Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Excursions

Only one site has an entry charge, Orongo. This is manned by CONAF (National Parks of Chile), and the funds they collect go to curate and protect ALL the island's sites. They lack manpower to build and staff entry kiosks at each and every place. So they collect US$10 at the one site, and that is good for your entire stay and for the entire island (save your receipt for a repeat visit to Orongo).

Sightseeing Tours
There are excellent tours available on Rapanui, with knowledgeable guides fluent in English, Spanish, French and German. These can be arranged before arrival as part of a package or through where ever one is staying on the spot. Problem: the guides may or may not speak your language. [If you have a good travelguide book to Easter Island, you can get around without a guide].

The itinerary for a visitor has not changed since Cook's landing party was taken over the terrain two centuries ago (follow the coast around the island). Cultural tourism is definitely Rapanui's main value, since its resort facilities are limited. Tours range from a half day run around local (to Hangaroa) sites to full week excursions, including walking tours. 

There is also good fishing, SCUBA exploration, caving, horseback riding and extensive hiking available. Visitors can cover the basics in three days, but they will be moving quickly.

Sights in Hanga Roa Town

• Australian visitors in particular will want to explore the old shearing shed at the abandoned Vaitea to their outback transported to the middle of the Pacific. 
• Standing in front of the Church, to the right, is a refurbished community hall, once the original mission station and featured at that location and shape on a Chilean map of 1870. 
• Proceeding down the hill from the Church and past the post office, on the left hand side and just before the gymnasium, is the old cemetery, where the pre-1900 colonial population was buried. There is a plan to restore the site, highlighting the graves of persons famous in Rapanui recent history. 
• In front of the telephone exchange is a small castle-like structure, designed and built by Pedro Atan, carrying a date of "MCMXLIX" (1949). It is the longest standing Rapanui designed and built public building on the island. 
• Nearby, on the shore side, a community cultural centre is in construction in 1992, where cultural performances are to take place. 
• The Provincial Museum, outside the main town, at Tahai, has good displays to orient the tourist.
• The restored Tahai complex near Hangaroa is a common place to visit, including Ko te Riku, which is the moai in the centre of the complex with a red top knot. The ashes of Dr. William Mulloy, who carried out many of the archaeological restorations on the island, and died in 1978, are in a small monument to the south of the complex, and overlooking it. 
• Anakena beach has the fully restored Ahu Nau-nau, with its row of figures. During the restoration of these figures in 1978, archaeologist Sergio Rapu Haoa discovered that the figures there and elsewhere actually had inlaid eyes, thus changing the look of Rapanui moai forever. 
• Closer to the coast at Anakena is the roughly restored ahu done by Thor Heyerdahl, during his visit.

Sights outside Hanga Roa
Further out from Hangaroa is the first restored ahu, Ahu Akivi, the only complex substantially inland, the rest being on the coast. Nearby Puna Pau is the quarry for the red scoria top knots. Taking the road along the south coast, one goes by a number of toppled monuments, some of which are identified. If one turns off the road to the fishermen's landing at Vaihu, there are a couple of large round stones just on the left. These are all that remains of the second mission station. Moving further along the coastal road, on the right hand side, is an erect moai, which remained there after it had been shipped to Japan and back in the early 1980s. 

Rano Raraku is the quarry for most of the moai and is worth several hours of patient exploration, both inside and out. Climbing to the top, one can appreciate how the moai, once finished, could be lowered. Also visible is the ancient road along which the moai were transport, some of them still there, where they fell. In back of the village, on the seaward edge of Rano Kau, is the restored ceremonial village of Orongo, with its tiny houses and elaborate rock carvings. At the end of the runway, near the huge fuel tanks at Vinapu, is one of the most perfectly fitted ahu walls and a peculiar pillar moai, now almost worn away. Ahu Vinapu is a curious place. Most of the stonework that had been built on Easter Island was of a Polynesian style. The ruins found here, are of the Inca style, leading people to believe that the first inhabitants actually arrived from the American continent.

Visitors should try also to attend a cultural performance which typically involves the singing of both traditional and modern music. Some of the "dances" are small plays about cultural events and these prove very popular with Rapanui as well as other Islanders where they have been seen at Pacific Arts Festivals since they first participated in 1972. There are cassettes available of traditional and modern Rapanui music and some Compact Disks are beginning to be produced.

Prospective visitors should take a jumper and rain gear at almost any time of the year and strong shoes to cope with the sharp volcanic debris. Guided group tours cost around $25 per person. We can book a excursion for you if needed on request only (Send your Email).

Recreation
The best swimming beaches are Anakena and Ovahe on the north coast, and snorkeling is popular. Some surfing goes on at the bay off Hanga Roa, and diving equipment is available on the island. Inquire about the latter by asking around for the Frenchmen Henri or Michel Garcia.

You can pay a fisherman to take you out fishing, or for a ride around the islet of Motu Nui. Ask around at the caleta, the little bay where the fishing boats tie up.

For reservation of an excursion, please mention this to us while booking your flight and accommodation on Easter Island.