Easter Island

The tourist season in Rapa Nui starts in October and lasts till early April. December to February are considered the high season. Find out more about when is the perfect time to visit Rapa Nui:

For Easter Island, we recommend opting for a small expedition ship. Choose an operator with a strong emphasis on sustainability and education to make the best of your experience. Or visit our Cruises page to find an approved operator for your visit to Easter Island. The island doesn't have a big port where expedition ships can dock. That is why passengers are brought to the land by smaller boats and disembark in Hanga Roa, the main town of Easter Island.

There are different itineraries that you can choose from if you want to visit Easter Island. Some include Easter Island alongside other Polynesian islands such as Tahiti and The Gambier Islands. Other itineraries include islands between mainland Chile and Easter Island, such as Robinson Crusoe Island and Alexander Selkirk Island. The choice is yours. If your itinerary starts or ends on Easter Island - consider spending a couple more days there to have time for all the activities the island has to offer.

The local culture of Rapa Nui is fascinating. Visiting the sights of Rapa Nui, especially with knowledgeable local guides, is an unforgettable experience. There are many cultural sights to see; the most important ones are, without doubt, Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Orongo Village.

Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu on the island. An ahu is a ceremonial platform where the moai (stone statues) stand. Ahu Tongariki holds 15 moai. It is especially beautiful early in the morning when you can watch the sun rise above the water behind the moai.

Rano Raraku is the moai “factory”. It is a volcanic crater where almost all stone statues were carved out of tuff, a soft volcanic rock. There are still nearly 400 unfinished statues in Rano Raraku, including Te Tokanga or ‘The Giant’ (El Gigante in Spanish), the largest moai statue. The Giant is around 22 metres (72 feet) long and its estimated weight is 250 tons.

The Village of Orongo is also a must-see to understand how the local culture developed and changed over the years. There you can learn all about the Birdman cult called Tangata Manu, an annual event that determined the transfer of power on the island between different clans. 

One of the best places to learn about the history, geology and culture of Rapa Nui is a small museum in Hanga Roa. The Mapse Rapa Nui Museum is informative and engaging. The museum's collection is carefully selected. Spending at least an hour there will give you a much better understanding of the island. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Easter Island offers several hiking and trekking opportunities. The hikes are mostly easy to moderate level. For example, you can hike up a nice trail to the highest point of the island – Maunga Terevaka, the top of an extinct volcano. If you are lucky and the sky is clear, you will enjoy a 360-degree view of the island.

The pristine waters of Rapa Nui offer exceptional water clarity for snorkelling and diving. The island is so far away from any sources of pollution that the water visibility reaches 50 to 60 metres (164 to 197 feet). Don’t forget to bring a snorkelling kit if the ship doesn’t provide one. During the summer, you don’t really need a wetsuit, however, you might need it for longer dives in October and March. Consider also bringing an underwater camera.

Imagine relaxing on a beach with crystal clear warm water and a view of moai statues. It sounds like something out of a fairytale, but in Rapa Nui, it is real. Anakena Beach is a wonderful place to relax while fully taking in just how special Easter Island is.

The waters surrounding the island are home to diverse fish species, sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins. Diving and snorkelling in the transparent waters of Rapa Nui, you can see every tiny detail of the underwater world. On the island, you can watch sea turtles right from the beach in the town centre.

Rapa Nui didn’t have any native mammals; they were introduced to the island later. There are several species of birds native to the island. Among them are Frigatebirds, Brown Noddies, Masked Boobies and Red-tailed Tropicbirds.

Another native bird is the Sсooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus). The Scooty Tern is a significant part of the local culture. The Tangata Manu (Birdman) cult has evolved around this bird. Scooty Terns nest on nearby uninhabited islets. During the times of the Tangata Manu cult, the men of Rapa Nui competed yearly to determine who would be the first to swim in extremely dangerous water to the nesting sites and bring back a Scooty Tern’s egg.

In the past, Rapa Nui had a more diverse wildlife that was lost due to habitat loss. Rapa Nui’s wildlife reminds us that ecosystems are fragile and need to be preserved.