Today, we finally caught a star that especially Stefano had long dreamt of. This morning, we boarded a LATAM flight from Santiago de Chile to Hanga Roa, Easter Island. On the menu for our island adventure: mystical moai statues and Rapa Nui tradition, shaped by extreme isolation and rich Polynesian heritage, and a unique environment of ancient craters and caves, tropical greenery and paradise beaches.
Easter Island: a remote destination almost out of reach
Stefano’s idea of visiting the magically remote Easter Island had felt totally out of reach for me for a long time. Easter Island is part of Chile, but it’s one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. Correspondingly, the journey there can be challening and expensive.
Mataveri International Airport in Easter Island is approximately 3,759 kilometers (2,336 miles) from Santiago International Airport in mainland Chile. The flight typically takes between 3.5 and 4.5 hours across the open Pacific Ocean. That’s the fastest and easiest option, gut return flight fares usually range between 600 to 1,000 euro. Other travel options include expensive cruise ships for multiple thousand euro, occasional Chilean Army ships or private yachts or sailboats, which require special permission.
A deal we couldn’t let pass by
During our time in Brazil, we researched flights with flexible dates. And there it suddenly appeared on kiwi.com*: a return flight for half the usual price and 3 months in the future. We had to go for it! The tiny special detail, which will make our time in Easter Island even more unforgettable: We would spend 15 days here, which is three times longer than the usual Easter Island visit. But hey, we got the time and flexibility, so why not!?
Now, only accommodation, food and visits may explode our so-far-economical daily budget for South America. Unfortunately, that’s three budget categories that could change everything, especially in expensive countries like Chile and Argentina. Let’s see the first days what prices really look like on Easter Island.
Typically warm Rapa Nui welcome
When we reached the airport’s arrival area, our host Kathy warmly welcomed us with flower leis. These flower necklaces are the island’s Polynesian heritage and a typical welcome guesture by the Rapa Nui. Kathy also toured us quickly through the island’s capital, as a little detour on the way to our cabana. To our estonishment and excitement, we saw our first sea turtle in shallow waters when we passed by one of the main beaches by car. Our start on the island certainly gave us feelings of happiness and curiosity about the next two weeks.
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