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Photography Tours

Green Island Tours provides two types of photography tours which are run by Marc Shields, author of 'Easter Island - Rapa Nui, Amazing Imagery from Te Pito o Te Henua'.

Photography Tour  -  Capturing Images

For avid photographers and enthusiasts, our photography tours aim to get the best light at the best times, beginning before sunrise and running through to mid morning, or beginning in the afternoon and running through to sunset. Even if you are still learning, we can help you optimize the use of your camera by giving insights into composition and use of camera settings. Night tours are also be available upon special request. You will be with a knowledgable guide who will also be able to tell you about the history of the island, although more focus is on the photography. 

Astrophotography Tour  

We will guide you into the night or early morning to capture stunning images of the moais and stars. 

Photography tours are run at $380 per half day for 1 or 2 people. For more people, or to book a photography tour, please feel free to contact us for more information on what we can offer.

THE BEST Easter Island Photography Tours

Photography tours in easter island.

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Easter Island Tour: A 3-Day Mystical Journey of Exploration and Discovery in Rapa Nui

• INFORMATION

Embark on a captivating 3-day Easter Island tour. Known as Rapa Nui , this mystical land is situated in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. This all-inclusive journey appeals to explorers, history enthusiasts, and photography aficionados. Experience an authentic and enriching adventure on an island filled with ancient wonders and vibrant local culture.

Highlights:

Moai Statues

Marvel at Easter Island’s iconic moai statues. These giant stone figures were carved by the island’s ancient inhabitants. Standing tall against stunning Pacific Ocean vistas, they are the island’s signature feature. Specialized sunrise and sunset tours offer unparalleled opportunities to capture these majestic sculptures in golden light.

Ahu Akivi and Ahu Tongariki

Explore Easter Island’s past with guided tours of the Seven Moai of Ahu Akivi and Ahu Tongariki. The grand platform of Ahu Tongariki boasts the island’s largest collection of giant megalithic statues. You’ll discover the impressive engineering feats of Rapa Nui’s early civilization.

Rano Kau & Orongo

Take a journey to Rano Kau, an ancient volcanic crater filled with lush greenery. Also, visit Orongo, an archaeological site known for its rich petroglyphs and birdman cult history. These sites provide breathtaking natural beauty and a unique cultural glimpse.

Rano Raraku

Explore Rano Raraku, where craftsmen carved almost all the island’s moai. With over three hundred statues in various positions, this location is both a photographer’s dream and a historical treasure trove.

Ana Kai Tangata Area

Experience the wild beauty of the Ana Kai Tangata area. Breathtaking cliffs and caves watch as the ocean sweeps up into them. The awe-inspiring scenes are both serene and powerful.

Accommodations and Local Cuisine

Stay in comfort at Hotel Otai or similar accommodations. Indulge in local flavors with freshly prepared meals celebrating Chilean and Polynesian culinary traditions.

Cultural Immersion

Through guided tours and interactions with local experts, you’ll connect with Rapa Nui’s cultural heritage, myths, and traditions. This isn’t just a sightseeing tour; it’s an immersive experience that connects you with the heart and soul of Easter Island.

Join us on this unforgettable exploration. Embrace the wild spirit of Rapa Nui, a land filled with mystery, beauty, and endless wonder.

What to wear

Not included, from our gallery.

Explore the breathtaking gallery of Easter Island's treasures, each image capturing a moment frozen in time in this mystical land.

DAY 1: Arrival + Sunset Photo Tour

Day 2: sunrise at ahu tongariki, rano kau & orongo + sunset photo tour at ahu tongariki & rano raraku sunset through night photo shoot, day 3: sunrise photo tour + departure, tour location.

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Renowned for its iconic moai statues, this remote volcanic island is part of Chile. Its isolation and unique blend of natural beauty and ancient history have made it a fascinating destination for travelers seeking to explore a land filled with mystery and wonder.

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Easter Island Tour Including the Tapati Festival

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• February 7 - 18, 2025
• 12 Days including 6 on Rapa Nui
• Single supplement: TBA

Tour Easter Island, a Unique Open-Air Museum with Nearly a Thousand Immense Stone Statues and Hundreds of Stunning Petroglyphs

At the southeastern tip of the Polynesian triangle lies windswept Easter Island, one of the most remote spots on the planet. Surrounded by an endless ocean as blue as the sky and located 2,300 miles west of Santiago, Chile, this tiny dot of land is sixty square miles of rocky grasslands, extinct volcanic cones, and steep ocean cliffs.

Far Horizons designed this Easter Island tour so that guests could fully immerse themselves in this enigmatic island’s deep history and culture. If you’re still trying to decide where to go on your next adventure, you might like to browse our entire collection of North and South America Archaeology Tours , including our much-loved Belize Archaeological Tour .

Easter Island, known to its Polynesian inhabitants as Rapa Nui, stands as a unique open-air archaeology museum. Home to nearly a thousand towering moai statues that cast enigmatic gazes across the landscape, numerous intricate petroglyphs, the island offers an unparalleled experience for those seeking to explore its deep mysteries through an Easter Island tour package.

Far Horizons’ Unforgettable Easter Island Tours

Our meticulously planned Easter Island journey coincides with the vibrant Tapati Festival, a cultural celebration that showcases the rich traditions of the Rapa Nui people. Each morning unveils thrilling competitions of strength and skill, while the evenings are filled with the soothing sounds of Polynesian music, as dancers adorned in grass skirts captivate audiences under the night sky. This festive time also pays homage to the island’s history through traditional performances, including the mesmerizing cat’s cradle chant, a method of preserving and passing down the lore of the land through generations.

Embark on a 12-day exploration with Far Horizons, accompanied by a small group of just 13 guests. This tour extends beyond Easter Island to include a three-day visit to Santiago, Chile’s capital. Here, you will explore the Natural History Museum and the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, as well as the picturesque coastal city of Viña del Mar. Our Easter Island tour package is crafted to provide an immersive experience, combining cultural festivities with archaeological discoveries for a truly memorable adventure.

What is the Tapati Festival?

A colorful festival is held every February on Easter Island. The Tapati Festival offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy a memorable island ‘party’ — a celebration of the Rapanui culture. Events range from a statue carving contest to an art festival with works of island art on display and for sale.

Every evening there are spirited performances featuring Rapanui songs and sensual Polynesian dancing, including the lively Rapanui tango! Kai-kai (string figure) performances are closely watched by island audiences, and those who perform the chants and figures perfectly are given standing ovations. The entire village participates in the gala which includes horse and boat races, body painting, an amazing parade, a triathlon event, and much singing, dancing, and musical performances.

Many of the celebrations are held outdoors at night and the merrymaking ends with the annual crowning of the winning clan’s queen by moonlight in front of the evocative statues at the ancient shrine of Tahai. Our flexible itinerary will change daily as we take in the many Rapanui festivities. If you have any more questions about the Tapati Festival, please feel free to get in touch .

Easter Island Tour Led by:

Dr Sidsel Millerström

Art & architecture in Polynesia PhD in Polynesian archaeology

What Makes Our Far Horizons’ Easter Island Trip Special?

• Easter Island tour study leader worked on the island and throughout Polynesia for more than thirty years
• Includes the Tapati Festival, a celebration of Rapa Nui culture
• Special viewing of Rapanui artifacts in the Fonck Museum
• Wine tasting in one of Chile’s outstanding wineries
• Optional pre-trip extension to the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile
• Limited to 14 participants

‘I wanted to see the stunning moai, which I had first read about in AkuAku in 1960, and gain a grasp of how and when they were conceived. I had no idea I would love the land- and sky-scape as much as I did the moai.’ – Jackie Humphrey ‘It was a fabulous trip. I had studied for it and thought I knew what to expect. It was so much more.’ – Carlene Nelson “This was perhaps the best (and certainly one of the best) of the ten-twelve trips that I have been on around the world. This is a big statement, but I really liked being able to stay in one place for most of the trip and repeatedly see things that related to the archaeological and cultural theme. Most of the trip participants were interested in the same themes, too, so the trip was a wonderful learning experience.” – Don Swanson “This trip was a dream I’ve had for many years. It fulfilled my dream completely.” – Ann Schroeder “Easter Island actually exceeded my expectations. I didn’t begin to imagine how beautiful Rapa Nui is, nor the impact of seeing the moai. Your service was above and beyond. You can be sure that I will tell my traveling pals about my positive experience. Thank You!!“ – Arden Down ‘Thanks for the opportunity to go to this magical place. I think the spirit of Makemake still has a great hold on me’ – Bob Thorston

Pre-Trip Extension: Atacama Desert Itinerary

In northern Chile, soaring volcanoes, stark lava fields, and rolling, trackless sand dunes give startling contrast to a seemingly endless desert. The early artists who lived here perhaps thousands of years ago left behind spectacular pictographs and geoglyphs – huge ground drawings akin to the “Nazca Lines” in southern Peru.

These enormous representations of hunters, camels, eagles, condors, and herds of llamas with their shepherds cover the surface of hills, and, unlike those in Peru, are easily visible from the ground. But there’s more! Experience charming villages on desert oases, colonial adobe churches, unusual vegetation, the largest salt lake in Chile, home to spectacular flamingos, and in Arica, see displays of the world’s oldest mummies.​

Day 1 Depart for Chile

Depart on a flight bound for Santiago, Chile. 

Day 2 Arrive in Santiago

Arrive in Santiago and transfer to the Hotel Magnolia for a day of rest.

Day 3 Tour San Pedro de Atacama

Fly to Calama where we meet our guide, and drive to San Pedro de Atacama, on the UNESCO Tentative list. Along the way, we will stop to visit the Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs. This was a stop for traders and herders for millennia.

Continue on to the Valle de la Luna and the Valle de la Muerte, where red rock formations and sand cliffs pierce the crystalline sky. Here the wind has sculpted the stone peaks into bizarre shapes that truly give the area a lunar landscape. Many centuries ago, the verdant oasis of San Pedro de Atacama was the center of a Paleolithic civilization that built impressive rock fortresses upon the steep mountains that encircle the valley.

Today, the charming village of adobe houses could have sprung from the American southwest. Overnight for the next two nights at the Altiplanico Hotel in the oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama. (B/L/D)

Day 4 Salt Flats, Oases, and the Archaeological Site of Tulor

This morning, we will go through Salar de Atacama, the largest salt flat in Chile. Under the rugged salt crust is a lake containing the world’s largest reserve of lithium locked in an underground reservoir. Lagoons within the crust are home to many birds including colorful flamingos, red-gartered coots, and guallatas.

Move on through groves of acacia and pepper trees to the oasis of Toconao, located 8,153 ft above sea level. Here, walk through the archaeological site of Tulor where excavations show the 2000-year-old remains of a community of mud houses protected by encircling walls. A short drive north leads to a 700-year-old fortress, Pukará de Quitor, overlooking the fertile Río San Pedro valley from atop a strategic bluff and the residence of the last indigenous ruler of the area.

Time permitting, we will enter the Toconao Church, with its unique 18th-century tower. Our last stop is in the community of Peine to observe pictographs that were created by the Atacameno people and may be 10,000 years old. (B/L/D)

Day 5 Tour Cerros Pintados and Visit Iquique

Today will be a long drive to Iquique. Along the way we will stop at Cerros Pintados. This extraordinary site boasts more than 350 geoglyphs. Created on the region’s barren hills between ca. A.D. 500 and 1450, they served as guideposts for caravans crossing the Atacama Desert from the Andes to the Pacific Ocean.

The entire side of the hill is covered with one of the world’s largest outdoor murals. More than 15 acres of slopes are decorated with shapes depicting humans, animals, birds and abstract designs. Overnight for the next two nights in Hotel Terrado Cavancha. (B/L/D)

Day 6 The Port City of Iquique

The port city of Iquique was the center of the mining industry in the 19th century. The Georgian-style architecture in the historic quarter affirms the wealth accumulated during that era. Our hotel is near the Plaza de Armas Arturo Prat. The neo-classical Municipal Theater, inaugurated as an opera house on January 1, 1890, is on one side and the 19th-century clock tower dominates the center. Also on the plaza is the Spanish Cultural Center, built in 1904 during the period of Spanish colonization. Constructed in the Moorish style with an ornamented façade and balconies, it now houses a club and restaurant.

We will drive down Calle Baquedano, declared a Zona Típica in 1977 and on the UNESCO Tentative List. Stately palm trees overshadow the avenue fringed with magnificent Georgian mansions. These were built between 1880 and 1920 with pine brought in from Oregon. In 1892 a nitrate industrialist constructed a family residence that now houses the Regional Museum. Inside, it displays important collections of items of indigenous peoples, objects from the Andean Plateau and mummies from the Chinchorro culture.

The Astoreca Palace contains an exhibition of furniture used in the 19th century. The Museo Corbeta Esmeralda houses a replica of a courageous little Chilean vessel that, in 1879, challenged ironclad Peruvian warships in the War of the Pacific. It was captained by the national hero, Arturo Prat. We will see the staff quarters, engine and a video explaining the battle. The afternoon and dinner are on your own to do with as you please. (B/L)

Day 7 Explore the Tamarugal National Forest and Tiliviche

Journey through the Tamarugal National Forest to see the wild tamarugos, the tree indigenous to this area, to eerie Humberstone. This ghost town has been deserted since the nitrate industry collapsed in the 1950s. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this company town was home to thousands of people who lived and worked here from the first half of the 19th century, processing the largest deposit of saltpeter in the world.

As we move north, spend the rest of the day exploring intriguing rock art in the colorful, wild landscape. Unlike the Nazca lines that can only be seen clearly from an airplane, these artistic designs were formed on the sides of hills and are easily viewed from the ground. The famed Giant of Atacama is on the western slope of Cerro Unita and is the world’s largest representation of a human figure, measuring one hundred twenty meters tall.

At Tiliviche, we will gaze across a quebrada (an immense gorge) to a huge scene on the opposite hillside. The artist created a panel filled with movement as a herd of llama is driven down the valley by running shepherds. We will also travel to the Chiza petroglyph site. Overnight for the next two nights in the Apacheta Hotel in Arica. (B/L/D)

Day 8 Tour the Lluta Valley, Chinchorro, and the Cathedral of San Marcos

Giant ground drawings appear on a mountain ridge as we arrive in the Lluta Valley. Created by dark stones placed on the pale sand, stunning images of alpaca, giant humans, and enormous condors cover the hillside. From here, travel to the Azapa Valley where prehistoric artists created fascinating panels on the sandy slopes of Cerro Sombrero and Alto Ramirez.

We will stop to enter the Church of San Geronimo of Poconchile, built of adobe in the 17th century, and the Archaeological Museum of Azapa where the entire story of cultural development in this region is displayed, including the mummies from the Chinchorro culture, a UNESCO World Heritage Culture.

Tonight’s special dinner party will be in an elegant restaurant with magnificent views over the Pacific Ocean. (B/L/D)

Day 9 Flights Back to Santiago to Start the Main Easter Island Tour

A morning flight takes us back to Santiago. This afternoon, meet up with those who are not on the pre-trip extension to begin the main tour. (B)

Daily Easter Island Tour Itinerary

Depart on a flight bound for Santiago, Chile.

Arrive in Santiago and transfer to Hotel Magnolia, our home for the next two nights. After check-in and lunch on our own, we will tour the historical city, including a visit to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum which catalogs 4,500 years of South American civilization before the arrival of the Spanish and Museo La Merced which houses an interesting collection of Rapanui artifacts. Gather this evening for our Welcome dinner at an elegant restaurant overlooking the city. (D)

Day 3 Tour of Valparaiso

Our all-day-tour takes us to Valparaiso, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. We will stop at one of Chile’s premier wineries for a tasting and tour before lunch. Continue to Viña del Mar, one of Chile’s most fashionable beach resorts. Here, we will visit the Fonck Museum and be given a private tour of its original Rapanui wooden sculptures and artifacts from Easter Island. Return to Santiago and our hotel in the late afternoon. (B/L/D)

Day 4 Fly to Easter Island

This morning fly to Easter Island and check into the O’tai Hotel, our home for the next six nights. Surrounded by lovely, fragrant gardens, this small family-run inn is only a block from the coast in the center of the village of Hanga Roa. Enjoy a traditional umu (earth oven) dinner to celebrate our arrival. (B/L/D)

Day 5 Tahai, Anakena, Ahu Nau Nau, Ature Huki

Today’s tour begins at Ahu Ko Te Riku (also known as Tahai), a large solitary statue, or moai , supports a massive maroon topknot.   

Move on to Anakena, the island’s largest white-sand beach and the landing place of the legendary Hotu Matua, the founding hero of the island. Not far we explore Ahu Nau Nau, with its row of statues with topknots, and Ature Huki, where statues stand on the side of the hill overlooking the beach. (B/L/D)

Day 6 The Village of Orongo and Rano Raraku

The ancient village of Orongo sits on the seaward edge of the volcano Rano Kao. Until the 1860s, the Festival of the Bird Man was held here each spring. Members of leading tribal groups gathered at the edge of a thousand-foot cliff to watch competitors, or their trusted representatives, swim through turbulent waters rock paintings Easter Island tour to Motu Nui Islet, nearly a mile away.

Once there, the competitors hid in caves, sometimes for days, waiting for the return of the migrating Sooty Terns that nestled there. The first person to find an egg, swim back through the shark-infested waters to the mainland, carry it up the precipitous cliff and present it unbroken, won the race. He or the man he represented became Bird Man, an important status position, for the next year. The sacred site is famed for its hundreds of intricate petroglyphs carved on massive boulders perching on the edge of the cliff.

Continue to Vinapu, containing the ruins of two famous shrines, one of which has massive stonework reminiscent of the Inka civilization in Peru.

Within the flanks of the volcanic mountain, Rano Raraku, lies the quarry where the massive moai were carved. Many unfinished giants still lie imprisoned in stone, abandoned when the work suddenly and mysteriously stopped. Others stand buried to their shoulders in quarry debris and eroding soil and rock. Hike to the trail alongside the mountain slope to see the statues in various stages of completion, including the one known kneeling moai. (B/L/D)

Day 7 Tours of Ahu Huri A Urenga, Ahu Akivi, and Puna Pau

The remote west coast of the island is today’s destination. Begin with a visit to Ahu Huri A Urenga where a solitary statue still stands; it was once a solstice observatory. After a picnic lunch, we move on to Ahu Akivi where seven standing giants are oriented towards the summer solstice. The moai face a plaza fronted with stones, the site of early religious rites and dances. Finally, visit Puna Pau, where the red scoria topknots for the stone figures were quarried. (B/L/D)

Day 8 Local Musical Performance and a Tour of Vaihu

Mahani Teave is a Rapanui concert pianist and one of the founders of NGO Toki Rapanui, a music school on the island. If available, we will join Mahani and take a tour of the music school and learn about the innovative, green, and sustainable aspects of the building and enjoy a performance by her students.

Next, with its many large moai, Vaihu is one of the most impressive sites on the south coast. Toppled in the wars, the statues now lie with their noses buried in the ground surrounded by scattered topknots. At Akahanga are numerous large figures and the remains of a village with the foundations of several boat-shaped houses lies on a hillside nearby.

After a picnic lunch at Ovahe Beach, continue to the north coast, stopping at the Poike “Ditch” and the Trumpet of Hiro. Visit Ahu Hekii, Ahu Ra’ai and its petroglyphs, and Te Pito Te Kura, the largest statue ever moved. Tongariki was the largest ahu (shrine) built on the island. Destroyed by a tsunami in 1960, the huge moai were recently re-erected. Notable here are the stunning petroglyphs of enormous tuna, turtles, and human and birdman figures. (B/L/D)

Day 9 Enjoy your last full day on Rapa Nui

Today will be free to explore the island at your own pace. Enjoy the activities of Tapati, arrange a boat to take you out on the water, sit by the pool, explore the shops in the village, and enjoy your last full day in this Polynesian paradise. (B/L/D)

Day 10 Flights to Santiago

Fly back to Santiago and transfer to the hotel. Dinner is on your own. (B/L)

Day 11 Cousiño Palace, Pablo Neruda's House Museum

Begin today at Cousiño Palace, an ancient residence of the richest family of the 19th century, decorated with art pieces brought from Europe. Also, tour the historical city, including a visit to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum which catalogs 4,500 years of South American civilization before the arrival of the Spanish and Museo La Merced which houses an interesting collection of Rapanui artifacts.

After an elegant lunch at El Meson Nerudiano, it’s on to the Pablo Neruda’s House-Museum. Built in 1953, it was called “La Chascona” in honor of Neruda’s secret love, Mrs. Matilde Urrutia, who later became his third wife. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the airport for overnight flights back home. Dinner is on our own. (B/L)

Day 12 Arrive Home

Arrive home.

Tour Information

Tour cost & inclusions.

Price is based on double occupancy and includes:

• Internal flights during the trip (if applicable)
• The accompaniment of your scholar throughout the entire trip
• Local English-speaking guide
• Hotel accommodations (3 or 4 stars; or best available based in the area)
• Ground transportation
• Airport transfers for arrivals and departures
• Most meals as noted in the itinerary
• Entry fees to all included sites and museums
• Gratuities to guides, drivers, and restaurant and hotel staff
• Coordination for any private presentations or tours

Trip prices are based on a minimum number of participants. If this minimum number is not met, trip prices are subject to change. Should the prices need to change, Far Horizons will reach out to registered guests to discuss directly.

Single Supplement

Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement must be charged.

• International round trip airfare
• A separate donation check of $150.00 per person to a designated donation project
• Passport or visa fees
• Required vaccines or tests
• Airport or departure taxes
• Alcoholic drinks, beverages or food not included on set menus
• Excess baggage charges
• Personal tips and hotel incidental expenses
• Laundry or other items of a personal nature

Donation Checks

As a tour company that benefits from the cultural and natural riches of our destinations, we have a policy of donating to the scientific and cultural sites and projects which we visit. This has created a bond between Far Horizons and the academic and local communities that has helped us establish an extensive list of lecturers and contacts in each of our destinations. We ask that each participant donate to the noteworthy project we designate. The donation amount is $150.00 per person. Note that the donation is required as part of your registration for the trip and that it is non-refundable.

Exchange Rate Fluctuations

Prices are based on currency exchange rates keeping below a projected level. While it is unlikely, if the exchange rates should change substantially, Far Horizons reserves the right to charge an additional amount to the trip cost.

Registration

A deposit of $1000 per person is required along with your registration & health forms, which will be linked in the email confirmation you receive once you pay your deposit on our booking platform. Final payment is due 120 days before departure. Prior to departure, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information.

Cancellation

Cancellations received in writing at least 120 days before departure will receive a refund less a $500 per person administrative fee. Cancellations received less than 120 days before the departure date will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the trip, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. Upon registering for the tour, the purchase of travel protection with both trip cancellation and emergency evacuation is strongly advised. Links to recommended insurance policies will be included in the email you receive confirming receipt of your deposit.

Air Ticketing

International round trip flights are not included in the cost of the trip. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip for any reason, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased. Please send your complete air schedule as soon as you have it. NOTE: Please contact Far Horizons if you would like for us to handle your air ticketing.

Private Tours and Talks

The private tours of archaeological sites and talks by specialists are scheduled in advance and include a donation to each. Specialists working at these sites are excited about showing their work to interested enthusiasts. However, please be aware that there may be times when the director or a member of the staff may not be on site when our groups arrive due to other commitments.

Walking and Standing

Far Horizons expects all participants to be physically active and able to walk and climb independently throughout the full touring days. This includes walking over uneven terrain (uphill and downhill) for 2 miles or more at each site. You should expect to be on your feet for much of each day, averaging as much as 5 miles of walking per day. As such, each participant should be able to walk unaided at a pace of 3 miles per hour for at least an hour at a time, and to stand unsupported for at least 60 minutes. Bearing this in mind, we suggest that, if you have not already done so, you begin walking several miles every day, ideally including stairs and hills. If you have questions about your ability to keep up with the group or the strenuous nature of this trip, please contact the Far Horizons staff.

Expectations During Travels with Far Horizons

This tour is designed for flexible, energetic people who like to be active, have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. We have designed this trip to be as comfortable as possible, while also aiming to visit some remote or unique sites that other companies do not attempt to include in their itineraries. There may be days where we have very long drives and the conditions of the roads may vary. Hotels and transportation in some remote areas may not be up to western standards. There may be times when no bellhops are available; please pack with the understanding that you need to be able to handle your own luggage at times. At times we may be walking over uneven trails for a mile or more; hiking boots are strongly recommended. Not every meal will not be haute cuisine and several lunches may be picnics or box lunches. By maintaining a flexible attitude we will soon be captivated by the beauty of the natural scenery, the hospitality of the local people, and the fascinating sites we will see. Your flexibility and patience will be appreciated.

Itinerary Changes

Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. While we are committed to keeping as close to the published details as possible, sometimes it is simply not possible. Weather events, government affairs, or other factors out of our control sometimes come into play. A good book to read as well as patience, flexible attitude, and a sense of humor are essential.

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A Photographic Expedition in Patagonia and Easter Island Chile

© Katsuyoshi Tanaka

Patagonia, Chile, the southernmost tip of the world, is the ideal place for photography. In every corner, you’ll find an unimaginable landscape and with every passing minute, you will see dramatic changes of color and light. This workshop will take us to the rugged mountains, gigantic glaciers and crystal clear volcanic lakes of Patagonia where we will also encounter iconic local figures, the gauchos, riding horses on the vast prairie.

Easter Island, Chile , the world’s most remote inhabited island located in the South Pacific Ocean, is a photographer’s dream. Famous for its large stone Moai statues, the island is filled with mystery and history. You will venture into the natural wonder of a volcanic crater and lava-made caves; and encounter the pride and heritage of the local Rapa Nui people. We will also experiment with a variety of night photography, capturing incredible stars with light-painted Moai. Immerse yourself in the program on this tranquil and mystical island.

This program is possible through a collaboration between Photographer Katsuyoshi Tanaka ( www.katsutanakaphotography.com ), Nikon , and explora ( www.explora.com ), the 5 star resort group in Chile.

This "once in a lifetime" experience will provide you with the opportunity to capture amazing images. The program is designed for photographers of all skills and experience—anyone who has passion for photography, nature and adventure.

Our journey is not only with photography and adventure. It is also with absolute comfort and luxury. Our daily base is 5 star resort, explora . Both lodges in Patagonia and Easter Island are surrounded by astonishing nature.

explora Patagonia is located at the center of the Torres del Paine National Park, the heart of Patagonia, on the shores of Lake Pehoé. The massive mountains of Paine are right in front of you.

explora Rapa Nui in Easter Island is located on a tranquil spot from which the island´s mysteries and dramatic isolation are in full view. Its award winning architecture blends the island’s unique geography and heritage, with a vibrant present.

NEW Program dates : September 9 - 19, 2024 Five nights will be spent in Patagonia, from September 9 - 14 and four nights will be spent on Easter Island, from September 15 - 19.

Easter Island and Patagonia, Chile (9 nights/10 days)

Room rates per person: double occupancy $8,847 or single occupancy $9,969

Rates are per person, U.S. Dollars. Program rates include airport transfers to and from the explora lodges, accommodations, meals, open bar, daily explorations, and the entrance to national parks and reserves.

Airfare (international and domestic in Chile) and any hotel expenses in Santiago (night of September 14) are not included.

Reservation & payment, cancellation & changes:  We have tried to improve our reservation & payment, cancellation & change policies, to make them as easy and flexible as possible for our guests during this period:

35% of the program fee is required as a deposit to secure your spot, made at the time of the reservation.  The balance needs to be made 30 days prior to departure.

Cancellations: 

• Guests may cancel a booking up to 30 days before the check-in without penalties.
• 29 to 15 days before the arrival, 50% of the total fee.
• 14 to 0 days before the arrival, 100% of the total fee.

Recommended clothing:

Multiple layers of clothing are recommended, including a base layer of clothing: thick socks, warm underwear, short or long sleeved thermal t-shirts; a second layer of clothing: trekking pants and a thin fleece shirt; a third layer of clothing: a windbreaker; a fourth layer of clothing: waterproof pants and jacket (recommended for Patagonia); comfortable trekking shoes, gloves, sunglasses with UV filter with a strap and side protection, sun hat to protect your face and ears from the sun and wind, sunblock and a daypack.

Equipment and further recommendations :

These expeditions are designed for photographers of any level that are passionate for photography, nature and adventure. We highly recommend that participants bring a digital camera, tripod and their own laptop computer with software for organizing and submitting photos as we will have daily critique sessions. Both in Patagonia and Easter Island, we will have Nikon camera equipment available for your use upon request. Please contact us for details.

Our expeditions are led by NY based photographer and Latin America specialist Katsuyoshi Tanaka, who has traveled extensively in both Patagonia and Easter Island. In addition to Katsuyoshi Tanaka, one of explora’s bilingual guides will accompany you on each exploration, introducing you the history, flora & fauna, geography and other key features of each area. All of the explora guides have advanced level Wilderness First Responder certification and always carry a radio and emergency kit with them.

Patagonia, Chile

Depart Santiago early morning to Punta Arenas. 

Transfer from the airport in Punta Arenas to explora Patagonia’s Hotel Salto Chico, situated in the heart of the Torres del Paine National Park . The explora Patagonia team will welcome you to the lodge and show you the rooms.

You'll meet the photographer and leader of the expedition, Katsuyoshi Tanaka, along with the explora’s guide to discuss the program.

Late afternoon, we will start photographing the massive mountains in the park. 

Welcome slide presentation and lecture at night.

Micro nature: In the morning, we will head to the wetland area to capture the variety of vegetation, learning micro photography. Other choice of trekking is available depending on the weather condition and guests’ interest. 

Horses will be your best companions in Patagonia and they will certainly add a graceful touch to landscape photography. During this exploration, you will be able to capture them while riding though the fields. If you’re up to it, you can even ride yourself!

Leaving the hotel in the morning, we will take the flight back to Santiago, and stay overnight at a hotel in Santiago airport.

Easter Island, Chile

Depart Santiago early morning, to Easter Island.

Transfer from the airport in Easter Island to explora Rapa Nui, 10 minute drive from the main town, Hanga Roa. The explora Rapa Nui team will welcome you to the lodge and show you to your rooms.

Welcome slide presentation and lecture. 

First encounter with Moai: The program starts with the incredible sunset shoot at Ahu Tahai , where line of famous Moai statues stand on the hill. The sun goes down behind them and it makes impressive silhouette figures.

Sunrise at Ahu Tangariki: Ahu are the sacred stone platforms for Moai statues. Tangariki has the biggest Ahu on the island with 15 massive Moai. You will try to capture the dramatic sunrise with the statues, learning how to control the changing light, color and ambience.

Crushing waves along the coast: One of the fascinating landscapes on the island is the majestic coast with crushing waves. The water looks incredibly blue and the gigantic waves constantly crush into the cliff. You will capture this dynamic scenery.

You will also venture into the volcanic high island, photographing the lava-made caves, the rounded hills and mountains with the wild horses running around.   

Quarry : birthplace of Moai: Most Moais on the island remain at Rano Raralku , the quarry where they were carved. You will learn the history and mystery of Moai making, horn your skill of how to compose the strong images. 

Portrait shoot with locals : Meet the locals with the pride of their heritage. He or she will present their tattoo and body painting, the artistic and cultural manifestation on the island. Portrait shoot will be arranged with the models.

Volcano and Bridman Village: Largest volcanic crater, Rano Kau , is the most spectacular natural wonder on the island. Walking along the massive crater, you will learn how to position yourself and how to choose the right lens for high impact pictures. You will visit the archaeological site, Orongo , where people used to celebrate the rituals of “Birdman Competition” 

Night shoot with Moai: One of the highlights of this program is experiencing various night photography. There is no other place in the world where you can experiment in making such unique photos with light painting on Moai and long exposure shot of the Milky Way. 

Leaving the hotel around noon, we will take the flight back to Santiago, then connecting the flight back home.

The itineraries are subject to be modified and changed. We will try all our effort to operate programs as planned, but alterations may still occur based on the weather and other conditions.

Testimonials

"It's a five star program filled with adventure, the best instructor, personal attention, and some of the most beautiful places on earth! It is an opportunity to do what you dream of."

— James Martellotti, Tustin, CA

"Our instructor is a master in his art of teaching through advise while shooting and daily critique. The program was very well planned and executed!"

— Pierre Debbane, Beirut, Lebanon

 "Yes, it was a once in a life time opportunity! A great field instructor with real passion and commitment to teaching."

— Jerry Cooper, Atlanta, GA

“Katsu is not just a master photographer, but a great passionate teacher. I have been taking pictures all my life and I learned more in 10 days with him than I learned in decades."

— Hakam Kayasseh, TX

“My wife and I did this photographic learning adventure. He is not only a master coach but also a master human being. We thoroughly enjoyed every day of the interaction and learning new things. A wonderful adventure!"

— Graham Smith, Australia

“ Anyone who is seriously interested in taking their photography to the next level should not waste a minute and book this trip. The scenery is incredible, the lodges are fantastic, the instructor is amazing – it truly was magical!"

— Erica Keller, Detroit, MI

“ Katsu is a professional teacher who has the whole program tailored to learn and have fun. He is skilled at learning who the guests are and how to interact them."

— Noel Cilker, Berkeley, CA

 “I rate the whole experience A+A+A+. Thank you to Nikon, explora and Katsu!"

— Barbara Coburn, Detroit, MI

Katsuyoshi Tanaka’s Bio:

A native of Japan, Katsuyoshi Tanaka, relocated to New York in 1993. After working as an assistant for a National Geographic photographer, he began his freelance career in 1995. Since then he has been involved in various projects for magazines, books and exhibitions in the U.S., Japan and many other countries.

He travels extensively in Europe and South America where he has been documenting traditional cultures and lifestyles such as bullfighters in Spain, Inca descendants in Peru, and mixed races and cultures in Brazil. He has also documented social issues such as School Reform in the United States and America’s Prison System.

In recent years, he has photographed various performing arts such as classical ballet, modern dance companies and opera theaters. He held a series of photo exhibitions of American Ballet Theatre (in Tokyo, New York, and Alexandria, Virginia). He also held an exhibit on Tango Argentina at the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. in 2007 with full support from the American Red Cross. 

In 2008, he was assigned to photograph Cirque du Soleil, the world-famous performance group based in Canada, when they opened their residential show in Tokyo.

Tanaka started taking photos of people and nature throughout Brazil in 2001. In February 2011, he published the photography book, BRAZIL – The Poetry of Diversity with full sponsorship from Nikon Inc.

Tanaka started documenting Chile in 2005. He was fascinated by the grandeur of the landscape and has been frequently traveling to Patagonia, Atacama Desert, Easter Island and the high plateau in the Andes with the support from explora.

He has published a new photography book, ACROSS THE ANDES—journey  to the farthest corner of the world , October, 2022.

Learn more about these workshops by reading these Learn & Explore articles:

Field Trip: Tips for Choosing the Photo Workshop That Works Best For You and Boot Camp Vacation: The Give and Take of a Photo Workshop .

To view his work, visit his website: www.katsutanakaphotography.com .

Katsuyoshi Tanaka began his freelance career in 1995. He travels extensively in Europe and South America where he has been documenting traditional cultures and lifestyles. In recent years, he has photographed various performing arts such as classical ballet, modern dance companies and opera theaters. 

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Photography Tours in Easter Island

©2024 Tours.com - All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be copied or reproduced without the written consent of Tours.com

PhotoSecrets Easter Island

A photographer’s guide.

Best classic places spots hotspots sites sights views photo locations to photograph for photography with maps tips ideas composition postcard photos cool beautiful pictures

• Easter Island

60 views to photograph

• Gallery by Time of Day

Acclaim for PhotoSecrets

Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards

Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book

Best Travel Guide, Benjamin Franklin Awards finalist

PhotoSecrets Easter Island , first published November 23, 2017. This version output April 21, 2018.

Curated, coded and designed by Andrew Hudson. Copyright © Andrew Hudson for PhotoSecrets (Photo Tour Books, Inc.). Photos, text and maps copyrights are listed in the credits section.

“‘And what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversations?’” — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Thank you to the many talented photographers that generously made their photos available. Photos distributed by the following:

• Flickr . Various licenses as noted, such as Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) .
• Shutterstock . Images used under license from Shutterstock.com .
• Wikimedia and Wikipedia . Various licenses as noted, such as Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) .

Text copyright of Wikipedia editors and contributors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) .

Map data from OpenStreetMap and its contributors. Open data licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL) .

Cover image by David Berkowitz/Flickr .

Back cover image by .

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any way without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner(s) and the publisher of this book.

The information provided within this book is for general informational purposes only. Some information may be inadvertently incorrect, or may be incorrect in the source material, or may have changed since publication, this includes GPS coordinates, addresses, location titles, descriptions, Web links, and photo credits. Use with caution; do not photograph from roads or other dangerous places or when trespassing, even if GPS coordinates and/or maps indicate so; beware of moving vehicles; obey laws. The publisher and author cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book. There are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, images, or graphics contained in this book for any purpose. Any use of this information is at your own risk.

For corrections, please send an email .

• Gallery by Rank
• Copyright page
• About PhotoSecrets
• Introduction
• airport moai
• Hanga Vare Vare
• harbor moai
• Holy Cross Church

Moai at Englert Museum

• with Ahu Ko Te Riku
• Ana Kai Tangata
• Ana Kakenga
• Mirador Rano Kau
• petroglyphs
• Motu Nui and Motu Iti
• Moai Piro-Piro
• classic moai group
• Moai Ko Kena He Roa
• Moai Tukuturi
• south slope of with sign
• work in progress
• lake from southwest
• from right tighter
• from Moai Tukuturi
• from left/north
• with Rano Raraku
• broken moai
• from right side
• Ahu Ature Huki
• beach from west
• Ana Te Pahu
• Founded in, and online since, 1995.
• First color travel photo guides (1997).
• First web app photo guides (2012).
• First app/book/ebook photo guides (2015).
• Largest travel photography database, with over 20,000 entries.
• 38 color photography books published.

By Bob Krist

A great travel photo­graph, like a great news photo­graph, requires you to be in the right place at the right time to capture that special moment. Professional photo­graphers have a short-hand phrase for this: “F8 and be there.”

There are countless books that can help you with photo­graphic technique, the “F8” portion of that equation. But until now, there’s been little help for the other, more critical portion of that equation, the “be there” part. To find the right spot, you had to expend lots of time and shoe leather to wander around, track down every potential viewpoint, and essentially re-invent the wheel.

In my career as a professional travel photo­grapher, well over half my time on location is spent seeking out the good angles. Andrew Hudson’s PhotoSecrets does all that legwork for you, so you can spend your time photo­graphing instead of wandering about. It’s like having a professional location scout in your camera bag. I wish I had one of these books for every city I photo­graph on assignment.

PhotoSecrets can help you capture the most beautiful sights with a minimum of hassle and a maximum of enjoyment. So grab your camera, find your favorite PhotoSecrets spots, and “be there!”

About Bob Krist

Bob Krist has photo­graphed assignments for National Geographic , National Geographic Traveler , Travel/­Holiday , Smithsonian , and Islands . He won “Travel photo­grapher of the Year” from the Society of American Travel Writers in 1994, 2007, and 2008.

For National Geographic , Bob has led round-the-world tours and a traveling lecture series. His book In Tuscany with Frances Mayes spent a month on The New York Times’ bestseller list and his how-to book Spirit of Place was hailed by American Photo­grapher magazine as “the best book about travel photo­graphy we’ve ever read.”

The parents of three sons, Bob and his wife live in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

By Andrew Hudson

Thank you for reading PhotoSecrets. As a fellow fan of travel and photo­graphy, I hope this guide will help you quickly find the most visually stunning places, and come home with equally stunning photo­graphs.

PhotoSecrets is designed to show you all the best sights. Flick through, see the classic shots, and use them as a departure point for your own creations. Get ideas for comp­osition and interesting viewpoints. See what piques your interest. Know what to shoot, where to stand, when to go, and why it’s interesting. Now you can spend less time researching and more time photographing.

The idea for PhotoSecrets came during a trip to Thailand, when I tried to find the exotic beach used in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun . None of the guidebooks I had showed a picture, so I thought a guidebook of postcard photos would be useful for us photographers. Twenty-plus years later, you have this guide. Thanks!

Now, start exploring — and take lots of photos!

About Andrew Hudson

Originally an engineer, Andrew Hudson started PhotoSecrets in 1995. His first book won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best First Book and his second won the Grand Prize in the National Self-Published Book Awards.

Andrew has published 38 nationally-distributed photo­graphy books. He has photo­graphed assignments for Macy’s , Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia , Men’s Health and Seventeen , and been a location scout for Nikon . His photos and articles have appeared in Alaska Airlines , National Geographic Traveler , Shutterbug Outdoor and Nature photo­graphy , Where , and Woman’s World .

Andrew has a degree in Computer Engineering from Manchester University and a certificate in copyright law from Harvard Law School. Born in Redditch, England, he lives with his wife, two kids, and two chocolate Labs, in San Diego, California.

Famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, Easter Island is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, 3,512 kilometres (2,182 mi) from Chile.

Photographer: Travelwayoflife

Source: Flickr

License: CC-BY-SA 2.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwayoflife/6490...

Hanga Roa is the main town, harbour and capital of the Chilean province of Easter Island.

• Mataveri International Airport

Photographer: Gregpoo

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/misterskeleton/84712...

Ideas for Mataveri International Airport

Photographer: Ik T

License: CC-BY 2.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3683746125/i...

Airport moai

Photographer: Carlos Reusser Monsalvez

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlosreusser/823947...

Ideas for airport moai

Photographer: Jialiang Gao Www Peace-On-earthorg

Year: 2001.

Source: Wikipedia

License: CC-BY-SA 3.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mataveri_Airpor...

Photographer: Christian Córdova

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ccordova/3176344816/...

[start]Hanga Vare Vare is a public park with palm trees and a collection of contemporary red volcanic rock sculptures.

Ideas for Hanga Vare Vare

Photographer: David Berkowitz

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85972...

Photographer: Greg Schechter

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gregthebusker/236693...

Photographer: Cdschock

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisandlori/1063718...

Year: 2006.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3683745705

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3684559294

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3683745301

Photographer: Dan Lundberg

Year: 2012.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9508280@N07/77043934...

[start]Ahu Riata (also known as Ahu Tataku Vave) is a moai by the main harbour, Hanga Piko.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85983...

• Hanga Roa Otai

Photographer: Viajar24h

Year: 2004.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EasterIslandsFi...

Small boat harbor.

Ideas for Hanga Roa Otai

Photographer: Prcstntr_

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/prcstntr/13801821085...

Photographer: Xlr8tion

Year: 2005.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hanga_Roa_Harbo...

Harbor moai

Ideas for harbor moai.

Photographer: Pablo Rodríguez

Year: 2003.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/prodriguezmad/436819...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3684561670/i...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9508280@N07/77044002...

The only Catholic church on Easter Island was founded in 1937, is decorated with Christian and Rapa Nui symbols.

Ideas for Holy Cross Church

Photographer: Uncommon Fritillary

Year: 2013.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hanga_Roa_Catho...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85988...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ccordova/3175500325/...

Photographer: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tahai-Moais-201...

The Tahai Ceremonial Complex is an archaeological site on Rapa Nui in Chilean Polynesia.

Ideas for Ahu Tahai

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ccordova/3173812129/...

Photographer: David Lytle

Year: 2010.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Parque_Nacional...

• Ahu Vai Ure

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu-Tahai-2014....

Five and a half moai, one with a sliced head.

Ideas for Ahu Vai Ure

Photographer: Alanbritom

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanbritom/137850027...

Photographer: Jerrye And Roy Klotz Md

Year: 2007.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AHU_TAHAI,_EAST...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85979...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/5822970431/i...

With Ahu Ko Te Riku

Photographer: Tristan in Ottawa

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsmith22/13370925674...

Ideas for Ahu Ko Te Riku

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlosreusser/823581...

• Ahu Ko Te Riku

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu-Ko-Te-Riku-...

Photographer: Rogerio Camboim S A

Year: 2008.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rcamboim/32091516383...

Photographer: Arian Zwegers

Year: 2011.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/6750450381

Photographer: Bjarte Sorensen

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu_Tahai.jpg

Photographer: Makemake

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hangaroa_Moais....

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9508280@N07/77043516...

One of the most attractive and accessible caves on the island, Ana Kai Tangata is an eroded lava tube with a 10-meter-wide opening to the ocean. Cave paintings of seagulls adorn the ceiling.

Ideas for Ana Kai Tangata

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwayoflife/6758...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwayoflife/6755...

Cave with two openings in a cliff wall overlooking the ocean.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85987...

Rano Kau is a 324 m tall extinct volcano that forms the southwestern headland of Easter Island, a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean.

Photographer: Carolyn Scorpio

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmscorpio/6775881919...

Ideas for Mirador Rano Kau

Photographer: TravelingOtter

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelingotter/59558...

Photographer: Claire Provost

Year: 2014.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crater_del_volc...

Photographer: American

Year: 2000.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Orongohaeuser.j...

Orongo is a stone village and ceremonial centre at the southwestern tip of Rapa Nui.

Ideas for Orongo

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85976...

Petroglyphs

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwayoflife/6491...

View of Motu Nui and Motu Iti

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Orongomotus.jpg...

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rano-Kau-Crater...

Ahu Vinapu is an archaeological site on Rapa Nui in Eastern Polynesia.

Ideas for Ahu Vinapú

Photographer: Jorge Morales Piderit

License: Released by author into the public domain.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu_Vinapu_4.jp...

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu_Vinapu_2.jp...

• Rano Raraku

Photographer: Alessandro Caproni

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9164830789/in/...

• Moai Hinariru

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85989...

[start]Moai Hinariru is the cover-shot moai —.

iconic and charismatic. Unique among the otherwise stoic sculptures, Hinariru has a twisted neck, enquiring tilt and a wry smile, giving him a personable character. Behind, to one side, is a nameless cohort.

Ideas for Moai Hinariru

Photographer: Thomas Barrat

Source: Shutterstock

License: Shutterstock standard license.

Link: https://www.shutterstock.com/pic-99140795/

Ideas for from left

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9167063208/in/...

Ideas for from right

Photographer: Tomaz Kunst

Link: https://www.shutterstock.com/pic-71283946/

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9167013356

[start]Moai Piro-Piro is the tallest standing moai, with a full-stone height of 11 meters. With his elongated head and long nose, Piro-Piro has a distinctive profile. He is the first major moai reached on the Rano Raraku trail.

Ideas for Moai Piro-Piro

Photographer: Javier Ramos Pinochet

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rapa_Nui,_Rano_...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85986...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85975...

Classic moai group

Photographer: Amy Nichole Harris

Link: https://www.shutterstock.com/pic-171875450/

Another popular cover-shot is this group of moai.

Ideas for classic moai group

Photographer: Randal Sheppard

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25222005@N08/3291125...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9167096434/in/...

[start]Moai Ko Kena He Roa (on the right) has a carving on his belly of possibly a European sailing ship.

[start]Moai Tukuturi is the “kneeling moai” with his hands on his legs. He is unique on the island, more human and less stylized than his standing brethren. He is also unique to the area, being made in Puna Pau over seven miles (17km) away and brought here.

Ideas for Moai Tukuturi

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9164897963/in/...

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlosreusser/825322...

South slope of Rano Raraku with sign

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rano-Raraku-Pan...

Work in progress

Lake from southwest.

Photographer: Paolop

Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rapanui-cr...

• Ahu Tongariki

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu on Easter Island.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu-Tongariki-2...

Ideas for Ahu Tongariki

Photographer: Mary Madigan

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marypmadigan/4174703...

From right/south

Photographer: Alberto Loyo

Link: https://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61752949/

Ideas for from right/south

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/6691207937

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu-Tongariki-f...

From right tighter

From moai tukuturi.

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/85978...

From left/north

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/monchan/3778056416/i...

Ideas for from left/north

Link: https://www.shutterstock.com/pic-88586614/

Photographer: Rivi

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu_Tongariki.j...

• Traveling Moai

Traveling Moai and fifteen

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu-Tongariki-a...

Ideas for fifteen

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9167145936/in/...

Photographer: Elsie Lin

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightstars/144779402...

With Rano Raraku

Broken moai.

Photographer: Ramón

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sitomon/15595089174/...

Split in two, and without the ey sockets, this moai possibly never rose.

Ideas for broken moai

View of Ovahe beach and Poike volcano.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pano_Anakena_be...

Anakena is a white coral sand beach in Rapa Nui National Park on Rapa Nui, a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean.

• Ahu Nau Nau

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/6691343477/...

[start]Ahu Nau Nau features seven moai. The four on the left are almost intact and each wear a pukao (headdress) of red volcanic rock from Puna Pau.

Ideas for Ahu Nau Nau

Photographer: NOAA Photo Library

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaaphotolib/9719179...

From right side

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9508280@N07/77042834...

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anakena-Ahu-Atu...

The first moai that was re-raised, in 1956 organized by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

Beach from west

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/weyes/9167211124/in/...

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Ahu Akivi is a particular sacred place in Rapa Nui in the Valparaíso Region of Chile, looking out towards the Pacific Ocean.

Ideas for Ahu Akivi

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Photographer: Nicolas de Camaret

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Photographer: Phil Whitehouse

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30 Awesome Things to Do in Easter Island

• Last Updated: February 6, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Watch The Sunrise At Ahu Tongariki

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out his portfolio here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Tip –  Go at high tide.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Address: u’u Koihu, Hanga Roa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Tip –  Don’t touch the rocks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Tip –  Just relax, man!

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

Travel Guide Easter Island

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

Where To Stay In Easter Island

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

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

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

Best Luxury Hotel In Easter Island – Hangroa Eco Lodge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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

Happy Travels!

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

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

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

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

Hi Alesha and Jarryd,

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

Thanks for this GREAT info about Easter Island.

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

Thank you so much. We appreciate it. 🙂

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

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

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

Thanks so much. It is an amazing place.

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

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

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

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

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

Sure is. It is an amazing place.

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

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

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Going Awesome Places

Detailed itineraries + travel guides

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?

What you need to know about rapa nui national park, mystery of the moai, how to get around easter island, taking the taxi in easter island, best guide to book on easter island, top things to do on easter island, is easter island safe, food on easter island, connectivity on easter island, how to save money on easter island, what souvenirs to buy on easter island, what to pack for a trip to easter island, where to stay on easter island, how much time to visit easter island, how much does a trip to easter island cost, is easter island worth visiting, easter island travel tips, tips for photography on easter island, frequently asked questions, travel resources for your next trip.

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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Easter Island Tours & Trips

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

15 Easter Island tour packages with 15 reviews

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

6-Days trip to Easter Island

Everything went as planned. Louis, our driver cum guide was very helpful. Louis helped my husband with hand support when ever possible since he had surgery in his left leg just a week earlier. Except for delays by Latam Airlines, the tour was good. Covered quite a bit in 2 full days. The day of our arrival, we walked from hotel to see sunset of Ahu Tahai. Wish they could have helped with sunrise at Tongariki. We hired a taxi. At the spot we did see the Mahinaturs, the local company outsourced. Was disappointed that they couldn’t help with this. Last 2 days we did few things on our own. 4 days and 3 nights is plenty time. We did 5 nights and 6 days. ????????

• 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

The Easter Island - 3 days

Easter Island Discovery (4 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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SUNSET TOUR

Watching the sun gently sink into the Pacific Ocean is one of Easter Island’s natural highlights, and with the iconic statues in the foreground it can make for a memorable experience. Your guide will take you to both Ahu Tahai and Ahu Akapu (Hanga Ki’oe), with the former being very popular amongst visitors each evening, and the latter nearly always deserted. You can then choose where you’d rather watch the sunset from!

Many people choose to take this tour on their first evening here as an attractive introduction to the island and its history.

It takes approximately 10 minutes to drive to either of these sites, and depending on the time of year you can either have a drink and/or your evening meal before or after this tour. Your guide can also pick you up or drop you off at a restaurant of your choice if you’d prefer.

This tour runs year-round.

All prices are TOTAL prices. The National Park Entrance Fee is not included.

TOUR IMAGES:

Private tour prices:.

• Pick up and drop off from your island accommodation.
• Total duration: approx. 2.5 hours.
• No meals included.

For groups of 6 or more , please email us for prices and availability.

TU’U KOIHU S/N , HANGA ROA

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