Five Days on Easter Island – The Perfect 50th Birthday Present

When I realized early last year that I would turn 50 in 2025, I promised myself to do something special for this milestone occasion. But I had no idea what this would be yet. Because of our flexible lifestyle and undetermined schedules, who knew where we would end up in November? It could be Brazil. Or Chile. Or back in Colombia.

Once we secured buyers for Thirsty Bella, whom we would meet in Santiago de Chile at the beginning of December, my excitement for a destination grew. I’d always wanted to visit Rapa Nui (Easter Island), which belongs to Chile. Mark and I actually had plans for a week-long vacation there in 2014, when we were sailing in French Polynesia. But fate had something much less fun and more impactful in mind twelve years ago. So, we hopped on a plane to the US instead of Rapa Nui to deal with Mark’s health.

This magical destination had always been in the back of my mind. Now that I’d be in the capital of Chile, the only place left with regular flights to Hanga Roa, the main town of Easter Island, it was the perfect time to book this trip. Unfortunately, prices for everything—from hostel rooms to flights to the national park fee—had gone up immensely since the pandemic. I sucked it up, yet tried to keep my five-day excursion as cheaply as possible.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

With only one personal item (Latam Airlines charges extra for carry-on bags as well), I took a cab to the airport early on November 16th and hopped on a plane for five hours. This domestic flight was comfortable and smooth. There was entertainment and—to my surprise—a meal was included. When exiting the plane, passengers were welcomed with Polynesian drumming and dancing. I felt immediately transported back to the South Pacific of our sailing days. It felt great! I had missed the islands and the culture.

To save money, I walked the half hour—a bit overdressed—from the airport to my hostel, enjoyed the views of the ocean and some old and newer statues along the shoreline, and was settled by 2pm, ready for my solo adventure.

That first afternoon, I had hoped to book a “full” island tour, buy my mandatory national park ticket, inquire about activities, and get my bearings. But because it was Sunday, I couldn’t do much more than explore the town of Hanga Roa and enjoy my first sunset over the moai of Ahu Tahai.

I had three full days to take in the sights of Easter Island. My return flight would leave on the afternoon of day five. It seemed like plenty of time.

On Monday, my plan was to hike along the northern shore and end up at a couple of national park sites to peek at. I had bought my pass for $102 (which had gone up that month from $75 and the bad exchange rate with the US$ made it even more expensive), but most of the sites are only accessible with a guide. Another change since Covid.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed strolling over the bluffs and the volcanic rocks, following horse trails, and spotting the “sunset statues” by day, without the crowds. Statues on the island were erected to honor the (affluent) deceased and later in history, (mass) burials took place underneath the platforms.

Continuing along the shoreline, I passed another single moai and eventually, I walked through a gate where I was immediately yelled at and kicked out by a ranger. Luckily, a more friendly local gave me a ride back to the village.

Since I thought I had plenty of time to explore this island, I relaxed that afternoon and finally caught up on my diary writing. The resident cat and two dogs often kept me company. I had made arrangements for a scooter rental to tour the island the following day.

When I woke up after a noisy and restless night, I made a last-minute decision to cancel the scooter and book a half-day tour instead. I scrambled to eat breakfast, pack a bag, and make lunch in order to join an island tour. This trip did not include the highlights of Rapa Nui National Park, but we did stop at one of the sites I really wanted to visit: Ahu Akivi.

This was our first stop and the only ahu (platform) with statues facing the ocean. All the other (finished) moai face inland towards the villages and the people they offer protection to. Our guide told us the history and legend of these warriors.

The tour van then stopped at a couple of ruins and the hill where the “top hats” of the statues had been mined. They are made of a different, softer rock than the moai themselves. Only noblemen were able to commission and afford them.

Our group also checked out a single moai, which had free access. Still, I was glad I didn’t rent a scooter, because I wouldn’t have had a guide, wouldn’t have been able to enter most sites, and would have had to drive myself.

Near the airport, we visited Ahu Tahira, which was part of the Vinapu site. Here, we mainly saw toppled statues, remnants of the platform, and other ruins.

The view over the Rano Kau crater and its lake was spectacular. Our guide told us the story of the Birdmen here (which is depicted in the 1994 movie Rapa Nui), because the actual O’Rongo site and village were closed because of a landslide. This was unfortunate, since it is one of the highlights on the island. The museum documenting the history of Easter Island was also closed (I was told, for political reasons). It left me disappointed to pay so much money to come here and to then face unexpected closures and raised prices. My research hadn’t mentioned any of these.

When I returned home around 2pm, fellow hostel guests Gerd and Pauline had cooked up a wonderful lunch and they invited me to join them. Since I’d been making basic meals every day, this was a welcome and wholesome surprise. Speaking French didn’t come too easy, though, after all this Spanish.

That night was the opening ceremony of the PanAmerican va’a (outrigger canoe) races by Ahu Tiata. The location by the island’s main harbor was a half-hour walk and I arrived late for the festivities.

Nevertheless, I could enjoy the last singing and dancing acts, which reminded me of the annual heiva festivities of French Polynesia.

And I was happy to spot a few new-to-me moai and watch the local scene on my stroll back home.

The big highlight of my trip happened on my last full day. I had booked the main island tour with the same company, Hanave. It only runs on certain days, hence me taking a different tour the previous day. Our guide was very talkative and explained everything much longer in Spanish than in English, so our small group of gringos often lost focus and each stop dragged on.

If you go to Easter Island and only do one excursion, the “full day tour” is the way to go. We began with the more boring sites of Vaihu, a reconstructed village, and Akahanga, which contained ruined platforms and toppled statues.

One of the highlights of the island is Rano Raraku, also called “the quarry”. This is a magical place with a spiritual aura and significant historical value. On this hill, all the moai were created—carved from the volcanic rock—before being transported, upright, to their destined platform.

Many statues were never finished, so the hillside is scattered with mostly erect moai. Some of them stood taller than others, which has to do with the erosion of the terrain.

The idea had been to reach Anakena Beach for lunch, but lunchtime came and went due to our “slow” and talkative guide. I was glad I snuck in a sandwich while others had a toilet break.

The next stop on our day tour was Tongariki, which we spotted from the quarry earlier. This row of 15 statues on the same platform is awe-inspiring and another highlight of Easter Island. We circled the site, which allowed photography from all angles. This is a very popular site for sunrise as well.

Before finishing our tour at the beach, we made a quick stop at Te Pito Kura, which sports a unique, perfectly round magnetic stone believed by Rapa Nui people to hold spiritual energy.

This is also the site of the largest statue that was ever successfully erected on Easter Island. While currently lying face down with a broken neck, the Paro moai once stood 10 meters (33 feet) tall.

It was already 3:30pm by the time we reached Anakena Beach, our final destination on the tour. Here, we were allowed one hour of “free time.” I found a spot under the palm trees for my second sandwich and took in my surroundings. The beach was quite stunning, with white sand and clear water. I had not expected that. Surrounded by grass and palm trees, it surely looked tropical and nothing like the rocky shoreline I’d experienced until then.

Rested and with a full belly, I walked up to more moai on higher ground. This felt like another unique location, what with the calm bay, exotic sand and palms, and a cultural touch…

Of course, I had to dip my toes in the South Pacific waters. I hadn’t brought a bathing suit, because I did not expect pretty beaches or hot enough weather for a swim!

Our tour ended in town around 5pm. Everyone I met that day had planned a sunrise tour—with the same company—to Tongariki, written up in guidebooks as a must-do. I’d spent a lot of money on excursions already, so had no intention to go the following morning. But when I heard that others managed to get a deal when booking three trips at the same time, I tried that approach, since I had gone on two other tours with Hanave. I just hadn’t booked everything at the same time. The employee consulted the owner of the travel agency and, yes, they allowed me to join the next morning at a discount. Otherwise, I’d have to pass.

That evening, I revisited Ahu Tahai for a second, and better, sunrise. I had to go, because it was only a 15-minute walk from the hostel.

And then, my fifth day on Easter Island, started and finished with a super early start at 4:30am and a slow sunrise behind the moai of Tongariki. It was another magical experience.

After packing up and checking out of my hostel, I lucked out. The hostel owner had to pick up paying guests at the airport and offered me a ride for free. Soon enough, I was on a plane back to the mainland of South America and this special trip felt like a different world and a distant memory already.

Yes, it was expensive. And yes, some parts felt commercial and rubbed me wrong, but I am very glad I jumped on the chance to visit this faraway destination with its intriguing history.

For anyone interested in the expenses of my five days on Easter Island, here is an overview:

• Return flight from Santiago to Hanga Roa: $568
• National Park fee: $102
• Three guided tours: $130
• Food: $30 (one dinner out at $12, bread, milk, and vegetables bought on the island; other ingredients brought from the mainland)
• Accommodation: $198 for four nights
• Souvenirs: $16
• Taxis to and from Santiago airport to Bella: $24

The total cost for my trip comes to $1,068, which was a little bit lower than my estimated $1,100–$1,200.

I wore long clothes, hiking shoes, and a rain jacket, wore my long and warmest clothes, and packed everything else in a small backpack: my big camera, phone, tablet, clothes, toiletries, stainless steel water bottle, snacks, and dinner items. It was tight. 🙂

Next up: Concluding our three-year South America journey the same way we started it, with three weeks at an Airbnb in a city.

Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs? Check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir: