Where to Stay on Easter Island: Options for All Budgets
If you are trying to figure out where to stay on Easter island, I have good news for you: it’s not very hard to narrow down your options and find a place because the island and main town are so compact.
Still, you want to have some insight into the hotel situation before booking.
I recently spent over a week on Easter Island and we hopped around to different hotels in different areas of the island, so that we could report back on the best places to stay on Easter Island based on real experiences and not just summarizing reviews.
So below, I’ve broken down our experiences and also included some of the properties we were considering staying at so you can look into those as well.
Where you’ll likely be staying: Hanga Roa
Almost all of the hotels on Easter Island are located in the town of Hanga Roa or its nearby outskirts.
This makes planning a lot easier because you’re not having to choose from several cities like you would in most of their destinations.
You’ll just need to think about things like if you want to be close to the coast, near restaurants, farther from the city, etc.
In reality, as you’ll see below, everything is so close, that even if you are “farther away from it all,” you are still pretty close via a short car ride.
Things to look for
AC/fans
One thing to inquire about is the air conditioning or fan situation in your hotel room. Some lodges may not have these and they may not have the power to support them throughout the night if they rely on solar.
If you’re visiting during the peak of summer, it can get pretty hot and if you don’t have access to a fan or to air conditioning, it can be really difficult to get comfortable if you’re not used to the warmer temps.
If you have the room in your luggage, it might be helpful to bring a battery-powered portable fan with you just in case you end up getting too hot. Luckily, some of the hotels have really good air conditioning units and it’s possible to cool down your room.
Internet
The other thing you want to think about is the internet situation.
Luckily, Easter Island recently added Starlink so some places have very fast internet connections. If you don’t have enhanced Internet, you could be dealing with extraordinarily slow connections. For people planning to get off the grid that could be a very good thing.
But if you’re like me and need to remain reasonably connected, some of the hotels can make that borderline impossible! Hopefully, as Starlink continues to roll out on the island more hotels will pick it up.
Hotel locations and getting around
Getting to and from the airport
Lots of the hotels will offer a transfer service from the airport to the hotel, often included in your price.
If you’re staying in town, the airport is literally just a few minutes away, so it’s a very short journey.
Even if you are staying in one of the rural areas, it’s still probably only about 15 to 20 minutes away. I wouldn’t necessarily prioritize getting a hotel close to the airport but there are some hotels that are extremely close like Hotel Puku Vai.
There’s also a little pocket of hotels near Ana Kai Tanata at the west end of the airport, which is a really beautiful area to explore. If you stay near here, you’ll also be close to Mirador Rano Kau and the hiking trail that goes up and down into the crater.
Getting to the city
The town of Hanga Roa is very small and basically has one main road. Here you will find a lot of different mini-markets, shops, restaurants, etc. Think of it as downtown Hanga Roa.
Unless you are staying on the outskirts of the city then you should be able to get to that main area within about a 10 to 20 minute walk.
A lot of the restaurants will be on this main road but you can also find a lot of them near Playa Poko Poko which is along the coast.
Easter Island hotels near beaches
You might be drawn to the idea of staying at a hotel right by the beach but you don’t really have that option on Easter Island.
There are some places with nice ocean views like the Iorana Hotel, Kona Koa, etc. and some hotels are very close to some swimming and snorkeling spots like Hotel Boutique La Perouse but you’re not going to find high-rise hotels overlooking beaches like you would in some place like Hawaii.
Instead, to access the best beaches you’ll have to drive out from the city which brings me to the next point.
Playa Poko Poko
Getting to main attractions
To get to the most of the main attractions on the island you are going to have to venture “far” out of the town.
For example, if you want to get to the main beach of the island, Anakena Beach, it’s about a 20 to 25 minute drive. This is also the case if you want to get to Rano Raraku, Ahu Tongariki, etc.
For this reason, when you visit Easter Island you need a vehicle to get around or you need someone to take you around. Uber is not an option.
Some of the hotels may allow you to rent a vehicle through them. Other times, they will work with a tour provider who can pick you up and take you around. So this is something to be thinking about when choosing your lodging.
We chose to just rent a vehicle for the entire duration of our stay. That gave us the ultimate freedom to explore the island whenever we wanted and I thought it was a great decision looking back, although the company we went through left some to be desired.
We rented through Insular rental car company and while the car was mostly fine, the service was a bit iffy.
They “accidentally” canceled our booking after the refund cut-off date (but would not respond to any of our emails even though we had pre-paid), they told us at booking they would deliver the car and then said they couldn’t, and then when we were able to get over to the rental car building they told us it would be only five minutes and it ended up being like 45 minutes. It just felt very disorganized.
Some people do get around via bicycle or some other type of motorized vehicle such as ATV so those are also options.
If you want to have a bonafide luxury hotel experience while on Easter Island there are basically only two established hotels in that category I’m aware of.
First, there is the Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa, which we stayed a couple of nights at. The service at this hotel was great and it has a beautiful and unique design inspired by Orongo, the ancient village found at Rano Kau. It’s also pretty equipped with multiple restaurants, a bar, pool, gym, and spa.
They had only been re-opened for a few months when we visited so they were still finding their stride, but I’m sure as time goes by the experience will be smoother.
Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa.
Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa can go for $500+/night and it even has an all-inclusive option that includes food along with excursions, so it can actually be a pretty good deal depending on how you find the price. You can read our full review of that hotel here.
There is also the Explora Rapa Nui, which is located farther from the city and has some pretty nice ocean views (from a distance). We tried to check out this hotel during our stay but it was tucked away on the hillside — it definitely has a very secluded feel from what I could tell. This hotel is even more pricey at around $1,800 per night.
I saw a couple of other hotels with high price tags but they did not have the established reviews for me to feel good about booking with them or recommending them.
Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa.
Mid-tier hotels
If you’re thinking about spending somewhere in the middle tier range between $200 and $400 per night, here are some options:
Kona Koa
Taha Tai Hotel
Hotel Hare Uta
Iorana Hotel
HOTEL OHANA
Hotel Puku Vai
Hare Nua Hotel Boutique
We stayed at the Kona Koa Lodge which is one of the more remote hotels. It’s located farther away from the city than almost all of the hotels on the island but you’re still relatively close as you can get to the “city” in about 10 minutes while driving.
This distance gives it a very peaceful vibe. Moreover, the bungalows, which are fully equipped with mini-kitchens and private bathrooms, face west so you can enjoy those awesome Polynesian sunsets right from your patio.
There are only a few bungalows and the owners give each guest special attention to help them get acquainted with the island. Moreover, they are only steps away or are reachable by phone in case you need them for anything.
I really enjoyed the four nights we stayed with them and if you want something a bit removed from the city life, Kona Koa Lodge is an exceptional choice. You can read the full review here. Rates are around $250/night.
View from Kona Koa Lodge.
We also stayed at the Taha Tai Hotel. This hotel is located right in the city very close to Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa and only about a five minute walk to the main street area.
The owner was very friendly and we enjoyed the property. Rooms were very spacious and cool with good AC. They even had TVs!
Taha Tai Hotel.
They also have a really nice pool area. In addition to hotel rooms, I believe they also have villa-type lodging.
Taha Tai Hotel.
Budget hotels
You can find quite a few hotels and hostels for under $100.
We did not experiment with any budget properties but I did see quite a few like: Camping y Hostal Tipanie Moana, La casa del Kori, Cabañas Henua Iti, and Hostal Marari.
The only thing I did not like about some of the budget options is that they did not have many photos or reviews so in some cases it could be hard to know what you are getting into.
Final word
Choosing a place to stay in Easter Island is not that difficult because your options are fairly limited.
Once you decide on a budget, chances are there will only be a few hotels that stick out based on your preferences, photos, and reviews.
I really enjoyed Kona Koa Lodge and for the luxury experience, I also would recommend Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Is Easter Island a Wonder of the World?
If there’s one place in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that seems like it would qualify as a wonder of the world, it’s probably Easter Island.
But is Easter Island and its stone statues (called moai) actually a wonder of the world?
Below, we will explore this question and dive into some of the details to better understand what counts as a wonder of the world.
Is Easter Island a wonder of the world?
Easter Island is not considered one of the 7 wonders of the world by the leading authorities on natural wonder designation. With that said, Easter Island’s moai have still been recognized as one of the top wonders of the world and it could be argued that they are the 8th wonder of the world.
Keep reading to find out more!
What are the wonders of the world?
The original Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were seemingly designated by a few different people but one of these could’ve been Philo of Byzantium’s work in 225 B.C. called On The Seven Wonders.
These sites were:
Temple of Zeus at Olympia
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Pharos of Alexandria
Pyramids of Giza
If somebody tells you that they have visited the seven ancient wonders of the world, ask them if you can borrow their time machine because the only one of these seven wonders that still exists is the pyramids of Giza.
In fact, there is even debate if some of these ever existed at all!
But more recently, a new global initiative took place to allow the public to vote on the seven wonders of the world but also appeared to use an expert panel selection system.
This platform considered over 100 million votes and they arrived at the following new 7 wonders of the world:
Great Wall of China
Colosseum
Taj Mahal
Chichen Itza
Petra
Machu Picchu
Christ the Redeemer
All of these still exist today but you’ll see no Easter Island on that list.
(It’s worth noting that there are several other types of “greatest wonder” lists, including some that focus on natural wonders or specific types of engineering achievements.)
Even though Easter Island didn’t make it as one of the new 7 wonders, it still made it in as one of the top 21 finalists.
Initially, there was a list of 176 sites and that was reduced to 77. That figure was was further reduced to 21 in 2006 and Easter Island moais were one of the items on that list.
It’s also reported that the Easter Island moais finished 8th, which I guess technically would qualify them as an “eighth wonder of the world.”
So there are a few things to say about Easter Island’s designation.
First, the designation for Easter Island is a little bit “looser” than other sites.
That’s because it is specifically the Easter Island moai that was on the list — not the entire island.
That’s interesting because there are roughly 1,000 of these moai statues found all around the island in various shapes and sizes.
Some have been preserved very well, others have been partially restored, and then there are many that are basically just ruins.
Some other candidates on the list are somewhat similar to the Easter Island moai like the Great Wall of China that has several different parts (in various stages of preservation) but a lot of the names on the list are specific sites with clearly defined borders and boundaries.
That could be one reason why Easter Island did not end up on the final 7 list. The designation is not quite as “clean” as it is for other places.
But still, the fact that it landed in the top 21 (and likely the top 8) of all places located around the world is still extremely impressive.
It is right up there with other sites like Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, and Sydney Opera House, in terms of being universally recognized.
Even if people don’t know the name “Easter Island” or “Rapa Nui” they recognize the statues and probably associate them with “somewhere” in Polynesia.
In the end, while I fully appreciate what New 7 Wonders has done (they’ve done a lot more than create lists) a list of seven wonders is a completely arbitrary (and outdated) cut off in my opinion.
While we have pretty much all grown up with the familiar idea of “seven wonders of the world,” it’s a pretty wild assumption that there would only be seven sites in the world in a league of their own and deserving of such a classification.
This is especially true when you think about the fact that the ancients initially picked out their seven wonders from such a tiny region of the world since they had not discovered other parts of the globe yet.
Our world in the 21st century is so vastly different from what it was 2,000 years ago that it’s kind of crazy we even still try to reduce all of our most amazing places to seven like the ancients did.
I highly doubt that if the ancient Greeks or Romans had access to today’s sites, they would have ever thought about stopping at a “top 7” list.
Consider that when putting these travel lists together the ancient Greeks spoke of “theamata” (θεάματα), which simply means “sights” or “things to be seen.”
To me, it’s more about thinking about what places make up the most fascinating sites in the known world, regardless of how long that list gets.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s value in making special lists for the most fascinating places. And I get it, it’s fun to debate and think about the “7 wonders,” check them off a bucket list, etc.
My argument is just that there are probably dozens of places that will fascinate the masses at an optimal level, so why leave so many out? Just for the sake of tradition? Because 7 is catchy or easy to remember?
I don’t know how many places would be on a modern equivalent of the Greeks’ “things to be seen” list but I have to believe it would be more than seven.
And without a doubt, I believe Easter Island would be on this list.
Why is that?
Let’s take a look.
Why Easter Island should be a natural wonder
First, I just think the fact that Easter Island existed as an inhabited island for centuries is very notable from a human achievement standpoint.
That Polynesians even located this tiny island in the vast Pacific is monumentally impressive enough to begin with.
But it’s the moai culture that stands out above all else, especially when you understand what it entailed.
These statues were designed to represent the ancestors of the inhabitants of Easter Island.
Not just in a way that remembered them but in a way that captured supernatural power that could be used to protect their clans or community. This power was called “mana.”
These statues were huge and heavy. The average height was roughly 13 feet but some were much larger.
The biggest one to make it to a platform at Te Pito Kura stood 10 meters tall and probably weighed 80 tons or more, so perhaps around half the weight of a 747.
In the quarry, there was one moai being built that would’ve stood close to 70 feet tall!
The largest moai statue to make it to a platform (now broken in two).
Now think about how the moai were moved several miles through hilly terrain all around the island, possibly being “walked.”
For large moai, this could have involved hundreds of people utilizing a sophisticated system of ropes and coordinated balancing — a truly underrated feat that probably took untold hours of trial and error.
This is evident by all the road moai that never made it to their final destination.
About 300 made it to their final destinations (ahus) but about 100 are found en route to ahus. That’s a very high failure rate which further shows the difficulty of their work.
Imagine having to wait a year for a sculpture to be finished only for it to fall over during transport and then being forced to abandon it and start over.
It had to have been an absolutely grueling process sometimes, especially considering the spiritual significance of the statues.
At the end of their journey, the moai would eventually be placed on a raised ahu platform and then have a huge and heavy hat (pukao) placed on top of them to finish off the job, all of which sounds massively complicated and risky to execute.
This entire system and all the requisite skills of the moai culture were developed in isolation and persisted for a few hundred years — longer than the existence of the US. (There is some debate as to when exactly these were created but they were generally thought to be created between 1,100 and 1,650 AD.)
There may have been some limited contact with South America or other cultures but based on the research I’ve seen, the evidence suggests that the Rapa Nui existed largely without much outside influence.
That’s one of the crucial factors I think about.
Consider that in 100 AD Rome had a population of over 1,000,000 and even ancient Egypt had millions of people.
That’s a very different type of environment for fostering ideas, developing engineering, and of course accessing trade and resources (slavery is obviously a major consideration, too).
So when you consider the level of construction and engineering that went on in Easter Island — with such an isolated and small population — it’s even more impressive what they were able to accomplish and it says that much more about human achievement and creativity.
I think the biggest case against Easter Island landing on the list is just the damage that was done to the moai.
Initially, these statues represented ancestors who had supernatural power to protect their people. But overtime, the people in the island faced tough times including things like starvation and battles over resources.
This ultimately led to them rejecting their stone ancestors and it’s probably the main reason why so many statues were toppled over.
Other events like earthquakes and tsunamis also contributed to damage to these so lots of the moai had to undergo restoration efforts.
They lost the coral eyes that once fit into their face, many lost their hats, and several were broken. A lot of the restoration efforts that begin around the 1950s have been very successful. Lots of the statues are beautifully preserved or “put back in place.”
However, even the Great Pyramids are missing much of the original look and it’s not hard to notice the significant sections missing from other sites like the Colosseum in Rome. So I don’t think the damage is much of a factor for not including Easter Island.
Final word
Easter Island is not considered one of the seven wonders of the world by the leading authorities on this subject. However, the moai did make it into the top 21 finalists for the new wonders of the world and likely landed at the #8 spot.
Ultimately, I question the arbitrary cut off at seven when designating modern “wonders of the world” and fully believe that Easter Island should qualify as one of the most fascinating places to visit on the globe a.k.a. a wonder of the world.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Do the Easter Island Heads Have Bodies?
You’ve probably seen any number of YouTube thumbnails or header images with a huge Easter Island statue, known as a “moai,” being excavated with a huge and (likely photoshopped) stone body being revealed.
I know I have seen my fair share of these images and this has led to a lot of people asking questions like do the Easter Island heads have bodies?
In this article, I want to clarify the answer to that question but also clarify what I think is a common misconception about our knowledge related to Easter Island.
Do the Easter Island heads have bodies?
Yes, the Easter Island heads have bodies.
However, this question is often accompanied by a narrative suggesting that this knowledge was gained by some type of major (recent) discovery when in fact it would have always been known to anyone familiar with the island or even just someone casually visiting.
Let me explain below.
The weird and nonsensical narrative that started this question
There is this narrative that exists that goes something like this.
Some team of excavators arrive on Easter Island one day (in recent memory) and decide to dig up the ground surrounding a moai statue.
Upon excavating, they discover that the moai statue does not just consist of a head but has an entire “full body” connected to it! Unbelievable!
This was apparently some type of major archaeological revelation that changed our understanding of the moai and Easter Island as a whole.
But this narrative does not make sense when you look at the facts.
Why this revelation never took place
First, consider that these moai were first built over the span of a few hundred years. There is some debate as to when exactly these were created but they were generally thought to be created between 1,100 and 1,650 AD.
(So the statues are likely not thousands of years old as some also believe.)
These statues were designed to represent the ancestors of the inhabitants of Easter Island.
Not just in a way that remembered them but in a way that captured supernatural power that could be used to protect their clans or community. This power was called “mana.”
Indeed, this is probably why the vast majority of the moai don’t face out towards the ocean – they needed to keep a watchful eye on their descendants.
Anyway, when these statues were created they were created with “full bodies.”
Yes, the heads were way oversized but the bodies had arms, hands, and were often decorated with art and tattoos and symbols. There were even these cool hats called pukao that were placed on top of them along with white corals eyes.
I should clarify that when I say “body” I mostly mean a trunk with flat arms and hands. Think body like a bowling pin.
Most of them always seem to have taken on a universal male shape although there were some feminine moai. Also, a few select moai do have feet and even “junk in the trunk” although that was rare to see.
Some of these statues were transported miles away from the quarry that they were carved out from.
Many believe that they were basically “walked” by using a system of ropes and a lot of muscle which is one of the most impressive human feats in all of history if you ask me.
The statues would be transported to platforms called ahu and that is where you could find a row of statues overlooking a local village.
Eventually, the inhabitants sadly seemed to have turned against the statues.
Perhaps it was famine, disease, or something else but it seems that the inhabitants rebelled against these ancestral statues and eventually toppled them over.
Other natural events like earthquakes or tsunamis could’ve also played a role in the toppling of many of these. But I think it’s pretty clear that the reverence for the moai was largely lost at some point and that resulted in many of these coming down.
As Europeans started to arrive on the island in the 18th century, they found some statues standing but lots of them toppled over.
At no point during this time would the original inhabitants or European explorers have thought the statues were commonly just heads.
Instead, they would have seen the moai’s entire body like the moai that was taken to the British Museum in 1868 and put on display for everyone to see the body.
Easter Island Statue
Now, as you get close to the quarry, known as Rano Raraku, where the vast majority of statues were carved you will find a lot of statues covered up to their chest or chin.
If you were blindfolded and then just dropped on Rano Raraku’s slopes in front of one of these, you may not have thought that the statues have a full body.
But anyone who arrived on Easter Island within the last 1,000 years would have seen the statues toppled over or standing and would have instantly recognized that the statues typically have full bodies.
In addition, any scientist (or team of explorers) arriving on the island would surely have also known this by the time they saw a buried moai.
There have been many excavations on the island and they have dug up statues that were completely buried or partially submerged.
This, I’m sure, has led to a better understanding of the shapes and designs of the moai and probably the Rapa Nui culture but it doesn’t make sense that any explorer would have been shocked to find a body below one of the Easter Island heads as is commonly portrayed.
That’s because there were dozens and dozens of full body moai that could be found scattered all around the island. Moreover, the quarry where the statues are carved is full of incomplete moai (with bodies) that were essentially frozen in time.
So one would be able to easily deduce that the statues were always created with the intention of them having a full body.
Perhaps the excavated moai bodies could’ve been bigger, wider, or better preserved than originally thought but I don’t see how anyone could have ever seriously questioned whether or not there was a body under the ground or not.
Indeed, the surprise would have been if there was only a head!
Where did this idea come from?
So where did this idea come from that society was all of a sudden shocked by the existence of a full body moai?
That’s a really good question.
My guess is just that images at some point surfaced of the excavations at Easter Island.
Since so few people have actually visited the island or seen the standing moai on ahus (which were not restored until the 1960s and even more recently), all it would take is one publication to post some type of clickbait type of image and headline that made it look like as if some grand discovery had recently been made.
Easter Island heads, like the emoji 🗿, also became a thing in pop culture and so this “revelation” narrative easily found some footing and millions were introduced to it.
So there you have it.
Yes, the statues on Easter Island are more than just heads and have bodies.
And no, there should never have been any serious doubts that the “head statues” had bodies.
That was just some narrative that caught traction and that still has traction today, largely because of its clickbait potential.
Personally, I certainly understand why lots of people would be surprised to find out that there are full body moai (because of the fake narratives out there).
But when I see some platforms trying to promote some type of recent major discovery that never actually happened it’s just annoying and often just contributes to a false understanding about this place’s history.
I think the real story about these moai, which hits on their unbelievable human engineering, mysterious demise, and tireless restoration efforts, is much more fascinating than some fictitious discovery.
If you have interest in visiting the island and learning more about this history, be sure to check out these resources:
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
The Best Places to See on Easter Island
Despite Easter Island being so small, there are a lot of places worth exploring here.
With so many different moai, ahus, and caves, you can easily get overwhelmed with options and lost in the rich history and fascinating stories.
So below, I have highlighted some of the best places to see on Easter Island.
I’ve also provided some historical insight into some of these spots so that you’ll better understand the significance of these sites before you visit. Trust me, it really pays to have some insight when visiting a place like this!
Overview of the Best Places to See on Easter Island
Below you will find over 30 places to see on Easter Island (or in some cases like scuba diving just “things to do”). I believe these are the most “worth it” sites to see and furthermore that these will give you a very well-rounded set of experiences.
We experienced virtually all of these places and things and some of them are places we found that were not even listed on any maps or recommended by local tour guides!
To visit some of the places below, you will need a guide and not all of these places are open 24 hours.
This means that you want to do some planning and put together an itinerary that works within the amount of time you have to visit Easter Island.
Easter Island related content
You may already be aware but Easter Island is not the easiest place on the planet to visit for a few reasons.
Here are some additional articles you may find helpful when preparing for your visit:
With all of that out-of-the-way, let’s jump into the different places you’ll want to visit!
Rano Raraku
When the average persons thinks of Easter Island, chances are they are conjuring up images of Rano Raraku.
This is the birthplace of virtually all of the moai. It was here at this quarry known as Rano Raraku where the vast majority of the moai were carved out of tuff (volcanic ash) and then began their downhill journey, usually to an area along the coast.
The smooth hillsides of this volcanic crater are covered with moai of various sizes and there is just something majestic about strolling through this area — I only spent 45 minutes here but I could’ve easily hung around for a couple of hours.
It’s estimated that there are about 400 statues located around Rano Raraku, so this place has by the far the highest concentration of moai.
To fully explore Rano Raraku it’s somewhat of a miniature hike so be prepared for some steps but nothing too strenuous.
I particularly liked seeing some of the huge moai still unfinished, including the largest one which would have stood an unimaginable 60 to 70 feet tall! You really get the feeling of history being frozen in time at this place like no other.
Something extra fascinating about Rano Raraku is that there is a lake on top of it that recently went dry. In fact, that is where a moai was discovered while we were visiting the island!
This is one of the destinations that you only can visit one time per park entry pass so make sure that you give yourself plenty of time and that you visit when you have all your energy.
If you only have a short amount of time on Easter Island then you have got to see Rano Raraku — there’s simply is no way around it!
Ahu Tongariki
Ahu Tongariki, which can be viewed from the hill sides of nearby Rano Raraku, is one of the most popular sites on Easter Island.
The largest ahu on the island, you’ll find a row of 15 stone giants towering along the horizon including the largest one erected on the island which weighs a whopping 86 tons! Like some other ahus, this one is oriented to the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Not only can you appreciate Ahu Tongariki from the front but take a loop path around the back which gives you an entirely different perspective.
Ahu Tongariki required decades of restoration work after a powerful tsunami in the 1960s caused a great deal of damage to the ahu. What you’re seeing today is a relatively recent product!
Ahu Tongariki is THE spot where people convene for the sunrise.
There’s a small mound in front of the ahu and if you get there early enough you can lock down that spot. But there is plenty of space to get a great view of the sunrise here.
Before the sun emerges, look for a bright “star” that is probably actually the planet mercury as seen in the photo below.
I would recommend that you get here 30 minutes to an hour before astronomical twilight ends so that you can stargaze under some of the darkest skies you’ve ever seen: Bortle 1 skies!
We were fortunate enough to watch the Milky Way rise behind these beautiful moai statues and it was a sight I’ll surely never forget.
Ahu Tongariki
If you are interested in stargazing there is a stargazing tour where you can actually use a telescope to admire the night sky. Unfortunately, availability did not line up for us so we just did our own stargazing which was still very impressive to see.
Easter Island is in the Southern Hemisphere so for people coming from the Northern Hemisphere (US, Europe, etc.), you can observe a much different night sky.
If you don’t know much about stargazing, here’s what to look for:
Southern half of Milky Way Galaxy
Carina Nebula
Southern Cross
Magellanic Clouds (two cloud-like things pictured below)
Ahu Tahai
There are quite a few places worth catching the sunset on Easter Island and Ahu Tahai is probably the most popular.
We checked out the site on a couple of different evenings and one of those nights blessed us with a sensational sunset. You likely will run into some crowds here but every night that we visited, the crowds were never that bad.
This is also one of the few places where you will see a standing moai with restored eyes. These were typically one of the last things added to a moai after it arrived at its ahu.
There’s something about those white eyes that make the moai take on a completely different appearance, especially with a magnificent sunset in the background!
The other great thing about Ahu Tahai is that you don’t need to have a guide with you and it is open all night so it’s also a great place for stargazing (although there is some nearby light pollution).
Mirador Hanga Kioe
If you want a more low-key sunset spot then head to Mirador Hanga Kioe.
It’s just a little bit up the road from Ahu Tahai and it’s another spot that does not require a guide. I like this spot because it primarily features a single moai and it’s also very easy to access.
We watched the sunset here the first night of our trip and there were only a couple of other people in this wide-open area. It was a very still and spiritual type of feeling compared to the more festive oriented Ahu Tahai.
The light pollution over here is also less of an issue so this could be a better place for stargazing or astrophotography.
The blowhole
Just a little up the way from Mirador Hanga Kioe is a cool little blowhole that you can get up close to.
We randomly stumbled upon this so you probably won’t find this on a map or local guide books. It’s found right about -27.128737090229826, -109.424727846241. It seemed to be firing away around low tide but I’m not sure if it also puts on a performance around high tide. Perhaps it’s even more impressive then!
This is also just a cool spot to go tide pooling and to admire the rocky coastline. We found lots of sea urchins, crabs, and some really cool coral fragments. (Of course, you can’t take these with you.)
Go to a dance show
Another thing that I would consider a must to do is to attend an evening dance show. Music and dancing is big here and the shows are a sight to behold.
Personally, I enjoy luaus in Hawaii but these Polynesian shows are a little bit different.
They are smaller and more intimate than your typical luau, so it’s easier to get up close and personal with the performers which I really liked. The shows also had more of a “primitive” feel to them with less reliance on the spectacles.
The show that we saw was Te Ra’ai, which might be the most popular.
They offer a full package or you can participate in a traditional dinner. We opted just for the show. Make sure you don’t turn down your opportunity for some face painting and a traditional head dress!
Te Ra’ai dance show.
Other shows to look at to attending include Kari-Kari, Te Moana, and Vai Te Mihi. We actually were able to enjoy a surprise outdoor show by Kari-Kari at our hotel which I really enjoyed. They literally stopped traffic which was pretty funny!
Kari-Kari dance show.
You can talk to your tour guides and locals about which show is best but chances are you’ll end up getting recommendations for all of them!
Note: Sometimes they may not have enough audience members to put on the show for the night so you may have to get confirmation just before the show starts in some cases.
Orongo
Orongo is a ceremonial village found on the rim of the Rano Kau volcano and is one of the most significant sites on Easter Island.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it served as the hub for the Tangata Manu or “Birdman” cult. After the moai culture declined sometime in the 16th century, the “Birdman” ceremonies took place here.
Clan members climbed down the treacherous cliff side and made a swim to the islet of Motu Nui, where they would attempt to recover the first sooty tern egg of the season. Then they’d swim back and climb back up the cliff.
The first person to return with an intact egg was declared the Tangata Manu or “Birdman” and earned the right to rule the island for the following year.
As you wander atop the cliff sides, you’ll get up close views of the stone houses (hare paenga). These were used by the competitors during the ceremony, which I was told lasted up to a month.
Your tour guide should also help point out some of the petroglyphs or rock carvings depicting the Tangata Manu and then eventually show you an amazing view of the crater.
Note: You can only visit Orongo one time per park pass.
Mirador Rano Kau
Mirador Rano Kau is the lookout point for the Rano Kau crater that has the added bonus of a beautiful ocean view in the background.
You definitely want to stop by after a visit to Orongo but the great thing about the spot is that unlike Orongo, you don’t need a guide.
This is also where the trail drops down into the crater so if you are feeling adventurous you can give that trail a shot.
Mirador Rano Kau
Ana Kakenga
Ana Kakenga was one of the major highlights of the trip for me. It’s probably the most iconic lava tube on Easter Island. If you just want to see this cave, it’s about a 2.25 mile round-trip hike with just a small amount of elevation gain.
Hopefully, your guide will take you along the coast so that you can admire the impressive cliff views but be careful about getting too close. Also, make sure you don’t roll your ankles on the uneven terrain.
There is no official trail along the coast — you just sort of find your own route. But on your way back, you can walk along the road which is a much easier path with less risk for rolling an ankle.
During the winter months you might be able to spot whales off the coast but if the whales are not there, you’ll probably see some people practicing for canoeing competitions.
There were some seriously skilled canoers slicing through the swells during our visit!
As for the cave itself, it has a pretty small opening that you enter through.
I’m personally pretty claustrophobic but I was able to power through the cave because it is only confined for a short amount of time. Then it opens up to two separate windows that look out to the ocean.
Taking in the views from those lovely two windows was extraordinary.
I don’t know of many other places where you can do this so.
To make life easy for yourself wear a headlamp, especially if you want to do any kind of recording while you are going into the cave. You can also leave your backpack at the entrance of the cave to make it easier to get through the tight spots.
Ana Te Pahu
Another very famous cave is Ana Te Pahu. We did not visit Ana Te Pahu proper but instead went into a “secret” cave that I believe is next to it or at least is very close to it.
The opening to the cave was wide and had a pretty large tree coming out of it which we had to use to help us climb down a pretty steep little path.
Once inside, this cave had a pretty confining crawl that we had to do to get to this little under water pond which was pretty interesting to see.
In retrospect, I wish our guide would have offered us to also see the main cave known as Ana Te Pahu, because it would’ve been cool to see both of them.
You can talk to your guide about seeing all of the caves in one trip which would also include Ana Te Pora and Ahu Tepeu — just make sure you have the time for them.
Anakena Beach
You won’t find many beaches on Easter island but the premier beach without a doubt is Anakena. It’s home to a pretty wide beach area (for small island standards) and it’s quite a beautiful beach.
It’s also the place where the original settlers came to shore according to legend.
Some people consider Easter Island to be the “final place” that mankind settled after spreading out from Africa, through Asia, and throughout Polynesia. So in a sense, it could be argued that this beach is where the first major wave of human exploration reached its furthest point.
Anakena Beach
There’s a small trail that takes you to the end of the beach where you can admire the views or even check out a shaded area where campers can take advantage of one of the most idyllic campsites.
Anakena Beach
If you visit in the afternoon, you’ll find a few different restaurants (all next to each other) serving up scrumptious ceviche and hearty fried potato dishes. Just make sure you have plenty of time because each time we ate at these restaurants, it took about 45 minutes to an hour to get our food even when the crowds were nonexistent.
A few other things to know about the beach:
Beautiful palm trees provide shade where you can rest and relax on picnic tables.
When the cruise ship was in town, Anakena became significantly more crowded!
They have bathrooms at the beach which makes it easy for you to spend more time here.
Ahu Nau Nau
Just next to Anakena is Ahu Nau Nau, one of the most picturesque ahus on the island with well-preserved moai.
If you like seeing moai with pukao (the red headdresses) this is the best place to catch them since most moai are not adorned with pukao.
It’s believed that construction of this ahu involved three stages spanning from 1100 AD to 1400 AD and that the site is connected to the earliest history known to the island.
Although Ahu Nau Nau is located just next to the beach, you are still required to be accompanied with a guide to visit it.
There is a hill that you’ll see in this area and if you want a higher vantage point, you can make the trek up the hill.
Ahu Nau Nau
You can also check out Ahu Ature Huki, which is another moai located right next to Ahu Nau Nau. I thought this one was interesting because it had a very “stretched out” appearance.
Ahu Ature Huki
Ovahe
The other main beach to visit is Ovahe, located just a couple of minutes away from Ahu Nau Nau.
Ovahe doesn’t have all of the restaurants and tourist facilities so it also has fewer crowds. You’ll need to walk along the trail to get down to the beach area but it’s pretty easy to do.
There actually are two different beaches here but you need to climb some rocks to get to the second one. You will surely be tempted by some of the caves in the cliffs but those are off-limits so be sure to respect the signs keeping you away.
The manmade bath
There’s a cool little spot located directly across from Pu o Hiro (near GPS coordinates -27.0933464396, -109.2803474044).
I didn’t see a name for it on any maps but it’s a cool spot with beautiful turquoise water and a little man-made bath placed right on the coast. You’ll take a short little dirt road to get to the edge of the coast and then you can simply walk down to check out the bath.
Playa poko poko
While its name may indicate a beach, this is more of a natural swimming pool sheltered from the waves.
The shallow waters makes it a fantastic spot for families and others who don’t want to venture too far from the coast. You can swim, snorkel, and just soak in the clear waters here.
Since Playa poko poko is located so close to the city, it’s one of the easiest spots to get to.
Playa poko poko
Pea swimming pool
About 1,000 feet away from Playa poko poko is the Pea swimming pool. This is another nice protected area to get into the water and go for a nice little swim.
There are two sides to this area with one being larger and more protected than the other.
One of the main reasons you come to this swimming area is for an encounter with beautiful sea turtles and we saw several!
Petroglifos Papa Vaka
There are various places where you can find petroglyphs on Easter island but one popular place to find them is Papa Vaka — the largest petroglyph that has been found on Easter Island.
You’ll see recognizable shapes like fish hooks, a squid, shark and a large tuna etched into the rock. But the biggest design you’ll discover is a huge double cano.
Papa Vaka is located right off the road so it’s extremely easy to access. Consider planning a stop when you visit the beaches on the north side of the island since it is right on the way.
Pu o Hiro
Pu o Hiro is another one of the quick stops along the road — it’s found just across the road from the beautiful man-made bath mentioned above.
At first glance, this just looks like a strangely shaped rock. However, it’s said that this stone was actually used as a musical instrument.
Supposedly, you can blow through one of the holes and it will produce a loud sound similar to a trumpet that was used to summon the god of rain. Apparently making the sound is not easy and there are only a few locals who know how to do it.
If you look very closely you may be able to see some petroglyphs on the rock. Just keep in mind that you have to remain behind the barrier so you can’t come into contact with the rock or give it a blow.
Ahu Akivi
Ahu Akivi has the special designation of being the one ahu that faces out to the ocean (and one of the few that exist inland). It’s believed the construction of Ahu Akivi initially began towards the end of the 15th century, with the moai being added about 150 years before Europeans arrived in 1722.
According to the local legend, King Hotu Matu’a initially sent scouts across the sea to locate Easter Island and to settle there. Seven of these scouts stayed on the island waiting for the king and the seven stone moai here represent those brave scouts.
This is hotly debated based on the late dates of construction though.
Still, this ahu is also significant for being the first to be restored which created the momentum needed to make widespread restorations throughout the island.
The modern day standing moai found on Easter island all started with this ahu!
This site also has celestial significance. The moai, which are all of roughly equal size, face sunset during the Spring Equinox but have their backs to the sunrise during the Autumn Equinox.
It’s just a short walk to get to the moai from the entrance, so you can visit Ahu Akivi with relative quickness.
Note: if you want to visit during the special time of the sunrise during the spring equinox, you’ll probably have to get special permission since the kiosks do not open that early.
Something to think about is that the trailhead to the top of Mount Terevaka, the highest point on Easter island, is also found at this site.
Rapa Nui Museum
Another absolute must visit is the Rapa Nui Museum.
We were extremely fortunate because the museum had just opened up a couple of days before we visited. It’s a pretty compact museum but it is full of fascinating information about the history of Rapa Nui.
A couple of the exhibits that you cannot miss include the coral eyes of a moai which I understand to be the only original coral eyes found. You can see exactly how they fit into the moai up close!
And then there are the scripts of Rongo Rongo, the ancient language that has yet to be decoded. There’s a lot of debate on whether or not this was actually a written language but it’s still really cool to see an ancient, undeciphered script. It looks like something straight out of a movie.
Best of all, this museum is free to visit, so make sure you make time for this because it’s absolutely worth it. (They also have English interpretations for the exhibit panels.) The days of operation and hours can be a little bit weird for this museum so be sure to do some research ahead of time.
Ana Kai Tangata
Ana Kai Tangata is a cave area with historic pictographs that have been preserved inside of the walls of a large cave.
The name “Ana Kai Tangata” is subject to a number of different interpretations including “cave where men are eaten.” Lots of artifacts have been found in the cave including stone tools, pottery, and even human bones.
Some suggest that this site is evidence of the ancient practice of cannibalism but the evidence is still very much debated from what I can tell.
You can still see the historic pictographs on the inside of the cave’s walls but it seems that a lot of the art has fallen off the walls so you may not have much longer to check out these visuals.
You can venture inside the cave but you have to do so at your own risk. Not because of cannibals but because it’s pretty obvious while you are in there that rock slabs constantly fall from the ceiling so be careful if you choose to go in.
Hanga Roa Beach
Just beyond Ana Kai Tangata, is Hanga Roa Beach. Although that’s the name you’ll find on Google Maps, it’s not much of a beach. Instead, it’s more of a dramatic cliffside with stunning lava rocks.
I’d recommend making some time to just wandering around these cliffs and check out the magnificent views.
Scuba diving
I was super fortunate to get one dive in at Easter Island considering that I arrived with a pretty bad cold (and diving with a cold is not recommended).
Luckily, it cleared up for me towards the end of the trip but the drawback was that I wasn’t able to go on the famous moai dive.
The reason is that some of the dive shops will require you to go on a refresher dive if you have not recently been diving. My last dive was about 12 months prior in Hawaii so that was not “fresh” enough to avoid the refresher course.
I believe the underwater moai is somewhere around 60 to 70 feet deep and your dive shop may want you to show that you are comfortable before letting you go down that deep.
I was bummed but I could live without it because the moai down there is not an actual moai created by the original inhabitants of the island hundreds of years ago. It’s a recent creation that was used on a movie and TV show so I didn’t quite feel like I was missing out on a piece of history.
With my moai dreams dashed, I felt like it would still be worth it to dive just to see what the terrain was like down there, especially because I had heard so many amazing things about the visibility.
I found the visibility to be great although it wasn’t exactly pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming clear down there and I would compare it to some of my prior dives.
From what I heard, the conditions were pretty great so I wouldn’t say I was disappointed but just not quite blown away like I thought I might be. We also did not encounter a ton of wildlife down there as the fish, while beautiful, were still not very abundant.
Also, something you should know about the refresher course.
Unlike some other places that allow you to refresh your skills in a pool or shallow water and then go on a dive, Mike Rapu gets you to perform the refresher skills during your dive. Had I known that, I would have really tried to get a second dive in because that eats up such a large chunk of your dive.
(A slight language barrier made it a little difficult to know exactly how things were going to happen.)
I would say to try to plan things out as best you can before you arrive but the dive shop failed to get back to me when I tried reaching out prior to arriving so it really made things difficult to plan anything out.
In the end, due to the cold I was dealing with, I doubt I was going to get a lot of diving action in on this trip so just getting one dive in was honestly a win for me.
Ahu Vinapu
When it comes to the ahu, Ahu Vinapu is probably the most interesting one on the island.
Located on the south coast of the island near the airport, the main ahu here is called Ahu Tahira and it faces the winter solstice at sunrise.
But the real reason it stands out is the ahu showcases a style of stonework found nowhere else on the island.
It’s a style that many believe is transplanted from the Inca and is evidence of the early contact between the continent of South America and inhabitants of Easter Island.
Specifically, the precisely cut basalt slabs resemble the techniques found at Saysachuaman and at the chullpas of Sillustani (near Lake Titicaca).
Some historians speculate that Inca Tupac Yupanqui may have arrived at Easter Island during an expedition to the Pacific around 1480, though there’s still a lot of mystery around these claims.
Another point of interest is the red column that stands alone, which represents a rare feminine moai. According to some, this may have possessed two heads.
The secret beach (27°10’09.5″S 109°23’52.9″W)
Nearby Ahu Vinapu, there’s a beautiful stretch of coastline worth checking out. At the very least, you can just pull over and check out the view for a few minutes. Find it near 27°10’09.5″S 109°23’52.9″W.
You can descend a few hundred feet and check out the little beach cove if you have the time and energy. It’s sort of like having your own private beach which is pretty cool but you may want to be careful during high tide. I’m not sure how powerful the waves get.
Puna Pau
Puna Pau is the red scoria quarry found on a small extinct volcano. It includes a reddish color due to the iron oxide it contains and was used to carve the hats or (hair) that went on top of the moai, known as pukao.
This is a pretty small site so you don’t need to plan a lot of time but just be ready for a short but relatively steep walk. It’s beautiful to take in during the morning.
I was surprised to find that some of them had designs in them along with notches presumably made them fit on the heads better.
Ahu Huri A Urenga
Ahu Huri A Urenga is another spot that you can visit without a guide and it’s generally going to be a very quick visit, as it’s located right off the road.
This is yet another ahu found inland and consists of one lone moai standing tall on a platform 13 meters long by 4 meters wide.
The moai here is particularly interesting because it has two pairs of hands and nobody really knows why.
Likely used for funeral rituals, this ahu and moai also has celestial importance.
Both the statue and platform line up with where the sun rises during the winter solstice. Also, at the entrance, you can find a water well and stone holes that were used to accumulate rainwater and these reportedly aligned with the stars during certain times. Pretty fascinating stuff.
Ahu Akahanga
Ahu Akahanga is home to the remains of an ancient village where it is believed that the first king was buried.
You’ll find lots of ruins here including the old foundations of houses and stone ovens.
The main ahu here, spanning 18 meters in length, has several toppled moai. Interestingly, the face both down and up which is in contrast to most of the moai that were toppled face down.
Where exactly the body of the original king could be is anybody’s guess, as modern excavations haven’t been able to confirm if those remains were actually buried here.
One moai that lies on its back behind the ahu is thought to be one of the oldest carved moai. The older moai did not have as much detail and were shorter than the larger ones that later came out in a more uniform condition.
Another site worth checking out before leaving is the small cave which would have provided shelter to fisherman working along the coast.
Te Pito Kura
Te Pito Kura is one of the most visited moai spots, as it is home to two pretty remarkable things.
First, you’ll find Paro Moai, which represents the largest moai ever successfully raised at an ahu. The moai is astonishingly 10 meters in height with its ears alone measuring 2 m. They estimate that this thing must weigh 80 tons or more.
Just beyond that oversized moai is a large ovoid shaped stone called the “navel of light” and some people call it the “navel of the world.” It’s a special stone because according to legend it was brought over by Hotu Matu’a, the founding king of the Rapanui people because of its special energy, or mana.
The stone has a high percentage of iron content which is activated by heat and will throw off a compass if it’s put too close.
Hanga Te’e / Vaihu
Hanga Te’e/Vaihu is the very first place that we visited and could be the first spot your tour guide decides to take you to.
It’s home to a large ahu, 86 meters long and 12 meters wide, which made up the base for eight statues. The statues now lie on their face and give a good indication of what the sites looked like during the 18th century.
Something else cool about this spot are the models found at the Centro de Interpretacion that depict what the homes looked like along with other things like chicken coops, ovens, and orchards.
Other sites
As you explore the island you’ll find countless number of ahus and moais located all around the coast line.
Some of the sites that are less prominently featured on maps are okay to visit without a guide so you can explore these places when (and if) you decide to ditch the guide.
I’ll list some of the places below that I would try to check out but you are bound to stumble upon at least a couple of places.
Try to take some time to investigate these because sometimes you may only see a pile of unremarkable blocks from a distance but upon close examination you may discover a beautifully preserved moai.
Just make sure you are aware of what’s off-limits because at some of these lesser visited sites, it’s kind of difficult to know where are you permitted and where you’re not.
Ahu One Makihi
Ahu Riata
Random fallen moai (27°08’13.4″S 109°18’38.7″W)
Sunday morning mass
One thing that some travelers like to do is attend Sunday morning mass at the local church.
That really did not appeal to me but I had a dive scheduled for Sunday morning anyway which was the last available spot for me so this was not really an option. Still, for something different it might be worth checking out.
Horseback riding
You’ll find horses everywhere on Easter Island.
And if you enjoy riding horses or if you want to give it a try, this is probably one of the best places. Specifically, you can look into tours that will take you to places that you can’t access with a vehicle due to a lack of roads. So you can really explore more of the island and get away from crowds.
I kind of regret not looking into horseback riding more but our schedule was so full during the week we were there that I don’t think we would’ve had time anyway!
Visit the Sernatur
Back when we originally had a trip to Easter Island planned in 2016, I was stoked about getting my passport stamped. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the trip but the tradition still lives on today just in a different form.
You can head to the visitor information center, also known as the Sernatur, which is where you can ask for a passport stamp. It’s 100% free and you don’t even need to tip.
Just keep in mind that this is considered a “souvenir stamp” and there is always the small risk that it could cause problems down the line in some countries.
This is also a great place to get a quality map because some of the maps that the rental car agencies hand out are not super helpful. They had two people in the office who spoke great English and were able to explain a lot of things. So if you have questions that is absolutely the best place to go.
Additional reading: To get more context around a lot of the sites mentioned in this article, check out this website that goes into great detail for a lot of the sites.
Final word
There’s obviously a ton of things to see and do on Easter island. Hopefully, this article has helped you to round up some ideas for things to do and given you some insight on what to expect!
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Is Easter Island Open to the Public? [2023]
For over two years, Easter Island remained closed off to tourists due to the threats ongoing from the pandemic. But after a long wait, things changed and the island made some major modifications in order to re-open to the public.
Check out the article below for the latest on whether or not Easter Island is open to the public!
Is Easter Island open to the public?
Yes, Easter Island opened up to the public in August 2022. This opening came after the island had been shut off to the public for over two years since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
While the island is now open to tourists, there are certain things that you need to know before deciding to plan a trip there. I’ll break these important things down in detail below.
There are still a limited number of flights
Starting in the fall of 2023, the flights may be closer to full speed in terms of volume but right now there are still only about three flights a week to Easter Island aboard LATAM’s 787 Dreamliner.
So while the island is open, it is not as easy to plan and book a flight as it was before the pandemic shut things down due to more limited flight inventory. Booking in advance is pretty important.
Your first priority when getting to Easter Island is to make sure that your paperwork is in order.
You’ll want to fill out your Rapa Nui Entry Form before you ever arrive at Santiago de Chile Airport (SCL). You can fill out the form online here. Don’t worry, it’s not that complicated.
Initially when the island reopened they required visitors to be fully vaccinated and present a negative PCR test taken no more than 24 hours before boarding a domestic flight to the island. Also, tourists aboard international flights to the island had to take an antigen test once they arrived.
However, they eventually relaxed the requirements so that if you had proof of vaccination you did not have to show a negative PCR test. (This was the policy when we visited.)
It’s possible that as more time goes by, the coronavirus requirements for vaccinations and testing may become more lax.
Unfortunately, it’s somewhat difficult to get real time information about these things from Easter Island because there is often little to no literature produced when a change is made.
Try to get into contact with a lodge owner or business owner and see if they can provide you with the latest details that you can later confirm (hopefully on a government website).
Whenever Easter Island opened back up, they changed the way that you explore the island.
Virtually every site on the island now requires you to have a guide or local host with you in order to get access. The price for a tour guide can very dramatically from $50-$200 a day depending on the guide and how long you will be exploring.
While the new rules will help keep unruly tourists under control, it makes it much more difficult and expensive to visit Easter Island now.
It is not possible to visit (and appreciate) all of the sites in one day.
This means that you will need a guide for at least two days and some people may even need three days to see it all. (When I say “see it all” I mean all of the spots that require guides and some spots inbetween — not the entire island which would take much more time.)
So you have to factor in the additional expense of hiring a guide which is on top of the $80 you will spend for your 10 day park pass (per person). As you can see, you may end up spending several hundred dollars just to get access to the basic archaeological sites.
Also, most of the Easter Island sites are not open 24 hours a day, so you’ll want to plan out an itinerary that allows you to see the sites within open hours.
Easter Island is officially open to tourists after a very long wait.
While that is exciting news, it’s important to remember that some things have changed since the reopening and those changes don’t necessarily make your life easier as a tourist.
So stay up-to-date and be ready to take the extra steps for your planning and you should be able to enjoy your time on Easter Island if you choose to visit.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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!
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.
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!
Final word
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 creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
How to get to Easter Island: Everything You Need to Know
Easter Island is one of the most remote islands on Earth and as a result, it’s also one of the most difficult places to get to.
You most likely will have to deal with a number of connecting flights and as of early 2023, potentially a limited number of flights.
But, if you can have some flexibility with your schedule and are okay with enduring lots of hours in the sky then getting to Easter island is actually not that difficult.
In this article, I’ll break down how you can get to Easter Island as of 2023.
How to get to Easter Island by plane
If you want to get to Easter Island by plane, chances are you are going to have to go through Santiago, Chile. If you are headed from the US then that means you likely will be flying on one of the following airlines:
LATAM
American
United
Delta
If you’re trying to book a nonstop flight to Santiago, then the following airport hubs may offer that:
ATL (Atlanta)
IAH (Houston)
DFW (Dallas/Ft. Worth)
JFK (NYC)
LAX (Los Angeles)
There were once flights between Easter Island (IPC) and Papeete (PPT) although it’s not clear when those will return.
We happened to be visiting Mexico City so we booked a nonstop directly from MEX with LATAM, which was about eight hours.
Once you arrive in Chile, there are some specific measures that you need to follow to make sure that you get through the airport successfully en route to Easter Island. Be sure to check out the full guide here.
As for getting between Santiago and Easter Island, as of early 2023, there still are only flights going out about three days a week and it’s strictly with LATAM (unless you’re flying private).
The plan is for LATAM to ramp up flights to the island throughout 2023 so more flights should be heading that way during the fall. The good news is that they fly a widebody Dreamliner to Easter island which is one of the more pleasant aircraft to fly.
If you want to use award miles to get to Easter Island on this segment, it’s going to be very difficult (especially for business class).
Over the years, I’ve looked for award seats for this route and while I have come across them on occasion, it’s usually been very rare. Perhaps whenever the flights ramp back up it will be doable but I would not count on finding award seats for business class for now.
If you don’t like to deal with connections then I would recommend that you consider staying in Santiago for a few days before heading over to Easter Island. This is because the flight is about five hours between Santiago and Easter Island.
So if you already have had to deal with a couple of long connecting flights, the thought of going through yet another flight may be a complete turn off.
There are a lot of things you can do in Santiago like check out some of the museums or just stroll around the city which is quite nice as it is surrounded by beautiful (and huge) mountains. It’s a great “stop over” city.
Santiago Airport also has a nice airport hotel located right outside the exit (the Holiday Inn). You could simply stay at that hotel for a night and recharge for a flight the next day.
Purchasing your flight
One really interesting thing about purchasing a flight with LATAM while based in the US is that you could be paying a lot more than someone based in Chile!
When I was looking at flights from Santiago to Easter island, I noticed that the prices on the US website were twice as expensive! See the screenshot below.
You could utilize a VPN or just use the Chile LATAM website and go through the booking process in Spanish in order to take advantage of the cheaper rates.
In the past, I always heard about officials at the airport catching people doing this and forcing them to pay the difference. I believe that this enforcement practice was ruled illegal at some point although I’m not completely sure.
But I can tell you from personal experience that as US citizens with US passports we did not have any issues purchasing the cheaper tickets and getting through the airport.
Landing in Easter island
As you would probably expect, the airport on Easter island is very small.
Interestingly, the landing strip is actually longer than usual because it was modified to be able to accommodate emergency space shuttle landings! Pretty cool.
Lots of the hotels provide transportation from the airport to the hotel and will even greet you with a lei! It’s a really cool experience.
How to get to Easter Island by cruise
Another way to get to Easter Island is by cruise ship. I don’t have experience with taking cruises to Easter island so I honestly don’t know much about them.
However, I do know that sometimes Easter island is one stop among many on some very long cruises that go between places like the US and Australia. Some of these cruises can be over 100 nights! However you can find some that are just 2 to 3 weeks.
Coming up on Easter Island via the ocean would be epic because it would take me back in time to when early explorers first came across the island.
But we noticed that some of the sites were substantially busier when the cruise ship was in town so your experience will likely not be as quiet if you go to cruise route. Just something to think about.
Final word
Getting to Easter Island is a little bit of a challenge.
You’ll need to be ready to deal with a few connecting flights and try to plan ahead so that you are not stuck with limited flight inventory due to the small amount of flights going to the island each week.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Complete Guide to Exploring Easter Island’s Rapa Nui National Park [2023]
Want to explore Easter Island’s famous Rapa Nui National Park and get captivated by its mysterious allure?
In order to do so, there is a fair amount of information you need to be aware of to make sure that you don’t make a costly mistake or fail to enjoy some of the best sites it has to offer.
Below, I will tell you everything you need to know about visiting Rapa Nui National Park!
Get your Rapa Nui National Park pass
If you want to explore all of the different sites on Easter island’s Rapa Nui National Park you’re going to first need to purchase a Rapa Nui National Park pass which will cost you about 74,500 CLP or about $90 USD. Kids between the ages of seven and 12 get a 50% discount.
If you’re from the US, this price probably seems pretty expensive considering that it is more expensive than the annual national park pass you can get that provides you access to all parks across the country!
The Rapa Nui National Parkpass will be good for 10 days from your date of entry.
When you purchase your ticket you will need to carefully select your arrival date so that you don’t trigger the pass sooner than necessary. And make sure that you have your passport number handy because you will have to input it.
You can also purchase a park pass in person at the national park building located in the middle of town next to Feria Artesanal.
The drawback is that there could be a long line when you get there (as was the case with us) and they still don’t provide you with a physical map so I would just purchase it online.
Rapa Nui National Park is not a single region of the island like you would expect a US national park to be. Instead, it is made up of different areas and consists of many checkpoints (like the one pictured below) where you will be asked to show your pass for entry.
That’s usually the case, at least.
Not all of the checkpoints required us to show a pass for each person.
You can print out your national park pass or you can keep it digital on your mobile device and show it. (I would recommend you do both.)
If you go with the digital option, take a screenshot of your park pass and then create a special album on your phone for your park passes. This will make it easy to pull it up since you most likely will not have service.
There are a number of different sites for you to explore but it’s really important to know that you can only visit two of them one time during your stay. These are, as you would probably expect, two of the most popular sites:
Rano Raraku (the quarry where they made most of the Moai)
ORongo (the historic Village were participants of the Birdman competition lived)
I believe that if you purchase a second park pass, you can get entry into these a second time.
Also, I’m not sure exactly how they enforce this single-entry rule because at the checkpoints they simply were taking a photo of the QR codes of our pass, so it sounds like this is sort of an honor system thing since the scanning is not real time.
Rano Raraku.
Bring your passport
Some of the checkpoints will require you to show your passport while others will not. Also, some of the checkpoints that do require passports don’t always ask for them.
It’s a bit of a nuisance to carry around your passport and constantly retrieve it because it is just asking for you to accidentally misplace it but if you want to visit all of the sites you will need to carry it with you.
Get familiar with the different open hours
Most of the Rapa Nui National Park sites are open from about 9AM to 5:30 PM. For lots of people, 9AM is actually pretty late for national park open times which limits the time you can spend exploring with cool temps during hotter months.
However, sometimes the hours can vary.
For example, at the popular sunrise spot Ahu Tongariki, they might open the gate at 6 AM depending on whenever the person stationed at the checkpoint wakes up. (Sometimes it’s just a matter of someone knocking on the window of the checkpoint to wake them from their slumber.)
Some places also might have earlier open hours around 7AM.
And finally, it’s not always clear that access is not allowed even during off hours.
We wanted to do a hike to Tere vaka so we arrived at one of the checkpoints, Ahu A kivi, during the early hours before the checkpoint was open and proceeded to make our way to the trailhead.
Multiple guides told us that this would be okay but it did still feel like we were trespassing and like we might have to deal with some type of confrontation. So the boundaries are not always so clear.
Secure a (quality) guide/local
After Easter Island closed down for over two years during the pandemic, they re-opened with a new policy that requires you to be accompanied with a guide or local host for virtually all sites.
This, in my opinion is one of the biggest drawbacks of visiting Easter island. It’s understandable that they want to prevent damage to sites and yes some tourists are idiots but this makes visiting everything a lot more challenging.
The reason is that you cannot visit all of the sites that require a guide in one day so if you want to see everything (and not be rushed) you will have to tether yourself to a guide for at least two to three days.
That means that you have to pay for a guide which starts to add up in cost pretty quickly. If you wanted a private guide for two people for a full day, you’re looking at about $200 USD.
Also, if you are like us and enjoy traveling on your own this means that you will be forced to have someone join in with you for a substantial part of your trip. Something that sort of dampens the fun for more independent-oriented explorers.
My advice would be to do some research or speak with your hotel reps to find a quality guide.
There is a lot of mystery on this island and you will undoubtedly find yourself wondering all sorts of questions as you explore these places.
Since you are required to have a guide, you might as well make sure that they are proficient in the language that you speak and that they really know what they are talking about.
Because this guide requirement is relatively new, there are lots of new guides that may not be so experienced and that can lead to an underwhelming experience. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you are more knowledgeable than your guide!
This guide was awesome!
Figure out your itinerary
Related to the point above, you really want to spend some time figuring out your itinerary to make sure that you can see everything while you have a guide.
Easter Island can be a difficult place to communicate with people before you arrive.
In the weeks leading up to our visit, I had many different email threads that were never completed due to the other person not responding. So you might find it difficult to put together an itinerary that works with a potential guide.
One thing you can do when you arrive is go to the Tourism Information Office (SERNATUR) and pick up one of the maps or print out a map from the national park site.
Then, visually confirm with your guide all of the sites that you will be seeing so that you can start checking them off and making sure that you don’t forget about any of the key sites.
One thing: some of the guides will take you to sites that do not require a guide. While there are not many of those, you may want to avoid doing that because you can always check those out on your own, especially if you rent a car.
For example, you need a guide to see the Moai near the beach of Anakkena but you don’t need a guide to visit the beach itself. So I would recommend you to NOT spend time at the beach with your guide if you are trying to be efficient.
Time with your guide is precious so don’t “waste it” on sites where they are not required unless you know you will have ample time with them!
And finally, some guides will drive your rental car for you. Other times they will have a vehicle to take you around in. Make sure you always have clarification on that.
Be aware of the rules
You need to keep a safe distance from the ceremonial platforms (ahu), statues (moai), and petroglyphs (rock carvings).
Typically, you will see signs or rock borders that indicate as far as you can go. Sometimes these blend in with the terrain so you need to be very mindful anytime you approach the ahu. Err on the side of caution.
Avoid standing or sitting on these borders because this has led to confrontations in the past.
Also, do not touch the moai or any other archaeological sculptures, no matter how tempting it may be. They will consider that to be “damaging” the object which can get you in criminal trouble.
And remember that you are not allowed to take things like sand, stones, obsidians, or any other similar goods from the island.
Final word
Easter Island’s Rapa Nui National Park is an incredible place to explore. The overwhelming sense of mystery is a huge draw and you will likely leave with more questions than answers after your visit.
But it’s also a place that requires a good amount of planning if you want to see it all in a cost efficient way.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Guide for getting through Santiago de Chile Airport (SCL) to Rapa Nui/Easter Island [2023]
Getting through Santiago de Chile Airport (SCL) on your way to Rapa Nui/Easter island is a little bit different from a typical domestic flight and in this article, I will break down everything you need to know.
Filling out the Rapa Nui Entry Form
First, you probably want to fill out your Rapa Nui Entry Form before you ever arrive at Santiago de Chile Airport (SCL). You can fill out the form online here.
It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out but you will need to know:
Flight departure number and date
Seat (optional)
Country of origin or previous connection
Country of nationality
Document type (e.g., passport)
Document number (e.g., passport number)
Phone number
Flight departure
Contact information
Hotel
You will need to select the type of visiting status you have which will be “tourist” for lots of people.
For your hotel status, you can just select the first hotel that you will be staying at as we had three separate hotels during our stay.
Very shortly after you submit your form, you should receive an email confirmation. It is this email confirmation that you are going to print out and show at the airport so be sure to have it ready. (It basically summarizes all of your key details.)
We actually struggled to receive the email confirmation on a couple of occasions so if that happens to you, try to fill out and submit the form with a Google incognito browser. As soon as we tried that, it worked.
(We ended up submitting several forms but it did not end up causing any issues thankfully.)
When you arrive at the airport, you will need to head to the terminal for domestic flights known as Terminal Nacional (T1). Even though it is a domestic flight, LATAM recommended us to arrive four hours early due to potentially long lines.
We were arriving at around 5AM so I thought this was overkill but the airport was actually pretty busy during those early hours.
The reason why you would want to arrive early is because after you drop off your bags, you will have to go through an additional checkpoint which I will talk about in a second.
Checking bags to Rapa Nui/Easter Island
If you have bags to check, you can head to the standard check-in area for LATAM. We were flying business class so we took advantage of a very short line in the Premier check-in area but the line was already pretty long for economy.
Make sure that you have your Rapa Nui Entry Form ready because you will need to show it here at baggage check-in as well as at the security checkpoint later on.
We checked our bag and then headed back down some stairs and through a couple of long hallways to get to the checkpoint specifically designed for Easter island.
You will know whenever you hit the checkpoint because other domestic passengers will be directed to go in a different direction. Also, you can look for the signs which should be easy to find and those will direct you where to go for Rapa Nui/Easter Island.
We arrived at the security checkpoint a little under four hours prior to departure and there were already a dozen or so people in this area.
It’s essentially a small waiting area with some seats but they get taken up pretty quickly so you might have to be standing around or sitting on the floor if the area is particularly busy.
The checkpoint is directly adjacent to this area and the speed at which you go through may vary similar to customs and immigration.
At this checkpoint all we had to show was our passport and the Rapa Nui Entry Form. They did not ask us to provide any verification status for our vaccine status or even itineraries for the hotel stay or round trip.
That’s not to say that they won’t ask you those things, so it will be best to come prepared with all of those printed out and organized inside of a folder.
At the time of this article in February, 2023, they require proof of a negative Covid test if you do not have a vaccination but it’s possible that it could be changing.
While we were able to get through quickly, there were a couple of passengers who took a lot longer to get through. Why exactly that was the reason, I’m not sure. (From the time that they opened up the station to the time that we got through, it was about 15 minutes.)
After you get through the checkpoint, then you are free to head to your gate. You’ll be happy to know that there are no further checks for anything until you arrive in Easter island!
Just be aware that this process could be changed in the future. I have a feeling that Easter island will always require additional documents or verification so that they can keep extra close tabs on who is entering the island but the exact process could change.
Final word
Overall, the process of getting through the airport at SCL to Rapa Nui/Easter island is not quite as bad as it might appear. As long as you fill out your form, and have the requested documents on hand, you should not have a problem.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time credit card rewards/travel expert and has earned and redeemed millions of miles to travel the globe. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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