Planning your trip to Easter Island
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) with its mysterious moai, is one of the most remote and enigmatic places on the planet. Read on to find out how to plan the trip of a lifetime.
Why visit?
The island is scattered with more than 900 moai – the world-famous stone statues which measure between 4 and 32 feet in height and can attain weights of 32 tons. The moai and the ahu (platforms) they stand on don’t just look cool staring into the deep blue yonder, they also pose myriad questions about the mysterious civilisation that built them. Another archaeological highlight is the ruins of Orongo where the famed birdman cult took place.
The intriguing moai
Rapa Nui is also famed for its natural beauty. You can hike, bike or horse-back ride to the summits of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku and marvel at the crater lakes below them. Walk along the sandy beach at Anakena and snorkel, scuba dive or surf in the pristine Pacific Ocean. Do be aware, though, that water temperatures hover around the 70F mark, so this is not a beach destination in the conventional sense of the word!
A great way to explore Rapa Nui
Simply being on an island that is so tiny and so isolated is an experience in itself. Hanga Roa, the island’s only proper town, is a fascinating place to explore. We can also highly-recommend attending a traditional culture evening: it’s amazing to witness how the Rapa Nui culture has survived pretty well undiluted into the 21st century.
Traditional dance performed at a cultural evening
Hotels
Tourism is the island’s main source of revenue, but things on Rapa Nui are still pretty low-key and the largest hotel we work with has 30 rooms. While our hotels range in terms of price and comfort all offer an unbridled sense of evocative seclusion. Find out more about our Easter Island hotels here.
The Explora Rapa Nui
When to visit
Easter Island is a year-round destination with highs in the 70s and 80s throughout the year. The rainy season falls between June and August but is characterised by short tropical showers which don’t get in the way of having a good time. For an unforgettable experience plan to visit during the annual Tapati festival (a celebration of Rapa Nui culture in late Jan / early Feb). Just be warned: you’ll have to book well in advance for this and plane tickets are more expensive too.
Rano Kau
Practicalities
Rapa Nui is serviced by nine weekly flights from Santiago (a 6-hour journey) making it an easy add-on to any Chilean itinerary. You can also fly there from Tahiti (one flight per week, five hours). Rapa Nui is a special territory of Chile with its own time zone two hours behind the rest of the country. The official currency is the Chilean Peso but many tourist establishments also accept US Dollars. We recommend spending at least three nights on the island to justify the effort in getting there.
A room in the Explora Rapa Nui
Dinner party facts
The Rapa Nui landmass is formed around three extinct, coalesced volcanoes. It’s about 15 miles long and 7 miles wide at its widest point.
The island has three freshwater lakes near the summit of Terevaka but no permanent streams or rivers.
Rapa Nui is located 2,200 miles from the Chilean mainland and 1,300 miles from the nearest populated landmass (Pitcairn Island, population 50).
The island’s Mataveri International Airport is officially the world’s most remote airport.
As of 2012 Rapa Nui had around 5,800 inhabitants (up from 3,800 in 2002) of which about 60% were of indigenous Rapa Nui origin.
Easter Island from the air
Further reading
An introduction to Easter Island
Easter Island: separating fact from fiction
Walking statues on Easter Island
What are you waiting for?
The number of weekly flights to Easter Island has been increasing gradually so the time to visit is now. Check out this Easter Island itinerary which can be added on to any of our other tours. Alternatively, chat to one of our Destination Experts about crafting a tailor-made trip just for you and your family.