easter island when to visit

The Best Time to Visit Easter Island: Weather & Season Guide

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 17th March 2024

Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island, is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. And this eastern Pacific island is an endless source of fascination, with some 100,000 travelers visiting annually.

Formed from the ash and lava of three underwater extinct volcanoes and lying a six-hour flight off the coast of Chile , it’s known for its immense stone sculptures, the moai , who were erected on huge platforms by the indigenous Rapa Nui people as an homage to their ancestral chieftains.

Getting here is expensive and a long-winded affair. But, as I discovered on my trip to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to research Moon Chile , it’s more than worth it.

However, before you start planning your trip to Rapa Nui (Easter island), it’s worth thinking about the weather conditions that you can expect to find on this island.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about the best time to visit Easter Island.

Click to navigate this article:

• January: Generally, the weather during January is near-perfect as it’s the middle of summer. It’s one of the most popular times to visit the island and falls in the middle of the high season. However, due to the warm temperatures and high humidity, you may find the conditions challenging.
• February: This is the last summer month in Rapa Nui. February experiences similar weather and temperatures to January. It’s also the month when the annual Tapati Festival, a cultural festival where families compete in sporting, musical, and dancing events; expect accommodation costs and flights to rocket during this month as 20,000 people land on the island.
• March: This is the beginning of Rapa Nui’s shoulder season, with lower average temperatures. It’s a great time if you want to explore the island on foot, as humidity levels are beginning to drop.
• April: There’s a gradual decrease in temperature as you head into the southern hemisphere winter. Tourist numbers are on the wane, so you can expect fewer visitors at key archeological sites across the island making this one of the best times to visit.
• May: This is the official start of Rapa Nui’s low season and has similar weather to April, but you can expect lower nightly temperatures and some rainfall. It’s one of the island’s rainiest months, with a fortnightly average of 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain. It rarely rains all day, however.

• June: This is the start of winter and one of the most pleasant months to visit Rapa Nui. Average temperatures fluctuate but are generally ideal for exploring some of the archeological sites and beaches on the island. The rain starts to begin, however, with showers common and overcast days the norm. However, with cooler temperatures, this is the perfect time to go horseback riding along the coastal cliffs.
• July: Rapa Nui’s rainy season peak has otherwise pleasant weather, though nights can get cold. Temperatures average 65.6°F (16°C), so it’s best to pack a light jacket. 
• August: With winter ending, August is a good month to visit Rapa Nui – especially if you plan on spending as much time outside as possible. However, it’s also the coldest month, and nights can get chilly. If you plan to head to higher points, such as the Rano Kau volcanic crater, the wind can make it feel even cooler.

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• September: Expect moderate rainfall and similar temperatures to August. Lower humidity means improved hiking and exploring conditions. If you’re an avid hiker, this is the best time to head out on the island trails.
• October: This is the beginning of Rapa Nui’s spring and the second shoulder season on the island. Temperatures are lower but so is humidity, making this one of the best times to visit.

• November: November brings together the best of spring and summer. Temperatures rise gradually as the month progresses.
• December: December kicks off Rapa Nui’s high season; tourist numbers increase dramatically. This is the second sunniest month after January, so expect a sharp rise in temperature.

What you need to know about visiting Rapa Nui

As well as understanding the weather on Rapa Nui, you’ll need additional information before setting off.

Want to avoid the hassle of organizing your flights, accommodation, and tours to Easter Island?

EcoChile Travel is a brilliant Chilean tour operator run by local experts based in Chile and Argentina.

Their four-day trip to Easter Island costs from $1,130 USD per person (and you get a 5% discount if you mention Worldly Adventurer when enquiring!).

They’ll help you with everything from booking those all-important flights to sorting accommodation and finding you a brilliant guide to take you to the island’s remarkable historic sites.

General information for your Rapa Nui trip

The giant stone statues (moai) are the main attraction of Rapa Nui, but the island has much more to offer. When putting together your itinerary, keep the following in mind:

• You should always travel responsibly , which means – among other things – arming yourself with background information. As a mark of respect to Rapa Nui culture, always refer to the island as Rapa Nui rather than Easter Island. Easter Island is the name given to the island by the Dutch when they arrived here in the 1700s; it was, however, already called Rapa Nui by the local people.

• Respect native Polynesian culture while visiting the island. You can do this in several ways: by attending talks about the remarkable Birdman cult in the Orongo Ceremonial Village or visiting the ethnological museum in the main town of Hanga Roa.
• Explore the coast as well as the culture. There are a handful of beaches on Rapa Nui, so bring appropriate swimwear. There is also an abundance of snorkeling and scuba-diving sites.
• Rapa Nui is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site, so do heed local environmental rules while exploring the island. Remember that thousands of tourists visit here every year; if you do not keep sustainable travel top of mind, you could inadvertently contribute to the island’s degradation.
• Since the Covid pandemic, you must be accompanied by a certified local guide or host when visiting most places on the island. Expect trips to Rapa Nui to be more expensive than they were a few years ago.
• Although Rapa Nui has excellent year-round weather, January and February get very busy. Expect accommodation prices to skyrocket.

How to get to Rapa Nui

Now that you know the best time to visit for your preferred travel style, read on for further information on how to get to Rapa Nui.

• Although it is possible to get to Rapa Nui by sea, the rough waters of the Pacific Ocean make it an unpleasant and arduous experience. For this reason, almost all visitors to the island do so via plane. Direct flights from Santiago de Chile International Airport are the best way to reach the island.

• As well as a visa for entering Chile (dependent on your home country), you’ll need to complete the Rapa Nui Entry Form before heading for the island. You can find it here .
• Note that post-pandemic, flights are less frequent than before: only three per week are available, operated by LATAM Airlines and departing from Santiago, Chile. Expect an average flight time of roughly five hours and I recommend getting a seat on the lefthand side of the plane for the best views of the island when you come to land. Flights are also frequently delayed; when I visited in May, we waited at the airport for a number of hours to board our flight.

Which seasons offer the best weather conditions for Rapa Nui?

Rapa Nui is small: just 163 square miles (422 square kilometers). For that reason, you won’t need to prepare for varying climates from place to place.

As Rapa Nui is in the southern hemisphere, its high season runs from December to February. Though tourism numbers are relatively low compared to destinations such as Machu Picchu , it can feel crowded due to the island’s size.

That said, visiting during the high season is a great idea if you want to experience the island’s traditions – particularly festivals and other cultural events.

Visiting Rapa Nui between May and November is the best time from a weather point of view. This is because, while most visitors explore the island by car, there are options for hiking on the island. The best include heading north from Ahu Te Peu along the western edges of the island to reach Anakena (six hours, 13.5 kilometers; this can also be done on horseback) as well as a hike from Ahu Akivi up to the summit of Terevaka volcano (four hours, nine kilometers) and around the Poike peninsula (five hours, 11 kilometers).

Though conditions are cooler during these months, Rapa Nui is a tropical island, so it’s still warm enough to head to the beaches in Hangaro and Anakena for swimming and snorkeling.

Rapa Nui weather by season

December to march (high season).

Expect hot temperatures. The summer months of December, January, February, and March mean warmer weather. In many ways, this is the perfect time of year to visit; don’t expect reasonable prices, though.

Daytime highs can reach up to 82/86°F (28/30°C), while nightly temperatures dip to 63/68°F (17/20°C). Temperature is rarely an issue, however; it’s the wind and rain you’ll need to pay attention to.

December: With an estimated 240 sunshine hours, sunny days dominate December. The island sees only ten rainy days, with a maximum of 3.5 inches (90 mm) of rainfall.

January: January has a total of 275 hours of sunshine per month. Rainfall levels are similar to December, though slightly lower.

February: Like December, February averages 240 hours of sunshine. Compared with the previous two months, February experiences less rain, with around nine days and 3.1 inches (80 mm).

March: Towards the end of summer, days on Rapa Nui become shorter: you’ll have about 7.5 hours of sunshine daily, with 230 hours for the month. Expect similar rain conditions to February.

April to November (low and shoulder season)

Beginning right after Easter, the low season kicks off on the island in April and lasts until November. You’ll experience an average daily high temperature of 77/79 °F (25/26 °C); nighttime temperatures drop to about 61/67°F (16/19°C). Rarely, nightly temperatures can fall to 45/48°F (7/9°C).

Low season falls in the Austral winter, which begins in June and lasts until September. There are a few key differences that may affect your trip.

April: April averages 6.5 hours of sunlight daily, with about 195 hours for the month. Rain increases during the start of the shoulder season; April is the second wettest month of the year. Expect around 4.3 inches (110 mm) of rain spread over roughly 13 days.

May: If you’re visiting Rapa Nui during May, you’ll experience the wettest month of the year and fewer hours of sunlight each day. Expect an average of 5.5 hours of sunlight per day. Rainy weather is at its peak during May; prepare for around 14 days and up to 4.7 inches (120 mm) of rain.

June and July: Although the island does not feel the full force of the southern hemisphere winter – especially compared to winter in the northern hemisphere – June and July can feel a little cool. They have the least amount of sunshine per day – averaging five hours – and a total of 145 for the entire month. There is a gradual decrease in rainfall, dropping to 3.9 inches (100 mm) across roughly 13 days. When I visited in June, I found the weather largely overcast, which wasn’t ideal for photographs.

August: With a slight uptick in climate and temperature, August is the beginning of the end of the austral winter. This means you’ll have more sunny days – not many, though, as sunshine per day is still only about 5.5 hours and 170 for the whole month. Expect an average of 3.1 inches (80 mm) of rain over 13 days.

September: As the austral winter comes to a close, sunlight increases daily to about six hours per day and 180 for the entire month. While not the sunniest month, this is a welcome increase if you’re out and about. Expect similar rainfall patterns to August.

October: October opens the second shoulder season on Rapa Nui and brings spring-like weather. Daily sunshine increases with around seven hours per day and a cumulative 215 hours per month. Rainfall patterns are similar to September.

November: Closing out the final shoulder season of the year, November heralds the start of the austral summer: daylight rises to 7.5 hours per day and 220 hours throughout the month. While not particularly rainy, expect rain amounting to 3.1 inches (80 mm) over around 10 days.

Insider Tip: You can keep up to date with any weather changes during your Rapa Nui getaway with Meteoblue .

Which months are better for avoiding crowds on Rapa Nui?

If your main priority when visiting Rapa Nui is to avoid the crowds, there are several things to consider.

The Tapati Rapa Nui festival runs from early February and takes over the island. At other times, things quieten down, and prices become more affordable.

However, if you’re keen to see the island at its quietest and get the chance to speak to the local people and see daily life here, I recommend September and October or April and May. These shoulder seasons see good weather, few tourists, and lower levels of rainfall than during the austral winter months (June through August).

If you’re a keen photographer and want to explore the island, these months are a great time to visit. You’ll get the best experience when visiting popular sites such as Ahu Akivi, where seven of the moai keep watch over the South Pacific Ocean, due to not having to share it with too many other tourists.

To take full advantage of lower tourist numbers during these months, set out on a sunrise visit to Ahu Tongariki. It’s one of the most important megalithic monuments on the island, with 15 well-preserved moai. Weather permitting, this is a great spot for photo-taking.

The same goes for Rano Raraku: almost 400 moai statues sit in this volcanic crater, in varying stages of completion. However, a cool ocean breeze means you’ll need to dress warmly.

With the relatively mild winters on Rapa Nui, it’s never too cold to enjoy the many hiking trails around the island. The same goes for its beaches; the sandy, palm tree-lined shores of Anakena Beach are less crowded in these months.

So, when is the best time to visit Rapa Nui?

Luckily for prospective travelers, there really is no bad time to visit Rapa Nui – it depends purely on your preferences.

If you want to immerse yourself in the highlights of Rapa Nui’s local calendar, such as Easter Sunday or Tapati Rapa Nui, then go during peak season, from December to March.

You’ll have full access to the island’s cultural diversity, as well as competitions such as Haka Pei. But hotel prices, airfare, entrance tickets, and tour costs spike and will make your trip quite expensive.

By contrast, if you’re planning on in-depth exploration the best time to visit would be during the shoulder season months of April and May and September and October. Low humidity and mild weather make these months a great time to be on the island, with everything from hiking (not normally so pleasant due to the sticky temperatures) and horseback riding far more pleasant during this period.

Bear in mind, some tour operators do stop running tours due to a drop in tourist numbers, so it’s worth reaching out to a handful beforehand to check they’re operating (we’ve got recommendations for the best in this guide to Easter Island ).

Looking for more inspiration? We’ve covered how to visit Easter Island , as well as rounded up the island’s best hotels . If you’ve got extra time to spend in Santiago, read our guide to the best things to do in the Chilean capital , the best day trips from Santiago , and our favorite Santiago hotels (with recommendations for the best neighborhoods in the city).

How to Plan a Trip to Easter Island

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

The Points & Miles Backpacker is a weekly column appearing every Monday. TPG contributor Brian Biros , who has backpacked the globe for the past 15 years, discusses how to fund this adventurous, budgeted and increasingly popular form of travel with points and miles. He'll also explore all things backpacking-related. Read his story here and his high-level approach here .

Few places on the planet posses the intrigue of Easter Island, where iconic moai statues guard the coast. To this day, the legends surrounding the Chilean territory attract tourists from across the globe. For many travelers, one of the greatest mysteries is how to even begin planning a trip to this remote island 2,100 miles from continental Chile.

Easter Island — called only by its native name, Rapa Nui, on the island — was never fully abandoned. Thousands of Rapa Nui people continue to live there to this day. And those imposing moai statues? They're thought to represent the spirits of ancestors, and were placed on stone altars called ahus across the island, usually near the ocean.

Though hypotheses abound, there's still plenty of mystery encircling Rapa Nui — like how the massive moai were transported across the island in the first place.

One thing that's not a mystery anymore? How to get there, and what you should do once you arrive. Having just spent a week on Rapa Nui, I couldn't help but feel like an archaeologist exploring a destination with so much history still to be uncovered.

Why You Should Go Here

At some point, Easter Island beckons every seasoned traveler. The extremely isolated location and significant effort and expense to reach it mean it's rarely one of the first ticked boxes on any bucket list. But travelers searching for something intriguing and unexpected will probably be drawn to this island destination eventually.

There's plenty of information about Easter Island readily available, but no documentary can encapsulate the feeling of gazing up at a moai that stares past you toward the horizon — or sitting in a park with a local cursing the explorers who came to his island and thought they could explain his people's history. (This happened to me.) During a trip here, you'll undoubtedly learn a lot about the tension between Rapa Nui and Chile.

And the landscape is unlike anywhere else I've visited on my South Pacific itinerary . Some inland stretches more closely resemble the rocky, rolling fields of Ireland than an island in the South Pacific.

Things to Do on Rapa Nui

Rapa nui national park.

Rapa Nui National Park is spread across the island and contains the most important archaeological sites and restorations. Rano Raraku is the volcanic crater from which the moai were formed. Here, you'll find the widest range of moai in various sizes and stages of completion — many overgrown or toppled over. The construction site was abruptly abandoned centuries ago.

Nearby, Ahu Tongariki has the most standing moai . Fifteen are lined up in formation and tower over admirers below, many there to witness the sun rise behind them.

With swaying palms and a white sand beach, Anakena is the one spot on the island that resembles elsewhere in the South Pacific.

Walking distance from the main town of Hanga Roa, the moai of Ahu Tahai overlook a grassy field large enough to comfortably host seemingly every tourist on the island at sunset.

Head to Orongo to see the eerie bog deep inside the Rano Kau crater and the views beyond, to the Pacific Ocean. But stick around and explore the national park site that tells the story of the so-called Birdman cult that enraptured the Rapa Nui people.

Elsewhere on the island, you'll find plenty more archaeological sites and moai — nearly 1,000 of them were created.

Eat the Ceviche

Most goods are shipped to Rapa Nui from far away, which normally means higher prices and lower quality. The obvious exception is seafood, and Rapa Nui does that right.

Ceviche is a popular favorite, and the locals head to Makona for the best combination of quality and value. Note that the entrada, or appetizer, portion is almost as big as the main course and costs less than half the price. Wash it down with delicious (but pricey) Mahina beer, Rapa Nui's very own microbrew.

What You Can Skip

A lengthy stay.

This small island is only about 10 miles across, and you really only need a few days here. Many visitors feel the need to stay a week or longer to justify the journey and the expense, but they often find themselves queued up at the LATAM airline office in town switching to an earlier flight out.

Prebooked Guided Tours

If you're traveling with company or have made friends, you can save money by renting a car (from $60 per day) instead of paying for a guided tour. However, make sure you have a thorough guide or reference book. If you don't want to miss a local guide's information, you can opt for a half day tour where you'll hear the majority of pertinent information, and then explore the rest of the island at your own pace. Everything is cheaper booked locally and sometimes negotiable.

It is possible (but not recommended) to see all the major sites in one long day, but even spread out over few days, you may run out of activities and sites quickly. If you are planning a longer stay, a few top-notch dive sites can keep you occupied, as can exploring the caves in Tahai or hiking and horseback riding the oft-overlooked region near Maunga Terevaka.

I highly recommend you plan your visit during the annual Tapati Festival during the first two weeks of February every year. A playful combination of Polynesian Olympics and an extraordinary talent show, the upbeat display of Polynesian culture might be the best in the South Pacific. With only an event or two per day (such as banana tree sled races and choreographed dance performances starring hundreds of Rapa Nui in traditional costumes) you'll still have plenty of time to explore the national park.

How to Get There

Flights to book.

LATAM is the only airline that services Mataveri International Airport (IPC), so there's little incentive to discount tickets, and the carrier's flights from Santiago (SCL) are almost never bookable with miles from a partner carrier. (In fact, you may have better luck getting there in a Polynesian canoe than with a Oneworld partner award ticket from Chile.)

However, LATAM does have frequent availability on the once-weekly flights from Tahiti for just 12,500 British Airways Avios each way.

Otherwise, round trip flights from Santiago will usually cost over $500, although I've heard of them occasionally dropping to $300 last minute. Make sure you also compare flight prices using a Chilean point of sale.

If you do find yourself paying a steep fare, check the business-class price, which is sometimes comparable or even cheaper than economy! And if you want to go next level, Rapa Nui works very well as a stop on a Oneworld around-the-globe ticket .

Where to Stay

Pretty much all of the lodging on the island is in the town of Hangoa Roa, next to the airport. Expect to pay between $100 and $200 for a room, or more. You won't be able to redeem hotel points at any properties here, so it's a good candidate for the Citi Prestige fourth night free benefit . (Think: the ultra-luxury Explora Rapa Nui, where a four-night stay during the low season starts at $2,280 per person.)

If you're traveling solo like I did, La Casa De Kori is a decent hostel with beds starting at $27 per night. Which is great, because there aren't many other budget options.

If you're looking to back that pack up and get some guidance, send your questions to [email protected] !

All photos courtesy of the author.

This story has been amended to clarify that partner award flights to Easter Island are extremely difficult to get, but not impossible.

• Destinations

Wild Junket

How to Visit Easter Island: A Complete Travel Guide

Last Updated on March 11, 2024

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Where is Easter Island?

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

• Day 2: Do the Southern Circuit

Day 3: Explore Hanga Roa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Search for Flights here!

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Much Time to Visit Easter Island?

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

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

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

Day 2: Do  the Southern Circuit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things to Do on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where to Stay on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Search for More Hostels on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOTAL: $613

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

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

Here are other articles related to Easter Island and Chile:

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

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

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Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is the founder of WildJunket. Originally from Singapore, Nellie has traveled to over 150 countries across 7 continents. As an accomplished travel writer, she has written for BBC Travel, CNN and Rough Guides . She is also the author of five travel books, including the latest Lonely Planet's Mexico guidebook. Read more about her here and follow her on Facebook and Instagram .

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The Comments

grahame pike

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gwen Kelley

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

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

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

Fransisca Iskandar

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

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

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

Stephanie L Sales

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

SERNATUR in English that is

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• WORLD HERITAGE

Discover the Mysteries of Easter Island

The isolated Rapa Nui developed a distinct architectural and artistic culture that weathered the centuries.

Rapa Nui’s mysterious moai statues stand in silence but speak volumes about the achievements of their creators. The stone blocks, carved into head-and-torso figures, average 13 feet (4 meters) tall and 14 tons. The effort to construct these monuments and move them around the island must have been considerable—but no one knows exactly why the Rapa Nui people undertook such a task. Most scholars suspect that the moai were created to honor ancestors, chiefs, or other important personages, However, no written and little oral history exists on the island, so it’s impossible to be certain.

A Polynesian society blossomed in this unlikely locale after hardy souls somehow navigated a fleet of wooden outrigger canoes to this tiny speck in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Here, in isolation some 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) west of South America and 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) from the nearest neighboring island, the Rapa Nui developed a distinct architectural and artistic culture. That culture reached its zenith during the tenth to 16th centuries, when the Rapa Nui carved and erected some 900 moai across the island.

It is generally thought that the Rapa Nui’s demise resulted from an environmental catastrophe of their own making.

It’s not clear when the islands were first settled; estimates range from A.D. 800 to 1200. It’s also not clear how quickly the island ecosystem was wrecked—but a major factor appears to be the cutting of millions of giant palms to clear fields or make fires. It is possible that Polynesian rats, arriving with human settlers, may have eaten enough seeds to help to decimate the trees.

Either way, loss of the trees exposed the island’s rich volcanic soils to serious erosion. When Europeans arrived in 1722, they found the island mostly barren and its inhabitants few.

Today’s tourists are numerous, and most visit the Rano Raraku quarry, which yielded the stones used for almost all of the island’s moai. Rapa Nui’s ancient inhabitants left the quarry in a fascinating condition—it is home to some 400 statues, which appear in all stages of completion.

Meanwhile, across the entire island, many moai are reversing the creation process and deteriorating rapidly from priceless carvings back into plain rock. The volcanic stone is subject to weathering, and intensive conservation efforts are needed to help preserve Rapa Nui’s stone legacy in its present, awe-inspiring state.

How to Get There

It’s miraculous that Polynesian peoples ever reached Rapa Nui in the first place. Getting there today is far easier, but the island is still very far afield. Long flights service Rapa Nui from Santiago, Chile and Tahiti.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

When to Visit

High season on Rapa Nui is the Southern Hemisphere summer—January to March. Though winter can get a bit chilly, average maximums still hover around 72ºF (22ºC) and minimums dip to only 57ºF (14ºC)—so the weather is really rather pleasant year-round. Reduced crowds are an added attraction in the off-season.

How to Visit

Cars, motorcycles, and mountain bikes are available for hire and all are good ways for visitors to explore the island’s scattered archaeological sites. While most people visit Rapa Nui to explore its cultural history the island is also home to some excellent diving, surfing, and enticing beaches when a bit of relaxation is in order.

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

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CHILE , ISLAND GUIDES , SOUTH AMERICA · May 7, 2024 Last Updated on July 27, 2024

ULTIMATE TRAVEL GUIDE TO EASTER ISLAND (RAPA NUI)

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Easter Island, located in the midst of the vast Pacific Ocean, is one of the most remote inhabited destinations in the world. Renowned globally for its enigmatic stone statues, the moai, this island offers adventurers an unparalleled experience that combines history, culture, and unparalleled natural beauty.

Easter Island gained its name from the day it was first encountered by the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722. However, the local name is Rapa Nui, which holds deep cultural significance for the native inhabitants.

Here’s my ultimate guide to Easter Island, with everything you need to know to have an unforgettable trip to this magical destination. 

Best Hotels On Easter Island

Most of the hotels and lodges are located in Hang Roa. It’s common for establishments to offer airport transfers for the convenience of visitors, so we recommend arranging this before booking your stay. Some accommodations in Hang Roa include:

• explora Rapa Nui
• Inaki Uhi Hotel
• Hotel Maea Hare Repa
• Nayara Hangaroa
• Iorana Hotel

Top Things To Do On Easter Island

Flights to Rapa Nui from Santiago, Chile, typically arrive early in the morning, giving you plenty of time to settle in and explore Hang Roa, the main village where the local population resides. Here, you’ll find a variety of hotels, bars, restaurants, and cafes where you can indulge in local cuisine and relax after your journey. 

Easter Island is an incredible place to explore and take in breaking landscapes and adventure. Whether you are looking to spend a weekend or a few more days exploring the island, here are some great things to do during your visit. Note that to visit some of these locations you will need a guide.

• Go swimming with turtles at Pea Beach
• Visit the Rapa Nui Anthropological Museum , which has free entry but is closed on Mondays
• Immerse yourself in Rapanui culture and its connection with Polynesian music, dance, and local traditions at the Kari Kari Cultural Ballet
• Walk to Ahu Tahai to watch the sunset; this site has free entry and offers a spectacular view of colorful sunsets
• Visit and explore a craft market
• Explore Rano Raraku, an archaeological site known as the ‘moai factory’ and is home to the famous stone statues; the moai were carved and constructed
• Visit the Orongo Ceremonial Village, located on the edge of the impressive crater of the Rano Kau volcano. Orongo is a ceremonial village that offers a fascinating glimpse into the past. This archaeological site is renowned for its stone constructions and petroglyphs carved into volcanic rock, which narrate the Birdman ceremony story.
• Spend some time exploring the Rapa Nui National Park with a guide
• The Vaihu – Recreational Village
• Tongariki 
• Pito Kura 
• Hanga Rau O Te Ariki 
• Anakena – Ahu Nau Nau
• Rano Kau Viewpoint
• Puna Pau 
• Ahu Akivi 
• Ana Te Pahu

While there are many places you have to visit with a guide, you can freely visit the following without needing a guide.

• Anakena Beach – Anakena Beach is one of the most beautiful on the island, inviting you to immerse yourself in its crystal-clear waters alongside its white sands. Here, you’ll find restaurant options and rental services for chairs and umbrellas to enjoy a day of comfort and relaxation in this tropical paradise. In addition to its natural beauty, it features the archaeological site of Ahu Nau Nau, where you can explore ancient ceremonial structures and admire the iconic moai facing the sea. 
• Hike around the crater of Raru Kanu Volcano – The trail, clearly marked to the left of the crater, begins at the Volcano Lookout. During the hike, you’ll witness an impressive view of the lagoon inside the crater, with the sea as a backdrop.
• Sunrise at Ahu Tongariki – This is the most iconic place to witness the sunrise on Easter Island. Although entry with a guide is required, it’s also possible to appreciate it from outside. Getting up early is worth it as this site is perfectly aligned with the spring and summer equinox, providing a breathtaking natural spectacle.

Visiting The Rapa Nui National Park

Rapa Nui is the main attraction as you can find the moais here. These towering stone statues, scattered across the landscape, are more than just sculptures; they are revered as ancestral figures by the indigenous Rapa Nui people. Each Moai displays unique facial features and carries a sense of mystery, embodying the spirits of those who came before.

To enter Rapa Nui National Park , you must purchase an entrance ticket, which costs 80 USD. This ticket can be obtained online or in person at the kiosk in the center of Hang Roa, where the craft market is located. The entrance fee to the National Park includes access to all the most important archaeological sites on Easter Island and is valid for three days .

It’s important to note that visiting the Rapa Nui National Park must be done only in the company of an accredited local guide. After the pandemic, it has become an official requirement to enter the archaeological sites of Rapa Nui with a guide. Therefore, in accordance with your interests, you must at least hire a guide for a day or half a day if you wish to visit the most important archaeological sites. This will ensure an enriching and educational experience and contribute to preserving and protecting the island’s cultural heritage.

Personally, I recommend hiring a guide service directly with the National Federation of Tourist Guides of Easter Island, as they are official and accredited guides. You can contact them through their Instagram page or via WhatsApp at (+56976051511). This is a good option if you’re traveling with more people and want to split the cost of the guide. If you’re traveling alone, a more economical option is to join one of the daily tours available at some of the agencies located in the center of Hang Roa.

The rules within the National Park are very strict. It is prohibited to smoke, camp, litter, enter without a ticket or guide, touch the moai statues, use drones, litter, or light fires. Violations of any of these regulations will result in fines and even jail sentences. Respecting these rules is essential to preserving the cultural and natural heritage.

Download the visitor’s guide

Best Tours On Easter Island

• Embark on a full-day guided tour of Easter Island and discover the ancient secrets of Vaihu, Akahanga, Rano Raraku, Tongariki, and Te Pito Kura while marveling at the breathtaking landscapes of the island.
• Take a horseback riding tour to Terevaka , the highest point on Rapa Nui, which offers stunning views of the island’s landscapes.
• Explore the breathtaking beauty and dramatic scenery of Easter Island with a full-day tour of Anakena . Marvel at the impressive Ahu Tongarilki and visit the Rano Raraku volcanic crater before unwinding on a nearby serene beach.

Best Restaurants On Easter Island

There are many great places to eat and drink on Easter Island and here are seven great restaurant options.

• Te Moai Sunset
• Neptunes Island
• Pea Resto Bar
• Oheho Surf Cafe

How To Get To Easter Island

Rapa Nui is part of Chilean territory, so the most common and practical way to get there is through Santiago, the capital of Chile.

The only airline operating flights to Rapa Nui from Santiago de Chile is LATAM, which often results in high prices. Due to the headwind, the flight to Rapa Nui lasts almost six hours heading east, while the return flight usually takes a little over four hours.

Some tips for getting a cheap plane ticket include avoiding the high season, namely the Austral summer (December-March), especially during the school holidays in Chile (January/February). Since it’s part of Chilean territory, buying a plane ticket from Chile or using a Chilean VPN may result in slightly cheaper fares than buying one from abroad. Given that it’s not a budget destination, booking plane tickets in advance is crucial to ensure availability and get better rates.

Another route option is from Papeete to Rapa Nui. This route can be taken via LATAM or Tahiti Nui (operated by LATAM). However, flight frequency is not daily and the cost of flights is usually high.

In addition to flights, another option to reach Easter Island is through cruises, but they typically don’t allow enough time to fully explore the island.

How To Move Around Easter Island

The best way to explore the island is undoubtedly by renting your own car. This allows you to freely roam around, excluding visits to archaeological sites that require a guide for entry. If you hire a guide, they often offer the option to either accompany you in their own vehicle or ride with you for a lower price.

The most economical and convenient option I’ve found for renting a car was through Rosita (WhatsApp: +56 9 9775 3196), the owner of Rent a Car Oceanic . They offer a variety of cars perfect for navigating the island terrain, and they also provide discounts for rentals of more than one day.

Download the Island map

Easter Island Entry Requirements

Despite being Chilean territory, Rapa Nui has different entry requirements. To board your flight to Rapa Nui from Santiago, you must have a round-trip plane ticket with a maximum stay of one month on the island. Additionally, you need to register a hotel reservation with the Ministry of Tourism and complete an online form , where you’ll need to provide all this information beforehand.

This form can be completed up to 21 days before the trip. It’s essential to include the name of the accommodation where you’ll be staying. Once the form is completed, it’s important to have the email with the folio number generated. Remember that this form can only be filled out online.

Best Time To Visit Easter Island

The best months to visit the island are during the Austral summer (December-March), but these are also high-season due to coinciding with the vacation months in Chile.

To fully enjoy the island’s main attractions, it’s recommended that you spend at least three full days here. The high prices for plane tickets and accommodation, restaurants, and excursions often lead most tourists to shorten their stay. However, with three full days, you’ll have the opportunity to properly explore the archaeological sites, enjoy the stunning beaches, and immerse yourself in the rich culture of Rapa Nui.

What To Wear On Easter Island

Rapa Nui has a subtropical climate with warm temperatures and high humidity for most of the year. It rains a lot on this island, so it’s advisable to bring closed and comfortable walking shoes, a raincoat or windbreaker, and beachwear to enjoy the beautiful coasts.

Easter Island Currency

The official currency in Rapa Nui is the Chilean peso. Before arriving on the island, exchanging money in Chile for Chilean pesos is advisable to have cash on hand. However, most businesses on the island accept credit card payments or US dollars. Additionally, currency exchange offices and ATMs are available to withdraw money.

We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Easter Island! If you have questions about El Calafate or tips to share with our readers please leave these in the comments below.

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Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

Few areas in the world possess a more mystical pull than this tiny speck of land, one of the most isolated places on Earth. It's hard to feel connected to Chile, over 2300 miles (3700km) to the east, let alone the wider world. Endowed with the most logic-defying statues on the planet – the strikingly familiar moai – Rapa Nui (Easter Island) emanates a magnetic, mysterious vibe.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Orongo Ceremonial Village

Nearly covered in a bog of floating totora reeds, the crater lake of Rano Kau resembles a giant witch's cauldron and is a wild greenhouse of endemic…

Rano Raraku

Known as 'the nursery,' the volcano of Rano Raraku, about 18km from Hanga Roa, is the quarry for the hard tuff from which the moai were cut. You'll feel…

Ahu Tongariki

The monumental Ahu Tongariki has plenty to set your camera's flash popping. With 15 imposing statues, it is the largest ahu ever built. The statues gaze…

Beach bums in search of a place to wallow will love this postcard-perfect, white-sand beach. It also forms a lovely backdrop for Ahu Nau Nau, which…

Parque Nacional Rapa Nui

The vast majority of Rapa Nui falls within the boundaries of this national park. Think of it like an open-air museum with mysterious archaeological sites…

Península Poike

At the eastern end of the island, this high plateau is crowned by the extinct volcano Maunga Pu A Katiki (400m) and bound in by steep cliffs. There are…

Ahu Tahai is a highly photogenic site that contains three restored ahu (ceremonial platform). Ahu Tahai proper is the ahu in the middle, supporting a…

Unusual for its inland location, Ahu Akivi, the first scientific restoration on the island (in 1960), sports seven restored moai. They are the only ones…

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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Easter Island

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

Located in the Pacific Ocean, more than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile, Easter Island is one of the most remote inhabited places on earth. It marks the southeast corner of the Polynesian triangle, with Hawaii to the north and New Zealand to the southwest.

The island covers 63 square miles of land and is home to approximately 900 mesmerizing moai statues, often called the "Easter Island heads." The giant, monolithic carvings are scattered around the island, some standing proudly against the ocean backdrop, while others are buried up to their necks in soil.

Though the statues are an obvious draw, there are other reasons to travel to Easter Island. The far-flung island offers a calm atmosphere, and though typical amenities like air conditioning and Wi-Fi are lacking, being able to gaze out at the Pacific over dinner and spot wild horses roaming the hills makes up for it.

The History of Easter Island

It’s long been thought that the first people to come to Rapa Nui , the Polynesian name for Easter Island, arrived between 300 and 400 C.E. But recent studies are questioning this line of thought, suggesting it was several hundred years later. It's believed that as resources began to dwindle on the island, starvation and warfare nearly caused the population to go extinct.

On Easter Day in 1722, Dutch explorers landed on the island and dubbed it Paaseiland, meaning Easter Island. The next hundred years were not kind to the people of Rapa Nui: it’s thought that soon after the Europeans arrived, there was a slave raid from Peru and then an outbreak of smallpox.

In the 19th century, Chile annexed Rapa Nui (or Isla de Pascua as it’s known to Chileans), and in 1965 the people of Rapa Nui became Chilean citizens. Today, the island has a population of about 8,500, made up of both Indigenous Rapa Nui people and ethnic Chileans.

How to Get to Easter Island

Though getting to Easter Island isn’t hard, per se, it is a long journey. The only airline that flies there is Chilean airline LATAM, and travelers must fly through Santiago, Chile.

It takes around 10.5 hours to reach Chile's capital city from New York or Los Angeles, and a little over nine hours from Atlanta. From Santiago to Hanga Roa — the capital of Easter Island — the flight is roughly 5.5 hours, and there are about a dozen flights each week. U.S. passport holders don’t need a visa as long as they plan to stay for less than 90 days.

Another way to get to Easter Island is with a cruise. Several cruise lines, such as Seabourn and Silversea , offer sailings that include Rapa Nui, but these trips will cost you a pretty penny.

What to See

The most recognized features of Rapa Nui are the moai — those giant stone shrines that dot the island. But the carvings aren’t just heads. Because some of the most widely photographed figures are those buried up to their necks, many people don’t know the moai are monolithic, full-body carvings. The statues, some of which stand up to 32 feet in height, were carved to honor important people after their deaths.

Moai were carved using a toki (a chisel made of rock). The best quality toki were made from a very hard stone known as hawaiite , only found in the Rua Toki-Toki quarry. One of the biggest enigmas of Easter Island is how people in ancient Rapa Nui were able to move the gigantic stone statues from their carving site to the places they would eventually stand.

Covering nearly half the island, Rapa Nui National Park is the best place to see the imposing carvings, created between the 10th and 16th centuries. UNESCO lists the park as a World Heritage Site , describing its legacy (which includes the sculptures and other archaeological elements) as “one of the most remarkable cultural phenomena in the world.”

The best way to learn about the moai is by touring the national park with a knowledgeable local guide. Purchased independently, a 10-day ticket to access the park costs $80.

Though you can see moai all over the park, there are a few must-sees for any visitor. Ahu Tongariki, on the southeast shore, is home to 15 moai standing shoulder-to-shoulder and silhouetted against the sky. Though much of the coastline is rocky, you’ll find Playa de Anakena, a beautiful, white sand beach with turquoise water. Not far inland, Rano Raraku is an impressive volcano where hundreds more moai , in various stages of carving, still stand. It's also a great spot to hike, as it offers stunning views of the island.

A good place to start your trip is the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum . It’s the only museum on the island and, though small, boasts an impressive collection of ancient fishing hooks, a white coral eye of a moai stone carving, and mata (obsidian stone tools). In addition to the artifacts, it walks visitors through the history of the island. Visits are free, though donations are accepted. Opening hours can vary so check before arrival.

Another great spot for adults and children alike is right in town. The Hanga Roa harbor is a perfect place to see sea turtles. If you stop by while fishermen are hauling in their catch and cleaning the fish, you can spot the turtles floating just beneath the surface, waiting to snack.

Where to Stay

Though the population of Rapa Nui is small, there is a surprisingly large selection of accommodations. Most of the hotels are located central to Hanga Roa.

Hare Uta Hotel is a few minutes' walk from the center of town and overlooks the water. Friendly staff members go out of their way to make guests feel at home, and the poolside spa offers traditional treatments featuring local banana leaves and volcanic soil. The restaurant is popular with guests as well as those staying elsewhere.

Another favorite for visitors is Altiplanico Easter Island . The bungalows are about a 30-minute walk out of Hanga Roa, but the coastal views along the way — and welcome drinks upon arrival — make up for any inconvenience. Rooms are bright and airy, with open-air showers and private terraces.

Where to Eat

There are plenty of places to dine on the island, and most restaurants are in Hanga Roa. Be prepared for slow service, and plan accordingly if you are eating before meeting a tour guide.

La Kaleta, which sits right on the coast and has a great view, is a visitor favorite. The menu is written on a chalkboard outside and changes daily.

Nearby, Te Moana also offers beautiful ocean views. Portion sizes are slightly larger than many other restaurants in town, and prices are more expensive. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood, including oysters and ceviche.

Another highly rated spot in town is Neptune's Island Restaurant. Guests can dine inside or on the veranda and enjoy views of the Pacific from either spot. The staff here is friendly, and prices are modest.

How to Get Around

Getting around on Easter Island requires advance planning since very little of the island has cell phone reception. While taxis often drive around looking for passengers, it's a good idea to prebook transportation before setting out on your daily adventure. The same applies to pickup from the airport, which can help you avoid scams.

Rental cars are available on the island, but few companies offer insurance, and the roads can be rough.

One of the best ways to see the island — both for convenience and an insider perspective — is to book a tour. There are many options for both private and group tours (the latter being more environmentally friendly), lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

If you're up for an adventure (and a workout), you can also travel by bike, on foot, or on horseback. Some places aren’t accessible by car, so going by horse or on foot can allow you to reach some of the island’s hidden treasures.

Spanish and Rapa Nui are the most commonly spoken languages, but some people in the hospitality industry also speak English.

The official currency on Easter Island is the Chilean Peso (CLP). There are only two ATMs in Hanga Roa (though not all credit card types are accepted) and a handful of places to exchange currency. Visitors should be aware that the exchange rate on the island won’t be as favorable as that available in mainland Chile, so it’s advisable to withdraw and exchange enough cash before flying from Santiago.

Still, if you forget, don’t panic. Many local businesses will accept U.S. dollars (though at a higher rate than you would pay in pesos), and several hotels and restaurants also accept credit cards.

The daily cost of staying on Rapa Nui can vary widely, but more highly rated properties tend to be at least a few hundred dollars per night. A meal, meanwhile, can cost upwards of $50 per person. Bargaining is not a part of the culture of Rapa Nui. Tipping is common practice, and a service charge of 10 percent is often added to bills.

What to Buy

Vendors selling souvenirs won’t be hard to come by in Hanga Roa, but if you prefer to wander markets to collect treats for friends at home, head to Mercado Artesanal. Located on Ara Roa Rakei, this market features handicrafts made by local artisans. Small moai , carved from stone and wood, are a favorite, given their prominence in local culture. And there are plenty to choose from. Visitors can also buy more traditional souvenirs, including T-shirts and jewelry.

At Feria Artesanal, you can find similar types of souvenirs, though vendors also hawk produce and fresh-caught fish in the mornings.

Tamure Rapa Nui is a small shop that sells clothing and jewelry. It’s located on Atamu Tekena and offers higher quality (and slightly more expensive) items such as colorful floral wreaths, Polynesian-print textiles, carved bone earrings, and woven fiber bags.

Best Time to Visit Easter Island

The temperatures on Easter Island are consistently mild throughout the year. During the summer season between December and March, temperatures typically hover below 80 degrees Fahrenheit and during the winter months of July and August, they rarely dip below the mid-60s. Because the island is located in the middle of the Pacific, visitors will find there’s often a cool ocean breeze.

There isn’t a bad time of year to visit Easter Island, though if you want to stay dry, avoid traveling in April when the island gets most of its rainfall. The driest months are between October and February.

In addition to the great weather, there’s another reason to travel to Easter Island in February. Tapati Rapa Nui is the island’s namesake festival that began in the 1970s to celebrate culture and heritage. During the two-week celebration, there are several competitions, including dancing, canoeing, horse racing, and a chance to try Haka Pei — a sport where people use a banana leaf to sled down Rapa Nui’s steepest hillside.

Related Articles

30 Awesome Things to Do in Easter Island

• Last Updated: May 28, 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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UponArriving

21 Things You Need to Know About Easter Island Before Visiting

Anytime you head to a far-flung, bucket-list destination like Easter Island, you want to do your research to make sure that you have a smooth and enjoyable experience.

In the case of Easter Island, there are quite a few things you will want to know before you visit.

Below, I’ll highlight everything that you need to know about this amazing place so that you’ll be fully prepared on your first visit to make the most of your time!

For information on the documents needed and getting through the airport, check out this guide right here .

Table of Contents

It feels very safe

One thing about this little island in the middle of the Pacific is that if you commit a crime, there’s nowhere for you to run. I mean, you could always live the rest of your life inside a lava tube I guess but that doesn’t necessarily sound ideal. 

As far as humans went, the island felt very safe. We didn’t feel the need to constantly watch our back or anything of the sort.

Obviously, you don’t want to let your guard completely down but the experience is very different from visiting some islands in other places of the world such as the Caribbean where you still have to remain vigilant.

Seat belts are entirely optional

Wearing seatbelts is not really “a thing” in Easter Island. And we never even heard a seatbelt alarm/reminder during our entire time, so I’m not even sure the vehicles have those built-in.

Because it’s rare for anybody to drive with any real speed they’re probably not really needed in most cases. But this is something that takes getting used to.

You can always strap in if it makes you feel better, but I enjoyed going without a seatbelt just because it felt so different (and a little liberating).

Animals roam free

Animals, including dogs, cats, chickens, horses, and cattle have free reign on the island. You’ll find dogs hanging out at seemingly every corner and majestic horses trotting along the coast.

If you’re a dog lover (or just animal lover in general) you’ll really enjoy seeing so many of them. According to locals, most of these animals do have owners but they are just allowed to roam where they wish.

This means you need to be extra careful when you’re driving. Lots of the dogs like to sleep in the street and other times the animals just sort of come out of nowhere, especially at night.

On a couple of occasions we did encounter a couple of dogs that made us a little bit nervous but they were mostly just aggressive watch dogs being territorial.

I don’t think they would do non-intruders any harm but when a large dog jumps up on top of a fence post and lets you know that you are not welcome, it makes you a little uneasy.

You have to have a guide for most sites

To see the vast majority of the sites on Easter Island, you will have to accompanied by a guide or local host. This can get expensive over the spans of a few days and really limit your exploring abilities.

A private guide for two people for a full day will run you about $200 USD. If you want to see all of the sites, you will need at least two days so be prepared to spend some cash on guides.

Related: Complete Guide to Exploring Easter Island’s Rapa Nui National Park

It’s expensive 

Related to the above point, Easter Island can be pretty expensive.

Just getting there can be pricey because of all of the connecting flights and the hotel prices aren’t exactly the cheapest.

But when you throw your park pass and guides on top of everything, you’ll quickly be spending a nice chunk of change.

Related: How to get to Easter Island: Everything You Need to Know

You can easily find markets

On Easter Island, it’s not very difficult to find markets and mini markets where you can buy produce, snacks, essentials, etc.

To help ease the cost mentioned above, we made our way to the markets quite often. For about half the time we spent there, we just ate sandwiches and soups which helped us get by.

If you need anything medical related, such as sunscreen, you can get that at the pharmacy.

Internet is iffy but can be quite good

Starlink recently made its way to Easter island and some lodging places and businesses now have high speed internet. It’s been a game changer according to many locals.

We tested out Starlink for a few days and it was awesome out there. I was even able to conduct video conference calls without any type of issues.

However, a lot of places still do NOT have Starlink. For those places that don’t, the internet connection is seriously lacking. It makes it very difficult to be productive. Don’t even think about streaming anything.

So my suggestion would be to be prepared to embrace being largely off the grid or if you need to get some work done doing your trip, find a place with Starlink.

Cell phone service or data is really hard/impossible to get

Depending on your provider, you might be able to get cell phone service but if you’re hoping to use your data on your phone to help you get around just know that there’s a good chance you won’t have access to it . We have Verizon and were never able to access our data. 

To make it easier to navigate around the island just download the Google Maps offline version for Easter Island. You probably won’t be able to pull up directions but you can still pretty easily navigate by following your little blue dot on the map. 

Just be aware that Google Maps is not fully updated with the latest business locations on Easter Island. On a number of occasions, we ventured to a location shown on Google Maps that was no longer there!

As things kick back up after the closure from the pandemic, I imagine the maps will get cleaned up.

Power and AC limitations

If you are accustomed to keeping your house ice cold like us, you might want to start turning up the temperature in your house in the weeks leading up to your trip.

That’s because some hotels and lodges don’t have AC and some don’t even have the power capacity to run fans all the time. This means that you could be running very warm and humid during your stay.

The temperature will cool down in the evening and with a breeze, it can feel heavenly outside or an a patio but inside of your room, it can be a real challenge to remain comfortable.

Little tree cover

Although the island was once home to huge palm trees, it no longer boasts thick forest canopies. You’ll find some pockets of thick eucalyptus forest, but the vast majority of the island is barren.

It’s still a beautiful site with green volcanic slopes rising and falling along the horizon but you’ll be hard-pressed to find shade in most spots (unless you’re standing next to a giant moai!). 

Don’t be surprised by insects or other critters

Lots of the lodging and other buildings are very open to the environment on Easter Island.

This means that you can expect to find bugs and other little creatures making their way into your hotel. We saw lizards, roaches, and other little bugs in our hotels.

We never had an issue with mosquitoes although the flies did come out pretty hard on a couple of occasions when dinner was served.

So just adjust your expectations accordingly and try not to be shocked if you wake up to find a roach in your bathtub!

You’ll want to rent a car

I strongly recommend renting a vehicle while in an Easter Island.

For us, this was vital to getting to sunset and sunrise locations and enjoying our early morning stargazing sessions. While you are still limited in what you could see due to the guide restrictions, it’s still a fun place to drive around in.

Another option could be to rent an ATV or scooter but we went with a four-door vehicle because we knew we would be riding around with a tour guide and we wanted to be comfortable.

A lot of the vehicles are manual but you might be able to find an automatic which is what we were given (even though we ordered manual).  

Credit cards are widely excepted

Most of the places we went to accepted credit cards, including American Express. You’ll just need to let the place know that you are using a credit card and not a debit that requires a pin.

A couple of places did not accept cards but they made it clear that they only accepted cash from the beginning. If you need cash, there is an ATM machine in the middle of town.

The sun sets late

The sun sets really late in Easter Island. 

In December, sunset will be around 9 PM, while in the winter it is still around 7 PM.

This gives you a lot of time to explore and then relax around sunset time.

But if you are coming from North America, the shift in daylight can be more dramatic than what you may have expected. You might even need an eye mask if you plan on getting to sleep at your usual time.

They have cool souvenirs

I really love the souvenirs at Easter Island!

It’s going be almost impossible for you to leave that island without some type of moai-inspired souvenir.

You’ll find them in all different types of shapes and sizes. Take your time and check out several different shops to see what you like the most.

The skies are ridiculously dark

If you’ve never experienced truly dark skies, Easter Island is the place to do it. 

Even better, if you’re coming from the US or an equivalent latitude in the northern hemisphere, you’ll be able to see the Southern night sky!

My biggest regret was not doing a stargazing tour with a telescope but our plans just didn’t align with the open dates for that. But even if you don’t book a proper stargazing tour, you can just go out to any area on the island and appreciate the beautiful night sky.

Watching shooting stars blaze through the night sky over towering moai is a true bucket-list worthy experience.

Roads are not the best

The roads are not the best and mostly consist of what looked like set stone roads but they are still very doable and not as bad as I thought it would be.

Some of the dirt roads are pretty bumpy and quickly get filled with large puddles — the potholes can be a little treacherous so watch out for those!

But unless you are traveling around during or after heavy downpour, you won’t have issues getting around, even without having a 4×4.

There’s great seafood

If you like seafood, Easter Island will impress. We had some fantastic ceviche, tuna, lobster, and shrimp and there are plenty of other tasty food options out there.

Spanish is the way to go but you can get by with English

If you can speak Spanish, or just broken Spanish like me, that can get your pretty far on Easter island.

Some people do speak the “Chilean style” of Spanish which is pretty fast and that can be difficult to communicate with for people like myself.

But a lot of the locals also know a bit of broken English so you can generally work out transactions without much of a problem.

The only issue is that because you probably won’t have access to data on your phone, it can be hard to translate things whenever there is a problem.

Beaches are few but beautiful!

Easter Island does not have a lot of beaches.

It’s mostly jagged volcanic cliffs along the coastline, which are quite stunning. However, there are a couple of beaches that I thought were pretty beautiful and they are right next to each other. You want to check out: Ovahe and Anakena .

You might also find come across a couple of hidden cove with beautiful mini beaches, so be on the lookout for those!

The annual festival is in early February

Easter Island puts on an annual festival in early February called Tapati Rapa Nui that celebrates their history and culture.

It looks like an enjoyable time filled with nighttime festivities and daytime competitions, but it can be hard to find flights during this time so if you plan on visiting the island during the first couple of weeks of February you need to make operations well in advance!

As you would probably expect, Easter Island is a very different place. I’d suggest really thinking about all of the factors above and how you can best prepare for them.

If you do that, I can guarantee you that you will have a smoother stay as you’ll be much more prepared than the average tourist!

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

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22 of the Best Things To Do on Easter Island

Last Updated August 16, 2024 William Tang

You are here: Home » Attractions & Experiences » 22 of the Best Things To Do on Easter Island

The stoic moai of Easter Island have captured the imagination of many but few have been lucky enough to set foot on the island. It’s an adventure like no other that will fulfil your childhood dreams of seeing the stone heads sticking out of the ground. What you never could’ve imagined is just how many moai of all shapes and sizes exist on the island and the incredible stories behind them.

So what exactly can you see and do here, if you’re planning a trip? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our favorite things to do on Easter Island.

In This Article

Rapa nui national park, activities beyond moai, save with green island tours on easter island, what to pack for easter island, easter island is a magic wonder, frequently asked questions, read more about chile, how to get a deal on easter island, travel resources for your next trip, 22 can’t miss things to do on easter island.

Thinking about a trip to Easter Island (perhaps as part of a full month in Chile ), have it on your bucket list, or are in the midst of planning your visit? You’re no doubt wondering what exactly can you do on the island.

Despite being the most isolated island in the world and small in size, there are easily more than a week’s worth of things to see and do on Easter Island.

When we planned our trip, we were absolutely overwhelmed because we didn’t understand how we could go about seeing the moai heads on Easter Island (covered in our guide to visiting Easter Island ) and also what else there was to do.

Instead of just giving you a massive list, we felt that it was appropriate to break it between the important archeological locations and activities you can do on the island.

This doesn’t include everything but for someone spending a week on Easter Island, these will keep you plenty busy.

Rapa Nui National Park covers 43% of Easter Island and was created to protect the now 888 moai statues, over 300 ceremonial platforms, and other significant structures. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

However, unlike other National Parks around the world, there aren’t any specific entrance gates or a defined border. Instead, there are large and small sites scattered all over the island. They can be examples of petroglyphs on a rock near the coast that aren’t guarded or they can be a more significant site where tickets are checked and there are guards on site.

With the new rules, you can only visit the managed sites with a guide so the good news is that they will know exactly which archeological locations are worth visiting and in what order.

You’ll be amazed by the sheer size and scale of the tradition of carving moai as a way of honoring important members of the tribe. The plot thickens when you layer in stories about the mysteries of how they were moved and the eventual downfall of the civilization.

The below list of the best archaeological sites within Rapa Nui National Park will no doubt be the highlight of your visit to Easter Island.

9 Day Easter Island Itinerary

This seems to be a lot of time but in retrospect, 9 days ended up being the best way to see Easter Island. Get a day-by-day breakdown with this itinerary.

Easter Island Itinerary

1. Ahu Tahai

The area is simply called Tahai but Ahu Tahai is one of the most recognizable ceremonial complexes on Easter Island and is the most popular because it’s right in the town of Hanga Roa.

What most don’t realize is that there are actually 3 main ceremonial platforms ( ahu ) here – Ahu Ko Te Riku, Ahu Tahai, y Ahu Vai Uri .

There is also a well-preserved ancient village here and is said to be one of the oldest inhabited areas of the island. Your guide will be able to point out which were stone chicken-coops, base of boat-shaped houses, and gardening techniques.

This is also where famed Easter Island archeologist, William Mulloy’s tomb is located.

Pay attention to the solo moai here with its top knot and eyes. While these aren’t the original eyes, it is the only example outdoors that shows you how the sculpted megaliths were supposed to look like. The carving of the eyes and placing of the white coral was the last step, and what gave the moai life.

Being right in town, it’s one of two locations that don’t require a Rapa Nui National Park ticket to enter and is absolutely stunning at sunset. This means you can come here on your own and should be an easy walk from your hotel.

As the sun sets, grab a seat on the grass, and watch the sky turn into a symphony of vivid colors.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Managed: Yes. A guide is not required but there are guards patrolling the site.

National Park ticket required?: No

Best time to come: Sunset but day time is better if you want to see all of the archeological remains of the village.

• At sunset, there are several vendors that set up inside the boundaries if you’re looking for cheaper souvenirs.
• The guards (called muto’i ) watch the area like a hawk and will whistle at you if you break any rules, including accidentally walking into the restricted areas of the grass. Pay attention to the signs when exploring.
• If you’re into night photography, since Ahu Tahai is so easy to walk to, plan to come here one of the nights you’re on the island.
• Horses and stray dogs will be around but they’re harmless.

2. Rano Raraku

Most people that picture the moai of Easter Island are thinking about the sunken megaliths of Rano Raraku .

This is the legendary quarry where the skilled Rapanui workers chiseled the moai out of the volcano crater. Over time, soil covered up the moai that stood haphazardly on the volcano-side, leaving just the heads emerging from the ground.

What’s fascinating about Rano Raraku is that it demonstrates the entire birthing process of the moai, with examples of half-carved stone still connected to the crater and unfinished moai partially carved. The hill and crater-side are literally littered with moai.

You’ll definitely want to spend more time here because there’s quite a bit to see as you walk through the hillside along the well-laid out path. There are also quite a number of photo opportunities here.

A heads up that National Park ticket holders can only visit here once and is definitely one of the more tightly guarded sites. You have to stay on the path and you can’t touch any of the moai.

Managed: Yes and a guide is required.

National Park ticket required?: Yes and you can only visit once. They will cut out a corner of your paper ticket and write your information down (how they track it for digital tickets).

Best time to come: Beginning and end of the day or mid to late afternoon.

• There are restroom facilities here.
• Local souvenir vendors will set up here as it’s a high-traffic spot on the island.
• If you see a massive group of tourists unload, it may be worth suggesting to your guide to come back a bit later so you can explore more freely and take photographs without people around the site.
• There’s a great view of Tongariki from where the kneeling moai is located. Bring your telephoto lens!
• Your guide will explain this to you but don’t forget to look up. It’s a Where’s Waldo of half-carved moai. If you have binoculars, have them handy.

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Anakena is a combination of many thing including a popular public beach, the restored Ahu Nau Nau with its 7 moai, and 4 with top knots, and Ahu Ature Huki which is where archeologist Thor Heyerdahl tested his theory of how moai were raised.

The story of this location is that some 1300 years ago, Polynesians first landed at this beach, thus creating the furthest outpost for these peoples, and the start of one of the most fascinating civilizations.

Ahu Nau Nau stands majestically, surrounded by sand, and has examples of the exquisite detail that were carved on the moai including their ears, nose, lips, hands, belly buttons, and back tattoos. This ceremonial altar is incredibly photogenic, especially with the beach, palm trees, and the wild horses that roam nearby.

The beach stays a comfortable 20°C (68°F) throughout the year, has incredibly soft white sand, and is in a protected bay, making it a great beach for all ages.

Best time to come: Anytime during the day – depends on whether you’re coming here for the beach or for the moai. For the best light, come in the morning.

• There are restroom facilities here (opens at 12PM). We’ve read that it costs $1 USD to use it but when we were here, all we saw was a tip bowl and no sign. This is the largest restroom out of all sites and frequently cleaned.
• Being on the north side of the island, it isn’t known for sunrise or sunset.
• There are fixed booths set up for local vendors. We didn’t find that these were any cheaper than the markets in Hanga Roa.
• There are horses that roam this area and if they are near the platforms, give them their space.

4. Tongariki

Tongariki is the name of the area and the largest restored ceremonial platform with a whopping 15 stone giants, is called Ahu Tongariki .

There are no words that can describe the sheer awe you’ll have in the presence of these sentinels that dwarf all of the other standing moai you will see on your trip to Easter Island.

Representing the pinnacle of the Rapa Nui stone carving period, this platform has a wingspan of 220 meters, features moai that range in all sizes and stature, and only one has a top knot.

In addition to the 15 moai, there’s an excellent example of petroglyphs (rock carvings) at the back of the walled plaza, a fallen moai that was never finished, and a famed ‘Travelling Moai’ standing by the entrance, which was once in Japan.

Sunrise at Tongariki is also a popular thing to do on Easter Island. It’s quite magical to see the sun rise from behind the stone statues, creating a brilliant sun burst, while also casting mesmerizing shadows on the grass as it continues to rise.

National Park ticket required?: Yes

Best time to come: Sunrise or mid to late afternoon.

• Horses can make their way inside Tongariki as well.
• You actually don’t need to enter the official Tongariki boundaries (managed by the National Park) to see it. There’s a stone wall that surrounds it but your view isn’t obstructed so you can easily take photos from the outside.
• For sunrise, the sun doesn’t always align perfectly behind because it shifts throughout the year. You can ask your guide where it is or use an app like PhotoPills . Regardless, if you’re a photographer, be prepared to move around.
• A reminder that you can visit Tongariki multiple times (i.e. daytime and for sunrise).
• If you don’t have a guide for Tongariki sunrise, you can hang around the entrance and ask any one of the guides there to help you get in. Most of the guides are nice enough to do it especially if you’re already there.

Do you need a rental car?

Find out if it actually makes sense to rent a car on Easter Island.

Rental Cars on Easter Island

At the end of the 17th century, much of the structured society on the island had collapsed because of the depletion of resources. The age of the moai was over and in the chaos there was a social and religious revolution that lead to creation of the Birdman Competition .

The location of this competition centered around Orongo , a village perched at the edge of the Rano Kau crater. Each tribe would send a competitor to race on the chief’s behalf. The main challenge had them scale down the cliffs, swim 2km to Motu Nui, camp out in caves, wait for the first Sooty Tern bird eggs to be laid, and bring it back to the village with the egg intact.

Orongo is one of the top things to do on Easter Island because it has one of the most dramatic views – stunning views of the crater’s lush center, the Pacific ocean, and the nearby islets ( motu ).

When you visit, you’ll be able to walk through the ceremonial village has also been recreated with a cascade of 48 houses.

Lastly, this is the second site where you can only visit once which makes sense because the area is quite sensitive and is also exhibiting accelerated erosion. Take your time to savour the view!

Best time to come: Early morning or mid to late afternoon.

• There are restroom facilities at the visitor center which are the newest of all of the ones you’ll find in the National Park.
• At the very end of the trail, close to the ‘bite’ in the crater, notice the erosion and how dangerously close the final houses and petroglyphs. These are slowly slipping into the Pacific Ocean.

6. Puna Pau

While not as well known of a location as its quarry counterpart, Rano Raraku, Puna Pau is the quarry for the second part of the moai – the top knot or pukao .

Pukao is carved from red scoria stone, a soft volcanic rock. While intuitively, it looks like a hat for the moai, these were carved to represent how the men of that time tied their long hair in a bun.

When you come here, you’ll see how incredibly difficult it must’ve been to cut and carve the 12 tonnes of stone out of the quarry and then have it moved up and down the crater.

At the summit of the crater, you’ll also get great views of Hanga Roa.

Best time to come: Anytime

• There’s a steep walk up to the top of the crater to see the quarry itself. It’s short but you’ll feel it.

7. Ahu Akivi

You might be surprised to learn that not all ahu were built along the coast. Ahu Akivi is a prime example of one built further inland to look over a fairly large village. It consists of 7 moai and is somehow aligned with the spring and autumn equinoxes.

This is the first full platform excavation and restoration on the island by William Mulloy and Gonzalo Figuero in 1960.

Ahu Akivi is typically not very busy and with plenty of open space in front of the platform, it’s a great place to sit down and hear more stories from your guide.

Best time to come: Mid to late afternoon.

• This can be a quick visit if you’re on tight on time as it’s mainly the moai you’re here to see which is also right next to where you park your car.

8. Te Pito Kura

This is another archeological site on Easter Island that is popular for day 1 or day.

If you’re interested in seeing the largest moai to have survived transportation from Rano Raraku and then lifted to stand on Ahu Te Pito Kura . This moai measures 10m tall and weighs in excess of 70 tonnes.

In this area, you’ll also encounter a large circular stone surrounded by 4 smaller stones. Legends have it that the island’s first king brought it to Easter Island because it was endowed with mana. Another name for this is ‘Navel of the World’ .

9. Ahu Akahanga

Not all ceremonial platforms have been restored. These platforms and moai are in situ and give visitors a sense of Rapa Nui’s turbulent past. It’s a reminder that tribal wars and famine lead to huge conflicts and backlash against the moai.

Fallen moai are also how the early European explorers would have seen the island when making landfall. This means that they haven’t been moved for 300 years.

In addition to the moai, you’ll find small caves here that were used as cooking areas, and foundational stones for boat houses.

In addition to Akahanga, there are numerous in situ platforms and moai around the island. Other notable ones are Ahu One Makihi (near the side of the road), and Ahu Hanga Te’e in Vaihu.

• On our free day with our car rental, we noticed that there was an open gate in the road by the coast. We drove in and were nervous that we weren’t supposed to be there so we turned around. We later went to the official entrance to Ahu Akahanga and noticed there wasn’t a guard at the booth. We walked in to take a look and shortly after, out of nowhere, a guard drove in with their motorcycle. The interest thing was that he was actually incredibly friendly and was trying to get us to pay him to be a guide. This is gives you a glimpse into the consistencies in how some sites are managed and the motivations of some guards.

Easter Island is filled with mysteries and one that you won’t expect is a connection between the island and South America.

In the Vinapu sector is Ahu Tahira . When you first arrive, you’ll notice the 6 overthrown moai with their top knots not far away. To the left is also a rare moai carved entirely out of red scoria stone and has a pronounced belly button.

What’s even more interesting is what you’ll see when you get to the back wall of the platform. This shows just how advanced the masonry had become on Easter Island.

There is an uncanny resemblance to the stone work you’ll see in Peru and Cusco in particular (see our 2 week Peru itinerary ). This begs the question, how much contact was there between the Rapanui and the Incans? Is there a connection or are there only so many ways to build a good wall out of stone?

What about the half-buried moai? By its crude carvings, scientists say that this was from an earlier period and was likely broken or rejected and simply left there.

Best time to come: Anytime but they are known to have great sunrises and light in the morning.

So How Do You Get To Easter Island?

There’s the simple answer but as someone that’s been, there are a lot of small details that we share including a flight hack that’ll save you a ton of money.

Guide For How To Get To Easter Island

Going beyond feeling like a modern day Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, exploring ahu and moai, what are some of the other things to do on Easter Island?

Here is a continuation of our list with inspiration for other type of activities and attractions you’ll find here.

11. Hiking on Easter Island

One of the popular things to do on Easter Island is hiking. There are several to choose from that’ll give you a true feel for the serenity and calm of life on the island.

With the gentle terrain, these can be classified as easy to moderate walks so don’t expect anything intense like what you’ll find in Torres del Paine, Patagonia .

To do these hikes, you can either use your own rental car, do it as part of a guided tour, or have something coordinated with a taxi. Many of these trails are one way, and some aren’t the most well-marked, or in the case of the North Coast, not at all.

• Terevaka (4 hours, 9 km) – Walk to the summit of the island’s tallest point. There’s a trail that starts near Ahu Akivi and another midway along the NASA-paved road. You can also turn back on the same way you started. This one you can easily do without a guide.
• Via A Tare Crater (2 hours, 5km) – Walk the eastern rim of the volcano creator. You can start all the way in Hanga Roa or there’s a gate that you can park at further up. It’s possible to do this without a guide but make sure you have an app like AllTrails to help with pathfinding.
• Poike (5 hours, 11km) – This is a full day that allows you to explore the northeastern part of the island that’s been closed to vehicles since 2005. You’ll be able to hike up to the summit of Pua Katiki, discover small moai that dot the peninsula, and see a part of the island that visitors rarely get to see.
• North Coast (5-7 hours, 13.5km) – Another full day hike that takes you through the most untouched part of the island that is filled with archeological discoveries. This is a one way hike that eventually ends at Anakena Beach. We did this as part of our 9 day Easter Island itinerary and would highly recommend it. Having a guide is a good idea.

12. Relax on the beach

There are two main beaches on the island. While most will gravitate towards the easily accessible Anakena Beach , the locals favor Ovahe Beach because it’s much quieter and feels more off-the-beaten-path.

Choose Anakena Beach if you want to be close to wide open beach, restroom facilities, beach restaurant (called Anakena Hopu ), souvenir shops, and moai.

The distinct advantage that Anakena has over Ovahe is that it’s much more spacious and it’s more wide open, receiving sunlight throughout the day.

Choose Ovahe Beach if you want to get away from crowds where you can lay out your beach towel near volcanic rock and enjoy a more tranquil experience. There are actually two beaches here, with rock that divides the two.

The downside is that there are no changing rooms or bathrooms at this beach.

TIP: For Ovahe Beach, make sure you have good footwear as you’ll need to traverse through a path that is quite rocky. Also, the sun gets blocked in the late afternoon (3PM in October) by the cliff behind so we recommend that you come here early.

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

13. Visit the only museum on Easter island

2024 Update: As of July 19, 2024, MAPSE Museum Rapanui closed due to force majeure. Hoping that the government will be able to settle this and it’ll open again soon.

The official name of the museum is Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum , located on the north side of Hanga Roa and also conveniently a short walk from Takarua Lodge .

This museum and its permanent exhibit dedicated to telling Rapa Nui’s story may look small but can’t be missed in our books.

Whether you’ve soaked in as much as you could through your guides or are coming in green, you’ll be able to learn through the exceptionally well laid out numbered panels that have Spanish and English. Each panel is quite large and does a great job of integrating archival photos and illustrations.

In addition, the museum houses a number of unique artifacts that you won’t find elsewhere including an authentic example of white coral used for the eyes of the moai, the only example of a female moai, carving tools, and more.

Oh and guess what, it’s free! Just remember it’s closed on Mondays.

The anthropological museum with its permanent and temporary exhibits is just one part of Mapse , the broader organization that consists of a library, laboratory, storage, and administration.

PRO TIP: The museum’s own book titled ‘Los Ancestros de Rapa Nui’ is more or less a verbatim copy of the museum’s displays. If you’d like to bring it home for reference, this book has Spanish and English and makes for great reading on the island.

Hours: The official hours are posted on this page .

• Tuesday to Friday  : 9:30AM to 5:30PM
• Saturday, Sunday and holidays  : 9:30AM to 12:30PM

Price: Free

• They offer guided tours of the permanent exhibit for groups of 5-15. Reservations are made via phone or e-mail. This is likely Spanish-only.
• If you’d like to visit the library, they are open Monday to Friday 9:30AM – 1PM and 2PM – 5:30PM.

14. Catch a traditional Rapa Nui show

Even if you’ve seen traditional Polynesian shows in say Hawaii (called a luau) and French Polynesia , or Maori cultural experiences in New Zealand , it’s worth going to one of the Rapa Nui shows in Hanga Roa during your stay.

These are high-energy, sweat dripping, hip-swaying dances that are an authentic way of seeing local Rapa Nui culture especially if you aren’t lucky enough to be here during the Tapati Festival.

There are two companies that offer traditional Rapa Nui performances. They are both quite similar and have similar offerings of dinner or general tickets.:

• Kari Kari (W, F at 8PM, 1 hour) – $30,000 for general ticket, $85,000 with dinner (at Ma’aranui Native Restaurant Bar)
• Te Ra’ai (M, W, F, S at 8:30PM, 1 hour 15 minutes) – $35,000 for general ticket, $72,000 with dinner (traditional umu ceremony, face painting, buffet style)

In both cases, you can book online but if you’d like to be a bit more flexible, you can totally buy tickets on the day of where you can pay by cash or credit card (in CLP).

Ultimately, Kari Kari seemed to be the consensus of which show is the best when we talked to locals and it’s also cheaper as well. That said, the dinner option at Te Ra’ai is much better and they have more shows in the week.

If you can, make sure you fit this into your Easter Island plans.

PRO TIP: At Kari Kari, they offer tickets for first row and second row which in our opinion isn’t worth the extra cost, especially if you end up going on a day when it’s relatively empty. On those days, you can sit anywhere you want. Oh and a word of warning – if you’re sitting in the front, expect to be called out to the stage!

15. Go scuba diving

Easter Island isn’t necessarily known for its scuba diving but it has the advantage of having some of the highest clarity in water, an abundance of marine life that you’ll find in most of the Pacific Ocean, and even a moai.

It’s the sunken moai that attracted us to diving in Easter Island in addition to feeling the serious itch since our incredible dives in French Polynesia . Despite knowing that it’s a moai prop from the movie Rapa Nui, it’s still one for the scuba-enthusiast’s bucket list.

The truth is, we thought the diving itself wasn’t extraordinary. We got our photo-op in front of the moai and the rest wasn’t the most memorable as the moai dive site isn’t known for its coral and marine life. It’s mostly hard coral and you won’t find the most colorful fish here.

That said, they do offer other dive sites such as Motu Nui (one of the islets), Cathedral (lava tube), and Acantilado (cliff dive).

While the water temperature stays consistent throughout the year, we’re not talking about tropical diving. It stays at 18°C (65°F) so it’ll be a bit more chilly than you’re used to. This means that you’ll want to use a full-length 5mm wetsuit.

There are a number of dive shops on Easter Island but I was disappointed with how difficult with how it was to communicate with them. We tried Facebook, Instagram, email, and WhatsApp but it was a challenge getting more information about how they operated and their pricing. Websites were either non-functioning or terrible to navigate.

Here are the main companies we considered:

• Mike Rapu – Their website doesn’t really function anymore. Your best bet is to chat with them through Whatsapp which you can find the link to on their Instagram account .
• Orca Diving Center – Their website is dead but is active on Facebook.
• Rapa Nui Dive Center – Their website is dead but is active on Facebook.
• Tortuga Hanga Piko – They don’t even have a website anymore but is active on Facebook.
• Atariki Rapa Nui Diving Center – Another dead website and no other online presence.

It’s a bit of a disaster if we’re being honest and so ultimately we don’t recommend booking anything online in advance. When you arrive on Easter Island, walk over to the row of dive shops in the Hanga Roa Harbour which includes Mike Rapu, Orca Diving Center, and Rapa Nui Dive Center. From there, you can speak to them in person and find out their details.

Tortuga and Atariki are located by the large commercial harbour on the south side of Hanga Roa which makes them a little more inconvenient to get to.

For us, we ultimately picked Mike Rapu because they were the largest shops that were actually open. Here’s how they work and a few other notes of what we learned from our Moai Dive experience.

• Their website and e-mail auto-responder are not updated with the current information and the website has broken links all over.
• As of October 2022, their dive shop hours are 9AM to 5:30PM. On Saturdays they are only open until 1:30PM. They are closed on Sunday.
• Their WhatsApp number is +56-9-9306-1928 where you’ll have much higher success in getting a response.
• Scuba diving is current and wind dependent and only operate when the waters are calm.
• Most dives leave in the morning (8:45AM departure and estimated 10:30AM return) but they sometimes will do a 2:30PM.
• Dives cost $45,000 CLP ($55 USD) and this includes equipment rental. A heads up that they don’t provide dive computers so you’ll be simply following your guides.
• If you don’t have a diving license, Discovery Dives are $55,000 CLP ($67 USD).
• They offer photography for $5,000 CLP per person but you need to bring your own SD card , MicroSD with SD card adapter, or USB key in order for them to transfer it to you.
• To secure a dive booking, you have to pay a $10,000 CLP deposit per person.
• They accept payment by cash or local e-transfer.
• They expect your previous dive to be within 6 months, otherwise they will insist on a refresher course.
• They have closed and open fins so if you have a preference, make sure to ask. 
• They have men and women’s change rooms, lockers (not lockable), showers, and bathrooms at the dive shop.
• The moai dive is only a 10 minutes ride away in a small wooden boat with 3 rows and equipment placed on the floor. Entry is back roll.
• Expect choppier waters since you’ll be in the Pacific Ocean versus a calm lagoon.
• Bring your own waterproof bag for the boat. Bring any equipment you need for the dive including camera. You’ll be leaving your street clothes, towel, and bags in the dive shop in the change room lockers.
• Overall, we found that they are incredibly informal when it comes to checking documentation, equipment checks, briefing (done after entry into the water). They’ll make sure the equipment is safe and help you put it on but at the same time, you’re also kind of on your own.
• They also offer boat rides to the motu that include snorkeling for $20,000 CLP per person.
• Overall, it did not seem to be the most organized dive shop and had mixed reception to English.

Let’s just say that we did the one dive to see the moai and didn’t do any more during our 9 day itinerary .

16. Go stargazing

While not necessarily something that Easter Island is best known for, Easter Island’s remoteness and lack of light pollution is a good recipe for seeing the night sky.

When you add the mystical wonder of the moai, you also get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some of the most dramatic astrophotography shots.

The only downside is that the weather can be quite unpredictable on Easter Island especially when it comes to cloud cover. As a result, stargazing won’t be as good as what you’ll have in your Atacama itinerary , but it’s definitely a fun activity to do.

If you’re looking to do this, you can of course do it on your own but if you’d like a guided experience where you can learn about the stars in the southern hemisphere and use high powered telescopes, Green Island Tours offers one of the few stargazing and astrophotography tours.

TIP: If you’re interested in stargazing, check to make sure you’re there in and around a new moon. A full moon is a bad thing because it brightens the sky too much.

PRO TIP: If you’re an astrophotography pro, we probably don’t need to tell you this, but make sure to use PhotoPills to figure out whether the Milky Way lines up with what you want to shoot. There are definitely better times of the year to go than others.

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 – Check out Marc’s 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% .

17. Hop on a boat to see the motu

From Orongo you can see how far competitors needed to swim to get to the motu (sometimes called Birdman Isle). What if I told you that you could go on a boat tour to see these motu off Rano Kau and their seabird colonies upclose?

Most operators that offer this tour know a fisherman that can take there guests out there. This is typically a 2 hour experience.

18. Discover the caves of Easter Island

One of the major things to do on Easter Island that’s part of the tour circuit are the natural caves around the island. The one that’s the most popular is Ana Te Pahu but that’s just one of many that you can visit.

Created from lava that flowed through here and eventually cooled to turn into a labyrinth of caves, there are natural openings from where the lava tubes collapsed, allowing you to enter in and explore as Lara Craft would.

Ana Te Pahu is also called ‘Banana Cave’ because of the large number of trees that were planted here by inhabitants, creating an oasis grove sprouting from underground.

Other caves worth mentioning are Ana Kai Tangata which has well-preserved wall paintings inside, and Ana Kakenga which is where the lava tube exited into the ocean, creating picturesque windows. There are also quite a number of them along the north coast hike.

HEADS UP: The cave ceiling stone is unstable at Ana Kai Tangata which is why the Rapa Nui National Park no longer promotes this site. The stairs down are still accessible but be careful.

19. Get a special stamp in your passport

This is a bit of a novelty, but like you can get souvenir passport stamps in other parts of the world, like One Foot Island of Aitutaki in Cook Islands, or when visiting Machu Picchu , you can also get a Rapa Nui stamp.

Contrary to older guides, they’ve now moved the stamp from the post office (CorreosChile) to the Tourism Information Office (SERNATUR) .

Ask them for your stamp and they’ll bring it out for you to use. Before you do so, make sure you educate yourself on the risk of putting a stamp like this on your passport .

20. Spot turtles in the Hanga Roa Harbor

Right at the Hanga Roa Harbor where all of the colorful boats are, it’s quite common to spot sea turtles swimming about.

You’ll find yourself completely mesmerized as the current pulls the turtles back and forth in the water and the look for food.

In the summer, some people even go snorkeling here to be able to swim near the turtles.

It’s the simple joys on Easter Island and one of the many great things to do on Easter Island.

21. Explore Hanga Roa

The town of Hanga Roa is where you’ll be spending your free time and evenings roaming around. It’s a tidy little town that’s easy to explore on foot.

Over the course of your visit to Easter Island, you’ll start learning where the main streets are in Hanga Roa. The main street of town is Atama Tekena and the other is Te Pito O Te Henua that runs perpendicular it and goes from the church down to the harbor.

The town is primarily bordered by the cemetery, the Hanga Roa Harbor, the largest pharmacy (Cruz Verde), the church, and our favourite empanada spot (Panaderia y Pasteleria Hitu) on the main street of Atama Tekena.

There are plenty of souvenir shops, restaurants, markets, bakeries, and services in Hanga Roa.

While small, there are plenty things to do in Hanga Roa. Here’s a few places that you should consider checking out:

• Cemetery – This is the island’s first cemetery and is now completely full. Pay attention to the red cross in the middle which is carved from an old top knot.
• Hanga Roa Harbor (also known as Fishermen’s Wharf) – This is where the main dive shops are located but is also a great area to spot sea turtles swimming about and local kids fishing. There’s also a great restaurant and ice cream store here.
• Estadio Koro Paina Kori – This is the local community center and a giant soccer field. You’ll pass by here frequently, giving you a sense of what life is like for the kids on the island.
• CorreosChile – This is the island’s only post office and where you’ll want to go to buy stamps if you’re mailing any postcards.
• Feria Artesanal and Mercado Artesanal – These are two separate souvenir/handcrafted goods markets. The former is easier to get to and connected with the National Park office while the latter is a bit further out and near the church.
• Church of the Holy Cross (Iglesia de la Santa Cruz) – A beautiful church that has both Christian and Rapa Nui motifs on the outside. The best time to visit is the Sunday morning service at 9AM.
• Pea Beach – This is a surfing beach, natural swimming pool (great for kids), sunbathing spot, and sea turtle spotting area. Another natural swimming pool area is Hanga Vare Vare . Both have public showers for rinsing off.
• Tourism Office (SERNATUR) – This is where you can get the special stamp and ask questions you might have about seeing the island. Like many things on the island, their hours (M-F, 9AM-1PM, 3PM-5PM) aren’t the most accurate.

22. Go horseback riding

There sure are a lot of horses on the island and you’ll see plenty of them in Hanga Roa and near many of the major sites in Rapa Nui National Park. While they roam freely, many of them do have owners.

A popular thing to do in Easter Island as visitors is to go on horseback riding tours as a way to see a completely different side to the island.

The tours cater to different skill levels but two main companies that offer them are:

• Adventure Terevaka – They have an amazing horseback riding tour that goes up to the summit of Mount Terevaka where you’ll then plant a eucalyptus tree. We absolutely love this being regenerative travel experience. For intermediate and advanced riders, they also have another one that goes to the north side of Mount Terevaka to check on the wild horses.
• Kava Kava Tours – They offer a 3 hour tour that also summits Mount Terevaka.

PRO TIP: Make sure to wear full pants and not shorts when going horseback riding.

Everything You Need To Know About Travel to Easter Island

No detail is spared. This is the must-read Easter Island travel guide. Thank us later ;)

Visiting Easter Island Guide

Planning out a trip such as this can be tricky. We’ve made it just a little bit easier for you by giving some packing tips on what you need exactly.

• Windbreaker jacket – Once the sun goes down, you’ll start feeling the chill. On stormy days, it can get quite blustery on the island. So it’s always a good idea to have a windbreaker type of jacket or shell with you.
• 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 – We love the Arc’teryx Calvus Cap .
• Shorts and Swim suit – Remember to pack these for these for the beach and scuba diving.

Toiletries:

• UV – Easter Island is quite bare and thus there’s essentially no cover anywhere you go. Make sure you use plenty of 50SPF sunscreen , and stay hydrated with water.
• 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.
• Lip balm, eye drops and nail clippers – It gets dry here. It’s not as bad as the desert but you’ll notice that it isn’t as moist as other tropical islands. We developed plenty of hang nails during our trip calling for nail clippers . Dry eyes and lips are the worst too, so don’t forget your favorite lip balm and eye drops . 

Travel Gear:

• Re-useable water bottles – Reduce your use of plastic bottles by refilling your own water bottle like the Hydrapak SkyFlask .
• 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/Photography:

• 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.
• Compact telephoto – 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.
• Wide angle and multi-purpose lens – When photographing up-close, since Tongariki is very wide, you’ll want to switch to an ultra-wide-angle lens such as the OM System 8-25mm paired with OM-1 camera body .
• Tripod – A good lightweight travel tripod we recommend is the Peak Design Travel Tripod in Carbon Fiber .

This trip to Easter Island was reminiscent of our trip to Egypt but also completely different at the same time. That’s why we call it a tropical archeological expedition.

As it should be, the focus of any trip should be on the history of Rapa Nui and the rise and fall of the all-out obsession of carving moai. There is so much to uncover and with the help of local guides, you’ll be able to see all of the top sites.

At the same time, there is also a nice balance of other activities you can do on the island but it’s mostly pretty low key.

This list of 22 best things to do on Easter Island shows you really do need a week or more to do it all. Hopefully this serves as plenty of inspiration for your future trip!

Remember, check out our full Easter Island travel guide that has essentials and secrets that you need to know before you go.

The first moai platform to be restored was Ahu Akivi.

The largest unfinished moai is still on the hillside of the Rano Raraku quarry. The tallest moai to be standing is the fallen one at Ahu Te Pito Kura.

The statues on Easter Island are called moai (pronounced: “moe-eye”) and they were carved as a way to honor important clan members as a way of watching over the tribe.

There are a total of 888 moai on Easter Island including 398 at the Rano Raraku quarry, 288 were erected on ceremonial platforms, and 92 left enroute.

Yes, you can go scuba diving around the island. There are several dive shops on Easter Island to choose from.

Unfortunately, no. There are many theories, but the most likely one is that this was a prop from the movie Rapa Nui.

Important factors to consider are: price, English-speaking, storytelling skills, photography skills, private vs public, ability to customize, and wide range of tour.

The consensus from locals is that the Ballet Kari Kari show is the best one.

• The Ultimate Patagonia Packing List
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• 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. EcoChile offers a brilliant 4 day Easter Island tour and if you book through our referral , save 5%.
• 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 !

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.

Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300 ) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.

eSIM: Lately, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. The one we find using the most 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. The newest eSIM we’ve tried is KnowRoaming that sneakily has great rates on unlimited plans. We’ve partnered with them to give you a custom code GAP10 to save you 10%.

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 . Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.

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 (now eligible for One Key ).

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.

• HeyMondo – 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.

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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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10 things i wish i'd known before visiting easter island.

E aster Island is a volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and marks the southeastern corner of the Polynesian triangle. The island is barely 15.3 miles by 7.6 miles in size and is home to 887 Moai or Mo’ai (monolithic human statues carved by the Rapa Nui people). The island landscape is barren and devoid of trees making the presence of Moai a unique cultural phenomenon. People often skip on a visit to Easter Island during a trip to Chile as getting there can be expensive, so it’s advised to do some homework and careful trip planning.

Here are 10 things I wish I’d known before visiting Easter Island .

1. You will land in the middle of nowhere.

Easter Island belongs to Chile and is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. It is 1289 miles away from Pitcairn Island and 2182 miles away from the coast of Chile. Easter Island’s utter remoteness was one of the major factors that led to the development of a unique civilization on the island.

2. Flying to the island is incredibly time-consuming.

Only LAN Airlines flies one flight daily to Easter Island from Santiago, Chile. You need to add a 6 hour flight to whatever time it takes you to reach the Chilean capital, Santiago . Most people need to set aside an entire day to reach Santiago and then another to reach Easter Island.

3. Only the tourists call it Easter Island.

Photo: lovelypeace /Shutterstock

Your flight destination and ticket won’t mention Easter Island; rather it will say Isla de Pascua, the Spanish name of the island. Easter Island is known by many other names: native Eastern Islanders call it Rapa Nui or the Great Rapa and Te Pito te Henua or the Navel of the World. Call the island Rapa Nui and you will make friends faster.

4. Easter Island heads are called Moai and gulp, they have bodies too!

The famous stone statues on Easter Island are called Moai and they are present all over the island. Most tourists see the famous photo of the Moai buried neck-deep at Rano Raraku quarry before arriving on the island and are surprised to know that the statues also have torsos or bodies.

5. Touching a Moai is not only forbidden but will land you in major trouble.

Visitors are forbidden from touching the Moai and breaking the law carries a hefty fine. Most recently a Finnish tourist was fined $17,000 US for touching a Moai and breaking its earlobe as a souvenir. The Moai are protected by law because they are deteriorating at a fast pace and tourist activities accelerate the process. Be responsible and respectful.

6. The sad truth is that you will never see Moai erected by the ancient Rapa Nui civilization.

Photo: Bryan Busovicki /Shutterstock

The Moai that you see standing were all toppled down during the civil war that festered for years on Easter Island. They have been re-erected in modern history by explorers and archaeologists including Thor Heyerdahl, Sergio Rapu, and others. The original upright Moai and the method of erection are lost to us forever.

7. Some of the Moai had eyes while some others were blind.

The earliest statues had empty eye sockets and were blind. The later ones were more finished and had coral eyes in the sockets. The eyes were added after the statues reached the final resting spot. You can see replica eyes on a Moai at Ahu Tahai.

8. The underwater Moai is fake.

Scuba diving on Easter Island is very popular and there are many spectacular diving sites off the island’s rocky coast. Most tourists want to see the Moai resting on the bottom of the ocean. However, this Moai is not carved by the ancient Rapa Nui men but is a prop from the movie, Rapa Nui.

9. The Rapa Nui people still live and practice art on Easter Island.

Descendants of the ancient Rapa Nui civilization who carved and erected the Moai continue to live on Easter Island. As a visitor, you can interact with them and learn about their culture in many ways. The best way to know about the Rapa Nui is visiting the island for Tapati festival in February. Alternatively, you can take in a traditional dance show year round. Many native islanders create wood and stone sculptures. Getting a Polynesian tattoo is another way to understand their culture.

10. What we know about Easter Island will always be shadowed by the unsolved mysteries.

Photo: Tadas Jucys /Shutterstock

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How to Visit Easter Island: Essential Planning Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Where is Easter Island?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Get to Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Travel Around Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Long to Stay on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Useful Information for Visiting Easter Island

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

Where To Stay on Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Sunrise and Sunset Spots on Easter Island

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

BEST SUNRISE SPOT

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

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

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

BEST SUNSET SPOT

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

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

Popular Places to Visit on Easter Island

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

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

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

The Giant Stone Statues of Easter Island

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

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

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

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

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

Read more Rapa Nui National Park: Moai of Easter Island

Our top recommended tours:

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

Sunken Moai – Snorkeling and Diving

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

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

Rano Kau Volcano

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

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

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

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

Terevaka Volcano

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

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

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

Anakena Beach

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

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

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

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

Recommended Tours to Easter Island

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

More on Easter Island:

• Rapa Nui National Park: Moai of Easter Island

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Travel planning resources, about lina stock.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Easter Island Travel - your ultimate Easter Island tourism resource

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

Shore excursions

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

Explore shore excursions »

Easter Island regulations

Proof of vaccination

• Before leaving Santiago, you must show proof of vaccination

SERNATUR-registered lodging

• When boarding in Santiago, you must display a confirmation of booking of a lodging that's registered with SERNATUR, the Chilean National Tourism Service

National park ticket required

• To enter any of the archaeological sites, you must carry a national park ticket

Guide required

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

Read about regulations and a lot more in our Easter Island travel guide .

Easter Island tours

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

Tour A: Journey of Legends

Tour B: Megaliths

North Coast

Ancestral Adventure

Subterranean Exploration

Explore more tours »

Learn about Easter Island

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

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

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

Read Easter Island facts and info »

Moai statues

Tapati festival

Learn Rapa Nui language

Notable people

Travel guide book online for free

Travel well-prepared, knowing that you'll make the most out of your trip. The distance is far, so it's a good idea to do some planning. Before you make any definite plans, read our free online travel guide book , full of travel tips, suggestions, guidelines - all tourism and travel information you will ever need!

Read the Easter Island travel guide »

Places to visit

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

Ahu Tongariki

Rano Raraku

More places to visit »

Things to do

Get inspired and have ideas of vacation activities from our list of things to do at Easter Island.

Dance shows

Scuba diving

Plane spotting

Restaurants

More things to do »

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Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Short Break

4 days | travel to south america and discover the beauty of easter island.

Journey to enigmatic Easter Island and be forever changed by the remote beauty and fascinating folklore of ‘Rapa Nui’. This unforgettable trip allows plenty of time to stand in awe and admire the many stone moai that have made this mystical island so famous. As the trade winds blow, view remnants of the past at ancient ceremonial sites and villages, as well as rock art depicting strange deities. For a dose of natural beauty, be blown away by the scale of a dramatic volcanic crater and uninterrupted views over the horizon. Rich in iconic legends, unique landscapes and blazing sunsets, this is an enthralling encounter of a lifetime.

Trip overview

• Take in the faraway feel of one of the world's most remote populated islands and ponder the magic and mystery of the moai monoliths that weigh up to 50 tonnes.
• Learn about the heritage of the Rapa Nui people, the island's native Polynesians.
• Enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people, born from a mix of ancient travellers that arrived here from the Polynesian islands and from South America.
• There is plenty of free time to stroll along Hanga Roa's main strip, sample the delicious local seafood or explore the island by bicycle.
• Visit the beautifully located Orongo Ceremonial Village and Ahu Akivi for unparalleled ocean views.
• On Short Breaks, you maintain a good level of independence and freedom, with the added bonus of having the details sorted out for you. You’ll have lots of free time and you won’t be accompanied by a Trip Leader. This means that all included activities and tours will be run by different local Intrepid partners, and these may operate independently from each other. The included activities and transfers will operate on a join-in basis, which means that you could have your Adventure all to yourself, or others may join you along the way. If you would prefer to travel in a group with a dedicated Trip Leader, just get in touch with your booking agent and they will take you through some alternatives.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

On arrival at Easter Island's Mataveri Airport you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel in Hanga Roa, the island's main town. Once you have checked into the hotel the remainder of your first day will be free. Hanga Roa is a small place with 3800 inhabitants but has excellent facilities such as banks, shops, restaurants and bars. At the port in the middle of town you will be immediately greeted by your first moai – Ahu Tautira. There is much to see and do if free time is available. To the north of town are some scenic spots complete with more moai, as well as the Sebastian Englebert Museum of Anthropology – a good place to get acquainted with the Easter Island story.

There are no meals included on this day.

• Complimentary Arrival Transfer

The fee for entry to Rapa Nui National Park is included in the price of this trip. You do not need to pay it upon arrival at Mataveri Airport. Your local guide will provide you with the necessary documentation. Please look for a person at the airport holding up a sign with your name on it for your transfer.

After breakfast, you will join other travellers on a guided excursion around Easter Island. The island covers an area of 117 square kilometres, so it is quite manageable to see most of the island in a day. You'll leave Hanga Roa and travel along the south coast to Ahu Vaihu, where you will see eight large toppled moai lying face down on the ground. You'll then continue to Rano Raraku, a large volcano also known as 'the nursery of the moai' because the statues around the island were cut from the stones that came from this quarry. Around this area can be found a 21 metre high moai, the largest one ever carved. At Ahu Tongariro, you will be faced with the impressive sight of 15 restored moai right on the coastline. The originals were destroyed by a huge tidal wave in 1960. Along the north coast is Anakena, a beautiful sandy beach with swaying palm trees. However, as with many significant spots on Easter Island, there is a moai nearby standing guard in its own inimitable fashion.

• Hanga Roa - Anakena day trip & picnic lunch

In the morning you will join other travellers on a visit to Orongo Ceremonial Village, which is set in a dramatic location 400 metres high on a ridge with the ocean on one side and the crater lake of Rano Kau on the other. It contains remnants of art relating to a birdman cult that has been around on the island for centuries. Nearby are a few moai at Ahu Vinapu. In the afternoon you will travel to Akivi and view the seven moai that overlook the site of an ancient village and out west towards the setting sun.

• Hanga Roa - Ana Te Pahu cave & Ahu Tahai ceremonial site
• Hanga Roa - Orongo Ceremonial Village
• Hanga Roa - Ahu Akivi seven moais
• Hanga Roa - Rano Kau volcano

Your Short Break Adventure will come to an end today after breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. Please ensure we are advised of your flight details when booking your Easter Island experience.

• Complimentary Airport Departure Transfer

3 breakfasts, 1 lunch

Private vehicle

Hotel (3 nights)

Dates and availability

Important notes.

1. This Short Break Adventure is a ‘join in’ group departure, which means you are not accompanied by an Intrepid group leader – our local representative fills this role – and the configuration of any fellow travelers in the group might change during the trip. 2. This trip will run with a minimum of one person and a maximum of 30 passengers, so you may be joined by other travelers booked on the same date as you, or you may be on your own. This trip is operated by one of our local partners in Easter Island and therefore you may be joined by a mixture of Intrepid-booked passengers and other travelers during activities. Information may be delivered in English and Spanish, or just English depending on the requirements of the group. 3. This trip includes return airport transfers, please advise us of your flight details at time of booking. 4. After purchasing your flight to Easter Island with LATAM you will be sent a link to the following site, which includes a link to the Unique Entry Form (FUI): https://ingresorapanui.interior.gob.cl/ This form must be completed before travelling. After submitting the form, you will receive a confirmation email which must be presented to local authorities at the airport. Without this form you will not be permitted to embark.

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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A “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse Will Take Place This Fall—Here’s How to Plan an Epic Trip to See It

If you missed the opportunity to catch the total eclipse over the united states in april, you’ll soon have the chance to catch an exciting “ring of fire” eclipse. here’s what to know..

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The solar show occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun without completely covering it, resulting in what looks like a blazing ring around the moon.

Courtesy ofSteven Coffey/Unsplash

On October 2, 2024, a rare annular solar show will sweep across the Pacific Ocean and South America. An annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, is a phenomenon when we see the moon pass in front of the sun without completely covering it, resulting in a blazing ring around the moon. The one in October will last for as long as 7 minutes and 25 seconds in some places.

Here’s what you need to know about planning a last-minute trip to see the 2024 annular solar eclipse.

The path of the October 2024 solar eclipse will mostly encompass southern areas of South America.

Courtesy of Time and Date AS

Path of the October 2024 “ring of fire” solar eclipse

While the eclipse’s journey will span 8,800 miles, very little of it will actually be above land. It will start roughly 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i in the Pacific Ocean and end about 350 miles north of South Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean, covering Easter Island and southern parts of mainland Chile and Argentina in temporary darkness. Whereas roughly 44 million people were situated within the path of totality for the April 8, 2024, eclipse in North America (and many more traveled to see it), only 175,000 people live within the path of the October 2 annular solar eclipse. That’s all to say, if you go, you could be in a rarefied group of travelers.

Where to see the October 2024 solar eclipse

This is your chance to see not only an amazing solar phenomenon but also to view it from the spectacular Perito Moreno National Park in Patagonia, Argentina.

Photo by Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock

Perito Moreno National Park, Patagonia, Argentina

Part of the larger Patagonia area, Perito Moreno is famed for its diverse landscapes, including a 100 square-mile glacier and high basaltic plateaus, plus an array of wildlife, such as the endangered Andean condor and guanacos, a wild cousin to llamas.

Throughout the week leading up to the event, Parque Patagonia will be hosting events , ranging from scientific presentations to telescope demonstrations, in the park itself and in the towns of Perito Moreno, Los Antiguos, and Lago Posadas (where there are also options for camping and lodging). Visitors can also explore the Cañadón Pinturas Gateway, with more than 20 miles of nature trails, and Cueva de las Manos Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with an impressive collection of 8,000-year-old rock art. El Calafate Airport is the closest airport—there are daily three-hour flights from Buenos Aires.

The October solar eclipse will occur here between approximately 4 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. local time, and the maximum eclipse will take place at around 5:25 p.m.

Easter Island will make for a dramatic setting to view the upcoming solar eclipse.

Courtesy of Thomas Griggs/Unsplash

Easter Island, Chile

Rapa Nui National Park is on Chile’s Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned for the enormous stone statues known as moai. Carved by the island’s early inhabitants, who had come from Polynesia between the 13th and 16th centuries, the statues represent their ancestors and are scattered throughout the park. The entire island is within the eclipse’s path, although the duration will differ depending on where you’re located. At Ana o Heu, the northernmost point, it will last 5 minutes and 59 seconds, while the eclipse will be visible for 6 minutes and 28 seconds at Orongo, the most southerly point. Rapa Nui is a five-hour flight from Santiago, Chile. Organizations like Sky & Telescope and Eclipse Traveler offer tours for those who would rather not travel independently.

The event will begin at around 12:23 p.m. and will ends at approximately 3:52 p.m. on October 2, with the maximum coverage of the sun occurring at 2:07 p.m.

Upcoming eclipses

Mark your calendars. After the October 2024 event, the next annular solar eclipses will occur on February 17, 2026 (in Antarctica); February 6, 2027 (in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria); January 26, 2028 (in the Galápagos Islands, mainland Ecuador, Brazil, French Guiana, Portugal, Morocco, and Spain); and June 1, 2030 (in Algeria, Tunisia, Greece, Türkiye, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Japan). The next total solar eclipse, which will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal, will occur on August 12, 2026.

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Life-size dinosaurs, a candy store tour and more to do this weekend

Take a road tip to Wiscasset for art, food, car racing and a gargantuan amount of candy.

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One of many dinosaurs that will be at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Photo courtesy of Jurassic Quest

Make no bones about it, it’s going to be a great weekend, starting with  Jurassic Quest at Cross Insurance Arena . Animatronic dinosaurs will delight the kids, who will also get a kick out of digging for fossils and riding on a baby dino. Another option in our weekly roundup is “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick.

‘Beautiful’ at Maine State Music Theatre, Pet Rock in the Park and Jurassic Quest

Some of the candy available at the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

For an even sweeter experience, we’re sending you candy shopping. We’ve shined a light on five shops  with something extra to offer and created a nifty guide of 18 to look you can find  all around southern Maine and the Midcoast. From giant shops like Sweetz & More in Wiscasset to charming places like the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond, there’s a candy shop out there calling your name.

These 5 unique Maine candy stores are a real treat

The Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros compete Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Should your sweets-seeking adventure bring you to Wiscasset, we clue you into  several other things to do  in town, including car races at the Wiscasset Speedway.

A trip to pretty Wiscasset can also include art, history, speed

Bagel sandwich with eggs, cheese and pork roll from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels in Brunswick. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

Want to hit breakfast right out of the park? Make your way to Brunswick for an egg and cheese sandwich from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels . We’re particularly partial to the one with pork roll and bodega sauce. Your taste buds can thank us later.

Pork roll and bodega sauce on a breakfast sandwich? We’re not in Brunswick anymore

Ling-Wen Tsai, “Rising/Sinking Study Chair,” wood and milk paint, 12 x 12 x 5 inches. Photo courtesy of Corey Daniels Gallery

Farther south in Wells, check out “Life Forms,” a women’s sculpture collective at the Corey Daniels Gallery. You’ll see works by about a dozen artists as you make your way through the exhibit.

Women’s sculpture collective debuts work in Wells

U.S. Navy Band Country Current performing in Tennessee. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class April Enos

For some Sunday afternoon live tunes, head to Memorial Park in Freeport at 3 p.m. for a free performance by Country Current . The band is the only U.S. Navy country/bluegrass ensemble, and the show should be a foot-stomping good time.

See U.S. Navy band Country Current for free in Freeport

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Police say man pointed gun at troopers before he was shot and fell from piscataqua river bridge, paul lepage reemerges to support effort to oust sen. angus king, the wrap: new bar for biddeford; sapporo moving to falmouth, rent hike at bowdoin mobile home park worries residents, member log in.

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Kate Love Shares Behind the Scenes Details From Crazy Travel Experience En Route to SI Swimsuit Debut

Martha zaytoun | aug 25, 2024.

During the SI Swimsuit 60th anniversary Legends photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla. this year, 11-time brand model Kate Love recalled her acutely challenging travel to Easter Island, Chile for her first photo shoot in 2013.

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.

Money blog: Oasis ticket prices revealed; supermarket aims 'big bazooka' at rivals in pricing war

The Money blog is a hub for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Today's posts include some older people having to fill out a 243-question form to receive winter fuel payments - and listen to a Daily podcast episode on the policy change as you scroll.

Friday 30 August 2024 06:39, UK

• Pensioners face 243-question form to get winter fuel payment
• Oasis ticket prices revealed
• Two supermarkets slash prices - as one aims 'big bazooka' at rivals  
• ASOS announces change to returns policy in cryptic email
• Listen to the Daily above or tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Essential reads

• Has the Nike trainer bubble burst?
• Top chef shares cheap soup recipe - as he picks best budget eats in Kent

Tips and advice

• Treat savings like monthly bill, says savings guru
• Young people doing 'big no-no' with holiday money - here are the golden rules
• Hidden refund option that could save you hundreds of pounds

Barclays customers will stop receiving certain perks on their Blue Rewards accounts from Wednesday.

The most noticeable being scrapped is the free £5 that pops into their accounts every month just for having at least two direct debits.

All other product cash rewards for holding a Barclays mortgage, loan or life insurance are also going.

The last cash rewards payments will be made on Tuesday.

However, the £5 account fee is remaining.

What new perks are replacing the free cash?

Blue Rewards members can now access an Apple TV+ subscription worth £8.99 a month, and catch every Major League Soccer match with an MLS Season Pass subscription worth £14.99 a month (during the season). Both subscriptions are already available to activate via the app.

Should you cancel?

If you don't fancy either of the above, the account may not be worth the fee.

However, read all the other T&Cs as Blue Rewards comes with other benefits, such as access cashback rewards of up to 15%.

You also have access to savings accounts such as the Rainy Day Saver, with a decent 5.12% AER up to £5,000. This would easily cover the £5 fee but consider whether you can find an as good, or even better rate, for free elsewhere.

What do you need to no now?

Barclays is advising customers: "If you're happy with these changes and still want to be a Blue Rewards member, you don't need to do anything.

"If you feel Blue Rewards is no longer right for you, you can cancel your membership. If you'd like to cancel before the changes happen, you'll need to do it in the Barclays app or Online Banking on or before 3 September. 

"If you cancel before 5pm on the last day of a month, we won't charge you the next fee."

You can cancel by logging into the app, clicking on "rewards" and then "cancel Blue Rewards".

Every Friday we take an overview of the mortgage market, hearing from industry voices and getting a round-up of the best rates courtesy of the independent experts at  Moneyfactscompare.co.uk .

The daily repricing down of mortgages we've seen in recent months has finally settled, says Moneyfacts finance expert Rachel Springall, with "very few" lenders making changes.

She says that despite a downward shift since summer began on the back of interest rate cut expectations, "borrowers looking to remortgage right now will find the average overall five-year fixed rate is much higher than it was back in August 2019".

Back then it stood at 2.84% - now it's 5.22%, though lower rates are available to many customers.

The five-year rate is lower than that available over two years - the current average there is 5.58%.

As we reported earlier this week, five-year fixed are slightly ahead of two-year deals in popularity, according to the  LMSMonthly Remortgage Snapshot . Just 2% of people are going for trackers - which as things stand are not offering value compared with fixed rates, though they may over time of course.

The snapshot also showed a rise in completions and instructions, the latter up a not insignificant 26%.

Honing in on remortgagers, Moneyfacts has looked at the best rates on offer now...

The comparison site also looks at what it calls "best buys" - which considers not just the rate, but other costs and incentives. These are their top picks this week...

Heinz has announced its first pasta product launch in a decade - a canned version of the beloved Italian dish spaghetti carbonara.

People's takes on carbonara can sometimes stir up controversy online - cream or no cream? Pecorino or parmigiano? Only egg yolk or also egg white?

But Heinz says it has "come to the rescue" with its "fail proof" canned carbonara, which takes the "drama" out of trying to perfect the recipe.

It's had a mixed response online, with one user on X going as far as to call it an "abomination" and others saying they're keen to try it.

The food manufacturer is trying to appeal to a younger generation with its latest launch - it said its research shows 32% of the Gen Z cohort want their food to be "fast and convenient".

Alessandra de Dreuille, Kraft Heinz meals director, said: "We understand that people are looking for convenient meals that are effortless to prepare, and our new spaghetti carbonara delivers just that. 

"It's the perfect solution for a quick and satisfying meal at home."

Complaints about financial products soared by around 70% in the spring compared with a year earlier, the Financial Ombudsman Service has said.

Some 74,645 cases were raised with the service between 1 April and 30 June - up from 43,953 over the same period in 2023.

Around half the complaints now come from professional representatives, who tend to take commission from any payout, the ombudsman said.

"Whilst professional representatives have an important role to play, they must ensure that their cases are well evidenced and have merit," Abby Thomas, chief executive and chief ombudsman, said.

The opening of Jeremy Clarkson's pub in Oxfordshire has sparked a rise in searches for homes near by, according to Rightmove.

The TV presenter's pub in Asthall, near Burford, reopened to the public on 23 August.

The number of searches for properties in Burford the following day was the highest in more than a year, and 63% higher than a year ago across the bank holiday weekend, Rightmove said.

The average asking price in the area is £537,827.

Unilever says it is trialling the use of plants and flowers that "don't make the grade" to create fragrances for its products.

The consumer goods giant is collaborating with scientists at the University of Nottingham to get the pilot under way, with oils already being extracted from flowers such as petunias, roses and marigolds.

Unilever head of biotechnology Neil Parry said unwanted plants "still have valuable materials with functional benefits".

The move is aimed at being cost and energy effective, as well as a way to reduce waste.

Two big UK supermarkets have announced they're cutting prices on hundreds more products - with one aiming a "big bazooka" at its rivals.

Online grocer Ocado said 450 more of its products were being reduced in price by an average of 17% from yesterday.

Meanwhile, Morrisons announced it was lowering the price on more than 2,000 products in store and online for people signed up to its More Card loyalty scheme.

It comes amid an explosion in popularity for loyalty schemes such as Clubcard and Nectar, which sees members pay less for some products than non-members.

Morrisons also said hundreds of products would be price-matched to Lidl and Aldi.

"Today's move represents our single biggest investment in loyalty and pricing for many years," Alex Rogerson, group marketing director, said.

"Driving strong value for customers remains our number one priority and today we are getting the big bazooka out and slashing the prices on over 2,000 products for More Card customers."

We have been reporting plenty on the tax rises that could be coming in October's budget.

One of the levies that could be in line for changes is council tax, so our politics team has looked at how it works now and how the Labour government might tweak it.

The current system

Council tax is paid on domestic properties and collected by local councils.

Some people don't have to pay it or get discounts, for example those living alone, but most people over 18 who aren't students living with other students are charged.

There are valuation bands which dictate how much tax needs to be paid, based on the value of properties as they were in 1991.

New build properties developed after that date are estimated by the Valuations Office Agency and banded accordingly.

Different local councils charge different rates for each of the bands, with rates in central London often some of the cheapest, and those in more rural areas usually higher.

Current laws stipulate that any local authority wanting to raise council tax by 5% or more has to hold a referendum first.

Is it fit for purpose?

The current system was introduced in 1993.

Property values have changed significantly in the last three decades, with some London house prices having risen by more than 800%, whereas in places like Hartlepool, in County Durham, they have barely tripled.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has labelled use of the current system as "absurd" while the Institute for Government has called it "incredibly poorly designed".

What has Labour said before?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is among those to have previously called for a council tax revaluation.

A leaked recording from March revealed chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, saying he was frustrated by the "out of date" system and hinted those with homes worth over £1m may have to pay more.

In Wales, the Labour Party has promised to introduce new council tax bands and tax band rates, but that has been pushed back to 2028.

Sir Keir Starmer previously described the Welsh Labour government as a "blueprint for what Labour can do across the UK," but later told Sky News council tax was "too high for too many people".

What could the government change?

There have been reports the government could replace the banding system in favour of a 0.5% tax on the value of a property per year.

This would mean that someone in a property worth £350,000, for example, would pay £1,750 a year.

However, the move could particularly impact those living in London, where the average one-bedroom flat peaked at £327,000 in 2020.

Sir Keir Starmer today refused to deny reports his government is considering banning smoking in some outdoor spaces like pub gardens - sparking concern from the struggling  hospitality industry.

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said: "A ban on smoking in outdoor spaces comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues. 

"You only have to look back to the significant pub closures we saw after the indoor smoking ban to see the potential impact it could have. 

"This ban would not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but hotels, cafes and restaurants that have all invested significantly in good faith in outdoor spaces and continue to face financial challenges."

UKHospitality wants the government to conduct a thorough consultation on the potential impacts - and suggests a ban might not even reduce smoking, but "simply relocate smoking elsewhere, such as in the home".

The demise of the British pub was the focus of a Money blog long read earlier this month - it's well worth five minutes of your commute home...

Ticket prices for Oasis's major reunion tour have been revealed - and the cheapest ticket comes in at less than £100.

Prices listed on the See Tickets and Gigs and Tours websites show seated tickets start at £73 for the Cardiff shows, £74 in Edinburgh and £74.25 for Wembley.

Standing tickets are more expensive, starting at £151.25 in Wembley, £148.50 at Heaton Park, £150 in Cardiff and £151 in Edinburgh.

Earlier today, Oasis announced three extra concert dates in the UK due to "unprecedented demand" for tickets.

The additional gigs mean the band will now play five Wembley concerts, five in their home city, and three in Scotland - on top of two in Ireland and two in Wales.

Yesterday it was revealed that ticket prices for shows at Croke Park in Dublin would start at €86.50 (£73).

By comparison, tickets for Taylor Swift's monster Eras Tour started at around £59 for the cheapest seated tickets at Wembley, rising to as much as £195. Standing tickets came in at around £110.

However, the huge demand for tickets to see Swift saw some people having to pay hundreds or even thousands of pounds for tickets sold at surge prices or through resale sites.

Fans of Bruce Springsteen equally paid around £65 for seated tickets and £120 for standing at his recent tour.

We recently did a deep dive into why ticket prices seem to have entered a new stratosphere in recent years.

You can read the full story here:

Here's the full Oasis reunion tour line-up:

• 4 July 2025 - Principality Stadium, Cardiff
• 5 July 2025 - Principality Stadium, Cardiff
• 11 July 2025 - Heaton Park, Manchester
• 12 July 2025 - Heaton Park, Manchester
• 16 July 2025 - Heaton Park, Manchester - added date
• 19 July 2025 - Heaton Park, Manchester
• 20 July 2025 - Heaton Park, Manchester
• 25 July 2025 - Wembley Stadium, London
• 26 July 2025 - Wembley Stadium, London
• 30 July 2025 - Wembley Stadium, London - added date
• 2 August 2025 - Wembley Stadium, London
• 3 August 2025 - Wembley Stadium, London
• 8 August 2025 - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
• 9 August 2025 - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
• 12 August 2025 - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh - added date
• 16 August 2025 - Croke Park, Dublin
• 17 August 2025 - Croke Park, Dublin

Older people are having to fill out a 243-question form to access pension credit and winter fuel payments - a task that will be "daunting" for some, charities have said.

The government has launched a campaign urging eligible people to apply for pension credit after Rachel Reeves announced last month that the winter payments would be means tested.

But some have claimed the 22-page 243-question form could put pensioners off signing up, meaning they'll miss out on a vital payment as temperatures fall.

While the length of the form is typical for a means-tested benefit, the amount of information required could be difficult for some older people, charities say.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, told the Money blog: "The pension credit form has 243 boxes to navigate. It is not particularly long or complex as claim forms go, but completing it would still pose a challenge for many of us, including many older people with no one to help them."

Independent Age's chief executive Joanna Elson agreed, saying the scale of questions "can sometimes be complex, and gathering this amount of personal information can be daunting".

She also said older people struggling financially "may be experiencing stress and anxiety which can make a long form difficult to tackle".

Meanwhile, anti-poverty charity Turn2us said forms for means-tested benefits are typically this long.

It noted that most people who receive winter fuel payments won't need to make a claim, and for those who do, the questionnaire won't be as long as that needed for pension credit.

But Turn2us benefits expert David Samson said the "needless complexity" of the social security system was a "major barrier" for people trying to access support.

"Currently, around 850,000 eligible pensioners are not claiming pension credit, and without timely support to apply, they are at risk of missing out on the winter fuel payment," he said.

Charities have raised concern that the government's pension credit awareness drive is not allowing enough time to increase low take-up of the benefit.

Ms Abrahams said: "We are conscious that time is now very short with the last date for claiming pension credit in time to secure your winter fuel payment this winter being 21 December, only just over four months away.

"Expecting the current 63% take up figure for pension credit to rise substantially in these circumstances would be very much a triumph of hope over experience."

Ms Elson said the government must do "all it can" to remove barriers to receiving pension credit. 

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions told Money that more staff were covering a rise in calls about the benefit.

"There is no increase in pension credit processing time. We have surged additional staff to cover increasing pension credit calls and urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to pension credit to check now," they said.

ASOS has announced it will soon be making changes to its "fair use" policy - leaving many wondering if it will become the latest retailer to scrap free returns.

The online fashion giant sent an email to premier and non-premier members over the weekend, explaining it would be making changes to its fair use policy in relation to returns "in the next couple of weeks".

It said the new policy would apply to a "small group of customers", but did not give any more details.

The cryptic email has sparked speculation that ASOS may be amending its free returns policy in the UK after rolling out a similar strategy in the US last year.

That policy sees customers charged a $4.99 fee for returns when they are deemed to "constantly take actions that make providing them with free returns unsustainable".

Rival brands such as Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing, Zara and H&M have started charging customers for returns after seeing a rise in large-scale takebacks.

A 2021 survey also found online returns alone cost UK retailers around £5.2bn a year on average.

Corin Camenisch, of financial technology company SumUp , said customers may be less inclined to keep shopping with certain retailers if they face an additional cost to return unwanted or faulty items.

"However, if the policy is implemented on a case-by-case basis and only affects customers who are so-called 'serial refunders', like it is in the US, customers may not notice a difference," she said.

"They may even have a more positive shopping experience, as policy updates are often made to improve efficiency within their distribution centres."

What are your rights?

Regulations state that consumers have a right to return an item they have purchased online.

The product does not have to be in its original packaging, but a company is entitled to ask for some form of proof of purchase.

Companies are not allowed to charge you for items that were placed in your online shopping basket as a result of a pre-ticked box.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, consumers also do not have to pay for returns if their item is faulty or not as described. 

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