{"id":1696,"date":"2025-08-11T01:47:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T01:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itsabachelorslife.com\/news\/?p=1696"},"modified":"2026-01-22T02:03:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T02:03:16","slug":"easter-island-travel-story-moai-statues-beaches-surviving-a-tsunami-on-rapa-nui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itsabachelorslife.com\/news\/easter-island-travel-story-moai-statues-beaches-surviving-a-tsunami-on-rapa-nui\/","title":{"rendered":"That Time I went to Easter Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Or how I survived a Tsunami on Rapa Nui<\/em> \ud83d\ude09<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Moai<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ottawa \ud83d\udeec Toronto \ud83d\udeec Bogota \ud83d\udeec Santiago \ud83d\udeec Rapa Nui \ud83d\uddff\ud83d\udeec Fiji<\/em><\/s><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First half of my vacation was down to Santiago then on to Easter Island. Santiago is nice, it was cloudy and foggy so the view of the Andes & Mordor<\/a> wasn’t the best. Went to Parque Metropolitano de Santiago<\/a> did the sights. Rode the Funicular Santiago<\/a>, the cable car, saw the Santuario Cerro San Crist\u00f3bal<\/a>. Walked around the neighborhood at the base.
Full Chile photo gallery here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Santuario<\/a>
Santuario Cerro San Crist\u00f3bal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Funicular<\/a>
Funicular Santiago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Gran<\/a>
Gran Torre Santiago tallest building in South America<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now for Rapa Nui \/ Easter Island \/ Isla de Pascua<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Coolest
Coolest Passport stamp!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So first thing, I’ve seen lots of people ask how long should you stay. I did five days, I should have done two weeks. The island is amazing. Not only are the Moai and the national park amazing, but there are also beautiful beaches. You can go Scuba Diving, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking or watch sunsets & sunrises. The restaurants range from great to amazing. My new favorite restaurants in the world<\/em> are Kai Oporto Restaurant Peruano<\/a> & Mamma Nui<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Rapa<\/a>
Starting to get excited<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Rapa<\/a>
Best flight screen ever<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hanga<\/a>
Hanga Roa Airport arrivals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Arrived<\/a>
So happy to be on the island!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The main reason everyone goes to Rapa Nui is to see the Moai heads. There are many sites that are not restored and still have knocked down and broken Moai. The quarry has the most Moai with almost 400 in various states from still being cut out to fallen over and broken during “the walk”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you get to a place like Ahu Tongariki<\/a>, it is mind blowing. The restored 15 heads, the size of them, the history, makes the 12,000+km journey totally worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At one site in the park, Ahu Vinapu<\/a>, the platform has stonework that is just like the stone work of Saqsaywaman <\/a>in Cusco Peru. It’s hard not to make the connection that someone from Rapa Nui went to Peru, or someone from Peru visited Rapa Nui. It seems totally plausible the technique was shared or witnessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Rapa Nui Gallery here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Moai<\/a>
Moai in the quarry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"My<\/a>
Best selfie ever!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Moai<\/a>
Moai at Ahu Tongariki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Moai<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Standing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Former
Pieces of Moai at Ahu Tongariki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Sunset<\/a>
Sunset at Ahu Vai Ure. I did this a couple times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Destroyed<\/a>
Some of the many still destroyed Moai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"This<\/a>
This platform looks just like the stone work of Saqsaywaman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A ship carved in the Moai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The “Asian” Moai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Ahu<\/a>
The now protected magnetic rock at Ahu Te Pito Kura – to keep idiots out<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Mirador<\/a>
Mirador de veleros at Anakena Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Anakena<\/a>
Anakena Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Anakena<\/a>
Anakena Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some things to know before you go, not a big deal, just be prepared.
– You can’t get on the island without a return ticket & proof of accommodation.
– You need to buy a very cheap park pass, good for 10 days
– You can only visit the park with a guide or in a group.
– It’s a tiny island, there are no franchises or chain anything and only a couple cab’s. Its AWESOME. You can walk around the whole town and hotels & restaurant’s are locally owned.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Kai<\/a>
My favorite resturant in the world! Kai Oporo Restaurant Peruano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
Best Ceviche in the world<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"My<\/a>
My new buddy at Mamma Nui. The dongs in Hanga Roa are so amazing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tsunami day!<\/strong> On Tuesday night I was in a restaurant with a couple of fellow travelers, one read the news and warning of the Tsunami from the Kamchatka earthquake<\/a> was going to be hitting the island,. I balked thinking we were way to far from the source to be worried – 12,00km+ away<\/em>. Then early morning the warning alerts came in. I got up, went to the hotel lobby but no one was around, the other guests were just ignoring the alerts – so I went back to bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Later that morning the hotel manager came by & told us the town was shut down, all trips were canceled and roads were closed. Yassar a fellow traveler in the hotel & I decide to see what we could see…
We walked down the road & were greeted with blocked off roads & then the Chilean Police. We turned around & then found one of the side roads that go down to the waterfront was now unguarded … We went down and spent a while at Ahu Tahai<\/a>. Looking in at the town we could see the entire waterfront was evacuated & there was no one around, or so we thought.
A couple girls form our hotel had joined us so we decided to walk into town. The waterfront was evacuated & we thought we were alone until we were greeted by the Marine Police at Caleta Hanga Roa<\/a>. We got a little scolding but were allowed to stay on the corner & watch the surge. I and a few other locals watched a few surges hit & recorded videos.
With half the town shut down I walked up to the tattoo parlor<\/a> & got some new ink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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