How to get there

Rapa Nui is just over 4000 kilometres from Tahiti and more than 3700 kilometers from Santiago in Chile. Only one airline (May 1997) has scheduled air services to Easter Island - Lan Chile - which is Chile's national airline. Lan Chile flies to Easter Island twice a week (or three times a week in peak season) from both Santiago and Papeete.

Lan Chile is able to use modern, wide-bodied jets for flights to Easter Island and Papeete thanks to the runway improvements made by NASA. These were made to permit Easter Island to be used for emergency landings of the Space Shuttle.

It is best to check with Lan Chile when booking your flight and, again, a few days prior to flying for exact schedules. Flight re-confirmation is absolutely essential. Although Easter Island is Chilean territory, the flight departs from the International Terminal at Santiago's Arturo Merino Benitez airport because of the onward leg to Papeete. Departure tax for domestic flights is US$8 (May 1997). It is best to pay in US$ to avoid disadvantageous exchange rates applied to other currencies, including the Chilean peso. A taxi from the centre of Santiago will cost 6000 pesos. There are also regular buses.

Lan Chile have an office on the main drag in Hanga Roa and their staff are very helpful. Flight confirmation for other airlines can be time consuming and expensive from the island as there are no other local representatives and the mainland, 4000km away, is not a local call. If possible, re-confirm other airline flights before leaving Santiago/Papeete. If you need to re-confirm your flight home from the island it's cheaper to fax or phone someone at home with details of your flights (including the Lan Chile flight to Santiago/Papeete) and your Easter Island hotel details so that they can re-confirm for you.