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Easter Island
Rapa Nui / Easter Island · Valparaíso Region, Chile
A lonely island watched over by 887 moai: a mysterious civilisation in the middle of the Pacific
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Never climb or touch the moai (heavy fines)
- don't take stones or artefacts
- drones need a permit.
Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
A masterpiece of the Rapa Nui people: most of the 887 moai stand with their backs to the sea, facing their villages (the 7 at Ahu Akivi are a rare exception facing the sea), telling of ancestor worship and tribal wars; the 'Birdman' ritual and the rongorongo tablets have still not been fully deciphered. Inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1995, it is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world — solitude is its deepest character.
Costumbres locales
- Visitors must buy a national park ticket (about USD 80)
- visit sites with a guide or on marked routes
- islanders are warm-hearted — please respect Rapa Nui culture.
Religión y creencias
- Ancestor worship (the moai embody ancestors) and the 'Birdman' faith
- the ahu (platforms) are sacred — don't climb or touch the statues.
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Chile: no drinking in public places
- Drink in restaurants and bars
- Drinking in streets, squares, seafront promenades and other public places
It is illegal.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Chile travel advice
Chile: no open fires in national parks
- Use fire only at permitted campsites
- Lighting an open fire outside designated campsites in a national park
You can have your tourist permit cancelled, be ordered to leave within 72 hours or be deported; starting a forest fire can also bring criminal charges.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Chile travel advice
No lo haga DON'T
- Never climb or touch the moai (heavy fines)
- don't take stones or artefacts
- drones need a permit.
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
- The Rapa Nui people appreciate visitors who respect their culture and learn the island's history
- watching sunrise at Tongariki (15 moai) and attending traditional dance performances are most popular.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
| Mejor época | Best October–April (southern summer) |
|---|
Consejos de viaje
- October–April (the southern summer) is best. There are only 1–2 flights a day (about 5.5 hours from Santiago), so book flights and accommodation months ahead
- allow 3–4 days
- the Tapati festival (February) is liveliest.
Eat nearby
Qué comer cerca
Imprescindible
- Tuna ceviche
- Tuna empanadas
- Umu earth-oven feast
Tuna ceviche, tuna empanadas, umu earth-oven feast (group booking), island sweet potatoes / pineapples, seafood soup
| Dónde comer | Restaurants and budget fast-food places on Hanga Roa's main street; bring your own lunch to distant sights such as Ahu Tongariki |
|---|---|
| Normas en la mesa | No eating, drinking or climbing in the restricted areas around the moai platforms |
| Precio orientativo por persona | CLP 18,000–30,000 ≈ CNY 133–222 |
| Consejos | Bring all your own water and food for sights outside town. |
Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.
Victorika · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photos
Fotos
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Mc vc · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Rjcastillo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Aurbina · Public domain
Fuentes y notas de verificación
Compiled from Chile tourism board guides to Easter Island
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