Easter Island

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers. Entry requirements and local rules (reserves, quotas) are subject to the same caveat.

Easter Island, known to its people as Rapa Nui, is a Chilean volcanic island of about 166 km² in the South Pacific, some 3,700 km off the coast of mainland Chile. Chile Travel describes it as the most remote inhabited place in the world. Around 40% of its surface forms Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 and home to the famous moai. Everything starts from Hanga Roa, the island's only village. Visits follow strict rules: a park ticket, an accredited guide and a stay limited to 30 days.

A volcanic triangle in the South Pacific

Easter Island lies in the South Pacific, about 3,700 km off the coast of Chile, to which it belongs. Triangular in shape and roughly 24 km long, it covers about 166 km². Three extinct volcanoes mark its corners: Maunga Terevaka, the highest point at 506 m, Poike and Rano Kau, whose crater holds a natural lake. The landscape mixes grassland, cliffs and lava flows, with very few sandy beaches.

Hanga Roa, on the west coast, is the island's only village: it is home to Mataveri airport, the accommodation, restaurants and agencies, and every excursion starts here. The island had around 7,750 inhabitants at the 2017 census. Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, covers about 40% of the territory, including the islets. It is managed by the indigenous Ma'u Henua community, which sets the rules for visitors.

From Polynesian voyagers to the Tapati

Rapa Nui was settled by Polynesian voyagers; oral tradition credits King Hotu Matu'a with founding island society. The Rapa Nui people raised hundreds of moai, monumental statues carved in the Rano Raraku quarry and set up on ceremonial platforms known as ahu. On the rim of Rano Kau, the village of Orongo, whose houses date from around 1400, is linked to the birdman cult. The Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen reached the island on Easter Sunday 1722, hence its European name; Chile annexed it in 1888.

Rapa Nui culture is very much alive. Spanish is the official language, but Rapa Nui, a Polynesian language, is spoken every day, although it is considered endangered. In February, the Tapati Rapa Nui festival fills Hanga Roa for about two weeks with dancing, traditional costume and the election of a queen. Troupes such as the Kari Kari Ballet, founded in 1996, and projects such as the Toki Rapa Nui music school pass songs, dances and music on to younger generations.

Moai, a sacred quarry and the birdman village

The Rano Raraku quarry is one of the most striking sites: nearly 400 moai can be seen there at various stages of carving. Nearby, Ahu Tongariki lines up 15 moai with their backs to the ocean; Chile Travel advises arriving about an hour before sunrise. In the south-west, the crater of Rano Kau and its lake lead to the ceremonial village of Orongo, perched on the rim and once the centre of the birdman cult.

The park ticket covers 12 sites, including Ahu Akivi, Vinapū, Puna Pau, Vaihū, Akahaŋa, Te Pito Kura and the Ana Te Pahu cave. It is valid for 10 consecutive days from the first site visited, but Orongo and Rano Raraku can be visited only once, so choose your timing carefully. On the edge of the village, the Tahai ceremonial centre is within walking distance of Hanga Roa. Park opening hours vary with the season: check them before each visit.

Anakena, cliffs and the underwater world

Beaches are rare on this rocky island. The best known, Anakena (Haŋa Rau), is a white-sand beach 17 km from Hanga Roa on the north coast; it is one of the park's sites. Just behind it, Ahu Nau Nau holds 7 partly restored moai. In Hanga Roa, little Pea beach and Hanga Piko bay offer access to the sea a short walk from the village; ask locally about swimming conditions.

The interior is best explored on foot or by bike, across grassland, craters and lava flows; inside the park, cycling is only allowed on designated roads. Underwater, centres such as Mike Rapu Diving Center offer diving and snorkelling. The park enforces strict rules: do not touch the moai or the ahu, do not remove stones, no camping, fires, alcohol or smoking, and drones only with permission. Camping is only possible at campsites in town.

Reaching Rapa Nui from Santiago

Easter Island can only be reached by air. Mataveri International Airport (IPC) is in Hanga Roa. Direct flights leave only from Santiago de Chile (SCL), are operated by LATAM and take about 5 h 30. There is currently no flight from Papeete: the link with Tahiti was discontinued in 2020 and has not resumed. Before boarding, every visitor must complete the free online FUI form and show a return ticket within 30 days and a booking at accommodation authorised by Sernatur.

Hanga Roa itself is easy to explore on foot. To reach the sites, hire a car, motorbike or bicycle from a local company, or book an excursion. Either way, entry to the national park requires a ticket bought online in advance and a guide accredited by Ma'u Henua: the park's website publishes the directory of authorised guides, several of whom speak French. Timetables, conditions and prices may change, independently of Dem-Tukki: check them with the relevant authorities and service providers before each departure.

Seasons, the Tapati and budget

The climate is subtropical and changeable, so pack layers. Average lows are around 16 °C in July and August, and highs reach about 28 °C in February. April is the wettest month. Chile Travel recommends January to March, the drier period, which coincides with the Tapati Rapa Nui in February. Its dates change every year: if you want to attend, check them before booking flights and accommodation.

The currency is the Chilean peso (CLP); some accommodation lists prices in US dollars. The flight from Santiago is the main expense, on top of which come the national park ticket and the services of an accredited guide. The ticket price is not shown on the official website: according to unofficial sources it is around 100 USD for a foreign adult, to be checked. Accommodation ranges from campsites in town and family-run hostales to all-inclusive lodges. For entry rules, check your government's travel advice before departure.

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Nearby islands: Galápagos Islands, Tahiti & its Islands, Cook Islands and Fiji.

Photo : Hhooper1 (English Wikipedia), CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons