Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth. This small volcanic island in the South Pacific Ocean is famed for its many mysterious moai \u2013 monumental stone statues carved by its early Polynesian inhabitants.<\/p>\n Rapa Nui is one of the planet\u2019s top bucket list destinations \u2013 and it certainly was on mine! So, it was a thrill to finally visit Rapa Nui this year (in mid-February). And this amazing place truly stole my heart \u2013 which is why I want to share this very special destination with you!<\/p>\n Map Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica \/ Click on all photos to enlarge<\/p>\n<\/div>\n My Easter Island visit was the pre-trip portion of a South America \/ Patagonia tour with Overseas Adventure Travel<\/a> (OAT)\u00a0in February\/March 2026. The pre-trip started in Santiago, Chile and included 3 nights\/3 full days on Rapa Nui.<\/p>\n Easter Island sits in the middle of a vast ocean \u2013 around 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) west of continental Chile. Only one airline \u2013 Chile\u2019s national airline LATAM \u2013 flies to the island. The flight from Santiago on a widebody Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes a full 5 hours. Yep, the remote island is that far away!<\/p>\n Easter Island is incredibly small \u2013 only 14 miles (22.5 km) by 7 miles (11 km), with a total area of 63 square miles. It was formed when eruptions from its three main volcanoes coalesced together into one island.<\/p>\n Map Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica \/ Click to enlarge<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Rapa Nui has a raw, unspoiled beauty with windswept volcanic rock coastlines, gentle, treeless hills, and a lush interior. Unlike most Polynesian islands, golden beaches and coconut palms are not common here. Nearly half of the island is a protected national park, as well as a World Heritage site (from 1995).<\/p>\n Rapa Nui is the local language, the name of the island (in this language), and the name of the indigenous Polynesian people. In Spanish, it\u2019s known as Isla de Pascua. For purposes of this blog post, I will generally refer to Easter Island as Rapa Nui.<\/p>\n Rapa Nui was once the most isolated place on earth. But in recent decades, the incredible moai statues have drawn the world\u2019s attention. So today, the island welcomes over 100,000 visitors per year \u2013 more than ten times its resident population.<\/p>\n Magazine cover of Rapa Nui girl<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Before my visit, I will confess I didn\u2019t know much about Easter Island, except for seeing a few interesting photos of the moai. I certainly wasn\u2019t expecting to fall in love with the island like I did.<\/p>\n Visitors describe Rapa Nui as a magical & mystical place. My Chilean OAT Trip Leader Luis has visited around 50 times and never tires of the island. My American friend Dennis (from Florida) has been to Rapa Nui 9 times!<\/p>\n Dennis states \u201cThe island is amazing. It has a certain mystique, a calm feeling which one feels upon stepping off the plane. It\u2019s hard to define but the island\u2019s power, its mana, gives one calm tranquility and a sense of fulfillment<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Reasons Why Rapa Nui Dazzles:<\/strong><\/p>\n In the past, archeologists believed that Rapa Nui may have been populated as long ago as 400 AD. However, the very latest<\/span> scientific consensus is that the first settlers arrived around 1200 AD. Advanced, modern scientific methodologies (like radiocarbon dating) have substantially narrowed this arrival timeline.<\/p>\n![\"easter-island-rapa-nui\"](\"http:\/\/www.planetjanettravels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_easter-island-rapa-nui.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nAbout Rapa Nui \u2013 The Island<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Makes Rapa Nui So Special<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>The Moai<\/strong> \u2013 Of course, these iconic giant stone statues are the island\u2019s main draw \u2013 with nearly 1,000 moai carved by the Rapa Nui people. Seeing the moai in person is genuinely awe-inspiring.<\/li>\n<\/a>Authentic Polynesian Culture<\/strong> \u2013 The local people still proudly maintain their Rapa Nui culture & traditions. You can feel their genuine Polynesian warmth & soul, starting with a friendly lei greeting at the airport.<\/li>\nRapa Nui Quick History<\/h2>\n