Our Impression of Easter Island

Here is our impression from our visit to Easter Island during the 01 January 2016 – 07 January 2016.

Kissing a Moai at Rano Raraku on Easter Island.

Getting Around:

It’s an island that is small enough for you to circumnavigate by car in a day, but it is still big enough so that you can get lost. There is no need for public transportation on the island as most of the island life takes place in the main town of Hanga Roa. To get to the beaches and sites outside of Hanga Roa, you can rent a car, a scooter, or a bicycle. You can also always hitchhike with islanders or vacationers, as people are always more than happy to give you a ride on this little island. A friendly tour-guide gave us a lift on the way back from our hike to the top of the volcano, even though it was only the remaining 300 meters to the city centre. There are tours that will also cover these sites but its much more convenient and cheaper to do it on your own. You can also trek and walk to sites just outside of Hanga Roa as well as jog to sites on the opposite side of the island (we’ve seen people do it but you’ll need a lot of water and sun-block!). Other than that there is not much more to it to get around the island.

People:

The people native to Rapa Nui keep to themselves and do not mingle with tourists on the island. Even through all the activities that we did, we only met foreigners who migrated to the island for work. We even met a Brit who came to the island to study the Rapa Nui language, and ended up staying and working as a tour guide for 15 years. Rapa Nui locals probably have much more in common with other Polynesian islands and Polynesian culture than they do with Chile. Life seems to be very simple, as it usually is on islands. We got used to watching the one bar/disco on the street slowly close up shop at 8 AM in the morning as the last few customers dizzied their way to their mopeds and sped off zigzagging out of control down the street. While the primary industry is tourism, locals will try to keep as little involvement with tourism as necessary (just enough to make their salary). Despite the first appearances, people seem to have very deep cultural roots but rather keep it to themselves.

Climate/Nature:

The climate on the island during our visit was very warm, almost tropical. The sun can be quite strong but there is almost always a nice breeze blowing. While it does rain occasionally, we only had some dark clouds that would often blow away as fast as they appeared. The island does have some small forests, but its mostly covered in bushy grass lands. Most of the island is covered in greenery, with only one pure sand beach on the opposite side of Hanga Roa town. There are some smaller sand beaches in little coves but they are also a little rocky. In terms of wildlife there is not much on the island. Pretty much all we saw were some lizards and stray dogs. However almost every morning we saw some huge sea turtles swimming about in the main harbor looking for fish leftovers brought in by the fisherman (make sure to check them out!). The weather on Easter Island is pretty much great all year round, making it a perfect place to visit.

Culture:

At first glance, the culture on Easter Island seems to be lacking and very washed out. But after a few days on the island you come to realise that in fact not a lot is known about the history and culture of the island, such as why and how the Moai’s were build. In fact, the more you dig into the history you learn that there were in fact a variety of cultures on the island such as the tribe that built the Moai’s and the tribe of Bird-men rebelled against them. As well as key historic moments where Easter Island was first visited and ravaged by different European explorers. Only then do you start to scraping at the real culture that was around on Easter Island many years ago. A lot of the history explained in documentaries and museums is mostly speculation and educated guesses based on what has been documented of the island. As a lot of the culture and history is still being researched, it makes the island all the more mysterious. During your stay you will end up making your own theories and wondering what the Moai’s are and why they came to be.

Activities:

There is a lot to do on Easter Island, especially if you love exploring. Activities can be tied to discovering different parts of the island. It’s very common to rent a bicycle, car, or quad-bike to drive around the island and visit the further Ahu’s (Moai shrines), visit the sand beach of Anakena, or explore cool caves embedded in the cliffs of the island. During our stay we decided to do one day by car to the further sites, one day by mountain-bike to the sites closer to Hanga Roa, and one day we trekked up the volcano to check out the beautiful Rano Kau crater and Orongo village (the holy site of the bird-men priests). There is also some great diving and surfing which can easily be done right out of Hanga Roa. Hanga Roa itself is a great hang out with cozy lagoons to swim in, little café’s and ice cream shops, as well as a couple Moai’s nearby that make for a great sunset vantage point. After six full-days on the island, we felt we had seen the whole island but had the urge to explore it even more.

Summary:

Easter Island is a great place for a one-week trip as it combines all the positive aspects of an ideal holiday. 1, it is an extremely remote and infrequently visited place making your trip an exotic experience to share with friends and family when you get back; 2, it’s not an overrun touristy place where everything is done by tour agency and instead you do and explore everything on the island on your own; 3, it has everything you would look for in an island holiday including a great beach with very few people, swimming/diving/surfing options, and great sunrise/sunset view points; 4, it is a place with a very unique culture and history which the island is known for around the world and furthermore it is still shrouded in mystery allowing you to make your own discoveries and interpretations about the island’s culture; 5, it’s a tropical climate meaning the weather is great almost all year around. We loved Easter Island and despite the visit being on the more expensive side, it was worth every penny.

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Boundless Voyages Ranking (all out of 5):

 Cost: $$$$$
(Very Expensive. There are no sparing expenses on Easter Island as everything is flown into the island. Everything is expensive. However after a few days in the Island, we just gave in and enjoyed our daily 3-dollar sodas.) 

Food: @@
(Limited options. While the seafood is fresh, it comes at a price. It is very common for people to bring coolers of food for their 1-week stay on the island. Other than a few restaurants, there is only a selection of empanadas and burgers. We saved on food by cooking our own pasta each day.)

Fun Factor: ###
(Calm yet interesting. On Easter Island, it’s not so much about the fun factor. You won’t find any crazy activities to try out. Instead to have fun, you find your own way of exploring the island.)

The Experience: XXXXX
(A superb experience to share with others when you get back. Easter Island is all about discovering the mystery behind its history and culture by your own means. While there are places to get information about the island, it is mostly left for you to research on your own. Easter Island brings out the explorer in you, making it a unique travel experience.)

Let us know if you have any thoughts, comments, or even questions about our visit to Easter Island.

Happy Travels!
Daniel & Veronica