Easter Island (Chile)

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) sits 3,700km off the Chilean coast, making it one of the most remote inhabited places on earth. The flight from Santiago takes about 5 hours on LATAM Airlines, which operates the only regular service. Round-trip fares from Santiago run CLP 300,000-600,000 depending on season and how far ahead you book. All visitors pay a USD 80 national park fee on arrival, which grants access to most sites for ten days.

The Moai

There are 1,000 moai on the island. Some are fallen, some partially buried, some fully restored to their ahu (stone platforms). The scale of the individual statues and the scale of the undertaking (most were carved at a single quarry, Rano Raraku, then transported across the island) remains genuinely baffling. The largest moai ever moved stands 10 metres tall and weighs around 80 tonnes.

Rano Raraku, the volcanic quarry on the eastern side of the island, is the best single site. About 400 moai sit in various stages of completion, some buried to the neck by sediment, others partially finished in the crater wall. Walking through this landscape is strange and memorable in ways that photographs don’t fully capture.

Ahu Tongariki, a restored platform with 15 standing moai, is where most photographs are taken. It’s best visited at sunrise, when the statues face inland and the light hits the back of the platform. Arrive before 07:00.

Anakena Beach, on the northern coast, has white sand and two ahu with restored moai. It’s the only proper swimming beach on the island. The combination of a decent beach and nearby statues makes it worth the 20-minute drive from Hanga Roa.

Hanga Roa

The island’s single town, on the west coast, is where everyone stays. It’s small. There are maybe half a dozen streets of any commercial significance. The craft market near the church sells locally made bone and wood carvings and is the obvious place for souvenirs. Prices are fixed and negotiation isn’t really the local custom here.

For food: La Taverne du Pecheur near the harbour is overpriced but has a certain charm. Haka Honu on the waterfront does better fish at lower prices. Meals generally run CLP 8,000-18,000 per person, which is expensive for Chile but you’re on the most remote island in the world, so the arithmetic makes sense.

Practical Details

There are no ATMs that reliably accept foreign cards. Bring cash in USD or Chilean pesos, or make sure you’ve confirmed your card works at the Banco Estado ATM in town before relying on it. Internet is slow and unreliable.

Hire a bicycle for CLP 10,000-15,000/day or rent a car or scooter to cover more ground. The island’s roads are mostly paved now, and the main circuit is manageable in a day by car.

The best months are November through March (Southern Hemisphere summer). The Tapati Festival in late January/early February is a two-week celebration of Rapa Nui culture that transforms the island’s atmosphere completely. Book accommodation months in advance if visiting then.