Before travelling to Rapa Nui: weather, flights and logistics

When to go

The climate is humid subtropical: between 18 °C and 28 °C all year, with rain possible in any month and near-constant wind. There is no bad season; there are seasons with more people and higher prices.

How many days

• 3 full days — the reasonable minimum. Covers the essentials on a tight schedule, with no margin if it rains.
• 4 to 5 days — the sweet spot. Room for a beach, a dive, a ride or a hike, plus a spare day.
• 6 to 7 days — comfortable. Revisit sites, catch sunrise and sunset without sacrificing anything, settle into the island's rhythm.
• 30 days — the legal maximum for tourists.

Factor in the time difference: Rapa Nui runs two hours behind mainland Chile. In your favour on day one, against you on the way back.

Getting there

By air only, into Mataveri airport (IPC). LATAM operates the route from Santiago (SCL) in around 5 h 10 min, and it is effectively the only regular connection.

• Book early. Few seats, high demand and very volatile fares.
• The return ticket is a legal requirement and must fall within 30 days.
• Watch your connections. If you are coming from outside Chile, leave slack in Santiago: a missed flight to Rapa Nui is not simply recovered the next day.

Where to stay

Almost all of the offer is in Hanga Roa. It must be registered with SERNATUR to serve as your supporting document for the FUI.

• Wild camping is prohibited, inside and outside the park. Authorised campsites only.
• Look for a kitchen. Many cabins have one, and it is the best way to keep food costs down.

Getting around

• Rental car or jeep — the most flexible option. Note: local rentals usually come without insurance, and there are no petrol stations outside Hanga Roa.
• Motorbike, quad or bicycle — good for the south coast and the nearby circuit.
• Taxis — flat fare within Hanga Roa.
• Tour transfers — normally include pick-up at your accommodation.
• On foot — Hanga Roa and Tahai are comfortably walkable.

Money

• The currency is the Chilean peso. Paying in CLP always works out better: the exchange rate offered to tourists is not favourable.
• There are two banks with ATMs in Hanga Roa. They can run out of cash on long weekends and in high season: bring cash from the mainland.
• Cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants and agencies, though some businesses add a percentage. Craftspeople and small stalls are usually cash only.
• Dollars and euros are accepted in tourism, but the notes must be in pristine condition.
• The cost of living is noticeably higher than on the mainland: almost everything arrives by plane or ship.

Connectivity and power

• Internet — much improved with satellite connectivity and reasonably stable in Hanga Roa and Tahai. Inside the park, essentially non-existent.
• Mobile coverage — limited outside town.
• Download before you leave — offline maps, your park ticket QR, bookings and this guide.
• Power — 220 V, type C/L plugs, the Chilean standard.

Health and safety

• Hanga Roa Hospital — basic care. There is no infrastructure for complex emergencies, and an evacuation means a five-hour flight. Travel insurance with evacuation cover is strongly advisable.
• Dengue — the Aedes aegypti mosquito has been endemic since 2000 and there have been outbreaks with health alerts in recent years. Repellent and long sleeves at dawn and dusk.
• Water — tap water is not drinkable. Buy bottled or use refill points, with a reusable bottle.
• Sun — high UV all year, even under cloud. High-factor sunscreen, hat and sunglasses.
• Sea — strong currents outside the designated beaches, and no lifeguards along most of the coast.
• Terrain — volcanic, uneven and sharp. Closed shoes with a firm sole.
• Crime — very low. Normal precautions.

What to pack

• Hiking shoes or closed trainers with a good sole. Sandals on volcanic rock end in a twisted ankle.
• A windbreaker or light waterproof. Essential: rain arrives suddenly and passes.
• Light breathable layers, plus swimwear and beach sandals.
• Hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen — sunscreen is expensive on the island.
• Insect repellent.
• A reusable bottle and a bag for your rubbish.
• A torch or head lamp for the caves.
• Cash in Chilean pesos and your ticket QR downloaded.
• Personal medication — the pharmacy carries limited stock.

Travelling without leaving a mark

Rapa Nui lives on tourism and at the same time has to protect itself from it. Law 21,070 exists because the island has hard physical limits on water, waste and energy. Six concrete things:

1. Hire an accredited Rapa Nui guide. It is mandatory, and it is also the mechanism by which tourism becomes income for the community that looks after the heritage.
2. Take your rubbish with you. There are no bins at sites or beaches, and the island's landfill is a real problem.
3. Reusable bottle. Single-use plastic arrives by plane and stays forever.
4. Buy local. Straight from the carver, a Rapa Nui restaurant, a Rapa Nui guide.
5. Ask before photographing people, and respect private property: outside the park, almost all the land has an owner.
6. Learn four words. Iorana and maururu cost nothing and change how you are received.