The plane to Easter Island is about to land, and as I gaze at the map, it feels like a dream to see just a tiny “dot” in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean (Figure 2). The airport on the island is charmingly small; after passing through a thatched corridor, you step out into the open (Figure 3).
➡️ Itinerary (Non-self-driving version)
Day 1: (Figures 4-8)
We arrived in the afternoon and first booked a one-day tour for the next day in the town. Then, we took a leisurely walk along the coastline all the way to Ahu Tahai, where the Moai with eyes stands.
Day 2: (Figures 10-13)
We joined a one-day tour that covered most of the key attractions.
Since the first day was cloudy, we returned to Ahu Tahai to catch the sunset 🌆 after the tour.
Day 3:
At 10 am, we asked the landlord to drive us to Mirador Rano Kau (crater), and after visiting, we walked down the mountain to the airport, which took about 🚶🏻♀️1.5 hours. The scenery 🌲 and environment were absolutely stunning.
🗺️ Full/Half day tour options
Upon arriving on the island, I explored many travel agencies in the town. Generally, they offer both full-day and half-day tours.
1⃣️ Full-day tour: Available as private or group tours, both starting at 9 am and ending at 4-5 pm.
Group tour: Maximum 15 people, covering 6 sites mainly on the right side of the island, 💰60,000 pesos per person (Figure 9).
Private tour: For 2 people, covering 8 sites, 💰70,000 pesos per person.
2⃣️ Half-day tour
Group tour: Visits 3 sites, morning tour ends at 12:30, 💰30,000 pesos per person.
Private sunrise tour 🌅: Only goes to Tongariki (15 men Moai) for the sunrise, 💰30,000 pesos per person.
Finally, we booked a group full-day tour from a small stall run by a man in the town (although the open-air stall seemed a bit unreliable, the experience was actually fantastic. When he opened his PPT presentation, I had a gut feeling… it’s him) (Figure 14).
[Experience of the one-day tour in the next post 😂]
🍱 Eating (Figure 15)
Food on the island is incredibly expensive, so it’s best to bring some provisions before coming (water, milk, chips, fruit, instant noodles, toast, jam). The more you bring, the better!
The flight ticket includes luggage allowance, and when boarding, I saw everyone with big and small bags, even someone carrying two boxes of pizza, and I secretly regretted not bringing more.
💰 Reference prices on the island
Pringles chips 3,900 pesos (30 RMB per can)
4L bottled water 6,000 pesos (46 RMB)
Moai fridge magnet, large 3,000 pesos each, 5,000 for two. Souvenir shops in the town are generally cheaper than the stalls at the Moai sites.
🏠 Accommodation (Figures 16-17)
The cabin we booked was in a prime location, about a 15-minute walk to the visitor center / to Tahai (the Moai with eyes), and there’s a grocery store nearby.
Perhaps due to certain expectations for the conditions on Easter Island, the cabin felt much better than the pictures!
👫 The landlords are a couple, and they are extremely friendly and welcoming.
@Zouzoushu
