Worldly Adventurer

Easter Island Travel Essentials: Everything to Know Before You Go

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 14th November 2023

With its mysterious, stoic moai  watching over the island and craterous, seemingly barren landscapes that hint at a turbid, fascinating history, Easter Island** (aka Isla de Pascua as it’s known in Spanish or Rapa Nui as is its local name) captivates most travelers.

The idea of visiting the staggeringly remote Easter Island is one that drives many tourists to Chile, making it one of the country’s most popular things to do .

But it’s a notoriously expensive South American destination and one that is commonly believed to be difficult to visit without spending a fortune.

Luckily, this isn’t true.

As I found out on my trip to Easter Island, there are plenty of ways that you can explore this 163 square kilometer island without forking out thousands of dollars.

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Know before you go: Easter Island

COVID-19 update: Rapa Nui/Easter Island reopened to visitors on August 5th, 2022. Entry requirements include proof of vaccination, a single entry form , proof of reservation with a hotel or tour operator, plus various other requirements. Find the full list here .

Why you should add Easter Island to your itinerary

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as the locals know it, is a remote island located in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,500km from mainland Chile (or a five+ hour flight) and visiting is definitely one of the things you should do in Chile . 

It’s Chile’s most enigmatic island. The story of a civilization driven to the brink of extinction continues to attract visitors intrigued by the mystery that surrounds the 887 moai , the famed monolithic human figures that were carved between 1,250 AD and 1,500 AD from volcanic tuffstone monoliths and populate the island’s coasts.

The moai are easily the island’s biggest attraction and have the most fascinating histories. One of my guides even pointed out a moai on one of the most visited ahu , the restored Ahu Tongariki, and told me had been carved to represent one of his ancestors.

For others, the appeal of Rapa Nui lies in its distance from the rest of the world. It is the most remote inhabited island on earth; its nearest neighbors are on Pitcairn Island, 2,000 kilometers (1242 miles) northwest.

But what is the cultural significance of the moai?

Believed to have been carved by inhabitants of the island between 1250 and 1500, the moai represent tribal chiefs and are symbolic of both political and religious power. 

Ahu Tahai at sunset

When a chief passed away, they would be buried or cremated under the ahu, the platform on which the moai sat, and it was believed that their spirits were housed in their unique moai. With the chief becoming a divine presence in death, the moai provided a spiritual force for natives, serving and guiding those who were left behind.

To this day, the moai hold great significance to locals, and it is forbidden to touch them.

After a day of visiting the moai figures, keep your eyes peeled for petroglyphs – these rock carvings may be a little trickier to find compared to the moai, but are still well worth trying to locate.

Yes, Machu Picchu is incredible, but I do think Chile has a punt at being named one of the best South American countries for archeology – and living history, too .

Where exactly is Easter Island?

Easter Island is located in the Pacific Ocean and the nearest land masses are the Pitcairn Islands, 1,931 kilometers west.

However, Easter Island officially belongs to Chile, even though it lies exactly 3,746 kilometers west of the country.

Ovahe beach, Easter Island, Chile

Strangely enough, the islands are part of the Valparaiso Region , even though they are geographically closer to the Atacama Region if you were to draw a line due west to mainland Chile.

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Do people still live on Easter Island?

Yes, Easter Island is still inhabited! Using radiocarbon dating, archaeologists now believe that the first colonizers of the island, explorers from Polynesia, arrived on Easter Island sometime around 1,200 AD.

These initial settlers organized themselves into mata or tribes and survived through innovative agricultural practices until the arrival of the European colonizers on Easter Sunday in the year 1722 – a date that explains the island’s English – and colonial – name.

Although estimates for the size of the population on Easter Island range wildly, from 1,000 to 17,500, what is known is that slave raids by Spanish-owned Peru and the introduction of diseases nearly exterminated the entire population of the island in the 19th century.

A fallen moai in front of the famous Ahu Tongariki on Easter Island, Chile

At present, population levels are around 7,000, and law changes have been introduced to make it harder for foreigners and Chileans to move to the island due to concerns about population increases and the environmental consequences of this.

When I visited Easter Island, the most fascinating part of my trip was the chance to talk to the local Rapanui people.

Misconceptions have long plagued the history of this Pacific Island, and arguably the best way to learn about the real history of its people is by talking to them.

Top Easter Island travel tip : The island and its people are notoriously closed to foreigners and I certainly found it difficult to get residents to talk to me. However, most guides are very welcoming and really happy to talk if you show interest in the Rapa Nui culture. Spanish goes a long way here as few people speak much English.

How to get to Easter Island

The initial act of getting to Easter Island will be the biggest expense of your trip.

Although the romanticized idea still exists among travelers that it’s possible to travel to Easter Island aboard the Aquiles, a vessel operated by the Chilean Navy, it actually only departs around twice a year from Valparaíso and is almost exclusively reserved for Naval personnel and other people on official business.

The journey to Easter Island aboard this ship also takes seven days through open waters – so it’s only really suited to those with particularly strong sea legs.

Another way to reach Easter Island is with a cruise, but you’re looking at paying at least a few thousand dollars for cruises that merely take you from Valparaiso to the island or vice versa.

As a result, the only practical way of traveling to Easter Island is by plane. Be aware that flights are regularly delayed due to high winds, meaning you may find yourself waiting around in Santiago or on the island itself for an additional day.

Top Easter Island travel tip: Make sure to book a window seat on the left-hand side of the plane on the way there and back for the best views. You fly right over the island and make a turn southeast across the ocean to finally land from the west at Mataveri International Airport, the only airport on Easter Island. When you leave, you take off east, so again you get views right across the island from the left-hand window.

How to fly to Easter Island 

LATAM is the only airline that flies to Easter Island. Their planes depart from Santiago with a flight time of around six hours on the outward journey. 

On the way back to Santiago, the flight time is only four and a half hours thanks to prevailing winds.

Getting to Easter Island from Chile is relatively straightforward as these flights leave up to three times daily in high season (October through April) and up to twice daily (Wednesdays and Sundays) in low season (May through September).

Flight schedules are slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, with lots of flights now available (a few times per week from early December and then close to daily going forwards).

A top knot or pukao at the quarry at Puna Pau

There is also one weekly flight from Papeete (Tahiti) in French Polynesia to Easter Island on Tuesdays (returning the following Monday). For this flight, you can expect to pay around $700,000 CLP ($1,050 USD) return.

Easter Island plane tickets can be horribly expensive, particularly during high season, although January and February, in particular, see elevated prices as these are the school holiday months and prime vacation time for Chileans.

However, cheap flights to Easter Island from Santiago are possible, particularly if you can be flexible with your dates.

When I visited in June (admittedly the very low season but still a good time to go to Easter Island as I’ll discuss below), I snagged flights for $217,000 CLP ($332 USD), a practically unheard-of price.

It’s unlikely you’ll get flights to Easter Island anywhere within this price range in high season, however, it isn’t always the case that you’ll be paying upwards of $800,000 CLP ($1,200 USD).

How to secure cheap flights to Rapa Nui

Often the best way to get cheap flights is to book well in advance and this can certainly be the case for Easter Island.

However, if you’re flexible and not quite sure of the exact dates you plan to be traveling, the cheapest way to get to Easter Island is by downloading the free app Hopper .

I love this app – mostly because it’s helped me to get extremely cheap flights on a number of occasions.

All you need to do is input the dates when you’re hoping to fly (you can put in several different combinations) and the app will follow the prices for those dates.

Using historic flight data, it’ll let you know when to book, as it can tell whether a price is likely to go up or down given the trends from previous years.

Because of Hopper, I got my cheap Easter Island plane tickets at a price at least $100,000 CLP ($152 USD) lower than I was told by other expats based in Santiago was possible.

Top Easter Island travel tip : The LATAM website has been known to charge significantly higher prices if you book via the US website rather than the Chile site . You can find radical differences between the two, so be sure to play around and have a look at which is offering you the best deal. I always initially check prices using Skyscanner and then look on LATAM’s different websites to book.

Visa requirements to visit Rapa Nui

In an effort to protect Rapa Nui from over-population, foreigners may enter the island for a maximum period of 30 calendar days. 

In order to do so, they must show their ID card or passport, arrival and return tickets (for proof of departure), and either a certified hotel/accommodation reservation or invitation from a Rapa Nui resident. Further information can be found here .

My favorite things to do on Easter Island

Easter Island might be best known for being home to the historical and culturally symbolic moai, but there’s a lot more to see and do. Here are my favorites, which range from cultural activities to hiking, scuba diving, and bonkers local traditions.

1. Marvel at the island’s moai statues

Seeing the moai dotted around the island is a huge reason for visiting Rapa Nui – and one of the easiest ways to learn more about the Rapa Nui culture. Most of the moai are located within the national park – Rapa Nui National Park – for which you will need to pay the entrance fee $63,000 CLP ($80 USD) – but others are free to visit around Hanga Roa.

Some of the most interesting moai statues and spots to visit include:

Rano Raraku

Home to 400 moai, Rano Raraku is the quarry from which the moai were originally carved. Situated in a volcanic crater, the quarry has numerous half-finished moai scattered across it, with some only visible thanks to their outlines carved into the rock, such as the enormous Te Tokanga or El Gigante (The Giant), which is the largest moai ever attempted.

From Rano Raku, you can also see Ahu Tongariki towards the northeast and, if you take the steep ten-minute walk to the top of the crater, you can look down and see the remains of 317 moai, although only 30 are easily identifiable.

Ahu Tongariki

The site of the island’s most famous structures, Ahu Tongariki is a raised platform containing fifteen moai standing together in a dramatic line and is particularly striking – especially at sunrise.

The platform on which the moai sit is 220 meters long, and you should go behind the statues to look for the ancient petroglyphs carved into some of their backs.

There’s no better spot for sunset than Ahu Tahai , on the western side of the island just outside of Hanga Roa. This platform supports a weathered solitary moai, while to the right is the striking Ahu Ko Te Riku, one of the few moai that still sports a red topknot and the coral eyes that are believed to have been a feature of all of the statues.

It’s a beautiful place to catch the sunset as the sun collapses into the ocean just behind the statues.

Orongo ceremonial village

On the far southern reaches of the island are the 54 restored houses of the Orongo ceremonial village . It was the site of one of the fascinating – and most important – Rapa Nui traditions known as the Birdman cult, where competitors from each of the island’s tribes would swim out to the nearby islet of Motu Nui to claim the first egg of the terns who nested there.

The first tribesperson to bring back an egg would be crowned the tangata manu, or spiritual island, of the island for the year.

The area surrounding the village is littered with petroglyphs, many depicting a figure with a bird head representing the birdman. It’s also the location of the beautiful Rano Kau volcanic crater, which is filled with reeds and rainwater and from which you can see the island’s other two volcanoes.

2. Hike across the island’s most remote parts

While some of the island’s most famed sights can be visited by car, others are remote and can only be reached under your own steam.

One of the best hikes is the trek from Ahu Te Peu (around five kilometers/3 miles north of Hanga Roa) along the northwestern coast to reach Anakena , a picturesque beach in the north. It’s an eight-hour, 18-kilometer (11-mile) trek that skirts Ma’unga Terevaka (the largest of the island’s three volcanoes) and is rich with archeological remains – although it’s best visited with a guide as many are hard to distinguish otherwise.

Another option is a half-day hike across the barely visited Peninsula Poike , which lays claim to a range of carvings and caves, as well as the oldest volcano, Poike. Again, with sites difficult to find, it’s best to organize a guided tour.

While the island is busiest in summer (December-March), it’s far too hot and humid to do any hiking – so I’d recommend the shoulder seasons (September-November and April-May).

3. Head down into the natural caves at Ana Kakenga

If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, I can certainly recommend an afternoon caving at Ana Kakenga – one of the island’s most interesting caves.

Not an experience for claustrophobes, the cramped conditions widen into a 50m-long lava tube before reaching the cliff edge, leaving two holes facing the ocean for lovely sea views. With the cave facing west, it’s a beautiful spot for sunset.

Make sure to bring a flashlight, and don’t go alone as the floor can be slippery underfoot.

4. Sunbathe on Rapa Nui’s tropical beaches

Rapa Nui doesn’t disappoint when it comes to beaches – with both Anakena (in the north of the island) and Ovahe (in Hanga Roa) both worth a visit.

Anakena is typically busier, with white coral sand, warm water, coconut trees, and better swimming conditions, while Ovahe is quieter, not safe for swimming, but equally beautiful. Note that temperatures beyond summer (December through March) aren’t exactly sunbathing weather, so you’ll find yourself disappointed if visiting outside of these months.

5. Scuba dive in the island’s incredibly clear waters

While the marine life might not be spectacular, the clarity of the water (up to 60 meters’ visibility on a good day) means that you can see coral, sea caves, and a replica moai on the ocean floor during a morning’s scuba diving around Rapa Nui.

Note: you’ll need a PADI license to visit the moai site, but there are other locations where scuba experience isn’t required. Orca Diving Center is the most recommendable company, who can take you out to some of the water’s most interesting diving sites, as well as offer first dives and scuba courses for those with no experience.

6. Surf at beaches thought to be the birthplace of surfing

While no one knows for sure, historians suggest that Rapa Nui might have been the birthplace of surfing, with bodysurfing first inspired by an islander watching turtles do the same as they approached Playa Pea on the west of the island.

Surfing using boards took a lot longer to make an appearance here, but it’s now popular with both the locals and visitors. A number of breaks offer surfing opportunities, including the reef breaks of Tahai and Toroko in Hanga Roa, and the more dependable Huareva.

Rocks in this bay can make the water treacherous, so make sure you go with a guide and during high tide to avoid them.

When is the best time to visit Easter Island?

Most people visit Easter Island in the first two weeks of February when the annual Tapati Rapa Nui festival takes place.

A local Rapanui performs traditional Polynesian dance at the Ballet Cultural Kari Kari on a visit to Easter Island, Chile

This festival is perhaps the ultimate display of Rapanui culture, with a representative of each family competing in different challenges, from physically demanding displays of skill to craftwork and dancing.

The second-to-last day of the competition sees all of the competing participants, their families, and even tourists join a parade through the streets of Hanga Roa, where all are dressed in traditional costumes and accompanied by Rapanui music and dancing.

The culmination of the events takes place on the final day when the two winners of the preceding activities are coronated the King and Queen of Tapati.

However, these two weeks might not exactly be the best time to go to Easter Island.

Moon Chile guidebook

Need more inspiration?

You’ll find even more detailed itineraries, off-the-beaten-path gems, hiking routes and accommodation, restaurant and tour recommendations to suit your travel style in my brand-new guidebook, Moon Chile.

Well, firstly, you can expect flights to increase dramatically for this period and you’ll need to be very organized with accommodation and bookings (we’re talking months in advance) if you want a chance to see the festival.

Secondly, I was told by a number of local people that, while it’s certainly a once-in-a-lifetime event, you should expect a lot of the services on the island, such as restaurants and even hotels, to screech to a halt, as families focus on the competition in hand.

Although the island is still functioning, expect everything to be a bit disorganized.

Finally, when visiting the island’s most acclaimed sights, you’ll be sharing the moment with thousands of others. Visitor numbers reach up to 20,000 over this period.

Traffic around Hanga Roa and even on the roads heading out to the main moai sites can be a real problem because of the sheer number of people and cars, so you can expect extreme congestion when you’re driving.

So when is the best time of year to visit Easter Island?

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.

Both of these periods still have good weather, warm temperatures (around 22˚C-25˚C), and relatively few tourists.

While the peak summer months are good for sunbathing at Anakena beach, if you fancy hiking or any sort of exploration, you’ll find it tough to do it thanks to the island’s humidity, even if the sea breezes bring welcome reprieve.

Get more in-depth information in this guide to the best time to visit Easter Island .

Petroglyphs of the Birdman carved into a rock near Orongo, Easter Island

I went to Easter Island in June and enjoyed the quietness of the place but found that there was a fair amount of rain; showers are common most days so if you plan on taking photos, you might be disappointed with the number of overcast and damp days.

What does an Easter Island trip cost?

The price of a trip to Easter Island varies significantly. I’ll start with a basic overview and then go into detail about the exact prices you can expect to pay for food, transportation, and accommodation on Easter Island.

Overview of how much an Easter Island vacation costs

Most visitors to the island spend between four and five days here, which is plenty of time to see its highlights and really dig beneath the surface of Rapa Nui culture.

The amount of money that you will spend during that period can vary significantly.

Want to avoid the hassle of organizing your accommodation and tours? EcoChile Travel are a brilliant Chilean tour operator and 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 through this form !).

Note: to visit any of the sights within the national park (i.e. practically all of the moai ) you must pay the entrance fee of $63,000 CLP ($80 USD) for adults or $31,000 CLP ($40 USD) for children*. You can buy these online here .

This gives you a window of ten days in which to visit the national park and you can only visit the sites of Rano Raraku and Orongo once during that period.

Bear in mind that because it’s now obligatory to visit practically all of the archaeological sites with a guide, it’s much more expensive to visit the island.

For a four-night stay for two people in budget accommodation , self-catering except for a few meals out, and going with a local guide to explore the main sights, you can expect to pay:

For a four-night stay for two people in mid-range accommodation , mostly eating out and going with a local guide to explore the main sights, you can expect to pay:

The following in-depth sections should show how much it costs to go to Easter Island according to each of these categories.

Top Easter Island travel tip : Bring plenty of Chilean pesos in cash. You’ll find that in some hotels, tour agencies, and even restaurants, you end up being charged less if you pay in cash. There are two ATMs on the island but it’s worth stocking up before you go to avoid any issues with money running out, particularly in the high season. Easter Island is very very safe so you shouldn’t worry about bringing cash onto the island. 

Food and dining costs on Easter Island

Easter Island is an expensive destination in some respects. Beyond the costs of flying there, food prices are at a premium.

As you can imagine, the island is so far from any other land mass that, aside from what they produce on the island, it all needs to be transported in at a high cost.

Before visiting Easter Island, I’d been recommended to buy food on the mainland in Santiago to take with me.

This is definitely an excellent option for those planning on self-catering and I was queuing for the plane behind a family who had a box full of yogurts as their hand luggage.

I’ve also heard from a range of Chileans that if you take items such as wine, whisky, or pisco with you, these can be used in lieu of payment in some instances (this is not something that I confirmed when I was there so use this strategy at your own risk!).

Tuna ceviche on Easter Island, Chile

If you want to eat at the restaurants on Easter Island, it’s worth budgeting around $17,500 CLP ($22 USD) per meal in a nice restaurant, although a meal in a picada (a simple, fast food restaurant) can cost less than $12,000 CLP ($15 USD) – Club Sandwich (Calle Atamu Tekena s/n, noon-midnight daily) is one of the best.

There are also some excellent empanadarias , shops selling deep-fried pastry empanadas, filled with tuna and cheese or other fish, that normally cost around $2,400-$5,000 CLP ($3-$6 USD).

Top Easter Island travel tip : Check out the empanadas at Ahi-Ahi (Calle Policarpo Torre, 10am-9pm daily), one of the wooden shacks on the southern side of the football field. They were easily the best I tried during my trip. For top-quality dining at only marginally more expensive prices than in most other restaurants, head to Kaloa (inside Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa , Av. Pont s/n, 18.30pm-22.30pm daily). Dishes cost between $14,000 CLP and $18,000 CLP ($18 USD and $22 USD), which is about the same price as most restaurants on the island, but the quality is exceptional. Make sure to sample their tuna dishes.

Transportation costs and getting around Easter Island

Easter Island transportation is another cost. Getting around Hanga Roa – the only town on the island – is straightforward and you rarely need to get a taxi as it’s so compact.

However, visiting the ahu , moai and other historic attractions around the island is another matter.

I took a range of tours on the island; however, I personally found that my preferred way of exploring was in my own vehicle. There are so sights and most tour companies only visit the most famous or picturesque.

With your own vehicle, you can choose the time of day to venture to each different place and be far more in control of your own schedule.

I found that tours often went at a slower pace than I would have liked and that being able to drive at will allowed me to see far more than I would have been able to if I had purely been exploring via a tour.

If you’re traveling in a group or as a pair, renting a car also makes financial sense as you’ll save plenty of pesos compared with the price of a tour.

However, bear in mind that, as of August 2022, you can only visit most of the sites in Parque Nacional Rapa Nui (except Ahu Tahai, near Hanga Roa, and Anakena Beach) with a licensed guide.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As of August 2022, you can only visit Parque Nacional Rapa Nui with a licensed guide. This is the case for all sites except Ahu Tahai (near Hanga Roa) and Anakena Beach (in the north of the island). You can find a list of licensed guides on the island here (which start from around $40 USD per day per person for an English-speaking guide without transport included), while Easter Island Travel are one of the island’s tour agencies, run tours that include transport with a maximum of eight passengers, and have guides that speak good English.

Visit Easter Island, Chile with a rental

I rented a car with Oceanic Rapa Nui, who unfortunately closed during the pandemic. Insular Rent a Car is the only car rental company that I believe is now operating on the island.

Given how small the distances were (the island is only 22.5 kilometers long by 11 kilometers wide), I spent around $20,000 CLP ($30 USD) on petrol – and I pretty much covered all of the roads at least once.

Depending on how much you wish to spend on your transport, you will find several types of vehicles including four-seater Suzuki Jimny for $90,000 CLP ($115 USD) and five-seater Suzuki Alto K10 AND Celerio for $90,000 CLP ($115 USD), Daihatsu Terios Wild for $140,000 CLP ($178 USD) and Toyota Hilux for $150,000 CLP ($190 USD). You can also hire various scooters and motorbikes for upwards of $40,000 CLP ($51 USD) per day, plus Kawasaki quadbikes for $75,000 CLP ($95 USD).

You can rent out mountain bikes for $35,000 CLP ($44 USD) per 24 hours.

Although distances are small, given how hot and humid it gets (it is a Polynesian island, after all), cycling in this weather can be somewhat unpleasant.

Be aware that the road conditions are also dreadful on the island. It’s not recommended to drive faster than 60 k/ph in case you come across a pothole (very likely) or free-range horses (just as likely) on the road.

Vehicle rental has historically not included insurance (so if you crash, you’ll be paying a lot). Double-check this when you hire the vehicle – and take extra care on the roads!

Horses on the road towards Ahu Tongariki on a visit to Easter Island, Chile

Top Easter Island travel tip : Rent a car in the afternoon so that you can drive to see the sunset at Ahu Tahai or at Hanga Piko or Hanga Kio’e (two lesser-visited spots for beautiful sunset views) and get up early the next morning to drive to Ahu Tongariki for the sunrise. Insular Rent a Car is the only car rental company that I believe is now operating on the island. Remember: you will need a licensed guide to come with you, so rent a vehicle that has enough space!

Accommodation costs and where to stay on Easter Island

Accommodation on Easter Island can also be costly. However, there is a range of lodgings to suit all budgets and plenty of places to stay in Easter Island.

Since August 2018, a law has dictated that unless you have proof of accommodation reservations with lodgings registered with the island’s tourist board, you won’t be allowed to board your flight in Santiago. You can also only stay on the island for up to 30 days.

The LATAM website has the list of what you require (in English!), including access to the entry form you are required to complete before you fly; a confirmation email will be sent to you that you must present when you are at the airport.

Note that all prices included here are for Easter Island hotels in January/February, the most expensive season, when you’ll need to book well in advance for all accommodation.

Outside of these months, you can expect to pay up to 10% lower on the prices listed below.

Budget accommodation and hostels on Easter Island

One of the cheapest and consistently good budget options on Easter Island and the place for camping on Isla de Pascua is Mihínoa Camping (Av. Pont s/n, double $35,000 CLP ($54 USD), dorm $15,000 CLP ($23 USD), rent camping equipment $10,000 CLP ($15 USD), camping with your own equipment ($12 USD)).

I was really impressed with their three large kitchens and array of different accommodation options: there is grass for camping, dorm rooms, and private rooms available. The campground also has a lovely view of the ocean.

Be aware that this place gets booked up very quickly, particularly between January and March, so you’ll need to make reservations well in advance.

La Casa del Kori (Calle Paoa s/n, double private bath $59,000 CLP ($86 USD), dorm $20,000 CLP ($30 USD)) was my favorite budget accommodation on the island. It has superb, modern facilities, ranging from large double bedrooms to equally spacious dorm rooms (the latter with lockers) and loads of communal space in the downstairs kitchen and living areas.

Breakfast is included and the owners speak English.

Mid-range accommodation and hotels on Easter Island

With large, airy bedrooms and surprisingly good Wifi (most places on the island have terrible connection!), Inaki Uhi Hotel ($180 USD double) is an incredibly welcoming hotel, with a cozy garden, modern facilities, and really helpful hosts.

The stunning sea views from certain suites and bungalows make Hotel Boutique La Perouse ($210 USD suite; $288 bungalow) an excellent choice for accommodation on Easter Island. Situated right at the heart of Hanga Roa, but with a tranquil setting, this is a great place to relax after a day of touring the island.

I was really impressed by the facilities at Hareswiss (Calle Te Hoe Manu s/n, double cabin $92,000 CLP ($140 USD), single occupancy of cabin $65,000 CLP ($99 USD), who have three well-equipped cabins overlooking the sea, about a 25-minute walk (or $3,000 CLP ($4.50 USD) taxi journey) from Caleta Hanga Roa, the main part of the town.

Peter, the Swiss expat who runs the cabins, is also exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable about the island and often runs tours if you contact him in advance.

Luxury accommodations and hotels on Easter Island

Located within easy walking distance of the main road in Hanga Roa, where you’ll find a glut of restaurants, Hare Nua Hotel Boutique ($360 USD double) is a really comfortable, family-run hotel with large bedrooms, many of which have balconies, as well as a swimming pool and gorgeous communal lounge area where you can catch a sea breeze.

The bedroom at Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa, Easter Island Chile

A standout hotel on Easter Island is the Nayara Hangaroa (Av. Pont s/n, $470 USD double standard, $605 USD double suite), a five-star resort with swimming pools and spa facilities, an on-site restaurant (with divine food) and huge bedrooms with designer stone bathtubs and decorative touches to make them blend seamlessly into their surroundings.

They also run excursions around the island.

Should you take a tour of Easter Island?

As I’ve indicated above, I personally preferred my time exploring without a tour and instead using a rental car. However, the situation has now changed on Easter Island, meaning it’s obligatory to enter the national park accompanied by a guide .

Going with a guide did allow me to understand much more about the island, its history, and historic sites, as practically all guides are Rapanui and therefore very proud and aware of their heritage. You can now choose whether to hire a guide (you can find them listed here and they start from $40 USD per person, per day for an English-speaking guide, excluding transport) and drive yourself, or book a tour with a local operator.

I recommend Easter Island Travel , who are an affordable choice for tours. They take you to the main archaeological sites (from $145,000 CLP ($180 USD)), as well as various other hiking tours .

A more expensive option is Green Island Tours , who have a whole host of different tours, including trips to visit the key archaeological sites across the island (from $320 USD), as well as hiking tours to explore some of the lesser-visited destinations (from $320 USD) and even stargazing (from $90 USD).

Both include transport.

If you want to avoid the hassle of organizing your accommodation and tours, EcoChile Travel are a brilliant Chilean tour operator, whose four-day trip to Easter Island starts from $1,130 USD per person (and you get a 5% discount if you mention Worldly Adventurer when enquiring through this form !).

I was told that the best Easter Island tours to take were to Orongo on the far southern point of the island, the remains of the ceremonial stone village where the Birdman competition was held, and to Rano Raraku, the quarry where the moai were carved.

I personally found that with Orongo, the visitor’s center has plenty of information in both Spanish and English and I didn’t feel I learned much more by having a guide.

However, my trip to Rano Raraku was hugely enhanced by the enthusiasm of my guide and you’ll be surprised by how many of the around four hundred moai remain in the quarry there that’ll you’ll miss if you don’t know where to look.

Ahu Nau Nau on Anakena Beach, Easter Island, Chile

I didn’t get the chance to hike the northern coast of Easter Island, but I was told by plenty of people that it remains a fascinating and largely untouched area filled with moai and other ceremonial structures – and a good place to see Rapa Nui as it really is away from the hordes of tourists.

As there are local people who still inhabit much of the area, it’s also essential to go with a guide to avoid accidentally standing on important historic remains. There are two ways to visit:

  • On foot: I recommend Easter Island Travel , who offer this tour for $190,000 CLP ($235 USD) per person, with around six hours of hiking.
  • On horseback: I recommend Cabalgatas Pantu . They operate a full-day tour along the coast for $99,000 CLP per person ($125 USD) – or $65,000 CLP ($100 USD) if you pay in cash.

Top Easter Island travel tip : Don’t be afraid to chat with the park rangers who stamp your ticket when you visit the different sights. I found them all to be really friendly and forthcoming when it came to information about the moai and ahu and any questions that I had. Admittedly I spoke to them in Spanish but most speak at least some English.

What to pack for a trip to Easter Island

To ensure you’re prepared for your adventure, make sure you pack the following:

  • Reef-safe suncream
  • Insect repellent: You’ll want to purchase one that contains 20-30% DEET as dengue cases are occasionally reported
  • For her: REI has some great own-brand tops
  • For him: REI has some own-brand tops for men, too
  • Long trousers: Stay away from the jeans and pick up a couple of pairs of hiking trousers – especially the quick-drying variety. prAna make some brilliantly durable women’s trousers, while Columbia have great options for men .
  • For her: REI | Backcountry | Amazon
  • For him: REI | Backcountry | Amazon

They also do hiking shoes:

  • For her: REI | Amazon
  • For him: REI | Amazon

(And don’t forget to wear your boots a few times before you head to Rapa Nui to break them). 

  • Swimming costume: With beautiful clear water surrounding the island, there are plenty of opportunities for swimming when visiting Rapa Nui – make sure you pack at least one swimming costume so you can make the most out of it. 

Health and safety precautions when visiting Easter Island

Vaccinations and health precautions.

In order to enter Rapa Nui, visitors must be able to show they received the complete Covid-19 vaccination course upon arrival. 

While these are technically the only mandatory vaccinations you must receive before entering the island, the CDC and WHO also recommend the following: 

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

Further information can be found here .

Dengue and Zika are also transmitted via mosquito bites, so consider using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved/leg clothing, and sleeping under a mosquito net.

Safety precautions

The crime rate on Rapa Nui is low, and crimes against tourists are pretty much unheard of. But despite it being generally a very safe place to visit, as with anywhere, it’s wise to exercise common sense, be aware of your surroundings, and not leave valuables unattended. 

With little street lighting at night, while it’s typically safe to walk around in the dark, pack a flashlight to help you find your way back to your accommodation to avoid any falls.

Local Etiquette

For a warmer welcome from locals, refer to the island as Rapa Nui rather than Easter Island – and absolutely do not touch any of the moai dotted around the landscape. Not only is it frowned upon, but it’s actually illegal, and could land you with a hefty fine.

Exploring Easter Island with Oceanic Rapa Nui rental cars

When visiting the Rapa Nui National Park, be sure to keep to the trails, and do not smoke. Drones are not allowed, and take your rubbish home with you. 

Ultimately, the moai sites are sacred, and should be treated as such.

The mother tongue of Rapa Nui is known as Rapa Nui – but the Polynesian-based language has only 3000 speakers worldwide (mostly based on the island).

Spanish is the more commonly spoken language, and it goes a long way with locals so make sure to learn a few key phrases before your trip.

Useful general information about traveling to Easter Island

Which currency does easter island use.

Easter Island uses the Chilean peso. You can exchange dollars and euros at BancoEstado (Tu’u Maheke, 9am-2pm Mon-Fri) and Santander (Policarpo Toro s/n, 9am-1pm Mon-Fri). Rates will, unsurprisingly, be better in Santiago than here.

How can you visit Rapa Nui National Park ?

Most of the island’s sights are found within the Rapa Nui National Park and if you want to visit most of the  moai  or locations such as Orongo (where the Birdman festival was held), Ahu Tongariki (the platform containing the largest number of moai ) or Rano Raraku (the quarry where the  moai  were carved), you will need to pay the entrance fee.

This costs $63,000 CLP ($80 USD) and can be paid for either at the booth just inside the airport terminal or along Atamu Tekena* in Hanga Roa (a few doors south of the Santa Cruz pharmacy) before attempting to enter any sites.

* When I visited, it was only possible to pay this in cash. 

What is Easter Island food like?

Easter Island or Rapanui food is characteristically full of tuna – historically one of the main fish found in the surrounding waters – and used in everything from empanadas  to ceviche.

You’ll also find Umu Rapa Nui or Easter Island curanto , a traditional dish of meat, chicken, or fish, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over hot stones.

This dish is hard to find on the island; Hotel Vai Moana has fire pits on the grounds of the hotel and runs workshops where you can take part in marking and eating a curanto with local chefs.

How can you get from Easter Island’s airport to your accommodation?

Most of the hotels, hostels and even campgrounds on the island offer airport pick-ups – often for no extra cost. Confirm this when you book as, depending on where you’re staying, it can be a long walk from the airport.

How easy is it to get around on Rapa Nui?

None of the hotels or restaurants have street numbers (s/n means “sin number” or “without number”) so it can be difficult to find places, particularly as the majority of the accommodations don’t have signs and locations on Google Maps can be occasionally incorrect. It’s easy enough to ask local people for directions.

Is it easy to get to Easter Island?

Easter Island is located 3,746 kilometers west of Chile and takes six hours from Santiago, with flights leaving from the Chilean capital almost every day. These flights tend to cost from $500 USD return during low season (May through October) and over $1,200 USD return in high season (September through April). As a result, it isn’t particularly easy – nor cheap – to get to Easter Island, but it’s completely worth it!

Most visitors add a four or five-day trip to Easter Island to their Chilean itinerary , as flights from Santiago are almost the only way to get to the island.   

How much does it cost to get to Easter Island?

Easter Island is an expensive destination to visit. Flights can cost from $500 USD return per person, although they can cost from $1,200 USD if you’re visiting between September and April, the island’s high season.

In total, for a four-night stay for two people in budget accommodation, self-catering except for a few meals out, and going with a local tour operator to explore the main sights, you can expect to pay at least $1,430 USD plus flights. 

Is Easter Island worth the trip?

Yes! Easter Island was a destination that really surprised me. The island’s moai and other archaeological sites dotted around the island are a fascinating insight into the Rapa Nui culture that still exists today.

It’s worth spending four or five days on the island to visit the main archeological sites, including Ahu Tongariki for sunrise and Rano Raraku, the quarry where the moai were carved. I would also recommend seeing a traditional Rapa Nui dance evening, as well as sampling the island’s cuisine, which typically features plenty of seafood.

Which airport do you fly into for Easter Island?

Easter Island has only one airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mataveri de Isla de Pascua (IPC). It is situated less than a kilometer from Hanga Roa, the island’s only town, and offers incredible views of the island and surrounding ocean as you land on the runway.

Flights depart from the Chilean capital, Santiago, a few times per week, and pre-Covid 19, there were also weekly flights from Papeete (Tahiti) in French Polynesia. 

With beautifully clear waters, an incredibly low crime rate and hundreds of culturally significant moai to explore, a trip to Rapa Nui is a must for those looking for something a little different from their vacation.

For further information and to start planning your trip, read my posts on the best time to visit Easter Island , and where to stay on Easter Island . Visiting mainland Chile too? Discover some of my favorite places to visit in Chile .

** I’m going to be honest here: I’ve used “Easter Island” because that’s the name that you probably used to find this article in Google. The most politically correct term for the island is Rapa Nui, as it’s the name used by the local inhabitants, not one given by a white guy from Europe who turned up and claimed it for himself. When visiting, be sure to refer to the island as Rapa Nui if you want to have a better reception from the local people who are fiercely proud of their culture and island.

Found this article about visiting Easter Island without spending a fortune useful? Pin it!

Think a trip to Easter Island is out of your price range? Think again: this guide shows you how to get cheap flights and has all the accommodation, dining and transport information you need for exploring Chile's most mysterious and fascinating island. #easterisland #isladepascua #travelchile #chile #worldlyadventurer #southamerica #southamericatravel #budgettravel #adventuretravel

Friday 16th of February 2024

Hey Steph!! Incredible information. Thank you and your team for putting the time/energy/hard work into these in-depth travel guides! My partner and I are looking into adding Rapa Nui to our current Sao Paulo/Rio/Lima/Machu Picchu (all part of a June group excursion for an international business program)15-day adventure. So, we wanted to do something small without the group before heading home since we'll be on that side of the continent and who knows when we'll ever make it back! We're gonna try that LATAM trick with booking through the local version of the site. Seems like using an AMEX should allow for the transaction to process, based on what I've seen in some forums. With the only daily flight from Santiago currently getting into the island around 1p local time, then leaving daily to take folks back at 230p, we were just going to do a Sunday arrival to Tuesday departure. Does that seem to quick of a trip for the highlights? Basically, an afternoon/evening, then a full, then a morning/early afternoon.

Steph Dyson

Wednesday 21st of February 2024

Hi Nicholas, it's not much time at all but I guess if you don't have more time then it'll have to do! It is a six-hour flight though, so if it's somewhere you really want to go then I would suggest coming back and spending more time there. I really is an incredible island! Steph

Friday 9th of February 2024

Dear Steph,

Thank you so very much for this very well thought out and comprehensive guide. We were very excited to visit Rapa Nui for 5 full days and can comfortably afford the costs. However, we were very disappointed to learn that we pretty much can't go anywhere without a guide. I had envisioned leisurely and quiet strolls carefully respecting the rules of visiting the moai,(I am an archaeologist) but at my own pace and if I wanted to sit on the beach vegetating for an hour or two, that kind of relaxation sounds impossible with a guide. Also, when we are in a magical place like we would have found in Rapa Nui, sometimes we don't talk for hours. We have traveled the world and are always independent tourists.

That doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to hire a person for a day or two to learn of the history and to understand what these statues mean to the indigenous people. It was also distressing to learn that some sites can only be visited once.

Therefore, we have decided to spend the time exploring more islands in Indonesia instead. I am sad to let this dream to visit Rapa Nui go, but I just don't want to spend the money and time feeling restrained by a guide's schedule for so many days.

Hi Pam, unfortunately it was a decision made by the Rapa Nui people as a way to protect their own heritage and archaeological sites that are still of significant cultural and religious importance to them. I hope you enjoy your time in Indonesia. Steph

Monday 22nd of January 2024

Thank you so much for this article! Wonderfully helpful. I have a couple of questions. Would 4 days be enough time to experience the island?

Hi Brian, yes, because you would get two full days. The only issue is the flight schedules, which might not allow you to spend four days there, so just double check! Steph

Sunday 3rd of December 2023

Hi Steph and world, does anyone have news if the flight connection between Rapa Nui and Tahiti will reopen in 2024? Thanks a ton!

Sunday 14th of January 2024

Hi Panya, I have no idea unfortunately! Steph

Tuesday 15th of August 2023

Thanks for this! Best post I've read yet (and I've read a bunch!) Getting excited for our trip in a couple months!

Wednesday 20th of September 2023

Thanks Michelle! Steph

Going Awesome Places

Detailed itineraries + travel guides

Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Easter Island [Updated in 2024]

Last Updated February 21, 2024 William Tang

You are here: Home » Travel Guides » Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Easter Island [Updated in 2024]

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

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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 !

Here's what we're covering:

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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couple at ahu tongariki in visiting easter island guide

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.

compatible outlets in chile type l and f

  • 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 GAP23200 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.

polynensian triangle diagram at easter island museum

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

ecochile deal 5% off discount code and promo code

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.

latam flight tracker screen flying to easter island

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.

dramatic sunset at ahu dahai when visiting easter island

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

ahu tongariki at rapan ui national park

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

holding a rapa nui national park entrance ticket

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

rapa nui national park ticket office

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

vinapu entrance booth on easter island

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

unmanaged papa vaka archeological site in rapa nui national park

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

example of unmanaged site with moai on the side of the road

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

easter island map of the moai

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

easter island moai excavation full body in rano raraku quarry

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.

getting around easter island with car rental at rano raraku

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.

example of easter island taxi vehicle

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.

recommended easter island guide green island tours

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.

Promotion with Green Island Tours

It’s impossible to try every tour company but we can fully attest to the quality of tours by Green Island Tours. We spent a total of 3 days with them including Moai Monuments Tour, Historic Pathways Tour, Stargazing Experience, and North Coast Adventurer. Marc and Ludo were awesome guides.

marc shields rapa nui photography book

Special offer – Use “Going Awesome Places” under “discount code” when you book your tour and get Marc’s photography book (sells for $35,000 CLP at the airport).

woman taking photo of moai at rano raraku when visiting easter island

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 .

local streets of hanga roa 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.

scuba diving with mike rapu to see the sunken maoi on easter island

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!

ceviche dish at te moai sunset restaurant on easter island

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

grilled pissi fish at te moana on easter island

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.

fresh empanadas on easter island by panaderia y pasteleria hitu

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

hotel vai moana umu rapa nui experience

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

fresh fruit juice at makona on easter island

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

pescado a lo pobre at ohehe cafe shack on easter island

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

entrance to dulce mar restaurant for 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.

prepaid local entel sim card

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

pokefi pocket wifi discount code and promo code

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.

banco estado bank and atm on easter island

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?

santander bank and atm in hanga roa easter island

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.

ahu akivi monuments on easter island

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

moai stone souvenirs on easter island

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?

easter island feria artesanal exterior

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.

easter island stargazing tour ahu nau nau anakena

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.

where to stay in easter island takarua lodge

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

explora rapa nui all inclusive resort exterior

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

takarua lodge tahai sunset view

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

inaki uhi hotel bedroom hanga roa easter island

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

cabanas christophe room in easter island

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

woman looking out into rano kau crater from orongo on easter island

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.

sample easter island cost pie chart for 2 people

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.

ballet kari kari rapa nui dance show

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.

photography on easter island with tripod and timelapse set up

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.

holding up moai in rano raraku easter island

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

Travel Resources For Your Next Trip

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%.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature .

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.

park sleep fly airport parking discount code

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 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.

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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Melissa Hull says

December 27, 2023 at 8:12 PM

This is super helpful! We’ve been searching for great destinations, and I believe this one has made it to our list. I’m particularly interested in the archaeological sites, and I can’t wait to check out the restaurants you suggested. Thanks a bunch for sharing!

William Tang says

December 28, 2023 at 2:34 PM

You’re so welcome! I hope you get to go soon!!

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How to Plan a Trip to Easter Island

Brian Biros

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.

easter island travel

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.

easter island travel

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.

easter island travel

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.

easter island travel

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.

easter island travel

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.

easter island travel

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.

The incredible Tapati festival is worth scheduling your trip around.

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.

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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Easter Island

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

easter island travel

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.

Rapa Nui National Park , which covers nearly half the island, is the best place to see the imposing carvings. Built between the 10th and 16th centuries, the island contains what UNESCO (which lists the park as a World Heritage Site ) describes 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.

giant monolithic stone moai statues on Easter Island

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.

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.

Stone heads of Easter Island

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

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  • WORLD HERITAGE SITES
  • ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

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  • Easter Island Travel

Travel guide

Make sure you have everything in order before you leave home

Easter Island regulations

Proof of vaccination.

Current rules state that you must be able to show proof of vaccination to enter Easter Island.

SERNATUR-registered lodging

Local immigration laws state the following:

  • You must have booked a lodging before boarding your plane
  • Your lodging must be registered with SERNATUR (National Tourism Service)
  • You must display a confirmation of your lodging booking when passing controls before boarding your plane

How do I know if my lodging is registered with SERNATUR?

Whichever lodging you have booked, chances are it's going to be registered with SERNATUR, since it's required by all local lodgings, and basically all are registered with SERNATUR. If you still want to make sure, you can do a search in the SERNATUR database . If you can find it there, then all is in order.

What if I'm not staying in a tourist lodging?

If you are visiting friends, your host must write a letter, have it signed by local authorities, scan it and send it to you. This letter can then be displayed at the controls before getting on your Easter Island flight in Santiago, instead of your lodging booking confirmation.

National park tickets

All non-residents must have a national park ticket to enter the archaeological sites.

  • The ticket has a validity of 10 days, starting from when you enter your first archaeological site
  • You can only enter Rano Raraku and Orongo once per ticket, but other sites can be entered an unlimited amount of times
  • Only 1 ticket per person is required, and is valid for all sites
  • You will be asked to display your ticket when entering archaeological sites

The ticket can be bought online here (site in Spanish), or in the central market in the Hanga Roa town center. When paying online, there's an additional charge of 2 500 CLP per adult and 1 500 CLP per child.

Opening hours

  • Ahu Tongariki opens at sunrise year-round
  • Tahai closes after sunset year-round

Guide required

According to national park rules , you're required to be accompanied by a guide when entering any national park sites, except Tahai and Anakena . Please feel free to have a look at some of our award-winning tours , and contact us so we can help you in making the most out of your visit.

The seven statues of Ahu Akivi in the interiors of Easter Island.

Recommended length of stay

Many hear that two full days at Easter Island is sufficient to see the main sites. While this may be true, many still appreciate at least 1 extra day after the tours for any activity of their choice, making the recommended shortest stay 5 days, 4 nights. After two days of touring you will have become quite well familiarized with the island, and will surely not have any problem filling the spare time with any activity of your choice.

Those who enjoy trying out different activities or just relaxing in a tranquil ambient might want to stay at least a week.

LATAM Airlines is the only airline that flies to Easter Island. This company is part of Oneworld Alliance, so if you have any accumulated points in this system, they may be used to reach Easter Island. The only possible entry is currenty from Santiago, Chile.

Getting best price

For getting best price, it's recommendable to buy the last part of the trip from Santiago out to Rapa Nui directly on the LATAM Airlines website. If you buy this ticket from resellers, it will often be much more expensive.

Finding flights

After the 2020 - 2022 pandemic, flights have drastically decreased, and it's often hard to find available flights from Santiago to Rapa Nui. Here is a trick that often helps:

  • Go to the LATAM Airlines website.
  • Search for a one-way flight from Santiago (SCL) to Easter Island (IPC) until you find an available date.
  • Once you have found an available flight to Easter Island, search for an available one-way return flight.
  • Once you have available dates, do the same search again for a round trip, using the available dates you found.

Visas and entry to Chile

Easter Island is part of Chile. Citizens of USA, European Union, Canada and Australia do not need a visa to enter Chile. All these citizens need is a passport and a flight ticket showing that you will leave the country within 90 days. Visitors from other countries must apply for a visa at their nearest Chilean consulate.

Chile charges an entry fee to citizens from Australia (117 USD) and Mexico (23 USD). This fee is only charged if you enter Chile through the international airport at Santiago. This should be considered if you for example have the possibility to enter Easter Island from Papeete (Tahiti), which would mean that you would not have to pay this fee.

You may pay with cash or credit card. After payment you will be given a passport stamp as proof of payment. The stamp is valid until the passport expires, except for Australians, for whom the stamp is only good for 90 days.

Safety and crimes

Violent crimes towards tourists at Easter Island is basically unheard of. Even at night you'll be safe walking alone.

Something that does occur is theft at your hotel room. Don't leave money and valuables for people to see when you leave your room and make sure you lock the door. At the better accomodations you may ask for a safe box if there isn't one already in your room.

The winds can be quite strong during any period of the year. During summer (November - March) temperatures don't often reach more than 30°C, though it may sometimes feel like more because of humidity. The sun during this period is strong, so do not forget to put on sunblock (can be bought at the pharmacy Cruz Verde in the town center).

It does rain occasionally during summer, but especially during winter (May - August) is it important to bring a light rain coat for any spontaneous showers. The day temperature may still sometimes peak to a bit below 30° C, but the temperature drops quickly on cloudy days. Especially at nights it might get cold, with temperatures dropping as low as 10° C. At winter it'll often be too cold to lay at the beach, but the water will still be warm enough for a swim if you're not too picky.

It may be windy any day of the year, so if you bring a hat, preferrably bring one that won't easily blow away.

Tourist services are active year-round.

During summer it'll be hotter and less risk of rainfall, but there will be much more tourists. The grass is often scorched up and dry at summer, and green at winter, which might make a difference from a photographer's perspective.

The peak of the high season is the two first weeks of February during the Tapati Rapa Nui festival. This is a great opportunity to see the different aspects of the Rapa Nui culture, but to make sure you'll find a descent hotel it'd be a good idea to book at least six months before arrival.

To make the most out of your visit to this unique island, most people prefer to do at least two days of touring with a private guide to not miss all the history, legends and stories behind the remnants of the unique Rapa Nui civilization. Taking on the two classical highlights vehicle tours you will discover all the main essential sites of the island.

If you are only in it for the photography and want to explore on your own, as long as you stay on the trails and don't step on the monuments you'll be fine. There are several car rental companies in the town of Hanga Roa, but if you are visiting Easter Island at the peak of the high season (February) you may have to book a vehicle before you arrive. Oceanic Rent-A-Car is a common alternative. View the section of places to visit to plan your trip.

If you enjoy walking in nature, a hike would be a nice addition. Common hikes are:

  • North coast

It's possible to do the Terevaka hike on your own, but for the north coast and Poike hike it would be a shame to miss all the hidden unique archaeology and caves for not being accompanied by a guide.

Being part of Chile, Chilean pesos (CLP) is the official currency, but USD are also accepted everywhere at Easter Island. Be aware though, because the shops may have different exchange rates and sometimes it may be better to pay directly in pesos. 1 USD is around 500 CLP, but do check the current exchange rate to be aware of any recent changes.

There are three ATM machines at Easter Island; at the airport (opens two hours before plane arrives and closes when plane leaves) and at the banks Banco Santander and Banco Estado . The ATM machines at the banks are open 24/7. The one at Banco Santander usually works best with foreign credit cards. Both banks are located by the coast, below the central market.

Sometimes it happens that the ATM machines go out of service. If you want to be on the safe side you could bring some money in cash, but most bigger restaurants and shops accept credit cards nowadays, so you should be fine without cash for a day or two anyway.

Since everything has to be flied or shipped in, Easter Island is an expensive travel destination - often several times more costy than the rest of Chile. If you are staying in a cabin or a hostal you may have access to a kitchen. In that case, if you will pass by Santiago and will be staying for a week or more, it might be a good idea to do as the locals; fill up your remaining kilos of your suitcases with meat etc.

Getting around in town

The only town at Easter Island is called Hanga Roa. The main street is called Atamu Tekena , along which you'll find many restaurants and shops. The crossing street Te Pito o te Henua with the church at the top is also quite busy. The heart of the center is the market. Because of the small size of the town you can often walk to where you are going, but you may also take a taxi to any part of Hanga Roa for a few dollars.

Water system

The tap water of Easter Island is clean and is fine to drink unless you have a stomach that's unusually sensitive to high mineral content. It has a slight smell of clorine and a somewhat salty taste, though the water will taste better if you fill up a bottle and cool it down in the refridgerator.

Water pipes are quite thin and they are not designed to handle toilet paper. There should be a trash can in the bathrooms where you can throw your toilet paper.

Electricity

The power is of 220 V. The plug is similar to the European with two circular metal pins, but the pins are slightly smaller. Sometimes the European devices fit and sometimes they don't. If your device doesn't you may buy a simple connection converter at the central internet café Hare PC or the iron store Kanina close to the airport.

Locally grown vegetables can be found by the central market in the morning. Other than that, groceries are usually flewn or shipped in from Santiago and sold in the numerous shops in town.

Souvenirs are sold in many of the small shops as well as at the different sites around the island, but the best selection (and often best prices too) is found at the central market.

Tourist information office

The Chilean tourist information organization called SERNATUR has an office just by the ocean below the town center, at the other side of the road from the resturant Pea. They will help you out with any question or concern you may have.

Spanish is the official language of Easter Island. Rapa Nui is the native language, but only the elders would prefer this language to Spanish. English is spoken mainly among those who work directly with the tourists. At the more economic accomodations they often have limited English knowledge.

Top 5 Easter Island travel tips

easter island travel

Take on a guided tour

  • There is so much to be heard and felt behind what you see at Rapa Nui. You should join in on a guided tour for a couple of days to get the most out of your stay and to obtain a good foundation of Easter Island knowledge. After two days of touring you'll surely have a good idea of what to do for the rest of your stay.

Bring clothes for all weathers

  • During summer (Dec - Feb) it might also rain, so don't forget the raincoat. Also, don't leave the beachwear at home, even during winter (Jun - Aug).

Attend an open 'umu ta'o

  • Combined with religious holidays, families give away food for free. Anyone is welcome. The food is cooked under ground, which is called 'umu ta'o in Rapa Nui language . Bring a plastic bag to receive the food. You get bags from buying things at any of the local shops. Find out about the next event by asking at the church .

Learn to speak some Rapa Nui

  • Easter Island is so much more than just statues . If you learn to say a few phrases in Rapa Nui language , it may open many doors to the social world of this island. Check out our Rapa Nui language school for free online lessons!

Explore by foot

  • If you have a free day over and enjoy hiking, go explore the island by foot! Since the island is so small there is no real risk involved of getting lost. You may have a look at our guided hiking tours . If you are only in it for the nature and want to do the hikes on your own you may see our list of hikes .

Travel check list

Passport close up

  • Renew passport if necessary.
  • Make sure credit card is open to abroad use.
  • Check luggage weight/number of items allowed by the airlines beforehand.
  • Label your bags with your name, address, and contact number.
  • Check-in online with airline to get a seat that you want, as well as to double check flight times.
  • Make sure you keep your travel documents and passport safe and accessible to you at ALL times while flying/transiting. You should keep them in your carry-on bag and not the bag you check in with the airlines.
  • Try to book your luggage directly to Easter Island. The airport is called Mataveri and has code IPC.

Reciprocity fee

Chile charges some nationalities a reciprocity fee when entering Chile by air at the Santiago international airport. The affected nations and respective fees are as follows:

This is for fees that Chileans have to pay the listed countries when entering, applying for visas or similar. The fee can be paid with credit card or cash. Affected nationalities will be given a passport stamp as a proof of payment. This stamp will be valid until the passport expires, with the exception of Australian citizens, for which it is good for only 90 days.

Getting to Easter Island

Flights to easter island.

Map of flight connections to Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

There are two flight connections to Rapa Nui:

  • Papeete (Tahiti)
  • Santiago (Chile)

From 2010 to 2013 there was also a flight connection to Lima (Peru), but this didn't end up as being lucrative in the end, so the route was cancelled.

Flights can be bought through any flight ticket sales service such as Travelocity or Orbitz , or directly through LAN Airlines .

Including Rapa Nui flight in a multi-destination fare

Entering airplane at Mataveri airport, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile

If you travel to many different places during the same trip, it might be a good idea to include your flight to Rapa Nui in a ticket with several flights, such as Circle Pacific or TAM South America Airpass .

Your flight may be part of a Round The World trip crossing the Pacific Ocean, when you travel to these destinations in either direction:

Sailing to Easter Island

As with all South Pacific islands, one must have experience when sailing to Easter Island. It's open water and there are no overly protecting bays.

The Easter Island ocean floor is rocky and treacherous. Anchor off the coast and never enter any port without a local onboard that knows the ocean floor well . Accidents have happened many times before when optimistic sailers try to enter ports by themselves, which ends up in the hull getting torn apart by rocks, and a sudden and unhappy ending to their trip.

Weather at Easter Island is very spontaneous, and wind can change quickly. With this in mind, always make sure you anchor well, and always have your sail boat manned by at least one person.

The only charge for anchoring at Easter Island as a small sail boat is 12 000 CLP (around 15 USD) per person for the use of the chilean radio channels. You don't need to notify your arrival in advance. Simply arrive, contact the port over radio, and all will be organized.

Maximum stay is 30 days, just like for any traveler coming to Easter Island.

COVID rules

You must be able to show a proof of vaccination, issued in the country of your citizenship.

  • Testimonials

easter island travel

Read what others say about us at our TripAdvisor page .

30 Awesome Things to Do in Easter Island

From watching the sunrise over the iconic moai to diving in crystal clear water, here are the 30 best things to do in Easter Island.

Located at the far eastern point of Polynesia in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Rapa Nui is a place that has long been shrouded in mystery.

For decades the allure of this volcanic island, the most isolated inhabited place on earth, has been attracting visitors who are curious to discover the stunning scenery and fascinating statues.

Most famous for the iconic heads, officially known as moai (pronounced mo-eye), Rapa Nui also goes by the English name, Easter Island and the Spanish title Isla de Pascua.

Politically Easter Island belongs to Chile , but geographically the island is over 4000km away from the South American continent. While everyone does speak Spanish here, the local tongue, also called Rapa Nui, is just as prevalent.

We visited here in May 2017 and spent a week trying to discover all the things to do on Easter Island . What we didn’t expect was to fall completely in love with Rapa Nui!

Table of Contents

Watch The Sunrise At Ahu Tongariki

Rent a car to explore the island, swim at anakena beach, scuba dive with the underwater moai, go stargazing at night, rent a board and go surfing, explore the anthropological museum, visit the quarry at rano raraku, learn about the birdman competition at orongo, check out ana kakenga cave, go to a traditional dance show, horseback riding, explore the rocky coastline, create your own photography tour, eat at the best restaurant on the island, enjoy the sunset at tahai, get a polynesian tattoo, search for ancient petroglyphs, stamp your passport with a moai, swim with turtles in hanga roa harbour, admire the volcanic crater at rano kau, visit the polynesian style catholic church, hop around ahu akahanga, the only moais facing the ocean at ahu akivi, marvel at the stonework of ahu vinapu, find the navel of the world at te pito kura, spot the pukaos at puna pau, wander through ana te pahu cave, check out the botanical gardens, soak up the island life, the restaurants, the packages, things to do in easter island.

Most people visit Easter Island on a short trip from Santiago , or from the other alternative at Tahiti. While it’s possible to see the major sites in a few days, we personally believe a week isn’t even enough.

There are dozens of things to do in Easter Island, and even though we were out all day, every day (and sometimes at night) we still didn’t get to do them all.

That being said we tried our best, and here’s our list of what to do in Easter Island on your next vacation!

READ MORE: our ultimate destination guide all about travel to Chile !

Moai Black And White Things To Do In Easter Island

Perhaps the most popular thing to do in Easter Island is to watch the sunrise over the 15 moai in at Ahu Tongariki. This particular location is so unique because it holds the best restored moais on the entire island.

Re-erected to their traditional positions after a huge tsunami knocked them down in 1960, the 15 moai stand tall with spectacular mountains and ocean views behind them.

While visiting Ahu Tongariki is beautiful at any time of day, being there for sunrise is especially captivating as the sun peaks up between the statues, throwing long shadows across the field.

Our Tip –  Stay as long as you can after the sun rises to capture some amazing shots once everyone has left.

Ahu Tongariki Sunrise Things To Do In Easter Island

While we personally recommend getting a tour for at least one day in order to best learn about the island’s culture and history (we recommend Mahinatur ), there’s nothing better than having the freedom to go at your own pace and go back to the spots you love.

Wake up early and make your way out to Ahu Tongariki for sunrise, then head to the beach for an hour of relaxation if you want. Take random roads and see where you end up.

Especially if you’re interested in taking photos having a car can be the most important tool you have in order to stop at any of the marvellous lookouts scattered around the island.

If you’re not into driving cars you can also rent bicycles, ATVs or dirt bikes.

Average cost for a car rental in Easter Island is about US$80 for 24 hours. You do not need much fuel to get around, as the island is quite small.

Our Tip –  Go on tours first to get the history then rent a car when you have a spare day to go back to those favourite, and less-visited, locations.

Youtube Player

While most of the coastline of Rapa Nui is rocky due to the volcanic composition of the island, there are two places where you can enjoy white sand and turquoise waters as beautiful as anywhere in the Pacific Ocean!

Ovahe Beach is a great place to enjoy on a sunny day, but the real crown jewel is Anakena Beach!

Your first glimpse of Anakena Beach will really make you believe you have landed in a tropical, movie paradise. And let’s face it; you pretty much have.

Lush green grass peppered with soaring palm trees stretch out to bay of glistening soft sand. Rock headlands on either side give dramatic views while also creating a protective shelter for the shimmering waves that gently lap onto the shore.

To top it all off 8 moais stand tall in this dramatic location – The 7 moais of Ahu Nau Nau and the lone moai on Ahu Ature. This really makes it one of the absolute best things to do in Easter Island.

Our Tip –  Walk around to the far end of the beach (opposite the car park) and the sand and water will be a less busy.

Anakena Beach Things To Do In Easter Island

This is something that we wanted to do ever since we first saw a photo of a moai laying on the ocean floor. We didn’t know how accessible or easy it would be, but as it turns out it’s quite simple to dive there!

Sitting about 20m below the surface this moai makes for some incredible underwater photos. The ocean is stunningly clear and when we went diving in Easter Island visibility was around 40m!

There’s also other excellent dive sites around Rapa Nui, including some cavern and wall dives.

Unfortunately we have to break some sad news – the underwater moai is a fake! It was installed on the reef for a movie and left as a dive site ever since. Still that doesn’t make it any less beautiful to see!

Diving in Easter Island isn’t cheap, and we paid 40’000 CLP for one tank (US$60). You can get discounts with more dives. Keep in mind that this isn’t Indonesia or the Philippines, and it’s not world class diving by any means. But where else can you get a photo like this?

Our Tip –  Check out the two main dive companies in downtown Hanga Roa. They are Orca Diving Centre and Mike Rapu . Personally we went with Orca Diving Centre, and while their equipment was good, we felt like we were a pain in the ass to the staff and dive masters there. Quite unfriendly and abrupt. We had a much better feeling from Mike Rapu (and their gear was the same), but they were booked out on the day we wanted to go unfortunately.

Underwater Moai Scuba Diving Things To Do In Easter Island

The remote location of Rapa Nui makes it one of the most phenomenal places to admire the night sky. When the sun sets the stars come out in all their glory!

If you’ve grown up in a city, or don’t have the chance to get out into nature all that often, you will be absolutely blown away by the clarity and clearness of the sky in Easter Island!

The best part is you don’t even have to leave your hotel to see the Milky Way. If you happen to be on the island during a new moon the lights from Hanga Roa only have a small effect on the sky, meaning you can see everything from right there in town.

Our Tip –  When you rent a car you have it for 24 hours, so do what we did and go for a drive around midnight to get a much better view of the stars.

Moai Easter Island Milky Way

Whether you’re a seasoned expert of brand new to the waves, surfing in Easter Island will keep you amped! With no other landmass for thousands of kilometres around, Easter Island’s north shore gets hammered with some intense swell that has become the stuff of legend.

If paddling into a 12-foot monster doesn’t sound appealing to you then you’re in luck, because the harbour at Hanga Roa gets some gentle, rolling sets that are perfect to learn on.

You can rent a board from many of the shops in the village, and prices are around 15’000CLP (US$22) for half a day.

Our Tip –  If you’re keen to find some more solid swell become friends with the locals to see if they’ll take you to some of their favourite spots.

Surfing Things To Do In Easter Island

If you’re coming to Rapa Nui expecting a world class museum, we have some sad news for you – it’s not that amazing. Still it has some interesting artefacts, including the only original coral eye that used to adorn the moais, and is worth stopping by if you have a few hours spare.

You can find the Museo Antropologico Padre Sebastian Englert at the north end of Hanga Roa village. Best of all entrance is free!

Our Tip –  Go during the middle of the day so you can escape the heat outside.

  • Address: Te Karera, Hanga Roa
  • Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday from 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday – Sunday and holidays from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Price: Free of charge

Anthropological Museum Things To Do In Easter Island

Rano Raraku is quite possibly the most interesting and beautiful site on the entire island, and a place that is well worth spending as much time as possible. It’s also arguably the best place to visit in Easter Island.

Located on the edge of the Terevaka volcano on the north end of the island, Rano Raraku is where all the moai were hand carved to be transported to their final destinations.

As this was the quarry you can find moai in all stages of construction, from barely carved out to fully completed yet abandoned on the side of a hill. To see them scattered around is a sight that will never be forgotten!

Behind Rano Raraku it’s also possible to hike to the large volcanic crater for another spectacular view. It also gives epic vistas out to sea.

This was our absolute favourite spot on the entire island. There’s a lot of stories and history to be learned from this archaelogical site, but we will leave the details and stories to discover on your own adventure. Don’t miss it on your list of things to do in Easter Island.

Book this amazing tour to listen about the lost culture of Rapa Nui while you walk among the moais at Rano Raraku and ending the day relaxing at the Anakena beach.

Our Tip –  You can only visit Rano Raraku once on your national park entrance ticket, so we suggest spending as much time there as possible. Once you see it for yourself you won’t want to leave.

Rano Raraku Things To Do In Easter Island

High up on the side of Rano Kau, the largest volcano on Easter Island, is the historic Orongo village . Here you can find more than 50 stone dwellings looking out over the sea and towards a couple of rocky islands.

While Rano Kau in itself is breathtaking, and worth a visit at any time of day (or night), Orongo offers the most fascinating insight into the history of the Rapa Nui people.

Here at Orongo the ancient ‘Birdman’ competition was held. This contest would pit representatives from each village on the island against each other in a dangerous climbing and swimming match to one of the offshore islands. The goal – to collect the first bird egg of the season.

The winning tribe would then be granted rulership over the entire island for the following year. A place of such importance meant a lot for the local people, which is why the dwellings are so fantastic.

Like Rano Raraku, you can only visit Orongo once on your ticket. However in our opinion once is enough.

Join this guide d half-day tour where besides Orongo you will also visit Rano Kau, Ahu A’kivi, Puna Pau, Vinapu and Tahai.

Our Tip –  If you can go with a local guide to Orongo. It will provide a much deeper insight into the history and competition that was held in this fabled location.

Orongo Village Things To Do In Easter Island

We’ve visited a lot of caves in our time, including the largest cave in the world , so it takes a lot for us to get excited about a twisting cavern. But when on Easter Island, everything is exciting!

Rapa Nui is covered in dozens of underground chambers, and trying to find every one in itself could take weeks. If you’re into amateur spelunking, you’re in the right place.

What makes Ana Kakenga so unique though is that this cave actually has two openings that expose themselves at the side of a cliff, offering sensational views over the Pacific Ocean!

There are many places to visit in Easter Island but this cave is a must see!

This cave is not for the claustrophobic! You need to climb down a narrow entrance to get in, then crawl through a small chamber to reach the openings. But trust us, it’s worth it!

Our Tip –  Bring a head torch or a light, and try to be out there for sunset, as the cave faces west!

Ana Akenga Cave Things To Do In Easter Island

One of the more cultural things to do in Easter Island is to attend a traditional dance show. Music and dancing is very important to the people of Polynesia, and Rapa Nui is no different.

These visually inspiring shows last for up to 90 minutes and often get the crowd involved with the dancing, so make sure you bring a fun and lively attitude!

The costs vary depending on the company and whether you want dinner included, but we paid 15’000 CLP (US$22) without dinner.

The dance show is a perfect addition to finish off your Easter Island sightseeing.

Our Tip –  Go with Kari Kari as they have the best reputation amongst visitors and locals alike.

Dance Show Things To Do In Easter Island

When you explore Easter Island you’ll be absolutely astounded by the huge number of horses that seem to just wander around freely. There really is a lot of them!

So it should come as no surprise that a popular activity on Rapa Nui is horseback riding.

Horse riding in Easter Island is a fun and energetic way to spend a few hours getting out to some of the sights, and will definitely be a highlight of your travels.

Our Tip –  If you’re not a confident rider make sure you tell the guides beforehand so they can give you a quieter horse.

Horse Riding Things To Do In Easter Island

The coastline of Rapa Nui is jagged, volcanic and exceptionally beautiful. Huge waves batter the rocks, giving the entire place a rugged atmosphere.

While the beaches at Anakena and Ovahe are perfect for chilling on the sand and going for a dip, the rest of the spots would be better suited for big-wave surfers and spear fishing. Or for what we do – photography !

While the moais are obviously the star attraction on Easter Island, make sure you at spend a bit of time admiring just how beautiful this coastline is.

Our Tip –  This is where having your own car is perfect, but even if you don’t rent a vehicle still make a point to get down to a different spot for sunset on the coast at least once.

Coastline Things To Do In Easter Island

Even if you’re not into photography, being on Easter Island is sure to fill up as many SD cards as you bring !

The combination of the archaeological sites, wide volcanoes, green pastures and gorgeous coastlines makes Rapa Nui one of the most picturesque places on earth.

It’s really a place that you’ll want to come away from with marvellous pictures, and the best way to do that is to give yourself enough time to take photos.

Try to have a day where you’re not rushed so you can wait for the best light, walk around to get different angles and maybe even try to find a spot that hasn’t been captured and thrown on Instagram a million times. Trust us, you’ll enjoy it.

Our Tip –  Focus on the best times of day for photography, which are the blue and golden hours (first light in the morning, and last light in the evening). Read our article as well for more help .

Sunset Things To Do In Easter Island

Being an isolated island it should come as no surprise that food options can be a little scarce on Easter Island. While fish is the obvious staple, you’ll also find tonnes of typical Chilean-style fast food like empanadas, burgers and pizza.

Some of it is amazing, and some of it leaves a lot to be desired. But no matter what your budget and diet is we highly recommend heading out to the Kaloa restaurant in Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa.

The location is excellent with ocean views, and the food in simply incredible. We couldn’t believe the huge variety of meals on offer, and we tried our best to eat something new every time.

Best of all it is actually reasonably priced compared to the rest of the island, so you can get quality without killing the bank account.

Our Tip –  The fish of the day is divine, and the mango desserts are pretty epic.

Best Restaurant Things To Do In Easter Island

This is probably the most popular place for sunset on Easter Island. Located right next to Hanga Roa village, the moai at Tahai have a beautiful seaside position, and you can find dozens of people relaxing as the sun goes down.

The fact that it’s right next to town makes it accessible for everyone, and the sheer beauty of it just adds to the appeal. It’s a stunning spot that you’ll probably find yourself at almost every night.

This is one of the most beautiful things to see in Easter Island.

Our Tip:  If the crowds are too large walk further north to get to the other moai. This is where you can find most of the locals too.

Ahu Tahai Sunset Things To Do In Easter Island

If you’re the kind of person that likes to collect souvenirs of your travels, then perhaps getting a tattoo is something to consider!

Polynesian art is stunning, and Easter Island in particular has an interesting mix from all the islands of the Pacific.

There are a number of tattoo artists on Easter Island, but arguably the best and most famous amongst locals is Andres ‘Panda’ Pakariti.

Panda has been tattooing Polynesian-style art for over 25 years, and is one of the most interesting (and talented) people you can meet on Rapa Nui. His prices are also extremely reasonable. I walked away with a huge, custom chest piece that only cost a few hundred dollars.

Check out his portfolio here.

Our Tip – Panda is very professional and hygienic. Having received quite a few tattoos before I know what to look for, and he was amazing. Also only reach out to tattoo artists if you are seriously considering getting one. No one likes to have their time wasted.

Tattoo Things To Do In Easter Island

Easter Island is covered with ancient petroglyphs left behind from the old Rapa Nui. While they’re not as prominent as the moai, they also tell an important part of their history.

You can find petroglyphs all over the island, but some of the best ones are found near Te Pito Kura. Go for a tour to see how many you can find.

Our Tip –  Having a guide is very useful to help explain what all the petroglyphs are, as many of them are faded and of a unique style.

Petroglyphs Things To Do In Easter Island

Everybody loves getting their passport stamped, but if you’re flying from the Chilean mainland to Easter Island you won’t get a stamp as the island politically belongs to Chile.

However if you swing by the local post office in Hanga Roa you can leave with one of the most unique passport stamps ever!

All they want is a donation, and you can stamp your passport with the iconic moai (and yes it is 100% legal) Definitely something to raise eyebrows the next time a customs officer is flicking through your documents.

Our Tip –  Put your stamp in a prominent spot if possible. For example we stamped the first page of our passport.

Passport Stamp Things To Do In Easter Island

Every day at the gorgeous Hanga Roa harbour fills up with amazing sea life and creates a beautiful and safe environment to go snorkelling in.

But it’s not just the fish that are worth checking out – sea turtles also come out to play in the rolling current!

Grab some snorkelling gear from your hotel or from any of the rental shops along the harbour and get out there for some fun! Just one of the many great things to do in Easter Island.

Our Tip –  Go at high tide.

Hanga Roa Harbour Things To Do In Easter Island

Easter Island actually has 3 volcanoes that formed this unique ecosystem. By far the most impressive one is Rano Kau.

Located at the southwest corner of the island on the edge of the coast, Rano Kau has an enormous crater that offers incredible views out to sea.

Rather than being a cultural experience, the best thing to do is just to walk around the crater and enjoy the vistas.

Our Tip –  Go early in the morning or late afternoon for the best light.

Rano Rau Things To Do In Easter Island

Churches around the world can either be a bit same-same, or incredibly unique. The one in Hanga Roa village falls into the latter category.

Christianity came to Easter Island in 1864 and quickly spread, eradicating a lot of the ancient culture and tradition along the way.

A church was built in the main village, but luckily maintained a lot of the island’s fascinating art style. On the pillars you can see some beautiful carvings, and it gives the religious building a touch of authenticity.

Our Tip –  If you’re there on a Sunday you can join the mass.

  • Address: u’u Koihu, Hanga Roa

Church Things To Do In Easter Island

A sprawling site with a bunch of ruined platforms and moai, Ahu Akahanga is well worth visiting while driving around the island.

It might not be as impressive as Ahu Tongariki, but the sheer size of the place is outstanding. Give yourself a bit of time to walk the entire way around.

Our Tip –  Head down behind the ahu and find the moai knocked down by the sea.

Ahu Akahanga Things To Do In Easter Island

Contrary to popular belief, the moais of Easter Island don’t stare out to sea, but rather look inland. While there’s many different conspiracy theories about this, the truth is that they were built to look back at the villages they represented.

The only exception to this is Ahu Akivi, which does stare out at the ocean. This is because the village was built on the edge of the sea, and with no room to place the ahu (platform) in their standard place, the villagers placed it behind.

It’s a gorgeous spot as well, and as it is completely unique it’s well worth visiting.

Our Tip –  Catch the moai as part of a trip on the northwest side of the island, as it is a bit out of the way.

Ahu Akivi Things To Do In Easter Island

The thing that captivates visitor’s attention the most is usually how the Rapa Nui people moved the statues from the quarry to their final resting places. But not a lot of thought goes into how they carved these huge pieces of stone.

One place that will make you think long and hard about that is Ahu Vinapu . Here you will find massive blocks of stone carved so intricately and pieced together so tightly that you can’t even insert a butter knife between them.

Rumours say that perhaps the Rapa Nui were trained by the Incas in how to create this spellbinding stonework, but there’s no proof of that. Still it’s a great site that really gives an insight into their immense skills.

On this half-day tour you will visit not just the impressive Ahu Vinapu ceremonial complex but also the Orongo village where they prayed to birdmen deities and the largest volcanic crater on Easter Island – Rano Kau!

Our Tip –  Make sure you walk around the back of Ahu Vinapu to see the stonework.

Ahu Vinapu Things To Do In Easter Island

Easter Island is known to locals as the ‘navel of the world’, perhaps because of the volcanic style of the island and its isolated position.

Another reason it is called that is because of the unique rocks found at Te Pito Kura.

Here you can find a large stone that is said to have been brought by Hotu Matu’a, the first chief and original cultural founder of Easter Island.

This particular rock is not native to Easter Island, meaning someone must have brought it a long way. And if someone brought it by boat specifically to be placed at Easter Island, it must been special.

This is also where you can find the tallest moai ever constructed at over 10m tall and 90 tonnes.

Our Tip –  Don’t touch the rocks.

Te Pito Kura Easter Island

Some of the moais found around the island have these large, red pieces on their heads. Despite what it looks like, these aren’t hats, but are rather the hair styles (top knots) of those particular people represented by the statues.

Called ‘pukaos’, these large rocks were carved at the Puna Pau quarry out of red scoria, and are different to the rest of the stone you can find around the island.

A trip to Puna Pau allows you to look into the quarry, as well as see a number of pukaos that never made it to their final destination.

Our Tip –  See if you can figure out how the Rapa Nui people must have placed the pukao on top of the moai.

Puna Pau Pukao Things To Do In Easter Island

There are hundreds of caves all around Easter Island, but one of the most impressive is Ana Te Pahu.

The largest lava channel on the island, Ana Te Pahu has recently been discovered to stretch for 7km total around Rapa Nui.

Climbing down into the cave can be a bit precarious, but once inside you really enjoy this beautiful spot, covered with trees and shrubs inside the caverns.

Our Tip –  Wear sturdy shoes and bring a headlamp if you want to go deep inside.

Ana Te Pahu Cave Things To Do In Easter Island

You already visited all Easter Island tourist attractions and not sure where to head next?

If you’re looking for something a bit different than bouncing around the moais and beaches, consider heading out to the botanical gardens .

Mostly filled with introduced plants, the botanical gardens offers a refreshing alternative on how to spend a few hours on Easter Island.

While it’s not a place that will blow your mind, if you’re into flora and have the time definitely check it out!

Our Tip –  Call ahead and the family that runs the botanical gardens can pick you up.

  • Address: Ara Piki, Isla de Pascua
  • Opening hours: Monday – Saturday from 9 AM – 6PM
  • Price: 4000 CLP (transport included)

Botanical Gardens Things To Do In Easter Island

At the end of the day the most important thing to remember is that you are on a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific filled with hospitable and relaxed people. Soak up the atmosphere yourself!

Things tend to move slower on islands, and that’s what makes them so enjoyable to visit. Easter Island is no different, and you’ll quickly fall in love with the chilled out pace.

Book your flights, give yourself a few days to kick back without sightseeing, drink some delicious local beers or cocktails and soak up the island life!

Our Tip –  Just relax, man!

Hammocks Things To Do In Easter Island

That concludes our very comprehensive list of all the best things to do on Easter Island. Have we missed anything? What was your favourite thing to do on Easter Island? leave a comment below and let us know!

Travel Guide Easter Island

Now that you know all Easter Island attractions you must visit, next thing to decide is where to stay in Easter Island!

Where To Stay In Easter Island

For a relatively small island, Rapa Nui has a lot of accommodation options, and it can be quite daunting trying to figure out where to stay.

These range from very basic hostels and camping, right through to world class luxury resorts. That being said everything on the island is much more expensive than you may be used to, and the budget options don’t necessarily offer excellent value.

You can find a few hostels on Hostelworld , or go for the options on Agoda . If you use Agoda don’t forget to put in our exclusive discount code to get 10% off your hotel! Coupon: AGODANMD10

Best Luxury Hotel In Easter Island – Hangroa Eco Lodge

In our opinion a visit to Easter Island is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if you can afford it you should do it in style. That’s why we stayed at the best luxury hotel in Easter Island, Hangaroa Eco Lodge .

This exceptional resort is only a short walk from Hanga Roa village and has incredible views and grounds.

From the moment you are picked up from the airport (yes airport transfers are included) you know it’s going to be a special stay. Flowered leis are draped around your neck and your air-conditioned van is waiting outside.

The hotel is only a few minutes from the airport, and when you arrive you are greeted with a welcome drink in the large, airy lobby.

Naturally the staff take quality service to a new level, and you’ll start to feel like they’re your friends before you’ve even been shown to your room.

Sunset Cocktails Things To Do In Easter Island

There are two room styles to choose from at Hangaroa Eco Lodge – the Kainga Suite and the Maunga Suite.

We stayed in the Kainga Suite, and it was large, comfortable, and filled with every kind of amenity you would ever want.

Every patio has ocean views with a few chairs to kick back and relax on. Stepping back inside is a long couch opposite the king-size bed.

The bathroom was sprawling, with one of the coolest showers we’ve seen in a long time. To top it all off the decor was divine.

We also had the opportunity to check out the Maunga Suite while we were at Hangaroa Eco Lodge, and all we can say is WOW!

If you’re the kind of person that likes a lot of space when you stay in a place, then you can’t beat the Maunga Suite. It’s quite literally enormous!

Separate bathrooms, wardrobes, sitting areas and patios give you more room than you could ever need. It’s beautiful.

Maunga Suite Hangaroa Eco Lodge Best Luxury Hotel In Easter Island

If you’re on vacation in a hot place, then you want to have a pool, and Hangaroa Eco Lodge has a lovely one! Offering cool views out to the ocean and lots of spots to sit around, it’s a perfect place to return to in the middle of the day.

Qualified and experienced therapists, masseuses and beauticians are on hand all day to make sure you’re feeling 100%. If you feel like a reflexology massage, hot stones, manicures, deep tissue treatments or just want to relax this is the spot to come to.

Pool Hangaroa Eco Lodge

There are a few restaurants on the Hangroa property, and they are all absolutely incredible! We ate almost every meal there and they were honestly some of the tastiest dishes we’ve had in all of South America!

Using only the freshest ingredients means everything is as delicious as possible, and the selection is incredible. You could have mahi mahi for lunch and lamb chops for dinner. And don’t forget the desserts!

To make this even better, the food is actually reasonably priced. Mains will set you back between US$10-20, which is ridiculously good for restaurants of these high quality on Easter Island.

Restaurant Hangaroa Eco Lodge

If you would prefer to tackle Easter Island’s most amazing attractions with an experienced local guide accompanying you, then you should definitely consider some of Hangaroa Eco Lodge’s tours.

These can be booked right at the concierge desk inside the lobby

Sometimes you just don’t want to worry about anything, and that’s where the all-inclusive packages at Hangaroa Eco Lodge are so brilliant.

We signed up for their ‘ Experience Hangaroa Program ‘, which included all meals, tours, accommodation, transfers and beverages.

We’re quite new to these all-inclusive packages, but being able to check in, go on adventures, eat delicious meals and drink a lot of great Chilean wine and beer without worrying about the cost is amazing.

That being said if you would prefer to just have the accommodation and breakfast you can book that without the need for a whole program.

We were welcomed to Easter Island as guests of Hangaroa Eco Lodge. All thoughts, opinions and millions of photos of moai taken are, as always, our own.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you book accommodation, tours or buy a product, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help us keep creating more free travel content to help people plan their holidays and adventures. We only recommend the best accommodations, tours and products that ourselves or our fantastic editorial team have personally experienced, and regularly review these. Thanks for your support, kind friend!

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About the Author - Alesha and Jarryd

Hey! We are Alesha and Jarryd, the award-winning writers and professional photographers behind this blog. We have been travelling the world together since 2008, with a passion for adventure travel and sustainable tourism. Through our stories and images we promote exciting off-the-beaten-path destinations and fascinating cultures as we go. As one of the world's leading travel journalists, our content and adventures have been featured by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, CNN, BBC, Forbes, Business Insider, Washington Post, Yahoo!, BuzzFeed, Channel 7, Channel 10, ABC, The Guardian, and plenty other publications. Follow our journey in real time on Facebook , YouTube and Instagram .

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21 thoughts on “30 Awesome Things to Do in Easter Island”

Oh, am I glad I found this! We are going to Easter Island NEXT WEEK and I am so excited and thrilled! SO MUCH great info in this post. Thank you, thank you!

This was fun to read and very insightful. There is still so much to be discovered in this world!

Happy Travels!

There is. It is a big world. So much to see. 🙂

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GREAT INFO ON EASTER ISLAND. WE ARE PLANNING A TRIP THERE IN 2021 AND WONDERING IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THERE (WARMER TEMPERATURE AND LESS WIND AND RAIN)? KNOW ITS A HARD QUESTION BUT WE DON’T HAVE HOLIDAYS BOOKED YET SO WE CAN PICK ANY TIME OF YEAR. THANKS FOR ANY IDEAS ALANA

I was originally planning on going to Easter Island for 4 days as part of a tour, however this post has now convinced me not only to do this trip without a proper tour company (still doing 1-2 days via tours, for the local knowledge) but to extend to a 7 day trip. I was a bit hesitant about renting a vehicle but much more at ease after reading this post. Awesome info, awesome writing style. Keep up the good work! Thank you!

Hi Tori, We are glad we could help you. Renting a vehicle there is a perfect way to explore. If you can team up with other people it would be cheaper for you. The roads are quiet and are well maintained. If you want you can rent a scooter if you don’t want a car. If you rent multiple days the companies give you a discount. We highly recommend a guided tour to find out the history and then you can explore off on your own. Have a wonderful trip and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to message us. 🙂

Hi Alesha and Jarryd,

We’re planning a trip to Easter Island next October and after reading this fantastic blog we’re going to opt to very closely follow your recommendations. Our situation mirror what Tori wrote above. I do have a few additional questions: (1) Do the locals speak English? perhaps just at the hotels and restaurants? (2) Are the rental scooters just for one person each or can two ride on one? Is there any disadvantage to renting them versus renting a car? (3) Do you recommend any particular tours? We’d like to do one that includes the Birdman Competition at Orongo to learn the history but NOT include Rano Raraku as we want to be free to spend as much time there as we want. Would that scenario work with the one visit per Park Pass? (4) A friend who visited earlier this year recommended visiting the ‘Blue Cemetery’, did you visit there per chance too?

Thanks for this GREAT info about Easter Island.

Awesome post, I love your writing style. The magic of moai in incredible. Thanks for the great info.

Thank you so much. We appreciate it. 🙂

Wow! We are looking for a place to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary and this seem really tempting as we love archeological sites culture snorkeling and hiking. How narrow are the crawl places in the caves? Thanks for a great intro to Easter Island

Hi Garry and Carryl, so sorry we missed your comment. Easter Island would be a beautiful place to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary. The cave was small but not light. You did have to crawl walk through sections but was for a very short period. Hope your anniversary is still to come and you have a wonderful day. Happy Anniversary.

Very nice pictures and after reading the article I just want to go there and to all those amazing activities and take some picture of my own !

Thanks so much. It is an amazing place.

Very. Ich looking forward to seeing and visiting places mentioned in your blog – visiting from 19 Feb for a week. Thanks for all the suggestions and tips.

You will have such a great time. There is so much to do. Glad we could help. If you need a good tour company check out Mahinatur, also hire a car so you can explore yourself. 🙂 Have a great trip

Great post! You´ve taken some really beautiful photos – I also was lucky enough to visit Easter Island and was awestruck at how these manmade constructions were made so many years ago. Looks like you’ve really made the most of your trip there!

Thank you Mark. We had a great time there. We wanted to stay longer. It is an amazing place. Thank you for reading. Happy travels.

Had no idea there was so much to do on Rapa Nui! Thanks for all the great suggestions

Sure is. It is an amazing place.

Congrats on your CNN feature! Wonderful. What a fun trip here too. Mysterious and exotic, and I find it neat how plenty of lodging exists on such a small island in the middle of nowhere. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Thank you so much. We wish you all the best Ryan. 🙂

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Divergent Travelers

How to Visit Easter Island: Essential Planning Guide

Easter Island is one of the most fascinating places to be found anywhere on earth. It’s an island of towering, megalithic stone heads. A place where statues were seemingly carved by giants, but more impressively were built by pure manpower alone.

It’s a place of legend, demise and wonder, where history is always rewritten as new facts come to life and new discoveries are made. It’s an incredible place to visit, but it’s not an easy place to travel to.

Easter Island is about as remote as it gets. It’s far out in the middle of nowhere. But it’s an island that has for centuries intrigued and enthralled scientists and travelers alike, as they wonder how the people that lived here survived and eventually thrived, before almost completely disappearing again.

It’s a wild and windswept place, a place that seems almost inhospitable, but that has its own distinct natural charm that can’t be found anywhere else. Easter Island is an island that will remain firmly transfixed in your memory long after you leave its shores.

Although it’s not a cheap or easy destination to reach, it’s a place that you can guarantee a few other people will be able to say they’ve set foot upon. Here’s our guide on how to get to Easter Island, to help make your journey just a little bit easier.

Don’t leave home without:   Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island (Travel Guide)

Table of Contents

Where is Easter Island?

How to Get to Easter Island - Ahu Akivi

Easter Island is a small, remote and isolated place that’s found far out in the southern Pacific Ocean. The island measures just 15 miles in length and 7 miles in width, making it a small spec in an otherwise vast and empty ocean.

It’s this isolation that draws many visitors to the shores, and it’s an incredible feat of early seafaring that brought early Polynesian settlers here centuries ago in the face of insurmountable odds.

This is one of the most remote islands in the world. The nearest inhabited land is Pitcairn Island, 1200 miles away and equally remote with a population of just 50 permanent residents.

Easter Island is halfway between New Zealand and Chile, and it’s Chile that lays claim to the island, governing it as a territory, despite the fact that its thousands of miles away across the wild Pacific Ocean.

All this means that Easter Island can be difficult to reach.

Don’t forget:   Easter Island & Santiago Travel Reference Map

How to Get to Easter Island

Anakena Beach on Easter Island

Easter Island has one airstrip, at the capital Hanga Roa, and it’s possible to fly here daily from Santiago in Chile. There’s also a weekly international air connection to Tahiti .

From Santiago, flight time is a minimum of five hours, and in the wide-open Pacific flying in can seem like finding a needle in a haystack, a rather strange experience.

There’s only one airline flying this route and so consequently, fares can be quite high regardless of when you book.

Surprisingly though, Easter Island is getting better connected, and Santiago in Chile is becoming a hub of air travel , meaning it’s possible to travel here from around the world before booking an onward flight to Easter Island.

You can book flights through ordinary means, such as a travel agency or online. A travel agent can provide you with more accurate information on how to get to Easter Island but flights are readily available to book online.

We booked our flights online through Skyscanner , roundtrip from Santiago, Chile. The flight is approximately 6 hours and is nonstop. It’s an open ocean but incredibly cool when you start to descend on Easter Island.

Sit by the window and stare out at the ocean periodically while you are en route, it really helps you to understand just how remote this place is. 

The really adventurous, and those with a lot of time on their hands, may want to arrive on Easter Island in the more traditional manner, by crossing the Pacific Ocean by ship.

Very infrequent cargo ships and occasionally an organized cruise will cross from New Zealand to Chile, calling in at remote destinations like Easter Island, and if you are lucky you could get yourself a spot on one.

It’s a long journey, but it will help you to truly appreciate the remote nature of this destination.

How To Travel Around Easter Island

Rano Raraku, Rapa Nui National Park

As you would imagine, this is a small, sparsely populated place, with a population of just a few thousand people. There’s no public transport, but the island is small and well connected enough to make journeys around it fairly simple still.

The hard part is getting there. Once you are there, it’s easy to arrange taxis and drivers to transport you around, as you will find that despite its remoteness, Easter Island is very much reliant on tourism these days.

The main settlement is found at Hanga Roa, and this is where you will most likely be based throughout your trip. In the town, you can easily walk around from restaurants to hotels and anything else in between.

Circumnavigating the island in one go would only take a few hours. Many people will even choose to hire bicycles to sightsee.

There are also many tour companies organizing small group tours, which are easy to tag along with, allowing you to save on costs and still see all the major sights with local guides. You can arrange these in Hanga Roa with one of the travel agencies based there.

For us, we went with renting a 4×4 for the entire duration of our stay. We still took several tours that involved small van travel and did a bike trip up the coast, but our main wheels were an ATV.

This worked amazing, as we could ride together and could fit anywhere, unlike if you rent a car.

The only downside is we didn’t feel comfortable driving around the island at night with the 4×4 because the headlights are not very strong and there are lots of horses roaming the island. 

Renting a car I think is your next best option and small SUV’s are available in both manual and automatic. I would recommend that if you are staying for a shorter trip, around 4 days, renting a car is fine.

For longer stays though, I would definitely break it up by renting a car for 3-4 days and then an ATV for the rest of the trip. You’ll save a lot on rental fees and gas this way. 

How Long to Stay on Easter Island

Ahu Tongariki during the day

This is a highly debated topic and I am going to go out on a limb to say that the average stay on Easter Island is about 3-4 days. There seems to be a misconception that all there is to do is stare at statues, which leads people towards that trend.

All said I am going to let you in on the secret that needs to be shared. We didn’t meet one person that wasn’t envious of our 9 days stay on the island. Every single person that had booked on that 3-4 day recommendation realized on their first day that they had made a mistake. 

While Easter Island is small, there is a ton of stuff to do there and an overwhelming amount of sites to visit. You cannot really take on the island, apart from the major sites, in 3-4 days.

We need to be realistic that this place is incredibly remote, not the cheapest and a place you probably won’t visit again in your lifetime, so why would you sell yourself short? Just don’t do it! 

While 9 days is probably a bit excessive for the average person, I will say you need a solid week for a proper visit . This will give you enough time to see the major sites and explore several of the smaller sites on the island.

It will give you time to relax on Anakena Beach, wander the streets of Hanga Roa and take a bike trip up the coast. It will also give you time to do some hiking, like climbing the three summits (a world’s Top 100 Travel Adventure ), and to take in a couple of cultural shows. 

For the photographers, you better just book those 9 days. I’m serious. The island offers some serious opportunities for sunrise, sunset and astrophotography shots but you need to leave some days in there to play roulette with the weather.

We had some stunning days but lots of clouds would roll in at night making star shots almost impossible. During our 9 days, it rained for 4 straight sunrises.

Now imagine if you had only booked 4 days on the island. You get my drift, give yourself time and you’ll get some epic stuff. 

Useful Information for Visiting Easter Island

Easter Island - Tongariki moai

  • Mandatory National Park Entry Fee: The entrance fee to the Rapa Nui National Park is $80USD or $54,000 pesos for all non-Chilean visitors. There is a wooden National Park booth before the Arrivals hall in the airport where you can buy your ticket. This ticket will get you into every site on the island, with unlimited entry except fro Rano Raraku and Orongo, and is valid for your entire stay. Do not miss the booth.
  • Airport Transfers:  Many hotels will offer pickup at the airport included in the price of your stay. If not, there will be several taxis waiting at the airport when you arrive. There is no negotiating on prices, they have fixed rates from the airport to any hotel in town and also charge for luggage, per piece. While this might be irritating at first, you’ll find the ride pleasant if you utilize the driver to get acquainted with the island. They are more than happy to talk about the island, places to visit and give recommendations. 
  • ATM & Money Exchange: In Hanga Roa, you will find ATMs accepting international cards, however, it is wise to take all the money you might need with you – especially if you are just on a short trip – as being an isolated island, there’s every chance the ATMs can malfunction or simply run out of cash. The local currency is the Chilean Peso, however, US Dollars are accepted absolutely everywhere and in many cases, preferred.
  • Safety on Easter Island:  Easter Island is as safe as it gets really. Being such a small community, crime is very infrequent, and you will find that in Hanga Roa there are a large number of police, specifically to help tourists too. Of course, though, being so remote has its own dangers, as if anything serious were to happen to you the nearest major hospitals are thousands of miles away in Chile, so play it safe on the roads and when hiking around.
  • WIFI & Data:  Surprisingly, there is internet on Easter Island and it is reliably good. Most hotels offer complimentary WIFI to their guests. It is also possible to use a Chile-based cell provider on the island to access the cellular phone and data networks. 
  • Gas Prices: If you are planning to rent a car or ATV during your visit, it is good to know that there are 2 gas stations in Hanga Roa and that the prices are not too high. We actually found them to be a bit cheaper than mainland Chile if that makes sense. 
  • Easter Island Passport Stamp: If you’re flying in from Chile you will not have your passport stamped on arrival to Easter Island (visitors arriving from Tahiti will get an official passport stamp on arrival). However, it is possible to get a stamp in your passport from the post office in Hanga Roa. The ladies working the counter are super sweet and happy to chat with you while stamping your passport with the classic Moai stamp, including a date stamp to commemorate your visit. 

Where To Stay on Easter Island

Pool area at Hotel Hanga Roa

The main location and only town of any size are where the majority of the island’s accommodation is found. Hanga Roa would be hard-pressed to really even be called a town, more a collection of a few streets, but it is the center of island life here.

The main street is where you will find much of the accommodation and there is a surprising range to be had here, from budget to luxury. Being so remote though, don’t expect full-on luxury, as getting anything out here is at the best of times difficult.

Accommodation isn’t spectacularly cheap, as even a budget room in a basic guesthouse will cost a minimum of $50 per night for a double, with mid-range hotels selling for $100-150 a night.

We stayed for 9 nights at the  Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa and it was an amazing base for us while we explored Easter Island. The hotel offered large rooms, a big pool, spa, multiple bars and a couple of onsite restaurants.

They can put together some pretty sweet packages that include all of your meals and even daily excursions around the island. Easter Island is a once in a lifetime trip, so if you can swing it this is the only way to go. 

Read reviews and check prices with our Hotel Search Engine , that gives you the best hotel deals found on the web. Our search engine pulls results from all of the major booking places, including Expedia, Hotels, Booking and more. All the options, all the deals, all in one place and just for you.

Best Sunrise and Sunset Spots on Easter Island

How to get to Easter Island - Auh Tahai

Some of the most sought after moments and photos include the sunrise or sunset and there are plenty of good views to be had at this time of day. That being said, there are a couple of optimum places that you should head to get the best photos and experience for each of them. 

BEST SUNRISE SPOT

Hands down the best sunrise spots are at Ahu Tongariki. Not only does the sunrise perfectly behind this site but it’s also the most impressive lineup of Moai on the island.

You’ll have to get up very early and make the approximately 20-minute drive to the site, which sits on the opposite side of the island from Hanga Roa.

There is a booth at the entrance where you have to show your ticket to the guard. 

BEST SUNSET SPOT

Right on the outskirts of town is Ahu Tahai, not only the only place on the island that has a Moai statue with restored eyes, but also the best sunset spot on Easter Island.

Set right on the edge of the coast, this site is impressive and very dramatic. You’ll get both the sun setting over the ocean behind the statue and the lights of Hanga Roa as they start to light up. 

Popular Places to Visit on Easter Island

Much of the tourism on Easter Island revolves of course, around the spectacular giant, stone statues known as Moai, of which there are over 800 strewn across the island.

There are also many hiking opportunities as well as the chance to learn about the island’s unique Polynesian history and culture.

Much of Easter Island is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the name Rapa Nui National Park. 

The Giant Stone Statues of Easter Island

How to Get to Easter Island - Tongariki

The main reason you are probably traveling all this way into the Pacific Ocean is to see first hand the famous, giant stone statues of Easter Island.

These Moai stand on equally enormous stone platforms, although when the island began to fall into turmoil a few hundred years ago, it’s thought that many were toppled in anger.

The statues are spread across the island, with many in dramatic locations on the sides of the volcanoes or strewn along the cliffs.

The most well-known site to visit is at Tongariki, where 15 statues stand next to each other.

It’s thought the Islanders raised the statues themselves using manpower alone, and in fact, many of the standing statues you see today have been erected by scientists trying to prove their own theories as to how they were built.

Read more Rapa Nui National Park: Moai of Easter Island

Our top recommended tours:

  • Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.
  • Ahu Akivi and Orongo plus Anakena Beach Day Trip
  • Easter Islan d Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach

Sunken Moai – Snorkeling and Diving

Surprisingly perhaps, Easter Island is becoming known for its diving and snorkeling. The water might not be too warm, but kit up and you can explore the unique coral and marine life that’s found around the island.

The best part is, you can even dive with sunken Moai statues that are found underwater.

Rano Kau Volcano

Rano Kau volcano crater on Easter Island

Rano Kau is a huge volcanic crater that’s found on Easter Island. It was the site of a large quarry that was used exclusively to mine material for the construction of the Moai.

On the slopes of the volcano, you will see the half-finished remnants of some statues which were never raised or even completed.

In the crater itself, you will see more, as well as the large lake that has formed in the middle. It’s a strange sight, but a weirdly beautiful one too.

  • Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach
  • Small-Group Full-Day Easter Island Highlights South and East

Terevaka Volcano

Lina & Davis Stock on the summit of Terevaka Volcano on Easter Island

Terevaka is the largest volcano on the island – indeed, Rano Raraku is found on the slopes of Terevaka – and a hike to the summit is arduous but breathtaking.

The views from the top are stunning, and it’s possible to easily see across the entirety of this small island, giving you a sense of the vast remoteness that you are in.

Summiting this volcano, along with the other two prominent volcanoes on Easter island, is one of the Top 100 Travel Adventures in the world. 

Anakena Beach

Easter Island - Anakena Beach moai

Anakena is a beautiful, white sand beach that like everywhere on Easter Island, is also home to some iconic Moai statues.

This is supposedly the point where the Polynesian settlers first landed here and it’s a truly stunning place to explore.

It is also the biggest beach and one of only two beaches on the entire island. This phenomenon is due to the intense volcanic activity that formed the island, causing a predominantly jagged coastline. 

  • Small-Group Full-Day Easter Island Highlights North and West

Recommended Tours to Easter Island

How to Get to Easter Island - Sea caves

  • G Adventures Easter Island Independent Adventure (Upgraded) – Unravel the mystery of Rapa Nui with a private guide. Explore mythical Easter Island, known around the world for its ancient monolithic stone statues. See the mysterious statues (or Moai) sprinkled throughout the island, tour the volcanoes, beaches and petroglyphs. Get to know the unique culture of one of the most remote islands on Earth on this Easter Island option with upgraded hotels and an added van for extra comfort.
  • G Adventures Easter Island Independent Adventure – Unravel the mystery of Rapa Nui. Explore mythical Easter Island, known around the world for its ancient monolithic stone statues. See the mysterious statues, or Moai, sprinkled throughout the island, tour the volcanoes, beaches and petroglyphs, and get to know the unique culture of one of the most remote islands on earth.

More on Easter Island:

  • Rapa Nui National Park: Moai of Easter Island

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Travel planning resources, about lina stock.

Lina is an award-winning photographer and writer that has been exploring the world since 2001. She has traveled to 100 countries on all 7 continents. Member: SATW, NATJA, ATTA, ITWA

4 thoughts on “How to Visit Easter Island: Essential Planning Guide”

Very nice Easter Island guide! I am planning a trip there next year so this was good timing. Thanks for sharing!

Easter Island has only recently come to my attention in the past few years thanks to a tv series called Departures. I only thought to go for one day, now seeing this post I see there is much more! I will definitely take note about the passport stamp. As I love collecting them a souvenir wherever I visit. I’m surprised the image you displayed of a hotel, it looks so modern! Not what I was expecting for Easter Island and wifi too!

Definitely spend more than 1 day there! It takes 6 hours to get there… might as well stay a few days and explore around the island. We stayed 9… 🙂 Could have easily stayed longer. There is a lot to see there and the weather can be hit or miss.

When I was on Easter Island for a week, I rented a bicycle one day, and was walking all other days. I stayed for a week, so I had time to walk almost everywhere.

Easter Island is also perfect for hitchhiking, particularly at the end of the day, because everybody is going to Hanga Roa. Sometimes, cars or ATVs even stopped and offered a ride without me asking.

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