Where is Easter Island? How to get to Easter Island? Explore the mystery of Easter Island’s statues with our guide to this remote Pacific island.
Dreaming of escaping to a remote island dotted with giant stone heads that might be silently judging your every move? Excellent choice.
If you’re wondering where Easter Island is located, how to get there, who made the Easter Island heads, and whether they have bodies, this guide will show you why it’s worth the trip and how to get there without having to carve your own canoe.
Table of Contents
🗿 Where Is Easter Island Located?
Where is Easter Island located? Easter Island (aka Rapa Nui) is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. It’s located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, roughly:
- 3,500 km (2,200 miles) west of mainland Chile
- 4,000 km (2,500 miles) southeast of Tahiti
Though it’s a territory of Chile, geographically it feels like its own little lost world. The island is volcanic, wild, and packed with mystery.
You won’t accidentally end up here. You go on purpose – and that’s what makes it magical.
🗿 How to Get to Easter Island
Ready to stand face-to-face with some ancient stone legends and get to Easter Island without relying on driftwood? Here’s what you need to enter:
- A round-trip flight booking
- A completed FUI (Formulario Único de Ingreso) travel form
- Proof of stay at a registered Easter Island hotel
- A stay limit of 30 days
- A ticket to Rapa Nui National Park (about USD 80), required for most archaeological sites
- In most cases, a licensed local guide is needed to visit restricted sites
Easter Island reopened to tourists in August 2022, after a two-year pandemic pause. No COVID-related documents are required anymore. Travel is open and easier than ever.
✈️ Flights to Easter Island
The only way to get there is by plane, and flights are limited. LATAM Airlines operates direct flights from Santiago, Chile (SCL), typically 1 to 3 times per week. Flight time: ~5.5 hours.
Book well in advance – flights to Easter Island are limited and fill up quickly, especially during the high season (June to August).
🛏️ Easter Island Hotels
Most accommodations are in Hanga Roa, the island’s only town. From eco-lodges to cozy cabins, there’s something for every budget. Top picks include:
- Explora en Rapa Nui – All-inclusive luxury hotel with serious views and guided Easter Island tours
- Hotel Hare Uta – Charming, cultural, and close to the action
- Pua vaenga hostel – Great if you’re focused on moai, not mattresses
🗿 Book Guided Easter Island Tours
Easter Island tours offer an unforgettable journey through ancient history, stunning landscapes, and Polynesian culture. Guided tours are the best way to explore the island’s iconic moai statues, hidden archaeological sites, volcanic craters, and sacred caves.
Knowledgeable local guides share fascinating legends and insights into the island’s mysterious past with visits to highlights like Rano Raraku quarry, Ahu Tongariki, Anakena Beach, and Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers much of the island.
Whether you choose a half-day excursion or a multi-day adventure, guided Easter Island tours provide a deep connection and context to this remote and awe-inspiring destination.
🗿 Things to Do on Easter Island
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Attend the Tapati Festival (February) – Experience Rapa Nui culture in its most vibrant form during this two-week celebration filled with traditional music, dance, sports, and body-paint competitions.
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Watch a Traditional Dance Show (Year-Round) – Enjoy performances blending Polynesian rhythms, costumes, and storytelling, offered regularly across the island.
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Explore Local Art and Handicrafts – Discover intricate wood and stone sculptures made by native islanders, each piece reflecting ancestral traditions.
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Get a Polynesian Tattoo – Tattoos are a deeply personal way to connect with Rapa Nui heritage, with each design carrying symbolic meaning.
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Visit Archaeological Marvels and Sacred Sites – Beyond the famous Moai, explore ancient ceremonial platforms, caves, and petroglyphs.
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Relax on Beautiful Beaches – Enjoy turquoise waters and white sand at Anakena Beach or the serene, untouched Ovahe Beach.
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Hike Epic Trails and Volcano Craters – Trek to the dramatic Rano Kau crater or follow coastal paths with sweeping ocean views.
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Immerse in a Warm, Welcoming Culture – Engage with the Rapa Nui community, whose traditions are deeply rooted in Polynesian ancestry.
🗿 Who Made the Easter Island Heads?
The Easter Island statues, called moai, were crafted by ancient Polynesians (Rapa Nui) to honor ancestors and leaders between the 13th and 16th centuries.
These massive stone figures, often referred to as the Easter Island heads, have bodies. Many are buried up to their necks in volcanic soil, hiding their torso-sized secrets.
Each moai is carved from volcanic tuff; most are between 4 – 10 meters tall and weigh 14 tons on average. Some wear red “pukao” hats made from a different, lighter volcanic stone, sculpted and then balanced on top. The tallest moai ever erected, “Paro,” stands over 10 meters and weighs 82 tons.
The Easter Island people are believed to have “walked” the statues upright using ropes and teamwork. Today, over 900 moai are scattered across the island, standing guard over the landscape. Many face inland, watching over ancient villages.
The volcanic quarry of Rano Raraku, where most Moai were carved, still holds nearly 400 unfinished statues, giving you a rare glimpse into their creation process. In 2022, an Easter Island fire damaged some moai near the quarry, but most statues are intact, and restoration efforts are ongoing.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial platform. It holds 15 moai in a dramatic oceanfront row, restored after being toppled by a 1960 tsunami.
🗿 Don’t Touch the Easter Island Moai
Visitors are strictly forbidden from touching the Moai statues, and breaking this rule can cost you more than just your dignity. In one infamous case, a Finnish tourist was fined USD 17,000 after breaking off part of a Moai’s earlobe as a “souvenir.”
These statues are protected by Chilean law because they are already deteriorating due to centuries of weathering, erosion, and tourist impact. Even small touches contribute to damage, as oils from human skin speed up the decay of the porous volcanic stone.
With fewer than 1,000 Moai remaining and some already lost to time, preservation is critical. Rapa Nui authorities and UNESCO stress the importance of being responsible and respectful.
So admire the Moai from a safe distance, follow marked paths, and never cross protective barriers. Remember, you’re standing in an open-air museum that’s over 500 years old.
So, if you want to caption your selfie, “Just hanging with the Easter Island heads,” it’s time to book that flight, pack a sense of wonder, and go meet the moai.
The Easter Island statues are waiting. And trust us, they’re even more impressive in person.
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