HOW TO travel EASTER ISLAND ON A tight budget plan

Last Updated: 7/17/20 | July 17th, 2020

Each month, Kristin Addis from Be My travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips as well as advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an professional to share her advice for other solo female travelers! This article is applicable to everybody though!

In the movie 180° South, a guy from California sets sail to Patagonia, has ship difficulty along the way, as well as gets marooned on Easter Island.

Oddly, it was that movie that influenced me to want to see Easter Island. After watching it, I needed to see Easter Island as well as see it with my own eyes.

My week there was a mix of checking out the gorgeous shoreline as well as walking around the mysterious Moai statues, marveling at their size as well as wondering exactly how in the world people who only had gain access to to stone tools might produce something so massive.

I sometimes wondered if there were as many horses as there were people, running all along the eco-friendly grasses of the island as well as on the tough coastline, full of volcanic rock as well as powerful waves. I spent most of my days motorbiking around the island, getting to understand the locals as well as admiring the skills of the original settlers.

The very first people came to Easter Island around 300-400 CE. The island is most famous for the 900 giant stone statues dotted around the island. legend tells that the island utilized to be full of trees, as well as when climate modification hit the island, locals developed the Moai as a method of appeasing the gods, as well as ultimately toppling each other’s statues over as well as warring as conditions worsened.

However, much of this is just speculation.

But visiting this out of the method destination as well as seeing these statues has been a life long dream of mine.

Unfortunately, Easter Island is hideously costly to see since it’s so remote — over 3,700 kilometers away from Santiago, Chile. extremely few crops grow here, there is extremely bit “industry”, as well as almost whatever on the island is shipped from the mainland at excellent expense.

Geography means that the costs are high. Understandably, it’s not the most affordable island in the world. However, it’s likewise not impossible to see on a budget. You just requirement to plan ahead as well as keep some things in mind!
 

How to get There

One of the biggest costs of visiting Easter Island is transport. There is just one airline that flies there from Chile (LATAM, formerly LAN). That means they can quite much fee whatever they want. expect to pay $575-800 USD return, though tickets can be double that if you book last minute. right here are some tips you can utilize to lower that though:

Book ahead as well as go during off as well as shoulder seasons – To save the most money on your flight, be flexible. You may get lucky as well as score something better $500 USD if you go during a season that isn’t prominent as well as book method ahead of time.

Sign up for the LATAM newsletter – To discover the very best deals, indication up for LATAM’s newsletter. They usually reveal their sales there which will assist you score the cheapest ticket.

Check the cost of business class – This may noise counterintuitive if you’re trying to save money, however inspect the cost of business class tickets. I personally scored biz class tickets for two pesos cheaper than economic climate class for my return flight. I can’t state the exact same will occur for you, however it’s worth checking!

Use booking calendars to compare costs – websites like Skyscanner as well as Google Flights offer calendars where you can compare costs over a number of weeks (or months). utilize this function to discover the very best time to fly.

Travel hack – LATAM is a part of the Oneworld alliance and, though availability is rare, you can likewise get seats via points. If you have miles on American Airlines, British Airways, or one more One world partner, you can try to score a free flight. If you don’t gather points as well as miles yet, begin travel hacking now so you can save up sufficient by the time you take your trip.

Book a RTW ticket – If you’re on a round-the-world trip you can usually include a stop at Easter Island for bit or no additional cost. If you plan on seeing great deals of other detinations during your trip, think about a multi-desintation RTW ticket.

There are occasional boats that sail to Easter Island from new Zealand or somewhere else in the South Pacific that take passengers, however they are priced incredibly high. Cargo ships usually fee $100 USD each day as well as cruises expense into the thousands. If you’re on a budget, flying is your only option.

There is no public boat choice from Chile’s mainland either, as Easter Island doesn’t have a harbor that can fit big ships. Therefore, those who do sail there do so on personal boats as well as decrease anchor close to land.

If you want to sail there, some travelers effectively volunteer as team as a affordable or free method to travel.
 

Where to Stay

You have three affordable choices if you’re traveling to Easter Island: book a hostel dorm bed method ahead of time, as there are few as well as they fill up quickly; camp in a tent; or lease an apartment on either Airbnb or Booking.com.

If you want to stay for free there, Couchsurfing is likewise an option, however, there are only 40-50 active holds on the island. You’ll requirement to link with them well in advance if you want to secure a area (speaking Spanish will assist with this as most holds have their profiles published in Spanish).

Renting an Apartment
The majority of rentals on Airbnb variety from $40-130 USD per night. many of the more costly locations ($75 USD as well as up) have area for 5-7 guests, which means you can save a ton of money if you split your stay with other travelers.

Apartments on Booking.com usually begin around $60 USD per night. No matter where you stay, be sure to inspect the ammenities as many apartments will not include Wi-Fi.

Camping
There are half a lots campgrounds on Easter Island (some of which likewise have hostel-style facilities). You can usually book a plot for around $10 USD. If you have camping gear, you can bring it along, so some campgrounds will include tents as well as sleeping mats with your rental so bringing your gear isn’t necessary as it will only save you a couple bucks.

Wild camping is only enabled if you’re with a regional guide. If you don’t have a regional guide, stay with the campgrounds.

Staying in Hostels
There are a few hostel-style lodging choices for around $30 USD per night. a few of the very best are:

Vaianny guest House

Hostel Petero Atamu

Kona Tau

La Casa del Kori Hostal

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What to eat as well as Drink

Eating out is super costly on Easter Island since all the food has to be brought in from mainland Chile. If you’re on a budget, cut out the middleman as well as bring your own food. If you’re staying in an apartment or hostel with gain access to to a kitchen, you’ll be able to do some cooking, keeping your budget plan intact during your stay.

I visited Easter Island with a good friend and, with some clever cooking, I was able to feed us both with just the food brought from the mainland. Here’s what I brought:

1 bag of little onions

1 head of cauliflower

2 red peppers

2 handfuls of button-top mushrooms

2 tomatoes

2 potatoes

5 carrots

1 eggplant

2 beetroots

nuts as well as fruits for snacks

1 packet of turmeric for curry

1 garlic clove

8 packets of dried beef broth

1 loaf of rye bread

1 little packet of mayonnaise

2 packets of salami as well as ham (the sandwiches only lasted for two days)

1 kilo of brown rice

1/2 kilo of lentils

1 bag of oatmeal

1 kilo of milk powder

1 packet of milo (chocolate powder)

1 little bottle of sunflower oil

1 little can of coconut cream

2 bottles of wine

The overall expense for all of that was about $130 USD, meaning we spent an typical of $4.65 per meal per person — plus wine! I alternated the meals between a vegetarian Thai yellow curry, fried rice, lentil soup, beetroot salad, as well as potato salad.

I had to substitute components for all of the recipes, however everything turned out delicious!

Put the food in a box or an additional backpack as well as inspect it with the rest of your luggage. Economy-class seats from Santiago on LATAM are enabled two 25kg inspected bags. That means you should have lots of space for your stuff plus some food (especially if you’re traveling with someone).

When I ran out of supplies, I ate empanadas for lunch, which are only a few dollars as well as can be discovered at most little shops. I likewise bought fish from a regional fisherman for the equivalent of $8 USD as well as cooked it myself (it would have expense $20 USD in a restaurant).

If you do buy food on the island, budget plan at least a dollar or two per fresh fruit or veggie item, at least $10-15 USD per affordable to-go foods, as well as at least $25 USD or more for a restaurant meal.
 

How to get Around

Within the town of Hanga Roa, taxis are around $5 USD. Bicycles can be rented for around $15 USD per day. They’re a excellent option for getting around town as well as its surroundings as taxi costs go up significantly (it takes about 90 minutes to make it from one side of the island to the other, which is as well costly to do with a taxi).To see the Moai (the big stone statues) or the beach, I suggest driving yourself. tours are costly as well as motorbike rentals are rather affordable at $35-45 USD per day. Renting a motorbike isn’t just cheaper however you’ll have the flexibility as well as versatility to check out the island on your own terms.
 

Activities

Most of the island’s sights (including the Moai) are found within Rapa Nui national Park. The entrance to the park is $80 USD for foreigners. You can purchase your ticket at the flight terminal on arrival.

While it may seem expensive, keep in mind that this is a when in a lifetime experience.

Additionally, besides seeing the famous statues, you can go diving diving to see the sunken Moai (spoiler alert: it’s really just an old movie prop, however still cool!), go surfing, or just drive around to just see where the day takes you.

Expect to pay around $50 USD for a single-tank dive as well as $60 USD each day for surf lessons.

***
Easter Island was a trippy walk with the past. few of the descendants of the original tribes are still left as well as nobody is precisely sure exactly how or why the Moai were carved. That’s part of what makes Easter Island so alluring as well as fascinating to visitors — it’s still partially an enigma.

By bringing my own food, scoring a affordable business-class ticket, driving myself around the island, as well as booking affordable lodging in advance I saved myself numerous dollars off of what most tourists usually pay when visiting.

Easter Island was one of the most unique locations I’ve ever visited. There was no method I would see Chile without going. with extremely cautious as well as wise planning, you can see the island without blowing your budget.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel professional who influences women to travel the world in an authentic as well as adventurous way. A former investment banker who offered all of her personal belongings as well as left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over eight years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, however it’s on her list). You can discover more of her musings at Be My travel Muse or on Instagram as well as Facebook.

Book Your trip to Chile: Logistical tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to discover a affordable flight. They are my two preferred browse engines since they browse websites as well as airlines around the globe so you always understand no stone is left unturned. begin with Skyscanner very first though since they have the biggest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest stock as well as finest deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, utilize Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as affordable hotels.

Don’t fail to remember travel Insurance
Travel insurance coverage will protect you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive security in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to utilize it many times in the past. My preferred business that offer the very best service as well as value are:

Safety Wing (for everybody below 70)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for extra repatriation coverage)

Looking for the very best business to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the very best business to utilize when you travel. I listing all the ones I utilize to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want more info on Chile?
Be sure to see our robust destination guide to Chile for even more planning tips!