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Easter Island, known to its people as Rapa Nui, is a small volcanic triangle in the South Pacific, administered by Chile but culturally Polynesian. It is among the most isolated inhabited islands on Earth, and it is famous for the moai, the great stone figures carved by its ancestors to honor important lineages. A national park covers a large share of the island, and UNESCO recognizes its statues and ceremonial platforms.
Hanga Roa, the only town, makes a convenient base. Just beyond it, the Tahai Ceremonial Complex is a popular sunset spot, and the Museo Antropologico Padre Sebastian Englert provides useful background. In the southwest, the crater lake of Rano Kau sits beside Orongo, the ceremonial village linked to the birdman competition, while Ahu Vinapu shows remarkably fitted stonework. The quarry at Rano Raraku, where many moai still lie half-carved on the slopes, is the most memorable site on the island, and nearby Ahu Tongariki lines up fifteen restored statues facing inland. The eastern Poike peninsula and the petroglyphs at Papa Vaka reward slower exploring, Anakena combines a white-sand beach with the moai of Ahu Nau Nau, Te Pito Kura holds a large rounded stone, and the seven figures of Ahu Akivi stand inland facing the sea.
A park pass is required, and visits to many sites now must be made with a licensed local guide. Distances are short, but services are limited.
WiserMap travel guideEaster Island Chile Moai at Ahu Tongariki and Rano RarakuPlan an Easter Island trip: Ahu Tongariki, the Rano Raraku moai quarry, Orongo, Anakena beach, park ticket and guide rules, and the best time to visit Rapa Nui.Read the guide
A restored ceremonial site on the coast just north of Hanga Roa with three ahu platforms, including Ahu Ko Te Riku, the only moai on the island with restored eyes and a red topknot. Foundations of boat-shaped houses surround it. It is the island's favorite sunset spot, so arrive early for a good place.
A site near the airport known for an ahu wall of tightly fitted basalt blocks that recalls Inca stonework, with toppled moai lying face down nearby. It is quiet and rarely crowded. A national park ticket is required, and it fits easily into a morning loop with Rano Kau and Orongo.
The largest ceremonial platform on the island, with fifteen moai standing in a row facing inland, restored in the 1990s after a tsunami scattered them. Rano Raraku rises behind. It is the classic sunrise spot; arrive before dawn, and note that the park ticket allows entry only once.
An inland platform with seven moai that, unusually, face the sea, and are said in legend to represent seven explorers sent ahead by King Hotu Matu'a. The figures are aligned with the equinox sunsets. It is a calm spot in the island's interior, often visited with Puna Pau on the same trip.
A huge extinct volcano crater filled with a reed-covered lake at the island's southwest tip, with the stone village of Orongo on its rim, center of the Birdman cult, with petroglyphs and sea views to the islets. Ranger checks apply at Orongo. Go on a clear day, and hike up from Hanga Roa if fit.
The volcanic quarry where nearly all moai were carved, with hundreds of statues still standing half buried on its slopes or left unfinished in the rock. A marked trail passes the famous heads and the crater lake. Entry is allowed once per park ticket and only with a licensed guide, so plan your visit.
A site on the north coast with Paro, the largest moai ever erected on a platform, now lying face down, and a smooth round stone said to hold mana, the navel of the world. It is a short stop on the road to Anakena. Respect the low barrier around the stones and listen to the local guides.
A small volcanic crater of red scoria where the pukao, the red stone topknots placed on moai heads, were quarried. Several unfinished topknots lie on the slope, and a short path leads to a viewpoint over Hanga Roa. It takes under an hour and combines well with nearby Ahu Akivi.
The island's anthropological museum near Tahai, covering Rapa Nui history, the moai, the Birdman cult and rongorongo script, with a rare female moai and a coral moai eye on display. It is small and quick to visit. Go before touring the sites, as it helps make sense of what you will see.
A white coral sand beach with turquoise water and palm trees on the north coast, overlooked by Ahu Nau Nau, a row of finely carved moai with topknots. Legend says the first king landed here. Food stalls serve empanadas, and it is the best swimming spot on the island.
A group of large basalt slabs on the north coast carved with petroglyphs of canoes, tuna, sharks, octopus and fishhooks, showing the islanders' bond with the sea. A short path and signs guide visitors. It is a brief stop on the coastal road between Ahu Tongariki and Anakena.
A long lava tube cave system inland from Hanga Roa, used as dwellings in the past, with collapsed openings where banana trees and plants grow in natural sunken gardens. Parts can be explored with a flashlight. Wear sturdy shoes, as the floor is uneven rock, and bring a headlamp.
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