Easter Island Itinerary: 3 Days On Rapa Nui

We had long wanted to travel to Easter Island – and not just because it’s the most remote island in the world. We were intrigued by the isolation of the landmass, and even more so by the fascinating past and mystery of Easter Island (called Rapa Nui by the natives).

We wanted to see the stone moai – the most popular of all Easter Island attractions – and learn about the Easter Island culture. On our first trip around the world, we decided to take a few days (call it a long layover) to visit Easter Island on our way from the Chilean mainland to French Polynesia. We are sharing our Easter Island itinerary to help other travelers plan their best trip to Rapa Nui!

 

3 Day Easter Island Itinerary

On our Easter Island trip, we were intent on discovering the island on our own, but in the end, decided to join one of the Easter Island tours – and we are stoked that we did. Easter Island, which closely resembles a triangle, is larger than we first assumed and top Rapa Nui sights are located all around the island. We based ourselves in Hanga Roa, the main Easter Island town situated in the southwestern part of the island, which is ideal for sightseeing and Easter Island activities.

Our 3 Day Easter Island Itinerary includes 2 half days (day of arrival and day of departure…at least for early risers) and two full days. Each day of our Easter Island itinerary is fully detailed plus links to more visitor information. At the end of the post, you will find a useful map of Easter Island sights, as well as information on how to get there, where to stay and what to eat.

Save, Bookmark or Pin our Easter Island Blog Post so you can easily find it as you plan your Rapa Nui trip!

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Day 1 – Hanga Roa and Sunset At Tahai

Check into your lodgings (tips on Easter Island accommodation below) and get settled in, then head into the center of Hanga Roa. After seeing the highlights, head to Tahai to watch the sunset. 

 

Discover Hanga Roa

The main thoroughfare in town, where you will find simple grocery stores, restaurants and souvenir shops, is Atamu Tekena Avenue. Also in the city is a museum and Catholic church. The Holy Cross Catholic Church was established in 1937. The unusual design incorporates unique island décor into the traditional Catholic foundation. The church is open to visitors and has masses in Spanish.

Along the waterfront is a small harbor, Hanga Roa Otai, which is filled with colorful, bobbing fishing boats. There is a diving company at the harbor that provides tours. Nearby is Plaza Hotu Matu’a, named for the first settler and king of Rapa Nui. A moai stands in his honor, but it wasn’t placed there until the 1930s and faces out to sea, which isn’t how the moai were positioned.  

{If you prefer to learn about a place with a tour guide, there is a Hanga Roa, Easter Island city tour.}

 

Easter Island Sunset At Tahai

Before sunset, walk north along the coast toward Tahai, which boasts seven standing moai on three platforms. One platform, Ahu Vai Uri, has five standing moai and the other two platforms – Ahu Tahai and Ahu Ko Te Riku –  each have a single moai. Additionally, there are preserved remains of traditional ‘boat houses’ and the grave of archaeologist Mulloy, who helped restore the moai on Easter Island.

Find a place on the hill to spread out a blanket (or just sit on the grass) and watch the sun sink into the horizon behind the standing moai. It’s a spectacular scene to watch the sunsets on Easter Island at Tahai. The moai stand boldly in place while the sky puts on a dramatic show in the background. The clouds and the light and the vibrant colors of blue, gold and pink change every second that the sun inches closer toward the horizon, and long after it slips below.

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Day 2 – Easter Island Full Day Tour

On the second day of your Easter Island vacation, venture beyond Hanga Roa to the top island attractions. 

 

Full Day Tour Of Rapa Nui

Explore Easter Island tourist attractions and learn the history of Rapa Nui on one of the Easter Island day tours. Most tours of Easter Island are led by native Easter Island guides who have in-depth knowledge of the place and people, as well as the many legends of the land. In our opinion, an Easter Island holiday is not complete without taking this tour!

Learn interesting facts about Easter Island as you visit the restored moai platforms – including Tongariki, the largest platform with 15 standing Moai, and Rano Raraku, the quarry from which all Moai were carved. The Rapa Nui tour should include a visit to Anakena, one of the best Easter Island beaches and one of the top historical sights on the island. 

{Read the detailed description of our Full-Day Easter Island Tour}

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Day 3 – Hike To Easter Island Top Sights

On the third day of your Easter Island visit, pack a picnic lunch and lace up your walking shoes to tour Easter Island on your own.

 

Easter Island Coastal Trek

Hiking Easter Island is a true adventure! Follow in our footsteps and you will pass the Hanga Piko harbor, then descend into Ana Kai Tangata, one of the many Easter Island caves. Next, follow the trail through a forest of Eucalyptus trees and ascend to Rano Kau, an extinct Easter Island volcano near the coast. Continue on to the southwestern tip of the island to visit Orongo, the cliff-top dwellings from which the Birdman Competition was watched.

{Get the details to Hike Easter Island}

 

Note: Many historic facts about Easter Island – especially concerning the Moai – are unsubstantiated, as there are no existing records of what occurred. There is written documentation, however, about the tribal Birdman Competition.

{Rather than hiking, travelers can join a guided, half-day tour to Ana Kai Tangata, Rano Kau and Orongo.}

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Day 4 – Take A Half Day Easter Island Tour or Hang In Hanga Roa & Relax!

On your last morning on Easter Island, spend time walking along the western coast of the island and relaxing by the water. Alternatively, join a half-day tour to Ahu Akivi – seven identical moai – and other sites before heading back to the airport.

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Easter Island Map

Link to our Easter Island Map and sights on Google Maps.

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Top Tips For Your Trip To Easter Island

We have a few additional tips, info and packing hacks for your visit to Easter Island!

 

Easter Island Facts

Country: Easter Island became a Chilean territory in 1988 (and is called Isla de Pascua in Spanish).

Natives: The island’s first settlers were Polynesian and the native descendants are also called Rapa Nui.

Easter Island Population: 7,800

Easter Island Language: The official language is Spanish; however, Rapa Nui – a Polynesian language – is spoken by the Rapa Nui people.

Easter Island Currency: Chilean Peso

 

Easter Island National Park

Easter Island National Park (officially called Rapa Nui National Park) encompasses the entire island and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A ticket is required to enter the park, although you will most likely only be asked to show your ticket at two main sites: Orongo and Rano Raraku. The Easter Island Park ticket costs $80 USD and can be purchased at Mataveri (the Easter Island airport) upon arrival.

 

Getting to Easter Island

The Mataveri International Airport (IPC) is the only airport on Easter Island and is the most remote airport in the world (located 2,336 miles from Santiago, Chile). All flights to Easter Island are serviced by LATAM. There are only two routes: Santiago to Easter Island and Papeete (Tahiti) to Easter Island. There are daily Easter Island flights to and from Santiago. The flight duration from Chile to Easter Island is about 5 hours. Trips to Easter Island from Papeete are weekly and take 6 hours.

Start your search for Easter Island flights on SkyScanner and to find the cheapest day to fly to Easter Island. For more on booking flights, read to our Top Tips For Booking Flights!

 

Getting around Easter Island

Easter Island transportation is limited to private vehicles (taxis or local car rentals), Easter Island excursions, bicycling and walking – as there is no public transportation on Easter Island.

To get to and from the Easter Island airport, visitors can take taxis or book shared transfers, however, check if your accommodations include transport from the airport.

Note: Some Easter Island packages may be all-inclusive of island transportation.

 

Where To Stay On Easter Island

When we were looking for places to stay in Easter Island, we were searching for affordable lodging within walking distance to Hanga Roa. We found a hostel that fit our price range; however, we didn’t have confirmed seats on our flight to Easter Island, so we waited to book lodging until we got there. 

When we arrived at the Easter Island airport, lodging representatives collecting guests (and hoping for visitors in need of a room, like us) stood beyond the baggage carousel. We found the booth for our desired Easter Island hostel, but were informed they had no more rooms available.

As luck would have it, the owner of Keu Henua Eco-Hostal was at the next booth and not only did she have a room with private bath, but it included breakfast and wifi. There was also a shared kitchen on site and she would drive us to and from the airport. The property was well-located between the city center and Tahai and the room was spacious and comfortable.

We loved our stay at Keu Henua, but there are many Easter Island Hotels, vacation homes and guesthouses to choose from. We recommend starting a search on Booking.com. There are also ample Airbnb Apartments on Easter Island. For more tips on booking lodging, go to our Accommodation Resources page.

 

Easter Island Food

As Easter Island is extremely isolated, there isn’t a lot of choice when it comes to eating. Most Easter Island restaurants serve seafood and pizzas. Empanadas are a good choice as an inexpensive Easter Island fast food option. We did splurge for an amazing Tuna Steak dinner on our first night on the island. Grocery stores on Easter Island offer basic food supplies, but most items come at an increased cost for importing them to the island. To avoid the high prices on Easter Island food, many travelers bring non-perishable food with them from Santiago.

 

Easter Island Cost

Easter Island is expensive, there is no doubt about it. Limited flights to the remote location, very few budget accommodations, zero public transportation and a lack of cheap food options may have many budget travelers asking, “Is Easter Island worth it?!” Yes! It absolutely is!

While there are some increased costs to everyday items, a vacation to Easter Island doesn’t have to break the bank. Holidays to Easter Island in the off-season can save you a bundle – just be mindful of the typical weather (January to March is the peak season, while July and August are the chilliest) and plan accordingly. Your Easter Island trip cost can vary significantly based on the length of your Easter Island itinerary and your plans of what to do on Easter Island.

When we traveled to Rapa Nui, we were on an extremely small budget. We visited Easter Island in the shoulder season and only spent about $115 USD per day for two people (not including flights). We took advantage of the hostel kitchen to keep our food costs down (and made very, very simple meals). Rather than booking tours to all the Easter Island sights, we brought a good guidebook and only booked one tour.

Top Tip: If you plan on taking several tours, booking multiple tours with the same operator may earn you a discount – like the Easter Island Super Saver tour!

 

More Things To Do on Easter Island

The majority of Easter Island things to do revolve around the history and legends of the Rapa Nui people, which we found absolutely fascinating. If you find the subject to be equally intriguing, taking tours on Easter Island with certified, local guides may suit you.

However, water enthusiasts may want to spend more time at the beach and participating in more adventurous Easter Island activities, like snorkeling, diving and surfing. For those who like to be on two wheels, there are companies that offer bike rentals, just be warned: Easter Island is a volcanic island…meaning there are steep inclines and cyclists share the roads with cars.

 

Easter Island Itinerary Options

We’ve outlined a 3 Day Easter Island itinerary that visits all the top Easter Island attractions, however we know not everyone plans to spend 3 days on Easter Island. With less time, here are sample Easter Island itineraries:

24 hours on Easter Island: Day 1 same as above. Day 2: Half-day (morning) tour to Orongo or Ahu Akivi – or hire a private guide to take you to the sights you most want to see.

48 hours on Easter Island: Day 1: Same as above. Day 2: Full-Day Easter Island tour. Day 3: Half-day (morning) tour to Orongo or Ahu Akivi.

 

Easter Island Vacation Packages

There are Easter Island travel packages – like this Easter Island 4-Day Tour – that bundle accommodations, transportation, meals and tours which may work best for you and your Easter Island itinerary.

 

Easter Island Essentials

• Pack a pair of lightweight and comfortable walking shoes for your trip to Easter Island. I (Sarah) have traveled with these shoes by Columbia, Skechers and Reef. Kris prefers wearing these shoes by Merrell and Sanuk.
• We’re certain you’ll be snapping tons of photos during your trip. Rather than relying on your mobile phone to capture the sights, upgrade to an actual camera for higher quality photos. We travel with a Canon Rebel (which takes amazing photos, but can be a bit clunky) and a Canon PowerShot ELPH (which takes beautiful pictures and is a slim and lightweight budget camera).
• The history of Easter Island is fascinating! Make sure to bring a good guidebook.
• Whether you travel with a suitcase or backpack, you will certainly want a great day bag to organize all of your essential, everyday travel items!
• If you haven’t already obtained insurance for your trip, consider traveling protected with World Nomads.

Start planning your trip to Easter Island! Search for the lowest airfares, the best accommodations and fun things to do…then start packing!  Want more travel planning tips? Head over to our Travel Planning page for more information and tips on traveling – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides page!

 

 

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