a safari. It was understandable: in addition to the uniqueness of being one of the most isolated inhabited corners of the planet, as well as its enigmatic sculptures carved in volcanic stone, for two and a half years the pandemic had completely cut off tourism to the island, its economic mainstay. Its inhabitants were isolated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was a bubble of 7,000 people that was only punctured at the beginning of this month. And on that island, which is also known as Rapa Nui (the navel of the world), the first visitors discovered that something had changed.

After the island closed, the tourists disappeared and, with them, the source of income for 75% of the population. Practically nobody cultivated the land anymore, and there was a significant shortage of products. “Tourism had us dazzled. People thought: tourism brings money, and money buys eggs. What do I want chickens for?” explains Julio Hotus, general secretary of the Council of Elders.

The people turned to the sea for food. A deep blue sea in which you can easily see 30 meters away. Divers claim that once you submerge into the waters of Easter Island, the rest of the world seems black and white. People also began to grow their own food. Today, there are 1,200 urban gardens thanks to the help of the municipality. “We reconnected with each other. Went back to family events. To cooking curanto [a dish with spiritual dimensions], to fish, to dive, to walk around the island. We went back to the places that had been occupied by tourists,” says Uko Tongariki Tuki, the municipality’s tourism chief.

Two weekly flights

In August, LATAM airlines resumed the route with two weekly flights. The plan is to gradually add more. Before the pandemic , there were 10, plus the charter flights and cruise ships. Easter Island, with a surface of 164 square kilometers, used to receive 156,000 yearly visitors, which translated into $120 million for its economy.

Tourism has also been a launch pad for the newer generations. Thanks to this solid source of income, many young people have been able to study in universities on the mainland and travel. “In order to achieve a balance, we are working with the different players in the industry. In these meetings we ask ourselves if 14 weekly flights are necessary, or if opening a new hotel is responsible,” explains Uko.

Mayor Pedro Edmunds is aware that the new phase must be based on sustainability – the optimization of water and energy, but also of human resources. “We were wrong, we were going in the wrong direction and the pandemic made us realize that,” he says. “We came to the conclusion that tourism had blinded us. We were being a bit hypocritical by telling what the island was about without actually living it ourselves.”

A “tourist” identity

For Hotus, a Rapa Nui councilor, the island is divided into two types of people: those from a more popular neighborhood, who are more rooted in traditions, and those who have more contact with the outsiders and the tourist business community. “Tourism is shaping the identity of the Rapanui people. Tourism tells us how we should function. We are not a tourist proposal; we are an answer,” he says.

The problems that the people of Easter Island face, such as violence and the consumption of alcohol or drugs – points out psychologist Domingo Izquierdo – have a lot to do with an identity crisis, a loss of roots. “These are the consequences of a process that has ended up building a tourist identity above its ancestral essence,” says Izquierdo.

Tourism has been a springboard for new generations. Thanks to this solid source of income, many young people have been able to educate themselves in universities on the mainland and travel. “To achieve balance, we are working with the different players in the industry. In these meetings, we ask ourselves if 14 flights a week are necessary or if it is responsible to open a new hotel”, describes Uko. The mayor is clear that the new stage must be based on sustainability. The optimization of water and energy, but also of human resources.

During the pandemic, nearly 2,000 inhabitants left the island, most of the conti , as the islanders refer to Chileans living on the mainland. "Before we looked for solutions to our problems abroad, now we want to train and specialize our people," adds Edmunds.

The “tourist” identity

For Hotus, a Rapa Nui councilor, the island is divided into two types of people: those from a more popular neighborhood, who are more rooted in traditions, and those who have more contact with outsiders and the tourist business community. “It is so much that tourism is shaping the identity of the Rapanui people. Tourism tells us how we should function. We are not a tourist proposal, we are an answer,” he says over a fresh tuna lunch at the Topa Ra’a seaside restaurant, where waiters are eager to serve visitors again.

The problems faced by the people of Easter Island, such as violence and the consumption of alcohol or drugs, “have a lot to do with an identity crisis, a loss of roots,” says psychologist Domingo Izquierdo. “These are consequences of a process that has ended up building a tourist identity, above its ancestral essence,” says Izquierdo, who cares for patients through a municipal program in a house open to the people, where therapies can be developed under an avocado or with your feet in the sand.

One of the great causes of the Council of Elders, which watches over the rights of the Rapanui people before the Chilean state, is the preservation of their language, which is of Polynesian origin. Nowadays, fewer and fewer young people learn it. In their own homes, they prioritize Spanish or English, because it is “more useful.” Only 10% of those under the age of 18 speak Rapanui, according to UNESCO.

Polynesian dances are one of the most sought-after tourist attractions. The energetic traditional dances can rekindle the spirit of the most exhausted traveler at the end of the day. Men and women, with painted and feathered bodies, move in such a way that it would seem that they have the drums inside their hips and a ukulele in their knees and wrists.

Maima Rapu is a teacher at the Kari Kari cultural ballet, the oldest on the island and the only academy that continued to teach during the pandemic. Earlier this month, the Kari Kari ballet was finally able to perform again in front of an audience. Among the spectators were some of the 258 people who arrived on the first commercial flight. Some of them were relatives of the islanders, parents who had not seen their children in more than a year and foreigners who had their ticket since 2020.

The Rapanui, eager to see new faces and to reactivate their economy after one of the longest quarantines in the world, have reopened their doors with the intention of changing their relationship with tourism. And those who know this 100% indigenous territory in depth, assure that nothing can be done against the intentions of the island.

Maima Rapu, 42, is a teacher at the Kari Kari cultural ballet, the oldest on the island and the only academy that continued to teach during the pandemic. “For us, dance and percussion are a means to interest young people in picking up their language, which we also teach them, because you can’t really dance if you don’t understand what is being sung,” she explains.

Last Friday, the Kari Kari ballet was finally able to perform again in front of the public. Among the spectators were some of the 258 people who arrived on the first commercial flight. Among the passengers were relatives of the islanders, parents who had not seen their children in more than a year and foreigners who had the ticket since 2020. All were greeted with cheers and applause from a group that approached the Mataveri international airport, and with cheerful flower leis delivered by the reception team.

The Rapanui, eager to see new faces and revive their economy after one of the longest quarantines in the world, have reopened their doors with the intention of changing their relationship with tourism. And, those who know this indigenous community, say there is nothing that the island always achieves its goals.

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Easter Island

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Travel Destination

The land with an infinite variety of natural beauties. From its renowned moai statues that stand like vigilant guardians to the boundless vistas of the Pacific Ocean, this remote utopia presents an array of stunning sights.

High Season

Nov to March

Easter Island Highlights

Moai, rapa nui culture, turquoise horizons, pacific rhythms, volcanic tales, hidden mysteries and much more than that..

Easter Island, a world apart, steeped in enigma. From the captivating Moai to the vibrant North, where sunlit days paint the landscape in hues of life and wonder. Rainforests and volcanic landscapes hold secrets of ages past.

Warmth, joy, island spirit, and traditions woven into every soul. These words echo the way we are, inviting you to embrace the rhythm of Rapa Nui.

Travel Ideas

Planning a trip to easter island is super interesting due to the wide variety of activities you can do. .

Easter Island welcomes you to a journey of amazement and exploration. From the quiet beauty of the Moai to lively cultural celebrations, this isolated paradise presents a range of experiences that speak to your spirit. Whether you crave ancient secrets or peaceful moments by the beach, Easter Island invites you to discover its distinct character in a manner that suits your preferences.

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Iberá wetlands: nature and wildlife, colombia, tropical & cultural, horseback riding through iberá wetlands, exclusive iberá, travel ideas by duration.

It doesn’t matter if you plan to visit the Atacama Desert for 2 days or for more than 15! It is a destination so rich in experiences that it adapts to you perfectly. Whether to get up at dawn to enjoy the spectacle starring the steam fumaroles from the craters of El Tatio as soon as the sun rises, or contemplate the strange rock formations and dunes of the Valle de la Luna, Valle de Marte and the Cordillera de la Salt.

Travel Tips

Our main travel tips to enjoy a complete experience in easter island. learn more about the best season to visit this destination, currency, electrical connections, means of transport and much more.

Step into the magical world of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island – a fascinating gem in the enormous expanse of the Pacific Ocean. With an area of only 64 square miles, it contains marvels that go beyond its size.

Inhabited by mysterious moai statues, these enormous sculptures, some weighing 75 tons, encourage you to uncover their mysteries . Situated over 2,000 miles distant from the closest land, Easter Island’s remoteness gave rise to a distinct culture, resonating through its music, dances, and artwork.

Beyond the famous moai statues lie unspoilt beaches with crystal-clear waters, ideal for snorkelling and diving. Discover vibrant coral reefs that few have ever seen.Indulge in a fusion of Polynesian and Chilean flavours when trying the local cuisine.

Easter Island offers more than just a holiday destination; it’s a journey through time. Explore the mystery of the moai statues and enjoy the secluded landscapes whilst being embraced by the warmth of the island’s people. Explore the captivating magic of Easter Island and be left yearning for more.

Best time to go.

The ideal time for a visit to Easter Island is during the transitional seasons of spring (September to November) and autumn. During these months, the weather is usually nice, with mild temperatures and less humidity, and you’ll also come across fewer tourists than in the busy summer season. This makes it perfect for discovering the island’s ancient treasures and taking part in outdoor pursuits.

Remember that the weather on Easter Island can be unstable due to its remote location in the Pacific Ocean.

November to March

The weather is warmer, making it appealing for outdoor activities and beach relaxation. Busy season.

April to October

The island experiences cooler temperatures and higher chances of rain. You can enjoy a more tranquil experience with fewer tourists.

Health & Clothing

It’s best to dress in layers. Hat & Sunscreen (factor 35 or higher). Waterproof coat / jacket or rain poncho. Comfortable pants. Insect repellent & personal medications.

Sea Sickness

Due to the movement of the sea. Eat light. Fresh air and looking at the horizon usually helps. Check with your doctor before coming if in doubt.

Useful information

Documentation.

Change & Payment Methods

A valid Passport. Most countries in America and Western Europe do not require a visa. Insurance information.

April to September

Peso Chileno. Major credit cards are widely accepted.

Limits and Restrictions

Chilean flights allow, as their restrictions are limited to 50 pounds (23 kg) per person.

Electricity

Plug & Voltage

Chile: 220 V – 60 Hz. Plugs Type C / I

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