tour guide easter island

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. 

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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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 .

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!).

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

APRIL SALE:   Discover and book at   up to 60% off!

Easter Island Tours & Trips

If you are up for an exotic adventure far, far away, consider one of our tours to the Easter Islands . This chilean piece of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is known for Moai, human figures carved in stone by the Rana Nui people. You can start your adventure in Santiago or directly in Hanga Roa.

Filters applied

15 easter island tour packages with 15 reviews.

• In-depth Cultural
• Sightseeing
• Christmas & New Year

6-Days trip to Easter Island

Very good trip, we got to meet a wonderful place. We always adapted the trip, from the moment we got off the plane until we returned. Very good and entertaining tour.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

5 Days Magical Easter Island

Except for little issue in English, guides were very knowledgeable and answeried questions well. Well organized trip. Hotel was very good on beach. Everything was done precisely. Highly recommend this tour.

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Short Break

Great hotel. Great tour. Local tour guides were fantastic

Easter Island: Archeology & Sunset with Moais

Hotel pest control could be improved. We spotted some cucarachas in the room

7 Days Discover the Mystical Easter Islands

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Rapa Nui Experience (4Days/3Nights)

The tour was excellent thanks to the local provider - MAHAKITOUR and the guide Daniela. She really knows the history of the Rapa Nui people. Having a great passion for the heritage of the Island, Daniela told a lot of interesting stories. Was a great three days. The Moai statues are amazing and the history is dramatic and enthralling

Easter Island Experience 4D/3N

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and tour of Rapa Nui. The hotel was so comfortable and the staff excellent and only too happy to help. The tour guides were amazing and very knowledgeable. The only thing I'd change is to have lunch earlier on the second day - 14:30 was too late for lunch. Otherwise and excellent excursion

Easter Island Unmissable - 4 days

Easter Island Discovery (4 Days)

The Easter Island - 3 days

4-Day Easter Island Adventure Tour

4-Day Trip Best of Easter Island

4-Days trip to Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

The Mysteries of Rapa Nui

Independent Santiago City Stay with Easter Island

Excellent. Guide and driver were helpful and knowledgeable. They helped us through the whole process and with the multiple transfers in our trip

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Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Easter Island

Last Updated March 14, 2024 William Tang

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

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

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

Read more about Chile

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

How to get a good price on Easter Island

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

In This Article

Things To Know Before Going To Easter Island

• How To Get To Easter Island

When Is The Best Time To Visit Easter Island?

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

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

• Country – Easter Island is part of Chile.
• Type L (Italy and Chile)
• Type F (most of Europe)
• If you have Type F adapters, these will work fine. No need to invest in Type L.
• $1,000 CLP = $1.089 USD = $1.469 CAD = 1.089€ EUR
• For many, it’ll just be easier to consider $1,000 CLP as $1 USD but if you want something more accurate, make sure to print a currency conversion cheat sheet before you go.
• Timezone – GMT -05:00 (all year round).  This means it is 2 hours behind continental Chile (including Santiago) and is 3 hour ahead of EST (New York, Toronto). Easter Island observes daylight saving time (DST) as does most of mainland Chile.
• ATMs – These are 2 ATMs on Easter Island – Banco Estado and Banco Santander.
• SIM card – The main cellular companies in Chile are Entel , Wom , Claro , and Movistar .  As you may have seen from our Patagonia guide and Atacama guide , we highly recommend Entel based on local recommendations because of their excellent rural coverage. Entel works the best on the island but set your expectations low as the speed is quite slow. More on this in the connectivity section .
• Alternative data options – eSIM or wifi hotspot are good alternative options. For eSIM, we recommend Airalo (15GB/10 days Chile only for $18 USD) and for hotspots, you can’t beat the price of PokeFi especially with our special offer where 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.

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

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

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

10 Reasons To Go To Easter Island

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

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

Brief history and chronology of Easter Island

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

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

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

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

Save Money with EcoChile

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

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

What is the proper name of Easter Island?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High Season (January – March)

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

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

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

National Holidays:

• Jan – New Year’s Day

Shoulder Season (April – June, October – December)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Low Season (July – September)

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Aug – Assumption Day
• Sep – Army Day

Special events to consider

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

Tapati Rapa Nui Festival – First two weeks of February

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

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

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

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

Arts and Culture Week – End of April

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

Easter Island Marathon – June or July

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

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

9 Day Easter Island Itinerary

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

9 Days on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

Rules for visitors

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

These are the main rules to follow:

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

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

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

Where to buy tickets for Rapa Nui National Park

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

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

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

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

1 – Buy your ticket online

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

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

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

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

2 – Buy your ticket in person

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to visit Rapa Nui National Park

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

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

Entry rules

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

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

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

Which sites are actively managed

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

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

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

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

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

The truth of how sites are managed

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

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

Which sites are not managed

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

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

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

Which sites have restrooms?

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

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

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

Thinking About 1 Month in Chile?

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

1 Month Chile Itinerary

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

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

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

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

How you’ll learn about the moai

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are no buses on Easter Island.

How to rent a car on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Save with Green Island Tours on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outdoor activities

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

These are the main things to be aware of:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Easter Island safe to travel alone?

Yes, Easter Island is very safe for solo travelers.

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

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

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

Be safe just in case

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Should You Do On Easter Island?

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

Best Things To Do on Easter Island

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

Food To Try on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

Grilled Fish

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Umu Rapa Nui

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

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

Fresh Fruit Juices

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

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

Pescado A Lo Pobre

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

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

Where To Eat on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Local SIM Card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOTE: This only works if your phone is unlocked.

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

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

Home SIM Card

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

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

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

Advantage – Requires no additional work.

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

Wifi Hotspot

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

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

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

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

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

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

PokeFi Exclusive Promotion

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

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

CHECK OUT POKEFI

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

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

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

Here are their sample rates:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easter Island has two banks in Hanga Roa which makes things easy in case you don’t have all of your cash on hand. That said, it’s a good idea to have at least some CLP with you when land.

The VAT tax in Chile is 19% and is simply built-in.

When will you need to use credit card?

The good news is that you can use your credit card in most places when visiting Easter Island. There are a few exceptions though which we’ll cover next.

You’ll be able to use your credit card everywhere from restaurants, gas station, grocery store, pharmacy, some souvenir stores, tour operators, and some entrance fees.

On Easter Island, there are also a few things that is a good idea or mandatory to pay by credit card:

• Rapa Nui National Park Entrance – This is mandatory whether paying online or in-person.
• Hotel – Since your hotel bill will be quite large, it doesn’t make sense to pay by cash.. Unlike in Atacama, where you can save 19% tax by paying in USD, it doesn’t matter here. In fact, even if you book through Booking.com and it says you’ll be paying in USD, they’ll likely charge you in CLP.
• Guide – Many of the tour companies require you to pay in full when booking online. They take credit card or some even Paypal. The charges are typically in USD.
• Car rental – You need to provide a credit card as a guarantee. When you return the car, they’ll put the charge on that same card.

When will you need to spend cash?

To help with figuring out how much cash you should actually have with you, let’s look at where you’ll be spending cash. It’ll also be useful to know how much of that should be USD.

Here are instances where you’ll want to use cash:

• Tips – You’ll want small bills for airport transfer, guides, restaurants, and housekeeping (CLP or USD)
• Souvenirs – Everything from the souvenir market to the small business stands selling moai (CLP)
• Scuba diving – They only take cash (CLP)

The rest, such as restaurants, grocery stores, and gas station, are at your discretion. Depending on where you are on your trip, you may want to conserve your use of Chilean Pesos and shift to credit card use, or you want to spend as much as you can so you don’t have any left over.

Where can you get Chilean pesos?

There are 4 ways travellers can get Chilean pesos:

• Money changer in your home country
• Large bank in your home country that has an exchange office
• Withdraw from an ATM in Chile
• Money changer in Chile

Why change money at home? Depending on your itinerary, you may not have time to exchange money in Santiago or when you land on Easter Island. It’s nice to not have to stress about going to the ATM right away. We’ve also heard stories of ATMs on Easter Island running out of money. Use a local money changer in your home country or your bank. CLP is a bit of a specialized currency which means that you might need to put in a special order, so plan ahead.

Is it safe to withdraw from ATMs in Easter Island? Yes, it is safe. There aren’t any stories of cards being cloned on the island. This is a different story in Santiago where we heard from one traveller that their card got cloned after using an ATM in the Santiago Airport’s T2 (international) terminal.

Can you withdraw money at the bank counter? Yes you can but you’ll need to bring your passport. Rates will of course be worse here than in say, Santiago.

Which banks are available on Easter Island? Easter Island only has Santander and Banco Estado banks. Both of them are located nearly next to each other in Hanga Roa.

Do ATMs in Chile charge a fee?

While we were in Santiago, we experimented with most of the banks in Chile to figure out what their ATM withdrawal fees are for international debit cards. Since Easter Island only has two banks, we’ll only mention those ones. If you’re curious about the others, check our Atacama Travel Guide .

• Santander – $7,000 CLP ($200,000 CLP limit)
• Banco Estado – $5,500 CLP (no posted limit)

Keep in mind that your home bank might also charge an international withdrawal fee. It will show up as a “PLUS” transaction. In our case, this was $5 CAD.

Is it a good idea to use money changers in Chile? While you can, the rates that they offer are typically not favourable. That said, we did not notice any money exchange offices on the island but it’s possible we weren’t looking that hard.

What other currency should you carry?

The only other currency worth carrying when visiting Easter Island is the US Dollar. Some places may take the currency as an alternate form of payment but this is typically limited to tour operators.

What confuses a lot of travelers is that a lot of prices are listed in USD but this is done to make it easier to understand their prices. In reality, most businesses still charge in CLP.

You can also pay tips in USD but I’m pretty sure they would prefer CLP. It works in a pinch though.

Compared to other currencies, USD also has the better exchange rates compared to say CAD, GBP, or EUR.

Overall, it’s a good idea to have at least $200-$300 in USD for emergency use.

Credit card fees

Your life will be much easier if you are okay to use your credit card throughout Chile. This alleviates how much cash you have to bring.

Foreign Conversion Mark-Up

By using your international credit card, just remember that you’ll be charged an additional 2.5% on the currency conversion. It’s a hidden fee that’s embedded into the rate that’s used to convert to your home currency.

The exception of course are special credit cards that don’t have no foreign transaction fees (0% fx) such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card in Canada.

Point of Sales (POS) Credit Card Machine Fee

From Transbank (a majority of POS credit card machines), their machines added a new fee for international Mastercard and VISA starting February 1, 2021. On the receipt, this shows up as Recargo tarjeta extranjera .

According to Transbank these are the current surcharges but they are based off of a USD fee so it will change according to the exchange rate. This is supposed to be adjusted annually.

Our recommendation: This feels counterintuitive to say but American Express is the way to go in Chile. Avoid using VISA and MasterCard.

Tipping recommendations

Carrying over what we learned in Patagonia and Atacama , tipping is said to be not essential, but at the end of the day, is common practice.

These are the standard tips for Chilean tourism services:

• Guides – $10 – $15 USD per person, per day, given directly to your guides
• Restaurant Staff – 10% of your restaurant bill
• Housekeeping – $5 USD per room, per night
• Drivers – $5 USD per person per day, given directly to your drivers

Of course, adjust your tipping based on actual service received.

Tipping in restaurants

Something quite unique to Chile is that restaurants automatically add a 10% tip but instead of sneakily leaving it there, they’ll usually ask whether it’s okay or not. You have the option of saying yes or no.

On the bill, it’s labelled as propina (Spanish for tips).

Personally, I found 10% to be quite reasonable and appreciated the fact that we had the choice instead of some countries where they slip it in without you knowing and you end up paying double the tip.

When visiting Easter Island, you know you’re in for an expensive trip but there are definitely ways to save so it softens the blow on your wallet, even if it’s just a little bit.

Here are a few obvious, and not-so-obvious tips we wanted to share from our experience.

• Pack snacks from home – Especially on tours where lunch isn’t included or even free days, save money on lunch by munching on granola bars , energy gels , and other snacks. You can pack them from home or in Santiago if you have a layover.
• Buy food from the grocery store – Restaurants are expensive and it can add up. You can easily buy food from the grocery store and make it at your accommodations if you have access to a kitchen.
• Book flights from the Chilean website – If you’ve read our guide for how to get to Easter Island , you’ll know that there are significant savings when you purchase your flight to Easter Island from https://www.latamairlines.com/cl/es . We’ve confirmed that you can use International credit cards on the site so you don’t need to do the complicated process of calling in afterwards.
• Save on credit card foreign transaction fees – Use a credit card that doesn’t apply a 2.5% rate mark up on the exchange rate.
• Don’t use MasterCard or VISA – Transbank in Chile clearly has beef with them so make sure you have an American Express or other branded card for your credit card spend.
• Choose CLP when using your credit card – For machines that give you the option, always choose CLP because your home bank will usually have a better conversion rate.
• Drive manual transmission – If you know how to drive manual, you’ll find cheaper car rental rates.
• Check Viator and GetYourGuide – Before booking any guides or activities, check Viator and GetYourGuide platforms because we noticed that those prices are sometimes lower.
• Booking’s Genius Tier works – You can find properties on Easter Island that participate in the Genius program and offer 10%-17% off. This is why we booked Takarua Lodge on Booking instead of direct, because it came out to be cheaper! Cancellation is also super easy and you don’t need to send that awkward “sorry” e-mail that you would if you booked directly.
• Alternative for guides – If you’re on a budget and looking to bypass official guides, you can 1) book a taxi as a guide. They likely won’t know any English but you can book them for a full day or more, and 2) Pay the guard to be your guide (we heard $10,000 CLP per person at each site).
• Look for cheaper souvenir moai – Yes, they’re mass produced and probably not made from actual stone, but if you’re looking for an iconic Easter Island souvenir, keep an eye out for the roaming vendors.

THINKING ABOUT PATAGONIA AS WELL?

If you like all of the details in this Atacama travel guide, make sure to jump over to our Patagonia travel guide that focuses on Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.

Torres del Paine Travel Guide

If you’re looking to buy something for friends and family back home, or as a your own travel keepsake, there aren’t a lot of crafts that stand out, especially if you’ve already been to other markets in say, Santiago, or San Pedro de Atacama.

Skipping over most of the made-in-China type of generic souvenirs, there are only a few things that will stand out on your visit to Easter Island.

• Stone-carved moai – This is the obvious selection. There are miniature moai at every single shop and stall. The key differentiator is size, quality, and the stone used. The cheaper ones are low quality rock while the expensive ones use actual volcanic rock, similar to the ones found at the Rano Raraku quarry. All of them come with a red top knot. The cheapest price for a medium-sized moai we found was $5,000 CLP for 2 or 3 small-sized moai for $5,000 CLP.
• Wooden moai – Instead of stone, these are wood-carved moai. In comparison, these are more expensive than their stone counterparts.
• Necklaces and head pieces – Similar to the ones worn by the Rapa Nui dancers, you can also buy them at the markets.
• Guide book – You’ll find that there is just so much information to absorb about Rapa Nui that it might actually make sense to buy a book while you’re there. This is more for you so you can read more about the sites that you’ll be visiting. We ended up buying A Companion to Easter Island from our hotel reception.

Of course, if you collect things from your travels such as postcards, magnets, and patches, you’ll be able to find them as well.

Where to shop for souvenirs?

If you’re looking for one of the popular souvenirs on Easter Island, you’re better off focusing on these locations

• Feria Artesanal – This is next to the National Park ticket office. It has quite a few vendors and pleasant to walk through because it’s a newer building.
• Mercado Artesanal – They are much large when compared to the other one and have more vendors. This is farther but still walkable. The extra distance means that it’s less busy as well, although don’t expect much of a price difference.
• Randomly at sites or on the main street – This is the hardest to pinpoint because these are basically traveling vendors that focus on extremely cheap moai. We saw different ones set at the entrance Tongariki and Tahai. We also walked past one on the main street of Atama Tekena.

There are also souvenir stores in some of the permanent stores in Hanga Roa but the above markets always had better selection.

Not sure what you need to pack for your trip to Easter Island? As a continuation of our trip that started in Patagonia and Atacama, you’ll find everything I packed in the Patagonia packing list but we’ll highlight a few things that are Easter Island specific.

• Windbreaker jacket – A waterproof shell is handy to have because the island does get rain.
• Pack layers – Temperatures can vary from day to day and from daytime to night time. It’s handy to have a thin fleece like the Arc’teryx Kyanite Lightweight Hoody in case it gets chilly.
• Hooded long sleeve sun shirts – The sun is pretty strong and there isn’t a lot of cover on Easter Island. The long sleeve and breathable Echo Hoodie is excellent.
• A good hat – If you want good coverage, the Tilley Airflo LTM6 is great but for something low profile, we like the Arc’teryx Calvus Cap .
• Shorts and Swim suit – You won’t really need this for Atacama and Patagonia (unless you’re doing hot springs) so remember to pack these for these for the beach and scuba diving.
• Lip balm – The worst feeling when travelling is having dry lips and not having lip balm.
• Nail clippers – Hang nails are going to happen so you’ll want to have this handy.
• Eye drops – Your eyes will get dry.

Travel gear

• Re-useable water bottles – Reduce your use of plastic bottles by refilling your own water bottle.
• Good hiking shoes – You’ll likely have these already but just a reminder that Easter Island is far from being a beach vacation. You’ll be doing a lot of walking and hiking so have a good pair of Keens on top of your flip flops or sandals.

Electronics

• USB Key / SD Card – If you plan on going diving and take advantage of the photography package, you’ll need to give them one of these so they can transfer the photos to you. Remember, the internet speed is really bad here.

Finding a good place to stay on Easter Island is an important part of trip planning but with the exception of one big name, there aren’t any recognizable hotels on the island.

In fact, there really aren’t any hotels or resorts on the island. With the decision to not let much outside investment into Easter Island, it’s prevented big resorts from demolishing big pieces of land, and this is a good thing. Instead, what you’ll find here are mostly locally-owned and small-scale lodges that have that cozy B&B feel.

In fact, hotel is not a word often used to describe these accommodations. Most of them on the island are called cabañas which are very similar to a pension in French Polynesia .

When making your decision for where to stay on Easter Island, here are a few questions you’ll want to think about.

• How far out of central Hanga Roa are you willing to be? More specifically, how much walking are you okay doing every day?
• Do you want to be close to the main streets or would you rather be in a quieter part of Hanga Roa?
• Is it important for you to have breakfast included with your stay?
• What style of accommodation are you looking for? Something closer to a full-service hotel, a unit rental, or hostel?
• Is there free cancellation and do you need to pre-pay?
• Do they offer free airport shuttle service?
• Does the hotel have Starlink wifi?

While it should be easy to trust that Easter Island properties on Booking.com , Expedia , or Hotels.com are on the official list of approved hotels, it’s still worth checking the second step of the Single Entry Form . That is why I’d be weary of VRBO unless you can verify that they are on the list.

Hotels and Lodges

Luxury: Explora en Rapa Nui

When we said earlier that there hasn’t been outside investment, this one is the exception. The owner of the land was allowed to lease to a private company

Explora is a luxury all-inclusive resort that puts an emphasis on conservation and sustainable travel. They are deeply ingrained in South America with properties in Atacama, Patagonia, Machu Picchu, and El Chaltén.

In addition to all meals being included, you have your choice of activities that they call “explorations” that have a mix of hiking, biking, snorkeling, diving, and cultural tours.

High-end: Takarua Lodge

This was truly a treat of a hotel to stay at and while we didn’t know it a the time of the booking because we didn’t have a good grasp of the where things were located but we absolutely loved being close to Tahai.

Sure, it’s a 20 minute walk into the center of town, but every morning we could step outside of our room and see moai and at sunset, it was easy to run to our room to grab camera gear and back out as if Tahai was in our backyard. I mean, it kind of is!

Takarua Lodge only has 7 units and it’s a simple construction that’s simple, elegant, and modern that’s fitting with the island’s vibe. Each is designed like the wooden bungalows of Tahiti especially with its pointed high ceiling and open square space divided between the bedroom and bathroom. The walls look like sheathing but it works.

Inside the room is a small square table with chairs and this is where you’ll eat or where you’ll work from if you have a laptop. On the other corner of the room is a small wooden organizer with a mini fridge below and LCD TV above it.

Behind the wall is the bathroom and closet area. On one side is a room with the toilet and another with the shower. There’s a single vanity and tons of counter space for the sink that’s in the middle. The shower has good pressure and consistent hot water.

Lastly, the closet area has several open shelves with more than enough organizing space to lay out what you have. There are also hangers for your clothes and a mini safe.

One of the advantages of staying here is the inclusion of breakfast. Each evening, you can either let them or write on the whiteboard, what time you’d like to have breakfast. Breakfast is delivered straight to the room and comes with a healthy mix of fruit, bread, yogurt/cereal, a rotating dish (i.e omelette, Chilean deli/cheese), cake, juice, coffee, and tea.

They also offer complimentary shuttle service from the airport. They contract this out to a local driver and upon arrival, you’ll be given a lei and on the way back to the airport, you’ll get a souvenir wooden moai necklace.

The check-in process is quite easy. You’ll be given a welcome drink and like other hotels in Chile, they’ll make copies of your passport and PDI document when you entered the country.

Lastly, if you’re renting a car, there’s a patch of grass by the Takarua Lodge sign and the sliding gate that can be used. Right in front is the Tahai public parking lot.

Mid-range: Inaki Uh Hotel

A property that was a top contender for us as its prices were a bit lower and was recently renovated.

The key to this property is that it’s located right in the heart of Hanga Roa, making it ultra convenient and a short walk to all of the shops, restaurants, and services in town.

Their rooms are modernly furnished and decorated that is reminiscent of a Hawaiian holiday rental. Inside, you’ll find a TV, mini-fridge, and mini safe.

Shared between the units is a common area under a gazebo, kitchen and water dispenser.

All guests also get free breakfast each morning with your choice of 3 menu items.

From reviews, it’s noted that they use Starlink wifi so internet speeds should be much faster than our experience.

Affordable: Cabañas Christophe

This was the initial lodge that we booked on Easter Island. It has glowing reviews, is tidy and spacious, and very affordable. There’s very much a cabin feel to this place.

Cabañas Christophe is a typical Rapa Nui bungalow right at the slopes of Rano Kau. There are multiple private rooms here that are equipped with an LCD TV and fridge. They also have a shared fully-equipped kitchen and dining area.

While they don’t cook breakfast for you, the kitchen is stocked with breakfast supplies.

The only thing you have to keep in mind is that it’s located on the outer fringes of Hanga Roa. In fact, it’s right across from Ana Kai Tangata which is south of the airport and then some.

We highly recommend that you rent bikes from them or have a car rental if staying here. We walked all the way out here one day, and in our opinion, it’s a bit too far on foot.

A bonus is that they have their own car rentals. Before we cancelled our booking, they let us know that they charge $50,000 CLP for a Suzuki Nómade.

There 4 hostels that we’d recommend on Easter Island that have a sufficient number and mostly positive reviews are:

• La Casa del Kori – Highest rated score.
• Hostal Vieroto – Most number of reviews. During our scuba diving, we met Naomi from Vegan Nomads and they said they loved their stay here.
• Hostal Aorangi – Well reviewed and has a Genius discount.
• Chez Hiva Hostal – They’re called a hostel but honestly is more of a lodge and extremely affordable.

Each one of the above are on the approved list of properties on the island.

Airport Transfers

Most properties (including hostels) offer free airport transfers but be sure to double check when you book.

If airport pick-ups aren’t included, there are services like this private arrival transfer that costs $40 USD.

While the town and most hotels aren’t far from the airport, there’s still a considerable amount of walking you’d have to do so it’s best to stick to transportation options.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ATACAMA

Complete the Chilean triangle by visiting Easter Island and then combining it with Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. If you liked the amount of detail in this guide, you’ll love our Atacama travel guide.

Atacama Travel Guide

We cover the topic of how many days you need on Easter Island in our article on how to get to Easter Island because especially when flights aren’t running daily, you’re at the whim of the schedule.

Expanding on our previous thoughts, let’s look at this question from a different perspective.

Tight on time and want to cram everything in

Perhaps you’ve got a small budget and really want to visit or you don’t have the time to carve out that many days for Easter Island.

A better question is maybe “what is the minimum number of days you need to visit Easter island?”. In which case, we’d say 1 day and two half days (total 3 days) is the absolute minimum.

The tour operators have adapter their tours to account for this type of traveler and as a result, many offer products that do exactly this. Being a small island, there’s a lot of things you can cram in.

The amazing thing is that you’ll pretty much see all of the main Easter Island sights but the tradeoff is that it’ll be a whirlwind, it’s a quick pace, and you won’t have time to really let it all sink in. Before you know it, you’re off again.

You want to do Easter Island justice

Now let’s say you have a bit of time to work with and want to see everything without feeling rushed.

For most people, we think that 4 days and two half days (total 5 days) is a great choice.

With 2 days already taken up by the standard tours (Green Island Tours calls them Moai Monuments and Historic Pathways tours), this gives 2 choose-your-own-adventure days. Depending on what your interests are, you can get active and do a hike or go scuba diving, see the spectacular sunrise at Tongariki and not be absolutely exhausted, perhaps you want to add stargazing, or maybe have a chill day.

You want to take it slow and see Easter Island thoroughly

Our 9 day Easter Island itinerary certainly falls in this category. To be honest, the flight options forced us this direction at the time, but in retrospect, it worked out really well.

Travelers that are a fan of slow travel will enjoy spending 7 days and two half days (total 9 days) or more.

On top of the advantage of being able be thoroughly immersed in all things Easter Island, the extra time had these benefits:

• If something unforeseen happens, you can more easily shuffle things around.
• It’ll make more sense to rent a car and drive around yourself.
• You’ll have the time to go off the beaten path. Very few people get to hike the north coast, summit Terevaka, or explore the Poike Peninsula.

This is probably the big elephant in the room. How much does a trip to Easter Island cost?

Easter Island is ultimately a relatively expensive destination. Considering how remote it is and they have to bring all of their supplies in by plane or by large cargo ships from Chile, it shouldn’t be a surprise. In addition, the new National Park rules and inflation have made a big impact so it’s definitely not as cheap as some other guides make it seem.

How much a bucket list trip like this comes down to several variables and what end of the range you’re in.

• Flights – Do you book early and use the Chilean website trick or do you pay the steep last minute prices?
• Tours – This is expensive but worth it. Of course, you could find ways to hack (see our money saving tips ).
• Accommodations – Hostels can be $50 USD/night. Middle of the pack is roughly $150-$200 USD/night. Not unreasonable but you’re also not getting a fancy resort either.
• Food – The food isn’t cheap but we thoroughly enjoyed all of our meals. On average, dinners will be $25-$30 USD per person but you can also find nice price points at the local empanada bakery and a restaurant like Polynesia Coffee & Bar where it’s just $10-$20 USD per person.
• Activities – Factor in costs for things like diving, boat trips, and Rapa Nui dance shows.
• Car rental – With how Easter Island is set up, this is more of a nice-to-have. Expect to spend $60/day for this including gasoline.

Hypothetical Easter Island trip expenses

In the previous section for how much time to visit Easter Island , we shared 3 likely scenarios for those wanting to plan a trip to Rapa Nui. Using these, we’ll give you an idea of what a trip to Easter Island will cost.

For all of these suggestions, we’ll be choosing a mid-range hotel where the expectation is that you’ll be eating out for dinner and having simpler meals for lunch. Flight prices will also be averaged out. All of these costs are in USD and for two people.

2-night stay

4 night stay

8 night stay

Real Easter Island trip expenses

Instead of speaking in hypotheticals, it makes the most sense to share our practical expenses.

In our itinerary for Easter Island , we break down all of our real costs but here, we’ll show you the expenses at a category level.

From the above chart, you can see that a majority of your expenses will be in flights, your guide, and accommodations.

In total, our trip was $5,385.68 USD which for 9 nights is much cheaper that our example estimate tables. There are definitely ways to find efficiencies especially in meals, cheaper flights, accommodations.

In the end, we ended up paying roughly $2,700 USD per person over 9 days .

At $300 USD per day , that’s not on the low end but it’s also not astronomical. For comparison Atacama was $240 USD per day and Patagonia was $760 USD per day.

Easter Island is absolutely bucket list worthy and lives up to everything we imagined the trip would be.

Why a trip to Easter Island will blow you away:

• You’ll be able to slowly peel away the onion around the mystery of the moai.
• There is such a diverse display of artefacts that it’ll feel like you’re on an archeological expedition.
• The Rapanui story is one that you’ll contemplate, create theories for, and force you to think about the effects of climate change and resource mismanagement.
• There are way more moai sculptures around the island than you think.
• There’s a pure and rawness to traveling to Easter Island that are harder to find in places like Thailand and Iceland as an example.

What a visit to Easter Island isn’t:

• This isn’t your typical tropical getaway where you get pampered and you stay at your resort.
• The snorkelling and scuba diving aren’t particularly memorable.
• Going beyond the moai, you won’t find a large diversity of activities.
• Don’t get us wrong, we recommend that you stretch out your trip and try to spend at least a week here, but it’s not necessarily a place where you can say you’ll want to stay here forever. Eventually , you’ll get to the point where you’ll feel like you’ve seen enough moai.
• It sure isn’t cheap. When you add it up, it’ll make a bit of a dent in your wallet. Not to say that you can’t find ways to save money, it just isn’t necessarily a place you would go if you’re looking to travel on a shoestring.

In our opinion, Easter Island ranks as one of our best trips around the world and that includes the likes of safari in South Africa , road tripping in Iceland , hiking the Inca Trail , Maldives , and of course Patagonia .

If you’re building a trip to Chile, it would be a shame to not include Easter Island itinerary. You have to go through Santiago to get there and it may be your only chance to make it happen.

We learned a lot from our visit to Easter Island. Like every trip, you discover a lot along the way that can trip you up or cause you to scratch your head. It’s part of the process but whatever I can do to make

• When in doubt, WhatsApp – We’re used to relying on e-mail as an official form of communication but that’s not the case here. If you’re able to find a business’s phone number, check to see if they are on WhatsApp and reach out to them there.
• Communication is slow – This is very much a Chilean way but when you add to the fact that they have terrible internet speeds, it’s no wonder you never hear back or their websites don’t work.
• Keep track of the day of the week – Not everything is open everyday. For instance the Kari Kari show is currently only Wednesday and Friday, Mike Rapu is closed on Sunday, and the Easter Island Museum is closed on Monday.
• Have your cash sorted before you come – The worst is stressing about running out of cash. Trust me, converting your CLP at home will make things easier.
• Internet is extremely slow – Come to Easter Island expecting to have a slow connection (i.e. tell your workplace) and enjoy disconnecting. Remember to also download your TV shows and movies for offline viewing before you leave Santiago.
• Entel SIM – For those that are going with the local SIM option, we also recommend that you get that sorted in Santiago ideally so you don’t
• Buy your National Park ticket online – Having bought the tickets in person, we realized that it’s cheaper to buy them online. With 10 days to work with, there’s almost no reason why you shouldn’t. Do it when you land in Santiago or the day before you leave home if you’re worried about things changing.
• Plan buffer days – You never know when bad weather might hit or something unforeseen might happen. With the 9 days we had to work with (7 full days), we were lucky to have to room to shuffle things around when we had a bad day of rain. We were also there during the Rano Raraku fire of 2022 and they closed for a few days. Easter Island is definitely worth staying a week or more.
• Setting the time on your phone – You’d think your phones would pick up on Easter Island’s timezone automatically but for some reason it doesn’t. Make sure to do this manually or else you might inadvertently still be on Santiago time.

The opportunities for incredible photography are through the roof on Easter Island. The raw landscape, rugged coastline, and of course, the moai are endlessly photogenic from all angles.

Whether you’re new to photography or a pro, we’ve compiled some learnings and tips that we think will help set you up for success.

What photographers should know about Easter Island

• Having a guide that understands photography is helpful – One of the reasons why we booked with Green Island Tours is because Marc is a photographer himself. This is important because they understand the importance of light, the extra time and care that’s required for good photos, and is someone that can handle the camera.
• Photography tours – Again, Green Island Tours also has photography tours that are all about capturing the best photos. This is perfect for those that really want the best photos of Easter Island.
• Entering Tongariki at sunrise – According to the newest rules on guides, you need to pay someone to basically take you in. We were lucky to be let in by a hostel’s guide who actually offered to let us in. This means that you should be able to do this too. Ask another guide bringing guests in and I’m sure they’ll help you out.
• Sunrise composition at Tongariki – itself has a lot of space to work with but most people will stand smack in the front middle which can really ruin your shot. Using a tripod is recommended for low ISO but be prepared to run around.
• Sunrise location at Tongariki – Most people are looking for that perfect sun flare between the moai. Most of those classic shots are in the summer where the sun comes up right behind. In the winter and shoulder seasons, the sun comes up at more of an angle. It’ll be worth using an app like PhotoPills to check this ahead of time or ask your guide.
• Timelapses at Tongariki – You’ll want to plant your tripod somewhere close up, or far back. You won’t have any control of people walking in and out of your shot so think about this ahead of time.
• Middle of the day is incredibly harsh – There’s no cover at any of the main archeological sites so at mid-day, the sun blasting and is often in your shot. If you’re doing a private tour and you want to capture a location at the best light, make sure you let them know ahead of time so they can move things around.
• Sunset at Tahai – This is a popular location because of how close it is to town, making it convenient for you to grab dinner before or after. When you’re done, you can easily walk back to your hotel. In addition, you don’t need a guide to enter and there’s plenty of space to move around to get all the angles you want.
• Tripods are allowed – There aren’t any restrictions for tripods anywhere on the island so no worries here.
• About drones – This is an absolute no-no and extremely difficult to get permits for. Just don’t bother.
• Astrophotography – The moai make great foreground elements for astrophotography
• Special access at night – Green Island Tours might be the only ones with the ability to get into National Park sites after dark.
• Off-the-beaten-path spots – Ahu Tahai comes to mind as somewhere that everyone goes to but if you do a bit of walking, shooting sunset at Hanga Piko (south of town) or Hanga Kie’o (north of Tahai), you’ll be able to capture sunset without anyone around you.

Photography tips

• Telephoto lenses won’t get a lot of use – While I had my OM System 150-400mm f/4.5 lens with me, it basically saw no use because there aren’t that many birds and other wildlife on the island. For Easter Island, I think a compact telephoto like the OM System 40-150 f/4 is the most reach that you’ll need which will come in handy at Tongariki. There’s an amazing shot where you can be composed in front of the giant moai with a unique compressed perspective.
• Bracket your shots – It’s almost a best practice of mine to take bracketed shots of 5 frames across 2.0EV. When you do this, this gives you the option to process these for HDR using whatever combination of frames. This is super helpful for tricky lighting situations where the sky is too bright and the moai aren’t well lit. The only exception are shots that I take for more documentary purposes.
• Wide angle and multi-purpose lens will get the most use – Paired with the OM-1 body , the 7-14mm f/2.8 and 12-40mm f/2.8 got the most use on Easter Island because it’s mostly landscapes you’re shooting.
• Ask for the corny photos – What I loved about Marc at Green Island Tours is that he knew all of the touristy photos. I wasn’t that into it at first but they were the cutest photos with my wife either jumping, pushing the moai upright, or being in line with the moai on the platform. Normally they’re super cringy but in this case, I really liked how they turned out.

The best time to go to Easter Island is during the shoulder season months of April to June and October to December. This is when prices are low, weather is fair, and there are very few crowds.

It’s recommended to spend at least 5 days and 4 nights when visiting Easter Island.

Easter Island is in the shape of a triangle, being made out of 3 volcanos that combined to create 173km 2 (66.8 mi 2 )

It is incredibly safe to visit Easter Island.

Easter Island is in an area that can get tsunamis but the last one to hit was in 1960 so the chances are low. There are no specific seasons for tsunamis.

You used to be able to get up to see a better view of the moai on the interior of the crater but that’s not possible anymore. It is also not possible to hike the side or upper reaches of the crater.

No, there are no taxi-hailing apps available on Easter Island.

There are a total of 888 moai that have been registered and this includes the ones that are outside of Easter Island.

The newest moai was discovered inside the Raro Raraku crater but it was left in its current state and you cannot visit inside the crater.

Yes, there is one post office on the island called CorreosChile. They sell stamps and you can drop off your postcards in the mailbox outside. Their hours are 8:30AM – 12:30PM and 2PM – 5:30PM on weekdays. They are closed on weekends.

Both Santander and Banco Estado are only open Monday to Friday 8AM – 1PM. The ATMs are open 24/7.

What you should read next

• 22 Best Things To Do On Easter Island
• Guide To Traveling Torres del Paine in Patagonia
• Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Do The W Trek
• Hotel Las Torres Review – Stay Inside Torres del Paine in Style
• Chile Nativo’s Riverside Camp Review

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100% .

Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card . Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature . Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

Data: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices like PokeFi because their rates are so good and you can use it globally but recently, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. The best one is Airalo . Save money by getting region-specific eSIMs and use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase. Ubigi is another one that we’ve had success with where they uniquely offer 5G coverage. Use code AWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts . The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. TripAdvisor is also useful for reviews and bookings.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental.

Tours: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

• Insured Nomads – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks.
• RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
• SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
• Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
• InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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Evelyn says

April 9, 2024 at 9:49 PM

This was a very helpful guide. You have provided all of the disparate information found on multiple sites across the web into one, all-inclusive set of pages. Thank you.

William Tang says

April 11, 2024 at 12:13 PM

I appreciate the feedback Evelyn! That was definitely the goal. It’s a bit contrary to how people write articles these days but as someone that puts together itineraries, I know how frustrating it can be to have information so scattered and at ranging levels of detail. Hope you have a fabulous trip when you get to go!

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!

December 28, 2023 at 2:34 PM

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

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THE 10 BEST Easter Island Tours & Excursions

Tours in easter island.

• Cultural Tours
• Archaeology Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Private Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• Walking Tours
• Wine Tours & Tastings
• Ports of Call Tours
• Photography Tours
• Hop-On Hop-Off Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Two days of Full Day Tour of Rapa Nui + Sunrise in Tongariki

2. Full day tour - DREAM

3. Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui

4. 2-Day Private Tour Easter Island Highlights Complete Discovery

5. Private Tour: Full Day Easter Island Highlights

6. Private Full-Day Easter Island Highlights North and West

7. Mysteries and Legends: Complete Journey of Rapa Nui in 3 Tours

8. The Rapa Nui Stargazing Experience

9. Private Full-Day Easter Island Highlights South and East

10. 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature

11. Ride to watch the sunset from the highest point of the Island

12. Private Tour Per Day In Following the Ancestral Orongo footprint and caves

13. Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach

14. Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena

15. Small Group Wines and Flavours Guided Walking Tour

16. Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants

17. Private Tour: 2 Half Days & 1 Full Day Easter Island Essentials

18. Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers

19. Make Your Own Wine & Guided Vineyard Tour

20. Caves and Lava Fields: Half Day Hike

21. Half Day Private Tour: Rano Kau and Orongo the City of Kings

22. Private Tour: Tongariki Sunrise Experience

23. Private Tour: 2 Half Days & 2 Full Days

24. Private Easter Island Full-Day Tour

25. Rapa Nui Stargazing

26. Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges

27. Ride in the morning and plant a tree on the top of the island

28. T4+T3-The ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF EASTER ISLAND

29. Private Full-Day Easter Island Moai Monuments Tour

30. Three Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui plus Sunrise in Tongariki

What travellers are saying.

• Two days of Full Day Tour of Rapa Nui + Sunrise in Tongariki
• Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui
• Private Tour: Full Day Easter Island Highlights
• 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature
• Full day tour - DREAM
• Kava Kava Tours
• Green Island Tours Easter Island
• Easter Island Guides
• Kapua Tours & Experience
• Agencia de Turismo NCP
• Aku Aku Turismo
• Maururu Travel
• Rapa Nui Stargazing
• Easter Island Travel
• Buceo Isla de Pascua
• Hahave Rapanui
• Atariki Rapa Nui Diving Center

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Wild Junket

How to Visit Easter Island: A Complete Travel Guide

Last Updated on March 11, 2024

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Where is Easter Island?

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

• Day 2: Do the Southern Circuit

Day 3: Explore Hanga Roa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Much Time to Visit Easter Island?

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

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

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

Day 2: Do  the Southern Circuit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things to Do on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where to Stay on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Search for More Hostels on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOTAL: $613

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

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

Here are other articles related to Easter Island and Chile:

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

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

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Nellie Huang

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

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The Comments

grahame pike

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gwen Kelley

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

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

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

Fransisca Iskandar

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

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

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

Stephanie L Sales

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

SERNATUR in English that is

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Easter Island Travel - your ultimate Easter Island tourism resource

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

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

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Easter Island regulations

Proof of vaccination

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

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Easter Island tours

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

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

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

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

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

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• Rio de janeiro: Cable-car ride up Sugar Loaf Mountain and Sugar Loaf cocktail party; sightseeing with a Local Guide; visit Corcovado Mountain and the cathedral; Churrascaria dinner
• Iguassu falls: Sightseeing with a Local Guide on both the Brazilian and Argentinean sides of Iguassu Falls; Ecological Jungle Train
• Buenos aires: Walking tour; visit the Metropolitan Cathedral and Recoleta Cemetery; empanada cooking class; Tango lesson & show; farewell dinner; visit a local estanciaSANTIAGO & EASTER ISLAND
• On this vacation to South America, discover the Amazon Jungle, three of the great cities in South America—Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Santiago—and Easter Island, an impressive and mysteriously isolated retreat in the Pacific Ocean
• For an once-in-a-lifetime thrill you’ll visit the Amazon Jungle and cruise along the chocolate-colored Rio Negro to its confluence with the yellow-gray Rio Solimões, where the two rivers forming the Amazon meet

South American Odyssey with Easter Island

• Bariloche: Sightseeing with a Local Guide; chairlift to Cerro Campanario; Andes lake crossingPUERTO MONTT
• Santiago : Guided city sightseeing; visit the cathedral; visit Concha y Toro Winery; farewell dinnerEASTER ISLAND

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Green Island Tours - Easter Island / Rapa Nui

Award winning tours on easter island.

Green Island Tours offers award-winning small group tours, private tours, cruise ship shore excursions and complete travel package deals, covering every possible site of interest on Easter Island. We are proud winners of TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence for the last 4 years running and we take great care in providing an outstanding and memorable experience for our guests. Whether you come in search of historical information, legendary stories, a relaxed tour pace, avoiding crowds, or optimal lighting for photos, we are here to help you get the most out of your stay. Our guides are friendly, knowledgable and have a deep love and respect for the work they do.

Green Island Tours and Travel is locally owned and run by New Zealander Marc Shields and his Rapa Nui wife Tuhiira Tucki. With many years of tourism and travel experience, we offer tours and accomodation to suit all styles of travel. Explore our website and discover the many fascinating and wonderful sites that await you upon your arrival to Easter Island 

For a quick prompt response to any queries you may have contact us now on 

Phone or Whatsapp +56 9 95090094

email: [email protected]

Important info for entering the national park 

In order to access the national park of Easter Island you will need to purchase a national park ticket. The cost for this is $US80 and this can be purchased either online at www.rapanuinationalpark.org, at the airport upon arrival, or in the middle of the town of Hangaroa. Just ask one of the locals and they will be happy to point you in the right direction as to where it is.

Further, new rules require that every person coming to Easter Island must hire a a local guide to enter the National Park. For this reason, we recommend taking our tours in order to guarantee the quality of your experience.

Feel free to explore the tours we have available below. We recommend at a minumum doing the 'moai monuments tour' and the 'historic pathways tour' to see all the major sites by car at a good pace. If you are here for just one full day, the highlights tour might suit more.

Below is our recommend itinerary for those here for 2 half days and two full days

arrival day (usually around midday) 3pm Crater walk, 

Day 2  - Full day moai monuments tour, stargazing tour in the evening 

Day 3 - Historic paways tour

Day 4 - Sunrise at tongariki

If you are staying longer you could start adding full day hiking tours, or an additonal hidden treasures tour. For more info please do not hesitate to contact us @ [email protected]

INTRODUCTORY TOURS

Small group combo deal one / all the best sites in two days, small group combination deal two / two days tour and a tongariki sunrise, small group combo deal three / two full day tours, tongaiki sunrise and stargazing, moai monuments tour, historic pathways tour, highlights of rapa nui, full-day trekking options, north coast adventurer, poike explorer, summit to subterranean, night tours, rapa nui stargazing experience, stars to sunrise (photography tour), terevaka night hike, additional tours, tongariki sunrise, vai a tare crater walk, terevaka summit hike, hidden treasures of easter island, two half days and one full day, combination tour ideas and deals, two half days and two full days - option a, two half days and two full days - option b.

Welcome to Easter Island Spirit, the leaders in highly personalized tours of the world’s most isolated inhabited island.

James Grant-Peterkin and his team have over 20 years’ experience in arranging unforgettable trips for our guests, specializing in Private Tours with some of the island’s very best guides.

The National Park authorities now require all visitors to Easter Island to be accompanied by a local guide in order to visit the archaeological sites, meaning that independent touring is no longer possible. It’s not a change in the rules that we particularly agree with, despite the obvious benefits to our business. However, given these new regulations, all we can do is try to offer our guests the most personalised and enjoyable series of tours in order to maximise their visit here. Don’t come all the way to Easter Island and risk that your experience be negatively dictated by the large tour group that you join; we highly recommend paying slightly more for private services and ensuring that your once-in-a-lifetime trip is exactly that.

Few places on the planet evoke a greater sense of mystery than Easter Island, a small volcanic island in the South Pacific Ocean, and one of the most isolated places on earth.  Home to one of the world’s most awe-inspiring and least-understood cultures, Easter Island now offers the curious traveller a destination like no other, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to marvel at the island’s archaeological and natural wonders.

Easter Island Spirit  is a highly specialized and professional tour company, based locally on the island, and thus able to offer a truly dedicated and authentic experience to each of our guests.

We invite you to explore these pages and find out just how good your Easter Island trip could be.

Easter island spirit.

TU’U KOIHU S/N , HANGA ROA

Zip code / postal code: 2770000, [email protected].