Hangaroa

Easter Island is an anchorage or drifting port, with the ship’s tender service bringing passengers ashore. Hanga Roa, the small island capital, is approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 km) away; taxis are usually available and charge a flat fare to Hanga Roa.

Rough sea conditions often stop tender service and shore visits.

Take a printable map along.

Easter Island lies in the south Pacific Ocean. Its name came from Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen, the first European to record it, who arrived on Easter Sunday in 1722. In Spanish it is Isla de Pascua, a direct translation of Easter Island; islanders call it Rapa Nui.

Easter Island is best known for the stone statues, or moai, scattered along its coastline, which have helped it gain World Heritage Site recognition. Carved from compressed volcanic ash, every moai is monolithic, formed from one piece of stone. The largest standing example, Paro, is nearly 10 meters (33feet) high and weighs 75 imperial tonnes (83 American tons). Archaeologists have found a still larger unfinished moai in the quarry: it is 21 meters (69 ft) and would have weighed 270 tons when completed. 95% of the moai came from Rano Raraku quarry, a volcanic crater on…

The small town of Hanga Roa is easy to explore on foot.

Entry to Rapa Nui National Park costs $85.

More than a hundred taxis serve the village, making travel straightforward without a vehicle. Islanders sometimes call a taxi and order bread from a bakery, with the driver acting as a delivery service.

A tour company is not necessary. The island is very small with few roads, so take a map, hire a car and tootle around at your own pace; sharing a taxi is another good choice.

Many visitors hire mountain bikes for about 15 usd/day. Bring water with you.

Try diving or snorkeling near Motu Nui and Moto Iti, the islands south of the main Easter Island and the place from which the “Bird Man Culture” developed.

Postage stamps featuring the celebrated moai appeal to stamp collectors.

Chilean Peso, USD and Euro’s are widely accepted.

Town has a number of Internet cafes.