Easter Island
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Overview:
The island of mystery – Eater island continues to perplex scientists, geologists and explores as the origin, creation, movement and purpose of the famous 1,000 Moai statues, which stand as 14-foot-high carved human figures with oversized and large heads resting on stone platforms, remains unknown.
What is established though is that these unique moai statues which were created as early as the 13th century by native inhabitants of the 14 mile long Easter Island are both inspiring and beautiful and
that their unique location continues to inspire and thrill explorers – with the dormant volcanoes, ancient homes, the enchanting Tapati Festival and the scenic coastline providing a perfect backdrop from which to explore these unique man-made wonders.
Where:
Although the islands officially belong to Chile – they are located some 3,000km away from the country’s mainland – with the 14 mile island lying smack bang in the middle of the south pacific ocean — meaning getting there can be a challenge.
Getting there:
While you can in theory hire a boat, jump on a cruise ship or even hitch a ride with the Navy – the most realistic option, given the island sits more than 3,000 km away from Chile is flying to Mataveri International Airport from Santiago with Latam – with the airport located in the heart of Rapa Nui and flights leaving and coming three times a day.
Be warned though that flights are frequently delayed due to high winds and are regularly cancelled so you should budget not just a hefty wallet to get there but also a couple of extra days for delays ‑which is especially relevant when trying to attend the Tapati festival while visiting Easter Island.
Once on the island the best option is to explore the main sites on foot while based in Hanga Roa and then hire a bike or car to get to the other sites of the island that aren’t reachable on foot or for which you don’t fancy trekking to.
Best time to Visit:
You’ve got two options on the best time to visit – for those wanting to take in the famous Tapati Festival and experience the best of Rapa Nui culture you’ll need to book well in advance and be on Eater Island for the first two weeks of February – be warned though you can expect to be on the island with 20,000 others — meaning it’ll be a bit cramped and food and drink will be at a premium and prices will skyrocket – but the festival is well worth it.
If you don’t fancy that and want to explore the island in peace, then we’d recommend visiting in either September of October when things will be quiet, the weather will be cool and it’ll be a little bit cheaper.
Explore:
Having come all that way Easter Island is incredibly easy to explore – and almost impossible to get lost on. Also, as it’s only 14 miles long you can cover the main sites on foot or by hiring a bike or car.
So once there, the sites not to miss are:
The Rapa Nui National Park – which incorporates all the main sites – including that which you’ve come for the moai statues. In fact The Rapa Nui National Park is home to some 400 of these statues the majority of which are found in the Rano Raraku quarry – an extinct volcano which served as a moai factory and from which dozens of twenty metres heads still protrude out of the ground as unfinished moai statues. While entry into the park costs $80 you’re free to walk around the park and witness the free horses wondering around the historical site and next to the moai against easter islands stunning hills and coastal line.
Alongside this make sure you take a visit to Ahu Akivi a great spot for photos and home to seven distinct moai which all face the sea and which may hold the key to cracking the mystery of the moai – as they face a source of life, whilst the others face inland.
Further sunrise from the site of Ahu Tongariki is another experience not to be missed – as the 15 completed moai perched on a ceremonial platform which faces inland light up against the backdrop of the rising sun – this is the postcard spot which inspires so many trips to Easter Island and is a sight not to be missed.
For those that have an extra day and enjoy a hike, a trek up the highest volcano Terevaka (don’t worry it’s not active and is only 500 metres high) is something not to be missed – from here accompanied by horses you get a 360 view of the island and can take in and spot the Moai statues dotted across the island.
Finally after all that trekking it’s good to relax and of the beaches that dot the island Anakena is unquestionably the best, not just because you’ll find yourself surrounded by Moai, but also because the Beach serves as a perfect swim spot for you to cool down and take in the island from the comfort of the water.
For those heading in during peak season and wanting to experience the best of the moai culture the Tapati Festival is something not to be missed – as a true and authentic celebration of the Rapa Nui culture, the Tapati Festival see’s the famous Easter Island come alive, as over the course of two weeks in February a series of music, dance, cultural and sporting events are held to not only pass on traditions to younger generations, but also see which candidates of the two clans of the island will be crowned the king and queen of the Tapati festival. For more on the festival (Click Here.)
How long to stay:
Despite coming all that way (traveling often takes at least a full day to get there) Easter Island is only 14 miles long, so at most 3–4 days is the maximum time required to explore it – but budget for double that given the unpredictability of flights – and a few days extra if attending during the Tapati festival.
Top Tip:
However long you budget time wise for a trip there – double it as flight going out and returning are frequently delayed due to high winds and flight schedules are often thrown out of the window !
It’s also strongly advised to hire a car or a bike to explore the island as while you can get to the main sites on foot from Hanga Roa to truly explore this wonder and meet all the Moais you’ll need to get out of the city centre and require transport – with tours adding an extra expense and often running on their own time schedule.
Cost:
Trips to easter island are not cheap ! – from Santiago to Mataveri Airport tickets come in at around 1,500 USD for a round trip in off season and up $4,000 usd in the weeks of the Tapati festival – so either way it’s advised to book well in advance.
Once on the island you can budget for around $200 or so a day (double that during peak season) – with a $80 fee required to enter Rano Raraku National Park, with accommodation and food being expensive, but transport (walking or cycling) being cheap.
Best photo spot:
Having come all the way to Easter Island, you can’t miss the Sunrise From Tongariki, the 360 view from the Terevaka Volcano, and as many snaps as you can manage of the multiple Moais at Rano Raraku National Park.
