Easter Island. Travel notes

The cost of a flight always depends on the time of travel. The chart will allow you to compare prices for air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island, track the dynamics of changes in their cost and find the best offer.

Statistics will help determine the season of low prices. For example, in October prices reach an average of 387,537 rubles, and in March the cost of tickets drops to an average of 155,796 rubles. Plan your trip now!

We analyze this information and create charts to make it easier for you to plan your trips.

What is more profitable – to buy air tickets in advance, avoiding the general rush, or to take advantage of a “hot” offer closer to the departure date? The chart will help you determine the best time to purchase airline tickets.

See how the price of air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island changed depending on the time of purchase. Since the start of sales, their value has changed by an average of 197%. The minimum price for a flight from Moscow to Easter Island is 27 days before departure, approximately 130,004 rubles. The maximum price for a flight from Moscow to Easter Island is 19 days before departure, approximately 755,702 rubles. In most cases, early booking helps you save money, take advantage of it!

The cost of air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island does not represent a fixed and constant amount. It depends on many factors, including the day of departure. The dynamics of changes are visible on the graph.

According to statistics, the most affordable option for flights from Moscow to Easter Island is on Saturdays, their average cost is 203,543 rubles. The most expensive flights are on Sundays, their average cost is 329,632 rubles. It is worth considering that flights on holidays are usually more expensive. We hope this information will help you plan your travels more effectively.

The cost of air tickets depends not only on the date, but also on the time of departure. An airline can operate several flights on one day, and they will differ in price category.

The graph shows the cost of departure depending on the time of day. For example, the average cost of a ticket from Moscow to Easter Island in the morning is 175,821 rubles, and in the evening 370,745 rubles. Evaluate all conditions and choose the best offer.

The graph shows comparative prices for air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island on the most popular airlines. Based on this information, you can plan your trip and buy air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island from the carrier that suits you.

Statistics will help you choose a flight based on your financial capabilities, as well as your wishes in terms of comfort and flight conditions. The lowest prices for air tickets from Moscow to Easter Island are offered by LAN Airlines, the highest prices are offered by Transaero.

On March 21, the eve of my birthday, we flew to Easter Island, Hanga Roa. There were no empty seats on the Boeing, apparently the policy of the Chilean airline LAN to reduce fares and provide all kinds of discounts is yielding results; people are traveling despite the crisis. For example, an air ticket cost us $350, and if we had bought it earlier, it would have been even cheaper. The flight was very comfortable, five hours flew by unnoticed while pleasantly watching movies. We flew over water almost the entire time, the plane landed on the runway straight from the ocean, it was quite scary. Mataveri Airport turned out to be very small; it receives a maximum of two planes a day. Stepping off the ramp, I immediately felt how high the humidity was here, subtropical, however. The temperature during the day is about +26 degrees, but it feels much hotter than at 32 in Santiago. While we were waiting for the luggage, I admired the work of the customs retriever, who conscientiously sniffed the suitcases on the transport belt, apparently looking for drugs. On our way out, like all the other tourists, we were hung with garlands of local yellow cappuccino flowers around our necks and taken to.

The travel time to the hotel is less than 5 minutes; on the way, we immediately booked a half-day excursion so as not to waste an hour of precious time. The hotel turned out to be simple and modest, with a Polynesian-style interior garden full of bright flowers and palm trees, as well as a small swimming pool.

The room costs about $140 per night, including breakfast. I was ready for this situation, because back in Santiago I heard that there are no luxury hotels on the island, everything is quite primitive and simple, it is believed that you should come here for comfort and luxury, but for something completely different. And the islanders are opposed to mass hotel development and do not allow the well-known hotel chains Sheraton, Hilton, etc., to enter the island, despite their great interest in entering here. But in general we were satisfied with the hotel.

We checked into the hotel at 12 noon, threw our things into the room and immediately went into the city to have lunch and look around before the start of the excursion, scheduled for 3 hours. Already on the way, we realized that our hotel was located quite far from the tourist area, another deception, the hotel website said that it was located very close to the center. Then we calmed down when we found out that taxi prices here are very low, and there are large subsidies for gasoline on the island. The town turned out to be small, simple, with a minimum range of services, such as an Internet cafe, car rental, etc.

We had lunch at Raa Cafe, ordered tuna ceviche, local white fish and a fruit platter of mango, pineapple, papaya and bananas. It’s tasty, but a little expensive; food prices on the island are much higher than in Santiago, but we were also prepared for this. Having had our fill, we took a taxi to the hotel, and from there we went on our first excursion with the local travel agency Aku. Before this, while sorting out my things, I discovered that we had forgotten the cord for recharging the photo battery at home and was terribly upset, then we found an Internet cafe in the town, where they kindly charged our battery twice. I don’t know what I would have done without this help, because we took a lot of photographs, my eyes were simply wide-eyed from the abundance of natural and archaeological beauties.

Excursions on the island take place on small buses, minivans, for 10-12 people, no more. On the first day we were unlucky, we came last, and Mario got a jump seat with a shortened backrest. Of course, he couldn’t stand this and wanted to refuse to go; he had to give up his seat at the window next to the Japanese tourists, with whom he spoke in Japanese, which delighted them completely. Only then did he calm down.

On the first day we were taken to the southeastern tip of the island to see the crater of the extinct volcano Rano Kau. This crater is of extraordinary beauty, you look at it from above and the impression is that it is a lunar landscape, everything shimmers below, water, islands of greenery, moss.

You want to wave your arms and fly, it’s so impressive for your imagination! In addition to its beauty, the crater also has a very practical purpose, being the main reservoir of fresh water, its diameter reaches 1.6 km. The crater of the volcano itself is located in a picturesque emerald valley framed by hills growing out of it! It looks amazingly beautiful and unusual!

Next we were taken to the ceremonial village of Orongo. This is a separate song! This place is associated with the cult of the bird man, which arose on the island after long wars and replaced the worship of the Moai. That is, a new religion arose, symbolizing the rebirth of life. The essence of the cult is that representatives of various clans gathered once a year in the sacred village of Orongo, built on the cliffs of the Rano Kau volcano, and candidates for the title of “bird man” Tangata Manu elected their representative, hopu manu, who was supposed to swim to the islands Motu and wait there for the first egg of the local manutara bird (something like a seagull). Sometimes they had to wait quite a long time, and the poor Hopu Manu spent the night in cold caves, while their owners watched their actions from above from stone semicircular houses with a tiny entrance in the middle.

As soon as the servant found the first egg, he gave it to his master, and he became the sacred leader of the tribe for a whole year. That is, simply put, he reaped the fruits of his servant’s success, such class injustice! I later sailed on a boat around these Motu islands and saw for myself how difficult it is to climb them, all sharp rocks and stones, but apparently the servants were in good physical shape and trained a lot. We were told that there was a small degree of ritual cannibalism on the island, that is, as part of a ceremony, and not out of habit or necessity. Fertility and fertility were worshiped more, hence the cult of the first manutara egg. This place was restored in 1976 and turned into an open-air museum.

We climbed around the entire sacred village, admired the islands of Motu from above, one of which, the smallest, resembles the shape of a human fang,

and then it started to rain, so hard that we immediately got wet to the skin and had to run to the bus. And the prudent Japanese put on film raincoats and continued to calmly walk in the rain. We were so chaotic about getting ready for the excursion that we didn’t take any jackets or umbrellas with us. We were poorly prepared in one word, although we heard that it often rains on the island at this time of year. Mario was saved by a nice tourist from Argentina, from whom he borrowed a warm jacket with a zipper, but I dried off on my own. The impression of Orongo was spoiled a little by the rain, but we decided to return here on our own in a jeep, which we then did. After Orongo we were taken to the Tahai ceremonial complex, near Hanga Roa. Also a very beautiful place with three moai platforms called ahu. Restored in 1970. The main ahu, with five moai, has its back to the ocean, as do almost everyone else on the island, with the exception of one or two. It was believed that with their strength and power they seemed to protect their clan from troubles and misfortunes from the outside.

In addition to the ahu and moai, there are also stone foundations of ancient boat houses in which the families of wealthy islanders lived. Now only the foundation remains of these boat-shaped houses, maybe later they will also be restored, it would be interesting to see. The most beautiful moai of this complex stands a little away from the rest. He’s so handsome, with good eyes, in a red cap (pukao).

This is the only statue with white corral eyes. It turns out that initially all the moai had eyes made of coral, but then they fell out and were lost, and only in our time, during excavations on Anakena beach, the first eye made of white coral was found, which is now kept in a local museum, which we never got to, There just wasn't enough time.

Suddenly, horses galloped up to the Moai and rushed off in pursuit of the dogs. I managed to photograph this scene. It must be said that there are a huge number of semi-wild horses on the island. Once upon a time the French brought them here, and they multiplied with terrible force. Officially, all horses have owners, but they roam free on their own. Local residents complain about them; horses often provoke accidents by running out onto the road and generally behave impudently, entering houses and eating everything.

At the end of the tour, we got out in the city center and went to buy a Mario shirt. We bought a nice blue sports-style shirt with the inscription Rapa Nui, it will be a memory of the trip. The first day turned out to be full of impressions, we returned to the hotel and went to bed early, because tomorrow morning we had an excursion planned for the whole day, we needed to gain strength.

And now a short excursion into the history of Easter Island, considered the most remote inhabited island in the world from land. The distance to the mainland coast of Chile is 3,703 km. Easter Island is also called Rapa Nui (this Polynesian name was given to the island by sailors from Tahiti in the 19th century, who compared it with the Polynesian island of Rapa, nui means big). The island is of volcanic origin in the shape of a triangle, with three volcanoes on the edges, which are often compared to lighthouses. The climate is subtropical, humid. It is officially believed that the island was discovered by the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday 1722, hence its name. Then the Spaniards, the famous Captain Cook, and the Frenchman La Perouse (after whom one of the island’s bays is named) visited the island. But much earlier, in 1536, the San Lezmes carabella with Spanish sailors from the Basque Country probably visited the island. Nowadays, a blood test taken from the islanders showed that they possess the so-called “Basque” gene. This means that it is likely that the islanders recognized the Europeans much earlier. There are so many unsolved mysteries and theories associated with the history of Rapa Nui!

There are several assumptions regarding the genetic roots and origin of the islanders. The most common theory is that the Rapa Nuya people are of Polynesian origin, sailing from the Polynesian islands in large double canoes. Another theory, supported by Thor Heyerdahl, argued that first people from South America sailed to the island, and only then from Polynesia. Proof of this can be the stone walls built on the island, identical to the buildings in Cusco and other cities of the Inca Empire, as well as the presence of yams (sweet potatoes) on the island. Then wars and mutual extermination allegedly began between these two tribes. This theory is considered less probable, but has a right to exist.

What is known for sure is that in 1805, a massive deportation of the local population to Peru began, essentially the slave trade; the Rapanui people were deported to work in Peruvian mines and turned into slaves. Subsequently, a small part of the deported population was repatriated to the island, which brought diseases such as tuberculosis and smallpox from the mainland, as a result of which the local population was almost on the verge of extermination.

After this, missionaries arrived here and did a lot of work to convert the Rapa Nui people to Christianity. At this time (1860-1888), Europeans began to unscrupulously export Moai statues; one of these statues is now in the London Museum. Then the island suffered from French tyrant dictators, who forced the islanders to leave their homeland and seek refuge in Tahiti. In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile, it was just luck that they came to the rescue at the right time, otherwise the island would have become Dutch or Peruvian.

Easter Island became famous throughout the world thanks to the giant stone idols - moai, which means the looking eye. The statues were carved from soft volcanic tuff on the slopes of the Ranu Raraku volcano, and then moved down the slope and placed around the perimeter of the island on the ahu ceremonial grounds. Each statue is monolithic, that is, carved from one stone. Since tuff is a very soft type of stone, resembling a sponge in structure, working with it was not very difficult for local craftsmen. There are more than 900 stone statues on the island, most of them look inland and only one group faces the sea. About a fifth of the statues had red pukau stone cylinders on their heads, which were carved in a separate quarry.

Nowadays, so many theories have accumulated regarding the purpose of idols that everyone is free to choose what he likes best. Maybe these were gods or deified ancestors, or maybe they were monuments to specific kings who ruled the island. Thor Heyerdahl believed that these were portraits of white people who arrived on the island from Peru. Cook believed that these were monuments to the rulers buried here.

Island legends speak of the dominant Hotu Matu'a clan, who left home in search of a new one and found Easter Island. When he died, the island was divided among his six sons, and then between his grandchildren and great-grandsons. Residents of the island believe that the statues contain the supernatural power of the ancestors of this clan (mana). The concentration of mana will lead to good harvests, rain and prosperity. These legends are constantly changing and are passed down in fragments, making it difficult to reconstruct the exact history.

Easter Island is the only island in the Pacific Ocean to have developed its own writing system, Rongorongo. Pictographs on wooden tablets are represented by various graphic symbols, images of people, animals, body parts, houses, boats, etc. The Rongorongo writing has not yet been deciphered, despite the fact that many linguists have studied this issue. Currently, there are many scientific hypotheses about the origin and meaning of the Rapa Nui writing. Some scholars believed that the Easter Island letter came from India via China, others that via New Zealand. Thor Heyerdahl tried to prove the South American Indian origin of both writing and the entire culture of the island.

My birthday on Easter Island, the most exotic of my life. Mario woke me up early and gave me a gift - Kenzo perfume, which I myself ordered for him back in Santiago

Breakfast at the hotel struck me with its simplicity and meagerness. Bread, butter, jam, cheese, ham, cake, coffee, juice, only bananas for fruit (later, however, they began to give fresh papayas). But we were also ready for this. After breakfast, we took a taxi to the local church to watch Sunday mass, which, according to tourists, was quite an interesting spectacle. Nothing special, just the mass is held in two languages with musical accompaniment, they play guitars, drums, and pipes. Loud and fun! Quite unusual! The bus picked us up first right outside the church, and we were able to get good seats in the front row this time. We were taken to the most interesting tourist spots along the ocean. The first stop was in the town of Waihu, an ancient Moayai settlement, where eight of the oldest, pristine idols are located, lying face to the ground.

Huge and primitive, rough workmanship.

They didn't make much of an impression on me, just unhewn blocks of stone. But the place itself is of extraordinary beauty! Ocean, rocks, cliffs, on the right rises a semicircular, slightly cut off green cape extending into the ocean, the landscapes are simply mesmerizing!

And all this splendor against the backdrop of blue, blue, seething water!

The statues are in very poor condition, scattered everywhere, where the body is, where the heads are, where just ancient stones are lying around.

Mario even asked the guide why they weren’t restored or at least raised. In response, we heard something unintelligible, that we should first invest money in education and medicine for local residents, and only then in everything else. Quite a strange statement, since the island lives mainly from tourism.

But the next destination made a strong impression on us. We were taken to the foot of the Rano Raraku volcano, where from 1000 to 1680. local sculptors created giant moai statues from volcanic stone.

A place of extraordinary beauty and strong energy. There are many statues of Moai scattered on the slopes of the mountain, mostly their heads, but there are also full-length ones in a lying position, some are strongly tilted, almost falling. This quarry functioned for seven centuries and a total of 397 moai of various types and sizes were made in it, from small to giant ten-meter ones.

Each statue is unique in its own way and symbolizes a specific ancestor.

And then, unexpectedly and incomprehensibly, the work on making the statues was stopped.

It’s interesting that scientists are still wondering how the Rapanui people moved the statues and delivered them to their destination, since they are scattered all over the island. The most common theory is that they were transported using a lever method, similar to moving a refrigerator from side to side, that is, they seemed to “walk” on their own. Of course, along the way, many statues were broken, their necks were especially fragile. We saw many broken moai lying around - the head separated from the neck.

The statues are huge, one moai wears a hat, the rest look menacingly into the depths of the island. And all this against the backdrop of water, sky and quaint hills - the impression is very strong!

It turns out that in 1960 a tsunami practically washed away this place and scattered the remains of the statues. In 1991, the Japanese company Tadano began restoration and archaeological work that lasted two years. As a result of titanic work and considerable investment, the result was an architectural masterpiece that makes an indelible impression.

Then there was a stop in the town of Te Pito o te Henua, where we saw an ovoid stone, considered the navel of the earth.

Around it lie four smaller stones, on which lovers of esotericism can sit and feel the supernatural power of the island by placing their hands on the stone. We, of course, also kissed each other, but I personally didn’t feel anything supernatural. The Japanese tourists immediately pulled out a compass and began experimenting by applying it to the stone.

And then, and then we were finally brought to a completely heavenly place, to the wild Anakena beach and left to swim there for a whole hour.

The water is simply magical! I climbed into the ocean and didn’t get out for the entire allotted time, it was such a pleasure. We also decided to definitely return here on our own.

On this beach stands ahu Nau with seven moai, although the last two, in my opinion, are just stumps. But the main four are unusually good, wearing red caps, compact and more delicately made than the others.

They make an impression with their polished shapes and grace. This ahu is considered to be a symbol of the island and the most well restored architectural monument. It was restored in 1980, it was then that the first coral eye was found as a result of archaeological work. An important discovery, because it became clear that the moai originally had almond-shaped eyes made of white coral with a red pupil.

According to ancient Rapa Nui legend, it was in this bay that Hotu Matu'a, the first king of Rapa Nui, landed with the first seven settlers of the island. That's why this ahu is so symbolic and important!

After swimming, we went to the hotel along another, internal, shorter road, only 18 km. to the city, and soon were already at the hotel. After catching our breath a little and cleaning our feathers, we went to Hanga Roa Bay to look for a restaurant for a festive dinner. But first we sat on the embankment and admired the sunset, a magnificent sight! We were recommended one place, but we decided to go to Pea restaurant, located right in the ocean, to have dinner with a view of the water and sunset. And we didn’t make a mistake with our choice; it was both tasty and aesthetically pleasing! Mario ordered a good bottle of Misiones del Rengo white wine with fruity notes to go with the fish. Of course, I couldn't do without my favorite ceviche on my birthday.

It must be said that the service in local restaurants is very slow, apparently they save on labor, one waiter serves all the tables, but no one complains or is indignant, apparently the relaxed atmosphere that reigns on the island also infects tourists. At the next table sat two young Dutchmen who kindly offered to take our picture; we got good photos. In general, I noticed a lot of young people from Europe on the island, traveling in male couples - a boy and a boy. They have nothing in common with the gays, they just apparently gather according to their interests and travel together. Our women usually drive like this, but for them it’s the other way around. This surprised me.

Thus ended the second day of our stay on the island. We received even more impressions; our heads were simply spinning from their abundance!

On Monday we had a half-day excursion planned for the afternoon, and in the morning we went into the city to explore.

I needed to find out about renting a jeep and sea excursions. First we went to the local diving club and signed up for the very last day on a boat trip to the Motu Islands. What a small world! The owner of this establishment turned out to be a good friend of Mario’s son Ivan, who lives in Mexico and used to work with aquarium fish. Very close by was an impromptu city beach, just a cove, fenced off from the ocean by stones on which the waves crashed. The water in it is completely calm, I saw that children were swimming there, and decided to follow their example. Mario happily stayed to rest on the shore. I swam a lot and had fun, of course not as much as on Anakena, but still. After swimming we went to a car rental agency and booked a small jeep for the next day. The cost of one day rental is about 60 dollars. I liked the service - the owners themselves drive the jeep to the hotel and then pick it up, beautiful! Before the excursion, we decided to eat at Aunt Bertha's cafe. I heard they serve delicious empanadas with tuna and seafood. We went there and sat in the garden on the street. The service is slow, Mario is starting to get nervous, finally I managed to catch the hostess, apparently Aunt Bertha herself, a colorful middle-aged Rapa Nui woman, and place an order. I took a beer with two huge empanadas, and Mario got fish. We ate and returned to the hotel on time, even managed to rest a little before the excursion. While we were waiting for the bus, I approached a mango tree growing on the hotel grounds.

I took a photo and picked up a ripe mango from the ground, which I ate with pleasure later in the evening. Tasty, juicy and very fragrant!

This time we were taken to see the sights inside the island. The first destination was Vinapu. It was in this place that supporters of the theory of the American origin of the Rapanui people found a lot of confirmation of their theory. There are two ahus and the remains of stone walls consisting of monolithic blocks in the "Inca style", that is, the architectural style is very similar to the walls of the ancient Inca empire, which can be seen in Cusco.

Theories are theories, no one knows what really happened there, we can only guess. But Vinapu itself is a very beautiful place, with stunning views of the ocean, hills and valleys.

And horses graze everywhere, which is incredibly pleasing to the eye!

Each hat weighs from 9 to 12 tons and it was quite difficult to place it on the moai’s head; it is believed that they first delivered it to the moai’s destination, then rolled up the hat, placed it on the moai in a lying position, and only then lifted the entire structure. It turned out to be “little red riding hood,” so I dubbed them. This place is located quite high, and we climbed the hill for a long time to the observation deck, from where a stunning view of the hills and valleys opened up.

Something magical, it is impossible to convey this beauty in words and photographs!

And finally we were taken to ahu Akivi of 7 moai facing the ocean. The ocean is quite far from them; they stand almost in the center of the island. Unlike all the other island idols, these actually look out onto the ocean.

Huge, terrifying looking, making a strong impression. I photographed the cows against the background of the statues for contrast; they seem like just insects next to them.

These statues are believed to have astronomical significance because they always face the rising sun. Their purpose is not known exactly; maybe they played some role in establishing all kinds of taboos. Nobody knows for sure. I really enjoyed photographing them from behind and in profile; through their contours there were very beautiful views of the hills and valleys.

On the way to the hotel we were taken to a cove where sea turtles live. We were lucky, we saw a huge turtle very close to us. She stuck out to the middle, looked around and again disappeared under the water. Good but not enough! They waited and waited, but she never showed up again!

Returning to the hotel, we rested a little, got ourselves in order and went to the Polynesian show. We were taken to a restaurant where they gave a folklore performance and were fed curanto. Curanto is a dish of national cuisine, cooked on the ground, on coals, meat, fish, chicken, sweet potatoes, and vegetables wrapped in banana leaves. The cooking process itself is a very picturesque sight. We watched as a colorful Rapanui man, almost naked, opened banana leaves, raked up the ashes and took out the prepared food.

I took a photo with him as a souvenir. And then we ate it all. The waitress asked us what kind of wine we wanted - white or black. They call red wine black! Wild people! They put a flower on all the ladies at the table and explained that if you attach a flower to the right, then it is considered that this lady is busy, and if to the left, then she is free. Mario again found himself next to the Japanese tourists and talked to them like an old acquaintance.

The show lasted about an hour, they sang, danced, a good group, everything was very colorful and interesting for tourists.

I went to dance on stage at the invitation of the group, and Mario managed to take a photo of me with a picturesque half-naked dancer. They dance in a rather aggressive manner, especially the men, who have a menacing appearance and painted faces.

It must be said that local men look much better than women, who, as a rule, are mostly fat and massive. Men are lean, muscular, with pumped up muscles. Such is the injustice in nature! In general, everyone was pleased with both dinner and the show. Vivid impressions, although a little expensive, about 60 dollars per person. But, as you know, you have to pay for impressions; you shouldn’t waste money on this!

This is how our third day on the island ended, adding even more impressions to our treasury!

Independent day! At 10 o'clock in the morning, Jimmy's silver Suzuki jeep was driven to us and we drove first to Hanga Roa, and then along the coastal route. The Jeep was very different in handling from my Getz, it is much stiffer and more comfortable. At first I was timid with him, but after half an hour I got used to it, and was already driving with pleasure, I got the hang of it, as they say, after a hunger strike and abstinence. Driving on the island is easy, it is impossible to get lost, there are only two roads. The difficulty is that there are many branches from the main highway, and these earthen roads are in poor condition, and even go up and down. In one place I stalled and, afraid to go further up, turned back. On the road we saw a lot of horses, really impudent ones, they go out onto the road and stand there as if nothing had happened, not paying any attention to the cars.

The road ran along the ocean, we drove slowly, stopping wherever we wanted to calmly admire the views.

We stopped at Waihu, Akahanga, at the Rano Raraku quarry,

where it started to rain, and we put on purchased film raincoats.

Then, of course, once again to the Tongariki ahu.

We went there completely alone, which I really liked. Alone with the Moai, as they say! Great! Although tourists arrive every day, they are somehow dispersed throughout the island; there is not such a massive presence as, say, in Italy or Spain. You can't even compare. In many places we drove along the main road for several kilometers and did not see a single car. Sometimes it even seemed like it was a desert island. We saw many foreign tourists on bicycles and on foot with backpacks and tents. For lovers of active hiking and camping, Easter Island is simply a paradise. You can pitch a tent almost anywhere and live for free. But this is not for everyone! On the way, in one of the places, we bought as a souvenir a large wooden egg with an image of the iconic manutara bird, very good workmanship for only 15 dollars. There are a huge number of souvenir products made of wood, some are quite expensive from $100 and up, it all depends on the type of wood. We limited ourselves to a modest, but very cute egg.

By lunchtime we reached Anakena beach.

There were much fewer people there now than on our first Sunday visit, and we enjoyed swimming in the warm crystal water!

As you probably already knew, the road to Easter Island for everyone who wants to get there begins from airports in Chile or Tahiti. Travelers to visit the moai (famous idols of the island) are usually taken by LAN airlines, which fly from Santiago airport every day at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and from Tahiti (Papeeti) once a week.

Just recently there was a flight from Lima, but for some unknown reasons it did not justify itself at all and therefore today the easiest way to get to Easter Island is considered to be a flight from Santiago. Of course, you are also aware that tickets must be purchased in advance. Prices start at $650 and up. Oddly enough, the cheapest flights take place on Fridays for some reason. Therefore, you need to look at websites, book in advance and look for cheaper options. In general, you need to carefully monitor all the discounts and offers on the LAN airline website.

If you book a tour to Easter Island, it will cost you incredibly much, and the long flights will simply exhaust you. In this case, if your flight will take place from European territory, then it is best for you to combine a visit to the island with a sightseeing tour of one of the capitals of South America - Lima, Bogota, Santiago de Chile or Quito. In this case, you will be able to find cheaper tickets and at the same time relax after long flights, while diversifying your cultural program as much as possible.

As for organized tours from Moscow with a visit to Easter Island, the most popular here are tours to Chile, of course, because the island belongs to this state. In second, third and so on place in popularity can be called such tours as “Peru, Chile and Easter Island”, “Peru and Easter Island”, and also “Chile, Argentina and Easter Island”.

As a rule, such tours combining a visit to Easter Island along with Latin American countries last at least two weeks (but can also be of shorter duration), and their cost is approximately two to three thousand dollars per person. True, this includes absolutely all transfers, internal flights, visas, insurance, hotels, etc.

So, if you flew to Easter Island on your own, then you will need to stay somewhere for a few days. It is best to choose your accommodation on such a well-known and popular site as Booking.com. There are campsites there, and more budget options, and with more comfortable living conditions.

Now, if you want to explore the island on your own, you will need to rent some kind of vehicle. Of course, a jeep is best, but a scooter is also an option. Fans of organized tourism can certainly take part in one of the excursions offered here. Its cost is approximately $35, they will take you to exactly the same places, but they will also tell you a lot of interesting information about the history of the island.

If you examine everything on your own, then first of all, naturally, you need to go to the coast of the island to the Rapa Nui National Park, which, by the way, is under the auspices of the World Organization UNESCO. This is where the famous stone statues - Moai - are located, apparently made from compressed volcanic ash.

The statues, made in the form of human heads, sometimes with headdresses and sometimes without, sometimes reach a height of up to 20 meters. Naturally, disputes still rage over how the statues got to the coast and who was able to deliver them there. Moreover, many statues remained lying in the quarries, as if someone was in a hurry and did not have time to simply deliver them to their destination.

Then you need to visit another very interesting place on the island - the crater of the Rano Raraku volcano, where there are also about three hundred statues. If you want to visit the crater of the Rano Kao volcano, do not forget that there is an excellent observation deck there. And inside the crater itself there is a very remarkable lake. Some tourists even take a day hike along the crater.

And don’t forget to also take a look at the ceremonial village of Orongo, located near the edge of the crater. It has gained popularity among tourists due to its picturesque landscapes. In former times, certain rituals were held in the village dedicated to the cult of the bird or the bird-man. On the territory of the village you can see many cobblestones with carvings on them. It usually comes in two types - with the image of the local deity Make-Make or the bird-man.

You can visit one of the most beautiful beaches on Easter Island - Anakena Bay. There is stunningly beautiful snow-white sand here. In addition to the fact that surfers are frequent guests in this bay, tourists also often have picnics in the nearby palm groves. Another very attractive beach on the island is Ovaje. It is located in the southern part of the island, but due to the fact that it is surrounded on all sides by rocks (very beautiful), it is not visited very often.

Another very unusual attraction of Easter Island is the Catholic Church of Hanga Roa. It looks very attractive from the outside and inside you can admire the magnificent wood carvings and examples of the craft traditions of the local residents. On Sundays you can also attend a service with musical accompaniment.

Also on Easter Island you can (and should) take a walk to the caves, many of them are accessible and can be easily visited. But there are also a number of caves that are still very poorly explored, so if you want to become their discoverer, go for it. And finally, for cultural development, you can go to the Anthropological Museum of the island, named after Father Sebastian Englert, and visit a large library with a huge collection of books dedicated to the culture, history and ongoing study of Easter Island.

Easter Island (Spanish: Isla de Pascua, Polynesian: Rapa Nui) is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. Early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (The Navel of the World). Officially a territory, Easter Island is located far out in the Pacific Ocean, about halfway to Tahiti. Known for its mysterious giant stone statues, built centuries ago, depicting the dramatic rise and fall of Polynesian culture.

general information

The island's name recalls its discovery by a Dutch explorer on Easter Sunday 1722.

Ever since Thor Heyerdahl and a small group of adventurers set sail from South America to the Tuamotu Islands, far north of Easter Island, there has been controversy over the origins of the islanders. DNA testing has now conclusively proven that the Polynesians came from the west, not the east, and that the people of Easter Island are descendants of intrepid travelers who went there from Taiwan thousands of years ago. Legend has it that people went to Easter Island because their own island was gradually being swallowed up by the sea.

In short, the backstory of Easter Island is a series of achievements, prosperity and civilization that ended in environmental destruction and decline. Although there is no consensus as to when humans first arrived on Easter Island (estimates range from several hundred to more than a thousand years ago), it is believed that the first humans arrived from Polynesia. It is unlikely that this was a mistake or an accident: the evidence suggests that Easter Island was colonized deliberately using large boats with many settlers - a remarkable feat given the distance from Easter Island to any other land in the Pacific Ocean.

The first islanders found the land undeniably a paradise. Archaeological evidence shows that the island was covered with trees of various types, including the largest species of palm in the world, whose bark and wood were used by the natives to make cloth, rope and canoes. Birds were found in abundance. The mild climate favored an easy life, and the abundant waters provided fish and oysters.

The islanders prospered from these advantages and reflected this in the religion that became their leisure activity - the giant moai, or heads, that are the most distinctive feature of the island today. The moai that dot the island are believed to have been images of ancestors, whose presence was probably considered a blessing or a watchful guard in each small village.

The ruins of the Rano Raraku crater quarry, where dozens if not hundreds of moai are located at the very center, are testament to the importance of these figures to the islanders and how their lives revolved around these creations. It has been suggested that their isolation from all other peoples working in the center of trade and creativity created an expectation of some other significant path laid out for them, to which they could use their skills and resources. The bird-man in culture (in the form of petroglyphs) is clear evidence of the islanders' hopes for the opportunity to leave their island for distant lands.

However, as the population grew, so did the pressure on the island's environment. Deforestation of trees on the island gradually increased, and when this main resource was exhausted, the islanders found it difficult to continue making ropes, canoes and everything needed for hunting and fishing, and ultimately to maintain the culture that encouraged the islanders to produce giant stone figures. Apparently, divisions began to intensify (with some violence), confidence in the old religion was lost, which was reflected partly in the ruins of the moai, which were deliberately overthrown.

Towards the end of the glorious culture of Easter Island, the population reached a minimum, the inhabitants, due to the lack of food or means of obtaining a livelihood, sometimes resorted to cannibalism and raw food diet. Even subsequent raids by powers such as and , did not devastate the population so much; in the last century, only a few hundred Rapa Nui natives remained.

Today Rapa Nui National Park is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its residents rely on many tourist and economic connections and daily flights to Santiago. Like many indigenous peoples, the Rapa Nui seek artifacts of their past and try to integrate their culture with the political, economic and social realities of today. You can book a hotel on Easter Island at, and you can check if there is a better price somewhere. Some travelers prefer to rent accommodation from locals - you can look at the offers.

How to get there

Due to Easter Island's extreme geographical isolation, many people believe that only a very intrepid traveler can reach it. Indeed, Hanga Roa's (IATA: IPC) scheduled commercial air services make it accessible, with tourism being the island's main industry.

Since this place is de facto part of , it is a domestic flight from Santiago and passports will not be required upon arrival from Chile. There are also flights from Tahiti - then your passport will be required.

However, these are more of a "path" for most people, with a minimum of 5.5 hours in the air from the nearest continent, and there are very few routes to get to Easter Island. Only regular LAN Airlines flights fly daily to Santiago and once a week to Tahiti. With no competition for this long and challenging flight, fares range from US$400 to US$1,200 per flight from Santiago. You can find out how much air travel will cost for your dates in the Travelask section.

Easter Island is considered to be "conveniently located" when it is revealed to be on the world tour map, where it acts as an interesting stopover between Polynesia and South America, and also helps to reinforce the perception of outsiders. Due to the waves, only one in four cruise ships can dock here.

If you want to go the intrepid route, "sailboat" Soren Larsen sails to Easter Island from New Zealand once a year. The journey takes 35 days, crossing the farthest point from land.

If possible, consider landing in Santiago after returning from Easter Island. There is a small chance that you will be denied boarding on your flight if there is a need for a medical evacuation, and a planned stopover will give you more options if you encounter this. The plane sometimes leaves the island late, which can result in problems with onward connections to the mainland.

By plane

Clue:

Easter Island - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 9

Kazan 9

Samara 10

Ekaterinburg 11

Novosibirsk 13

Vladivostok 16

When is the season? When is the best time to go

Clue:

Easter Island - weather by month

Main attractions. What to see

The biggest attractions on Easter Island are the figures standing on ceremonial platforms called ahu, moai.

Please note that moai and their platforms are protected by law and should not be approached under any circumstances. Don't walk on the fence. This is extremely disrespectful and if you damage areas, even accidentally, the punishment will be severe. Recently, a German tourist who broke a moai's ear was sentenced to criminal charges and a fine of $10,000.

Rano Raraku and Orongo require a National Park entrance ticket, which can be purchased at the airport upon arrival or at the CONAF office. A ticket is required to enter both places, so make sure you have it securely. The rest of the island can be visited without a ticket.

Ahu are mainly located along the coastline of the island. First time visitors may be amazed at how many archaeological sites there are around the island that you can practically visit on your own depending on the season and time of day.

Each clan usually had a guardian, although not all of them were moai, so if you drive along the southern coast of the island, you will see that every mile there are areas of ruins.

Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters of Rano Kau Rano and Raraku. A little further into the quarry at Rano Raraku there is a place where most of the moai were created, on the side of a hill. This is a 300-foot cooled volcano that provided stones for great creations. The visitor can see various stages of carving, as well as partially finished figures scattered around. The climb along the left side of the volcano, to the top and inside the crater, will be remembered for a long time. The opposite side of the crater, where some of the moai were carved, is one of the most dramatic sites on the island, but unfortunately is currently inaccessible.

Likewise, Rano Kau is the remnant of a volcanic ash cone, like Rano Raraku, filled with fresh rainwater and has a mottled, ethereal appearance that will take your breath away. There are other Hanga Roa viewpoints nearby.

Often overlooked, what makes Easter Island particularly fascinating is its extensive cave systems. While there are several "official" caves, which are quite interesting in their own right, there are numerous unofficial caves on the island, most of which are located near Ana Kakenga. While exploring them you will feel like a real adventurer.

CONAF (the national park maintenance organization) classified the caves as dangerous for tourists, and park rangers began regulating access to the caves in March 2014. According to park rangers, there is a risk of collapse, especially at Ana Te Pahu, which is located under the road. Consequently, tour operators will no longer take their clients to the caves (caving visits have now been replaced by excursions to other archaeological sites). There is currently no fence preventing access and it is entirely possible to visit the caves individually with local guides, although some precautions and restrictions must be observed.

While the openings in most of these caves are small (some are barely large enough to crawl through) and hidden (the backdrop of a rather surreal lava field could be compared to the surface of Mars), many of them lead into inordinately deep and extensive cave systems. Note of caution: these caves can be dangerous in that many go much deeper. A person left without a torch will be plunged into complete darkness with little hope of getting out anytime soon... if ever.

The caves are also extremely wet and slippery (some ceilings have collapsed due to water erosion). Also, subtropical rain should not be underestimated. Climate change is very fast, and there is a risk of unexpectedly ending up in a flood zone due to rain. And this is in a cave with limited space to move!

Beaches. Which ones are better

Easter Island has two white sand beaches. Anakena, on the north side of the island, is a great spot for surfing with small waves. You can also surf in the harbor in Hanga Roa, which many of the locals do. There is a small parking lot, toilets (costing $1), several small barbecue cafes with refreshments and a shady picnic area. Palm trees imported from Tahiti complete the calming effect. Anakena includes 2 ahu with moai. Be careful when walking under trees - coconuts may fall. Anakena is considered the place where the colonial tribes first appeared on Easter Island, which is why it is called the birthplace of the island's civilization.

The second beach is the pearl of the island and is called Ovaje, east of Anakena. This beautiful and deserted beach is surrounded by breathtaking cliffs. Please note: the path leading down to the beach is quite uneven and the best way to get here is on foot. Off-road driving (unlike some tourists erroneously) is illegal in most of the island.

Sometimes big waves wash all the sand out of Ovahe and then slowly bring it back. The last such case occurred in 2012.

Some sources mention that you can spend the night in one of the caves in the Ovahe Beach area, but this information is outdated as water is currently leaking through cracks. In addition, it is not recommended to enter the cave at night without an instructor.

Food. What to try

Hanga Roa's restaurants are on the main street and near the harbor, but there are several others scattered in the surrounding areas.

Traditional foods include curanto and tuna ahi.

Menus tend to be limited as most of the food on the island has to be imported, which explains the price level on the island. Even in regular restaurants, appetizer prices start at $20 and up. The assortment of fish is quite large, as is the case in continental fish. Pizza and other usual foods are available at the corner cafe next to the Catholic Church. A large pizza, however, will cost you 14,000 - 22,000 pesos. There is a large selection of toppings and a truly varied menu.

There are 2 types of lobsters. The big one is called a real lobster, and the small one, equally delicious, is called "Rape Rape" by the locals. Currently, lobsters are protected and restrictions are placed on their fishing during the off-season.

The local tuna is considered a delicacy for its white meat and is highly recommended. The octopus and several types of fish are also very tasty.

There are also several limited-stock grocery stores (only a few of which can be considered actual supermarkets) where visitors can pick up snacks, a limited selection of sundries, booze, etc. It should be noted that it is difficult to shop at grocery stores on Easter Island. They are all quite small and their range is constantly changing. A large number of products are not on the shelves - they can only be obtained by consulting with the seller. If possible, it makes sense to bring canned food and drinks with you from the mainland. This will save you from having to overpay on the island, and will also provide you with everything you need.

Like souvenir sellers, many restaurants on the island do not accept credit cards or have high minimum prices. Tipping is also included (10% is considered a polite level). However, check your receipt before paying for anything, as some restaurants add a mandatory service charge to your bill.

Kanahau - good food and service on Main Street.
Kotaro is a Japanese restaurant with delicious food and excellent service from the chef himself.
Kuki Varua - great food and great service. Try to have your table on the second floor terrace.
La Kaleta. A restaurant with a beautiful view of the sea and delicious food. It has the reputation of being the best restaurant on the island, so it's not the cheapest place either.
La Taverne du Pêcheur is a small French restaurant in the port part of the village. Very good seafood. This may be the most expensive restaurant on the island. Some people think the prices are too high.
Mamma Nui is a family restaurant serving traditional cuisine. They specialize in tunu ahi.
Pea. Despite the sea view, the high prices are not comparable to the quality of the main dishes.
Tataku Vave. Since the restaurant is not located in the very center, you would not be able to find this gem without recommendations from the reception. The seafood, service and view are as good as the most expensive restaurants, but the prices are much more reasonable. They specialize in small lobsters ("Rape Rape"). Exquisite views of the sunset and crashing waves. 8,000 - 12,000 pesos per person, plus drinks. The access road is steep, but you can drive slowly or take a taxi.
Te Moana. The restaurant moved from the main street to the end line in 2013. The tuna sandwich is especially good. And a live orchestra often plays on Wednesdays and weekends.
Te Ra"ai offers a package that includes travel (hotel - restaurant - hotel), a Polynesian dance show and the Curanto dinner. The restaurant is located outside of Hanga Roa. Reservations are required as the restaurant is very popular. The show has some Brazilian influence due to with its owner.
Varua, Atamu Takena. A new restaurant with all the classic trappings can be found on the island at good prices, plus an excellent menu for the main courses of the day (starter, main course and fruit juice). The service and food are excellent.

Less expensive options include sandwiches and empanadas. Alternatively, you can find a local bakery and make your own sandwiches. Budget travelers or those looking for simple food can try the following options:

Club Sandwich also has fantastic empanadas, but sandwiches are their true calling and are worth a try. Try a banana and orange smoothie if available. To my shame, they are not open for breakfast.
Donde el Gordo on Church Street is also a good option for those looking for simple food, but their sandwiches are a bit more expensive.
Mahina Tahai - classic large "menu", includes bread, butter, soup, fish steak and rice, juice and dessert.
Miro is located close to the cemetery and has large pizzas.
Piroto Henua is a sports bar with a simple menu near the airport entrance.

Beverages

The Chilean drink pisco, made from fermented grapes, is the unofficial drink of the island. However, pisco is sour and should be mixed with lemon juice and egg whites, which is a better option if you are not used to whiskey or rum. Drinking pisco has a lower strength than vodka, although Chileans do not recommend it.

On the island you can also try drinks made from papaya, mango or guava, depending on the season. All these natural juices are mixed with pisco. About 4,000 pesos at the restaurant.

Another common cocktail is piscola, pisco with Coca-Cola.

The local brewery is called Mahina, producing light craft beer and stout. It was closed for almost 2 years between 2012 and 2014, but is now open again. They also produce delicious bottled souvenirs. Despite its name and local ownership, the Akivi brand is made on the mainland (the brewery is located in Quilpué).

The going rate for a can of soda at a restaurant or hotel seems to be around 1,500 - 2,000 pesos. You can buy beer for the same price.

Safety. What to watch out for

In practice, there is no street crime in Hanga Roa. Thus, well-behaved tourists have nothing to fear. Tourists who require police assistance can contact the local PDI (Chilean Federal Police) office, which is located outside the city a short taxi ride away and is open until 6 pm. However, be aware that officers generally only speak Spanish.

If you have lost your passport, you can file a report for 500 pesos and also replace your visa application; A photocopy of the document will be invaluable. Presentation of this report will allow you to board a plane back to Santiago, the rest will be decided by your embassy.

Mornings are dark during the winter months (June - August) and nights can be cold until spring (September - October). Depending on the season, you should not forget about protection from the sun and wind.

Hepatitis vaccinations are suggested by the CDC for visitors to Easter Island primarily due to street food vendors and tropical water consumption. Easter Island officials insist the water is safe, but some say it tastes strange and could disrupt your intestinal flora. Avoid drinking tap water and eating street food until you know how it will affect you. Let the hotels prepare all the food and drinks for the tourists' stomachs and therefore be safer than the restaurants. Day excursions organized by tour companies often include a prepared lunch. They should also be safe as many tour companies are affiliated with hotels and source their products from the kitchens of the tourist hotels, but if in doubt, ask.

There are many stray dogs on Easter Island. It is advisable not to allow them to approach, as some of the dogs are unpredictable. Get rid of stray dogs using a commanding voice and stern gestures. If you are bitten by a dog, go to the hospital and get a rabies shot.

Visitors to Anakena Beach should be careful when walking under the palm trees. Coconuts may fall and hit you. Also, Anakena Beach has many vendors selling very exotic looking food and drinks that are fun to try, but one must always keep in mind that there is no running water in this part of the island, so hygiene and food safety should be an important criterion when purchase. If you decide to get the hepatitis vaccine before arriving on the island, keep in mind that it involves three shots and will take several months to provide full protection.

Remember that some of the island sites can only be reached after a long journey, sometimes steep and potholed. Always ask your instructors about this. The path of more than 700 meters will quickly tire you. Travelers will enjoy the experience more if, especially in key areas, physical activity does not cause problems.

Travelers who have difficulty walking, using stairs or using wheelchairs will have limited travel. The trails simply don't support wheeled vehicles. Stairs can be very steep and quite narrow for people walking up and down the same steps. Steep slopes sometimes do not have safety railings. Most trails do not have facilities and can be narrow. You are not allowed to leave the trail: this will result in a complaint from your guide and is also against park rules.

Things to do

Some areas of the restoration area (Pua Katiki and Terevaka Peninsula) are forested. These areas may only be accessible on foot or horseback. Access to recovery areas by car is strictly prohibited.

Much of the west coast is not accessible by vehicle, leaving only hiking or horse riding (limited accessibility).

Snorkeling is a popular pastime, even with the current partial restrictions in some areas (around Motu Nui and Motu Iti islands). There are diving centers here that rent equipment and organize boat excursions for divers: Atariki Rapa Nui, Orca and Mike Rapu Diving.

Large sea turtles can be seen near the fishing boats.

Tours

Group tours are the most common way to explore the island. Given the lack of public transport, sharing a tour with a group of tourists is an effective way to reduce the burden on the environment. Travel companies also provide private tours.

Local guides can also show you some aspects of island life that you might never otherwise see or hear.

Travel agencies sell vacation packages that include accommodation and excursions. However, only places officially owned by a company can legally provide their services tax-free (the invoices they give you, Law 16.441). This means you will avoid VAT and other taxes when you go directly to the operators.

There are 4 established local tour operators, each with at least ten years of experience.

Aku Aku Turismo. Tour operator primarily providing Spanish group tours. Their office is located next to the Manutara Hotel reception.

Kia Koe Tour, Atamu Tekena s/n, Hanga Roa, ☎ +56 32 210-0852. The main tour operator on Easter Island. The office is located on the main street. Tours are available in a group or with a private guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. They also provide charters and catered cruisers. The company was founded in 1984.

Mahinatur. One of the oldest tour operators, their specialty is tours in French.

Rapa Nui Travel. Tour operator providing mainly German group tours.

The tourist information center can also put you in touch with freelancers, but professional guides work mainly with large tour operators.

Easter Island Travel. Specializing in private groups, experienced in adventure and independent cruise excursions. English and Spanish speaking guides.

Green Island Tours-Easter Island.

When dealing with small companies or individual freelancers, you should always have a description of the services and total cost in writing for your own safety. In addition, law firms in, including Easter Island, have a RUT (9-digit code).

Hike

Hiking is quite easy on Easter Island. It is not necessary to hire a guide for this, although to see some of the hidden archaeological treasures of these routes it may be worthwhile. If you decide to do this without a guide, all you need is a simple map and some recommendations from the receptionist or park rangers (especially taking into account local laws and regulations).

The most popular hike options are recovery zones. They are not accessible to any type of vehicle (even the old paths are still partially visible; visiting these areas is prohibited):

The hike to Terewau, the island's highest point, is fairly easy. The journey to the top will take about 1.5 hours, and allow another hour for the return journey (from and to Ahu Akivi). Or you can start from Vaitea (about half way to the main Anakena beach). You can also get there on horseback (usually there are tours every morning, depending on the weather).

Rano Kau can be easily reached on foot. When you reach the volcanic crater, simply drive along the east side of the crater to see views not accessible by other vehicles. You can also go to Orongo or just take a tour.

The northwest coast hike will take approximately 5 - 7 hours and will require some planning and preparation. You can simply take a taxi to the main beach of Anakena and head back along the coast to Hanga Roa. You can also go on horseback, although this is less accessible (the route is not as popular and more expensive than others). Although there are several archaeological sites here, which, however, are not of great interest. Among them, for example, is a cave full of petroglyphs.

Pua Katiki is an isolated northeastern peninsula with high, steep cliffs. Some of them are currently used as cattle grazing areas. The climb to the top will take about 1.5 hours. Along the way you can see some interesting monuments, including the infamous "Virgin's Cave".

Shopping and shops

Since there is only one village on the island, Hanga Roa, craft markets and shops are mainly located on its main street, church street or nearby.

Many local small producers are located in large areas close to tourist bus stops - they are worth a look if you would like to purchase local artisan products or limited-edition souvenirs that cannot be found in other countries. You can also buy souvenirs at the airport, but they will be mass produced.

The official currency is the Chilean peso (CLP), but unlike the continental one, here you can pay in cash using dollars (USD). Almost all hotels and business travelers accept USD, but you should convert to check which rate is best for you. Taxi drivers only accept small USD bills.

Some guidebooks claim that you can use euros (EUR), but this information is false, although some souvenir shops readily accept cash. However, you can exchange euros at a gas station at a reasonable rate (more convenient than in banks).

When buying souvenirs, it is better to pay in cash. Often sellers will inflate the minimum price or charge service fees for using a credit card (about 10 - 20%) - only in cases where the seller accepts credit cards at all; many small manufacturers only accept cash.

There are a total of 2 ATMs on the island. The ATM in front of the Banco Estado on Tu "u Maheque Hanga Roa accepts only Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard, except branded Visa cards. The ATM on Policarpo Toro accepts Visa, Cirrus, Maestro and Mastercard. Previously, there were ATMs in the airport departure hall, as well as inside the gas stations , but both ceased operation (July 2013).

The local bank can issue Visa loans, but they are open only part-time (Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 13:00) and queues can be long, especially at the end of the month.

Some of the most unique things on the island are the banks (CONAF and almost all the businesses). They are very picky when it comes to the condition of dollar bills. Banknotes are not considered valid if they are torn, wet, defaced, or even if they are old and tattered. These notes can be saved for some other purpose. However, when you take out dollars yourself (or exchange money before visiting the island), you should keep this in mind.

Unlike on the continental island, 19% VAT is not charged on Easter Island.

Clubs and nightlife

Nightlife on the island is less active than in larger cities, and the main attraction is definitely the Polynesian dance shows. Kari Kari on the main street, Wai Te Mihi next to the cemetery and Te Ra'ai restaurant outside Hanga Roa have their own specialties throughout the year (except during the holidays and Tapati, when dancers participate in festival events). Discos, Toroko and piriti - places where you could easily fit in with the crowd of locals.

How to return

LAN Airlines has regular flights to and from (daily), to Lima (currently discontinued) and Tahiti (weekly). If you are departing from an airport in another country, there will be a small cash exit fee!

Anything to add?

So, the story about the Great Chilean Journey is over.
The time has come to sum up the results of its fourth stage -.
We were also just the two of us on Easter Island, and spent 5 days there. In fact, it turned out to be 6, but already .
What have we been doing all this time? Is this a lot or a little for Easter Island? How much did it cost us?

What were we doing?

We traveled all over Easter Island.
1

We climbed the volcano.
2

We met the calculation for .
3

We visited (twice) the place.
4

And in the workshop where hats were made for them.
5

We walked around the whole
6

Got to .
7

We drove around and walked around almost all of Ahu on the island.
8

Some more than once. At different times of the day and in different weather, moai and ahu are perceived completely differently. And having a car allows you to do this at a time when there are no tourists who are brought in en masse by minibuses.
9

We saw it.
10

Watched surfers riding.
11

We climbed onto.
12

We learned that the island smells of foam from grandma’s jam.
13

We visited the only bounty beach on the island.
14

And on a small wild beach with.
15

We are convinced that moai are different. Moai boys.
16

And graceful.
17

Watched the sunsets...
18

AND .
19

At these sunrises on the ocean. You can go to the island only for them.
20

We admired the herds of wild horses.
21

And they fed the dogs.
22

We were just wandering through the green streets of Anga Roa...
23

5 days - is it a lot or a little? For some, two days are enough, for others, they are ready to explore the island for two weeks, and after a couple of years return there again, claiming that they have not seen everything yet. In our opinion, these 5 days were just enough.

And now about expenses.

Transport.

Airplane.

For some reason, many people mistakenly believe that visiting Easter Island costs some unreal money.
I have already written that adding a flight to Easter Island and back to a combined ticket to Chile and around Chile along a complex route increased its cost by only $100 for each person. So, let’s assume that the flight to Easter Island cost us $200 for two.
24

Car.

For three days we rented a broken-down jeep to travel around the island - there is no public transport here as a class, and the bulk of the attractions are located outside the village where everyone lives - both locals and tourists. It was fortunate that the car was at our disposal for 3.5 days. We were going to take it on Sunday morning, but luckily we went to the agency on Saturday evening to check prices, and found out that on Sunday almost nothing works on the island, and even less so for car rentals. Therefore, they gave us the car on Saturday evening, but for the price of three days.
Car rental cost 90,000 pesos or $144.
During this time we spent 24,000 pesos = $38 on gasoline.
25

In total, transportation costs turned out to be $382 for two or $38.2 per day per person (including flight to the island).

Housing.

Hostal Mangai Rapa Nui ordered through AirBNB(prices are much cheaper there).
For 5 nights it cost us $286 for two (in a room for three). Or $28.6 per person per day.
26

Entertainment.

Although the main entertainment for us was, of course, the Pacific Ocean itself,
27

For entertainment, we spent 60,000 pesos for two tickets to national parks (and), which is equal to $95.
It is worth considering that it is cheaper to buy a ticket directly at the airport immediately upon arrival - it is cheaper.
28

By the way, if you arrive early in the morning (and the people there are lazy, the controllers at the entrances appear mainly at the beginning of the mass arrival of minivans with groups - no earlier than 10 am), then you can get in without a ticket.
29

For souvenirs - very little (we bought a flag to sew on a backpack, and magnets for friends) - 7,500 pesos.

In total - $107 or $10.7 per day per person.

Food.

There's a problem with food on Easter Island. Both in stores and in restaurants. There is practically nothing of our own, everything is imported from the continent by plane, and therefore expensive. Once we ate in a restaurant - tasteless and expensive. Once we happened to attend a local festival, where we were fed a cow baked whole in a pit - that was delicious. And so we ate mostly empanados (pies with different fillings), bought some in super and fruits and vegetables at the local market in the mornings. We are generally unpretentious when it comes to food. And it’s warm there all the time - so you don’t really want to eat.
30

Our total food expenses for 5 days amounted to 94,550 pesos - about $150 or $15 per day per person.

Bottom line.

A five-day personal tour to Easter Island, with flights (I specifically included the cost of the flight) and a car (which gave unlimited freedom of movement around the island) cost us $925 for two. Per day per person it came out to $92.4.
And you will tell me that a trip to Easter Island is something unreal!

Therefore, if you are planning your trip to Chile, then add a trip to Easter Island to it. This will not increase your overall costs much, but you will be able to visit an amazing and mysterious small island, the most remote from the rest of the land, surrounded by an incredible ocean.