Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

The most spectacular collection of moai on Easter Island are found at Ahu Tongariki on the eastern coast. Fifteen enormous moai stand in line on a platform – the largest ceremonial site on the island and a truly dramatic assemblage. Nearby petroglyphs show a turtle with a human face as well as a birdman, an important cult figure in Rapa Nui culture.

It’s worth being an early riser for a visit to Ahu Tongariki: their location becomes even more spectacular at sunrise, when the sun breaks out of the Pacific Ocean behind them to cast them all in a magical light.

The best place to explore the origins of the moai is at Rano Raraku, a quarry close to Ahu Tongariki, where you can see where the giant statues were hewn from the volcanic tuff, without any metal implements.

It’s one of the most evocative sites on Easter Island. The green hillside here is dotted with dozens of moai in all stages of carving, from the barely begun to almost finished. There’s a very real sense of walking into a construction zone that’s been abandoned halfway through a project, and it's impossible to leave Rano Raraku without being impressed at the skills and dedication needed to erect such incredible monuments.

The southwestern tip of Easter Island is dominated by the enormous Rano Kau crater, which is the collapsed remnant of a once-powerful volcano. It’s a great place for hiking and wonderful views out across the Pacific Ocean.

Close at hand, Orongo ceremonial village was once an important site for Rapa Nui’s birdman cult, where young men would compete to collect the first seabird eggs of the season from a small island offshore. The first to swim the back with an egg and scale the cliffs of Rano Kau won great honour for their clan.

Please note that a natural rockfall in November 2025 means that it is not currently possible to access Orongo, though you still hike at Rano Kau for the views.

Ahu Tahai is one of the most picturesque spots on Easter Island. It’s a collection of three ahu platforms topped with moai, around the remnants of an ancient village. The moai stand on the edge of a western-facing cliff framed against the sea. There is no better place on the island to watch the sunset on the island: it’s truly dazzling, and is just a short walk from Hanga Roa town.

The northernmost moai is called Ahu Ko Te Riku and is unique on the island. Not only is it a rare example of a statue wearing a pukao (topknot), which is carved from red volcanic rock, it’s the only moai that still has eyes. These are made from white coral and obsidian, and signify a moai that has come to life to spread its spiritual power over the land it surveys.

No trip to a tropical Polynesian island should be considered complete without a little beach time. Anakena on the north coast is a gentle cove with all the white sand and palm trees you’ll need to indulge any desert island fantasies.

Oral traditions recount that it was at Anakena where the founder of Rapa Nui first landed, led by their leader Hoto Mat’ua. The beach is overlooked by Ahu Ature Hoki, a group of moai re-erected by the local community with explorer Thor Heyerdah in 1958, which were the first moai to be re-erected in modern times. 

Easter Island doesn’t just have to be about its ancient culture and its beaches. There are a variety of adventure activities on offer as well. One of the best is to hire an ATV. There are only a couple of roads on the entire island, but it’s a fun way to explore independently, especially to get to the beach. Horse riding and mountain bikes offer alternative ways to get around.

For a different perspective, it’s possible to go out by boat for snorkelling or just to see the dramatic coastline from the water, or got underground in the Tahai caves.

Despite its modest size, Easter Island has a good selection of places to stay, from simple hotels to all-inclusive luxury lodges.

The majority of the island’s accommodation is in Hanga Roa town on the western tip of the island, including one of our favourite lodges, Nayara Hangaroa.

To truly escape from everything Explora Rapa Nui offers tropical island seclusion run to the same high standards as the luxury lodge group’s properties in Patagonia.

All Swoop’s preferred hotels include optional guided excursions to Easter Island’s main sights.

Sleepy Mataveri International Airport (code IPC) is on the outskirts of Hanga Roa town. 

There is at least one daily direct flight connection to Santiago with LATAM (4½ hours), with two and sometimes three flights a day in high season.

LATAM is the only airline that serves Easter Island. This, plus the island's ocean location, help explain why this is considered one of the most remote destinations in the world.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic there were direct flights from Easter Island to Papeete (Tahiti), but there are currently no plans for this service to resume.