Chile🇨🇱 | regionsEaster IslandMoai quarry, birdman ruins, volcanic craters, Pacific isolation | things to do and best time to go

Distances are short and roads are paved or decent dirt, so you can get around on foot in Hanga Roa and by rental car or scooter beyond it. Rest through the hot midday and start early and finish late, when the light is soft and tour buses have gone.Day 1: Hanga Roa: Use the first day to get oriented. Walk to Ahu Tahai in the afternoon, book your rental, and pick up your national park ticket. The town is where you will sleep and eat, so settling in first saves time later.Day 2: Rano Raraku: Take the east coast loop. Begin at the quarry before the groups arrive, then continue to Ahu Tongariki. Bring lunch, because facilities are few, and plan to rest in the shade at the middle of the day.Day 3: Anakena: Spend the morning on the north coast at Anakena for a swim and a look at Ahu Nau Nau. On the … read more 👉

Distances are short and roads are paved or decent dirt, so you can get around on foot in Hanga Roa and by rental car or scooter beyond it. Rest through the hot midday and start early and finish late, when the light is soft and tour buses have gone.Day 1: Hanga Roa: Use the first day to get oriented. Walk to Ahu Tahai in the afternoon, book your rental, and pick up your national park ticket. The town is where you will sleep and eat, so settling in first saves time later.Day 2: Rano Raraku: Take the east coast loop. Begin at the quarry before the groups arrive, then continue to Ahu Tongariki. Bring lunch, because facilities are few, and plan to rest in the shade at the middle of the day.Day 3: Anakena: Spend the morning on the north coast at Anakena for a swim and a look at Ahu Nau Nau. On the way back, stop at Ahu Akivi, which sits inland and is quiet.Day 4: Ana Te Pahu: This is the detour: drive up through the farmland to the lava tubes, then continue to Puna Pau on the return. It adds depth without leaving the loop.Day 5: Orongo: Finish with the crater rim at Rano Kau and the birdman village of Orongo, then stop at Vinapu and Ana Kai Tangata on the way down.If I could keep only one day, it would be Day 2. Seeing the quarry and then the fifteen moai of Tongariki standing against the open Pacific explains the whole island.

Easter Island eats from the Pacific, so start with tuna, grilled or served as a bright, lime-cured ceviche with a clean, salty snap. Po’e, a sweet pudding of banana, pumpkin and flour, comes warm and dense, with a soft caramel finish. The island’s earth oven, the umu, steams chicken, sweet potato and fish in banana leaves until it smells of smoke and sweetness, and it is often prepared for groups on special days.

Backpackers eat well at the harbor in Hanga Roa, where small seafood spots serve a fish plate for about US$15 to 25. The bakeries sell warm empanadas stuffed with tuna and cheese for US$3 to 5, ideal for a long day on the road. The Feria market and the small supermarkets help you self-cater, but prices run about double those of the mainland because nearly everything comes by air … read more 👉

Easter Island eats from the Pacific, so start with tuna, grilled or served as a bright, lime-cured ceviche with a clean, salty snap. Po’e, a sweet pudding of banana, pumpkin and flour, comes warm and dense, with a soft caramel finish. The island’s earth oven, the umu, steams chicken, sweet potato and fish in banana leaves until it smells of smoke and sweetness, and it is often prepared for groups on special days.

Backpackers eat well at the harbor in Hanga Roa, where small seafood spots serve a fish plate for about US$15 to 25. The bakeries sell warm empanadas stuffed with tuna and cheese for US$3 to 5, ideal for a long day on the road. The Feria market and the small supermarkets help you self-cater, but prices run about double those of the mainland because nearly everything comes by air or sea.

For a drink, order a pisco sour or a local Mahina beer at a sunset bar facing the water. Fresh juices of guava and passion fruit are a good, cold treat.

Tipping of about 10 percent is usually added to the bill, and you can pay in Chilean pesos or US dollars at many places. Meals can be slow, so order, relax and watch the surf.