Practical Information for visiting Easter Island

Coverage for mobile networks reaches Hanga Roa and much of the island through the Chilean operators, with 4G in the town and weaker signal at the far corners.

Internet is slow and expensive by mainland standards. The island depends on satellite capacity, and bandwidth is shared across 8,000 people plus visitors, so video calls and large downloads are often not realistic.

Wi-Fi is offered by most guesthouses and cafes, with the same caveat.

Chilean SIM cards work and are cheapest bought on the mainland before flying.

Power is generated locally from diesel and is generally reliable; the supply is Chilean standard.

Plan on being less connected than usual, which most people end up appreciating.

Rapa Nui is one of the safest places anywhere — crime against visitors is rare and the community is small and self-policing. The risks are the sea, the sun and the terrain.

• The ocean is the main danger. There are strong currents, sudden swell and very few safe entry points; Anakena is the only genuinely swimmable beach, and people have drowned at the rocky coasts.
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• Cliffs at Rano Kau and Poike are unfenced with long drops and undercut edges.
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• Sun and wind: there is almost no shade, and the wind masks how much sun you are getting.
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• Loose lava underfoot at most sites; ankle injuries are the commonest problem.
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• Caves: some have low roofs and unstable floors, and a torch is needed.
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• Road hazards: free-roaming horses and cattle, especially at night.

Medical facilities are limited. Hanga Roa has a small hospital that handles routine care and stabilisation, but anything serious means an evacuation flight to the mainland — five and a half hours away, and only on days a flight is available. Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is genuinely important here, more so than in most destinations.

No vaccinations are required beyond routine cover; there is no malaria, dengue or yellow fever.

Bring your own medication. The pharmacy stocks basics, but anything specific may simply not be available and cannot be obtained quickly.

Sun is the most likely thing to spoil a trip; the combination of high ultraviolet, wind and no shade catches people out daily.

Tap water is safe but mineral-heavy; bottled is widely drunk.

Dental and optical problems are difficult to deal with on the island.

Do not touch, climb on or walk on the moai or the ahu. This is the rule that matters most. They are burial platforms and sacred objects, the tuff is soft, and prosecutions have followed. Keep to the marked paths and the distances the ropes indicate.

Take nothing, not even a pebble. It is illegal and it is also deeply offensive locally.

Drones require authorisation and are prohibited over most sites.

Ask before photographing people, particularly during ceremonies at Tapati.

Use the name Rapa Nui where you can; it is the islanders’ own name for the place and for themselves.

Stay limits: 30 days maximum for visitors, with documents checked on arrival.

Pace: things happen when they happen. Impatience reads badly.

Emergency numbers: 133 for police, 131 for ambulance and 132 for fire, as on the Chilean mainland.

Medical. Hospital Hanga Roa handles routine and urgent care. Serious cases require medical evacuation to Santiago de Chile by air, which depends on flight availability and is very expensive without insurance. Confirm your policy covers evacuation before travelling.

Sea rescue is coordinated by the Chilean navy detachment on the island; conditions can prevent a launch.

At the sites, park rangers are the first point of contact, and there is signal at most of the main locations but not everywhere.

Flight disruption: with one route and a few flights a week, a cancellation can mean days. Build slack into onward plans.

Consular help is in Santiago de Chile; there is no representation on the island.