Easter Island

Easter Island Has 900 Moai and Is 3,700 Kilometres From the Nearest Continental Landmass

Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated inhabited places on earth. The nearest continental landmass is about 3,700km to the east; the nearest inhabited island, Pitcairn, is 2,000km away. Getting here requires a five-hour LATAM flight from Santiago (the only regular route), and this isolation is both the island’s essential quality and the thing that makes the moai so striking: a civilisation flourished and built 900 stone figures in this specific improbable place.

Most of what you see has been restored. The moai were largely toppled during a period of internal conflict between rival clans before European contact in 1722. Understanding this context makes the archaeological sites more interesting rather than less: you are looking at both the construction achievement and the evidence of the conflict that brought it to an end.

What to See

Rano Raraku is the volcanic quarry where the moai were carved from tuff. Nearly 400 statues remain here in various stages of completion – standing, half-buried, horizontal where they fell. Walking through this quarry feels more like moving through a sculpture workshop than visiting ruins. Allow at least two hours.

Ahu Tongariki is the most dramatic ceremonial platform: fifteen moai lined up facing inland, restored in the 1990s after being toppled and then swept further inland by a 1960 tsunami. It faces east, which means sunrise with the moai in silhouette against a brightening sky is the most consistently photographed view on the island. It is still worth doing.

Orongo is a ceremonial village on the rim of the Rano Kau volcanic crater, site of the Birdman competition: young men would swim to offshore islets, retrieve the first sooty tern egg of the season, and return. The petroglyphs here deserve close examination.

Anakena is the island’s main beach – white sand, palm grove, an ahu with moai – and the most suitable place for non-archaeological activity.

Logistics

Rent a car, scooter, or jeep from agencies in Hanga Roa (the only town). The island is small enough to drive in half a day but you will want more time at each site. A Rapa Nui Park pass (approximately USD 80 for foreign nationals) covers all archaeological sites.

Accommodation ranges from basic guesthouses (approximately 50,000 to 80,000 CLP per night) to the premium Hotel Explora Rapa Nui. Book well in advance for December through February and the Tapati festival (early February). Bring cash; ATMs in Hanga Roa periodically run out. Expect everything to cost significantly more than mainland Chile.