After concluding the southern trip, fly back to the capital, Santiago, and start a three-day Easter Island itinerary. Recommendations:
1️⃣ Join a one-day tour that includes the Rano Raraku quarry, the 15-moai group at Ahu Tongariki, and the moai by Anakena Beach.
2️⃣ Watch the sunset at Ahu Ko Te Riku, and stargaze 🔭 when night falls. If you like sunrises, you can also go to the 15-moai group (requires an additional tour).
🚩 About Tours: Denomades offers a one-stop shop for tours, and it’s cheaper to sign up in person; you can inquire and compare more. The full-day “Route of Hotu Matu‘a” tour was the most impressive, allowing you to visit the quarry and see the carved but not yet extracted moai, as well as the 15-moai group by the sea.
✈️ About Flights: There is a significant difference between US dollars and Chilean pesos on the Latam official website. Monitor the ticket prices in advance and refer to the average price, and finally, I got a round-trip ticket to Easter Island for less than 2,500 RMB, flights LA841 and LA844, with a smooth payment experience.
✈️ About Check-in and Boarding: At the domestic terminal security entrance in Santiago, there is a dedicated channel on the right for Isla Pascua, where you need to check your passport again. But remember to register in advance: https://ingresorapanui.interior.gob.cl/. Go through immigration again, and they will give you an entry slip (keep it safe as it will be collected during registration), and stamp it (I regret not asking the customs to stamp my passport, but I didn’t try).
After that, you can proceed to the boarding gate after security.
🏨 About Accommodation: Book in advance on Booking. I booked Cabañas & Hostal Tojika, which has a great location, right by the sea (see Figure 15). They will contact you in advance to confirm your arrival flight, arrange for airport pickup, and present you with a welcome lei, making it very ceremonial.
🍽️ About Dining: There are many restaurants near where I stayed, and the food was quite good. One memorable place was Neptuno sunset restaurant, where I had a clear day and a great time. After the tour, I went there and had Ceviche, which was super fresh and unforgettable, see Figure 16.
🎫 About Tickets: You can buy them offline at the Rapa Nui National Park Ticket Office, and get stamps on the paper ticket at each site. If you don’t buy tickets, you can rent a bicycle like my Brazilian roommate to visit the sites. Besides some free viewing spots, other sites can also be seen from a distance.
🎁 About Souvenirs: There are markets selling various moai souvenirs at the Ticket Office and on the main street. Ask around for prices, and you’ll have a better idea.
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