How to Tour Easter Island

People call Easter Island one of the wonders of the world. Known for its giant stone statues, Easter Island is located in a remote section of the Pacific Ocean. The nearest populated areas, Tahiti and Chile, are thousands of miles away.

Instructions

1

Decide whether you want to tour with a group on a prearranged tour or if you'd prefer to travel on your own. A number of companies offer group tours by plane and boat. If planning the tour yourself, you'll want to fly from Chile to arrive at Easter Island in about six hours.

2

Choose to stay in a hotel, guesthouse or private home. If you travel with a tour, they arrange your accommodations for you. On your own, you can book ahead or you can choose a place upon arrival from the locals who wait at the airport for tourists.

3

Study a map of the island to get a sense of the layout. You can download a map from the Internet or purchase one on the island.

4

Visit Tahai on the Western shore where some of the earliest Easter Island statues are located. Travel inland to visit the restored site of Ahu Akivi. Up north, enjoy the white sand beach while visiting the statues at Anakena Beach.

5

Experience the native life by visiting Hanga Roa, the only town on the island. Most of the Rapanui, the Easter Island people, live there. You can further enjoy local culture by timing your trip to coincide with the local Tapati festival, which occurs in late January or early February.

6

Explore two of the volcanoes on Easter Island. Go the top of the Rano Kau Volcano to visit Orongo, a ceremonial site. At the other end of the island, visit Rano Raraku where ancient inhabitants quarried for the statues. Over 300 statues rest on its slopes.

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People call Easter Island one of the wonders of the world. Known for its giant stone statues, Easter Island is located in a remote section of the Pacific Ocean. The nearest populated areas, Tahiti and Chile, are thousands of miles away.

Instructions

1

Decide whether you want to tour with a group on a prearranged tour or if you'd prefer to travel on your own. A number of companies offer group tours by plane and boat. If planning the tour yourself, you'll want to fly from Chile to arrive at Easter Island in about six hours.

2

Choose to stay in a hotel, guesthouse or private home. If you travel with a tour, they arrange your accommodations for you. On your own, you can book ahead or you can choose a place upon arrival from the locals who wait at the airport for tourists.

3

Study a map of the island to get a sense of the layout. You can download a map from the Internet or purchase one on the island.

4

Visit Tahai on the Western shore where some of the earliest Easter Island statues are located. Travel inland to visit the restored site of Ahu Akivi. Up north, enjoy the white sand beach while visiting the statues at Anakena Beach.

5

Experience the native life by visiting Hanga Roa, the only town on the island. Most of the Rapanui, the Easter Island people, live there. You can further enjoy local culture by timing your trip to coincide with the local Tapati festival, which occurs in late January or early February.

6

Explore two of the volcanoes on Easter Island. Go the top of the Rano Kau Volcano to visit Orongo, a ceremonial site. At the other end of the island, visit Rano Raraku where ancient inhabitants quarried for the statues. Over 300 statues rest on its slopes.