Easter Island: In The Middle of Nowhere!

The Famous 15 Moai!

Easter Island, located in the middle of Pacific Ocean, it is practically far from everything. All items take a 6 hours flight to be flown in from the nearest commercial port, Santiago. Some might even mistook Easter Island as a country on its own, though it is an official territory of Chile. The island is so tiny, that one might not even notice it on an ordinary map.

Around Rano Raraku!

With 2 prominent extinct volcanoes and hundreds of Moai (monolithic statue), Easter Island is labeled one of the most sacred places on earth. Your tour guide will be able to provide you better understanding of the island. For transportation, LAN Airlines flies daily to Easter Island from Santiago. There is no public bus on the island, it is best to explore on a four-wheeled drive or a taxi. For accommodation, I would highly recommend the Aukara Hostel; it was the host that made my entire experience most pleasant.

Rano Kau Volcano

Some activities that must not be missed:
1. Sunrise in Tongariki
2. Hiking up to Rano Kau
3. Sun Bathing in Anakena
4. Sunset in Tahai
5. Visit to Rano Raraku

Sunset In Tahai

All in all, Easter Island treats me well. However, due to unforeseen circumstances with the ground staff of LAN airline in Santiago, Chile, I was left with only 2 t-shirts, 1 jeans, 1 shorts, 1 underwear and no toiletries throughout the 4 days 3 nights! To make it even worse, Easter Island is one of the most expensive islands I have ever been to. Being a budget traveler, it is best to keep the rest of the story to myself.

Iconic Tongariki

National Park opening hours:
April to November: 9am – 6pm
December to March: 9am – 7pm

Motu Iti and Motu Nui!

Below are the costs and guidelines to plan your Easter Island trip:
Full day tour: CLP 30000 (USD 60)
Half day tour: CLP 20000 (USD 40)
Hostel for single traveler: CLP 25000- CLP 35000 (USD 50 – USD 70)
National Park Permit: CLP 30000 (USD 60)
Lunch/Dinner: CLP 10000 – CLP 20000 (USD 20 – USD 40)
Cup Noodle: CLP 1000 – CLP 2000 (USD 2 – USD 4)
Bicycle: CLP 5000 for 5 hours (USD 10)
CLP 10000 for 1 day (USD 20)
Air ticket (Santiago-Rapa Nui – Santiago): CLP 250000 – CLP 500000 (USD 500 – USD 1000)

Anakena!