Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island: Rapa Nui’s Moai

Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the indigenous language) is 3,700km from the Chilean coast and 2,075km from Pitcairn, the nearest inhabited land — one of the most remote permanently inhabited places on earth. The island is roughly triangular, formed by three shield volcanoes, and covers about 163 square kilometres. About 7,750 people live there, mostly in or near Hanga Roa, the only town.

The moai — monolithic stone figures carved from volcanic tuff at the Rano Raraku quarry — number 887 known examples, of which about 400 were moved from the quarry to ceremonial platforms (ahu) around the island’s coast before the culture that built them collapsed, probably between the 17th and 18th centuries. The remaining 400-odd statues are still at Rano Raraku, in various stages of completion or transit. The largest statues weigh around 75 tonnes; the tallest erected is 10 metres. How they were moved from the quarry — some as far as 18km — is still debated. The most recent experimental archaeology suggests they were “walked” upright using ropes and coordinated rocking.

The Main Sites

Ahu Tongariki, on the southeast coast, is the largest ceremonial platform: 15 moai re-erected in 1992-1994 after being toppled in the 17th century and then further damaged by a 1960 tsunami. The figures face inland, as all moai do, watching over the community they were built to represent rather than the sea. The sunrise at Ahu Tongariki, with the statues silhouetted against the light, is the most photographed image from the island.

Rano Raraku is the quarry site where about 400 moai remain, some buried to their shoulders in the volcanic soil that has accumulated over centuries. Walking among them gives a clearer picture of the carving process than visiting the coastal platforms: you can see statues at every stage from rough outline to nearly complete, still attached to the rock face.

Orongo, at the rim of Rano Kau volcano in the southwest, is the ceremonial village associated with the Birdman cult that replaced the moai culture. The stone houses facing the three offshore islets (Motu Nui, Motu Iti, Motu Kao Kao) are well-preserved, and the petroglyphs on the cliff face depict the birdman deity Make-Make.

Practical Details

LATAM Airlines operates daily flights from Santiago (about 5.5 hours); the same flight continues to Tahiti. There are no other regular flight connections. Seats book out weeks ahead in peak season (December-March, July-August). The Chilean peso is the currency; credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants.

The island’s roads are partially paved. Renting a car, 4WD, or scooter from one of several agencies in Hanga Roa is the standard approach to seeing the sites. The Rapa Nui National Park entry fee, paid on arrival, covers access to all archaeological sites and costs approximately USD $80. Accommodation ranges from budget guesthouses to the Explora Rapa Nui lodge; midrange options run around $150-250 per night.

The national park rules prohibit touching or climbing the moai. These rules are enforced and the fines for violations are substantial.