Last updated on December 8th, 2023
Easter Island was a mythical place that I only saw on television when I was young. I don’t know anyone personally that visited the island with the recent exception of a few travellers that I met in Chile.
I felt the immediate humidity when I departed from the plane on December 14, 2016. The temperature was about 25 ⁰C with cloud overcast and short-lived drizzles.
Though I just landed, I felt a sense of accomplishment to have finally arrived.
After checking in, I went into town. The island is expensive, even more expensive than The Galapagos Islands. To give some perspective, I bought a beer at a restaurant for 2000 CLP and my friends ate empanadas for 3,000 CLP each (I didn’t eat at the restaurant). I had other traveller friends who ate the menu-of-the-day at another restaurant for 10,000 CLP per person.
Later in the day, I walked along the coast in Hanga Roa which is facing west. The moai (monolithic human-like faces) looked ancient, they contrasted well with the ocean backdrop, and told a story which I did not know.
There were some fake statues. I felt tourism and profit was more important than keeping the island genuine or maybe it’s to make Hanga Roa look more appealing. This is my perspective and the locals probably have a better perspective. I guess everyone has the right to make a profit.
The waves were strong with a rock break. There were some inlets where it was safe to enter the water and I saw people taking a dip. The water wasn’t appealing to me.
As I walked to the Tahai moai, the rain started to pour. I called it a day.