Can you visit easter island

The bungalows are about a minute walk out of Hanga Roa, but the coastal views along the way—and welcome drinks upon arrival—make up for any inconvenience. Rooms are bright and airy, with open-air showers and private terraces. There are plenty of places to dine on the island, and most are in town. Be prepared for slow service, and plan accordingly if you are eating before meeting a tour guide. La Kaleta , which sits right on the coast for a great view, is a visitor favorite.

The menu is written on a chalkboard outside the restaurant and changes daily, making the food is similarly fresh. Nearby, Te Moana also offers beautiful ocean views.

Portion sizes are slightly larger here than many of the other restaurants, and it is also slightly more expensive. They specialize in fresh seafood, including oysters and ceviche. Another favorite for visitors is Neptune Island Restaurant. Guests can dine on the veranda or inside the restaurant and enjoy views of the Pacific from either spot. The staff here is friendly, and prices are modest.

Without hesitation, the stone moai heads are some of the most recognizable statues in the world. The statues, some of which stand up to 32 feet height, were carved to honor important people after their deaths. Moai were carved using a tool called a toki : a chisel made of rock. The best quality toki were made from a very hard stone known as hawaiite , which was only found in the Rua Toki-Toki quarry. One of the biggest enigmas of Easter Island is how ancient Rapa Nui were able to move the gigantic stone statues from their carving site to the places they would eventually stand.

Most people believe they were rolled on logs from one site to another using a relatively. An archeologist once tried to recreate this means of transportation, and successfully moved a moai with the help of only 25 people. That means travelers must necessarily fly through Chile. From Santiago to Hanga Roa—the capital of Easter Island—the flight is five and a half hours, and there are about a dozen flights each week. Though the island is endemic for Zika, the Center for Disease Control still recommends women who are either pregnant or planning to become pregnant plan carefully and discuss their travel plans with a doctor.

Otherwise, only the standard travel vaccination recommendations apply. Getting around on Easter Island can require some pre-planning. Very little of the island has cell phone reception, so while taxis often drive around looking for passengers, a better option is to pre-book before setting out on your daily adventure.

The same applies for pick-ups from the airport, which can help you avoid potential scams. Rental cars are also available on the island, but few offer insurance, and roads can be difficult. One of the best ways to see the island is to book a tour, both for convenience and for an insider perspective.

In all, we spent 4 nights enjoying the island which felt about the perfect length of time. Any less would have felt rushed, but we could happily have stayed a bit longer. Some people believe the stone heads are intended to help protect the islanders from the sea and other tribes. A single Moai statue could be 20m tall and weigh up to tons, taking a team of men a whole year to make, using just hand chisels, which is simply astounding to comprehend.

How these huge statues were transported miles from where they were carved is uncertain, but it adds to the mystery of the whole island! Wherever you stay, it seems you'll be well located and there is only one real township called 'Hanga Roa' with everything you need within easy reach. Once you step outside of Hanga Roa it's incredibly green and there are lots of wild horses, there's a real sense of isolation along the rugged coastline and stormy seas.

With a basic map we explored the island and the quarry and found Maoi statues are absolutely everywhere; some upright, some fallen, some unfinished, each with its own fascinating story. Legend tells of a gruelling annual leadership competition that used to take place here, which is fascinating. Contestants had to swim out and collect the first egg of the season from Motu Nui islet, swim back and then scale the cliffs of Easter Island to reach the village of Orongo - the winner being known as the 'bird man'.

It's spectacular once you're there and around the Volcano rim you can reach the Orongo archaeological site; a ceremonial village with tiny stone dwellings and rock carvings. Spectacular sunrise and sunsets : the generally rocky coastline makes a great place to catch the sunset behind some Moai statues.

In fact, just a short walk north of the main township, whilst the waves crash against the rocks is easily one of the best sunsets I have ever seen! Climbing the volcano for panoramic views: the incredible extinct volcano Rano Kau is not far from the main township, Hanga Roa where most people stay. Heading to the beach: Anakena Beach is particularly scenic and has tempting white sands. They operate one flight per week from Tahiti a 5 hour flight and 8 flights a week from Santiago a 6 hour flight.

Easter Island is a volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and marks the southeastern corner of the Polynesian triangle. The island is barely The island landscape is barren and devoid of trees making the presence of Moai a unique cultural phenomenon. Easter Island belongs to Chile and is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.

It is miles away from Pitcairn Island and miles away from the coast of Chile. You need to add a 6 hour flight to whatever time it takes you to reach the Chilean capital, Santiago.

Most people need to set aside an entire day to reach Santiago and then another to reach Easter Island. Call the island Rapa Nui and you will make friends faster. The famous stone statues on Easter Island are called Moai and they are present all over the island. Most tourists see the famous photo of the Moai buried neck-deep at Rano Raraku quarry before arriving on the island and are surprised to know that the statues also have torsos or bodies.

Visitors are forbidden from touching the Moai and breaking the law carries a hefty fine. The Moai are protected by law because they are deteriorating at a fast pace and tourist activities accelerate the process. Be responsible and respectful. The Moai that you see standing were all toppled down during the civil war that festered for years on Easter Island.

They have been re-erected in modern history by explorers and archaeologists including Thor Heyerdahl, Sergio Rapu, and others. The original upright Moai and the method of erection are lost to us forever.

The earliest statues had empty eye sockets and were blind. The later ones were more finished and had coral eyes in the sockets. The eyes were added after the statues reached the final resting spot. You can see replica eyes on a Moai at Ahu Tahai.