Although the most common and fastest way to get to Rapa Nui is by plane, you can also travel to Easter Island by boat. Here you will find information about the different options to get to Easter Island by sea.
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Traveling by boat to Easter Island
The first settlers from Polynesia reached this remote island lost in the vast Pacific Ocean, thanks to their mastery of sailing, knowledge of currents and stargazing. An epic feat still to this day.
Centuries after that first colonization, the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen, in search of the mythical Land of Davis, arrived with his ships on the island in 1722, establishing the first contact between Europeans and islanders and baptizing this tiny triangle of land with the name of Easter Island.
After the Dutch, the Spanish, English and French arrived on the coast of Rapa Nui trying to reveal its mysteries. Whaling ships, cargo ships and, especially, slave ships forever altered the history and culture of Easter Island.
Until well into the 20th century, the only way to reach Rapa Nui was by sea, and regularly only a Chilean Navy ship connected the island with the mainland once or twice a year.
Everything changed on April 3, 1967, the date on which the first commercial flight of the LAN company (currently Latam Airlines) landed at the Mataveri airport on Easter Island. The air connection had a profound impact on the way of life of the islanders and made Rapa Nui accessible to tourists from all over the world.
However, some travelers still retain the romantic idea of traveling to Easter Island by boat, as the protagonists of the old movie “The Suns of Easter Island” do, who set sail on a freighter from the port of Valparaíso to experience a mystical experience. Reaching Rapa Nui riding the waves as its first inhabitants did is possible, but for the moment it is a type of trip reserved only for a few adventurers. Let’s see below the possible options to get to Easter Island by boat.
Travel by yacht or private sailboat
The first and most adventurous option is to sail aboard a private yacht or sailboat across the ocean. The main anchorage is located in the bay of Hanga Roa, since it is protected from the winds that blow from the east and southeast. You can also anchor in Hotuiti in front of the Ahu Tongariki, on Anakena beach, the perfect place to jump into the water and enjoy a swim, and in the Vinapu sector. Depending on the intensity, the direction of the wind and the state of the sea, it will be necessary to change places.
At 20 miles from Pascua you can communicate with “Pascua Radio” (Maritime Authority) on channel 16 (VHF). They serve 24 hours a day. Sailboats with a draft of up to 2 meters can enter the small port of Hanga Piko.
The entrance is very dangerous, it is mandatory to enter with a pilot on board and to know the maneuver very well. It should be noted that the maritime authorities may not authorize leaving the ship without any personnel on board, since there have been recent cases of accidents that occurred due to ignorance of the particular conditions of the island.
The second option to travel to Easter Island by boat is on board the ship Aquiles belonging to the Chilean Navy. It is a multipurpose ship that makes trips to Antarctica, Easter Island and other isolated areas to carry out military, logistic and scientific tasks. The ship usually departs twice a year from Valparaíso to Easter Island with a journey time of seven days, since it makes a stopover on Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernández archipelago.
The price of the ticket is much cheaper than the air ticket (around 120,000 Chilean pesos) but it is mandatory to return on the same boat, which limits the stay on the island to a few days, or present a return ticket from closed plane.
Spaces are very limited, so Navy personnel and their families have priority first, followed by island residents and lastly tourists. Prior permission must be requested from the Chilean Navy by post indicating the reason for the trip (Address: Plaza Sotomayor, 592 Correo Naval number 3; Valparaíso, Chile) or request information by calling (+56) 32 250 6354 or (+ 56) 32 250 6884.
Cruises to Easter Island 2023, 2024 and 2025
The most exclusive way to get to Easter Island by boat is on one of the cruises that include the island as a stopover in their itineraries through the South Pacific and those called Around the World. Cruises are an excellent way to spend a few days, weeks or months of vacation visiting many different places in a short time, and without worrying about transportation or luggage.
The only drawback of visiting Rapa Nui on a cruise is the little time you have to visit it. Most only anchor for a few hours off Hanga Roa and only a few spend the night there to leave the next day. In any case, the tours offered by local agencies allow you to discover the most interesting archaeological sites on the island.
Due to the closure of Easter Island, for more than two and a half years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all cruise companies stopped including this destination in the itinerary of their ships. After the reopening in 2022, shipping companies such as Cunard, Ponant and Oceania that previously offered a stopover in Hanga Roa, still do not include it.
Next we will see the cruise companies that include Easter Island in the itinerary of their trips. The trips of each one are shown according to the closest departure dates.
MSC Cruises
Ship: MSC Magnífica
Voyage: World cruise
Full length: 117 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Civitavecchia (Italy) – January 4, 2023
Departure port: Genoa (Italy) – January 5, 2023
Departure port: Marseilles (France) – January 6, 2023
Departure port: Barcelona (Spain) – January 7, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: February 20, 2023
Price: from $20,000 USD per person
There is the option of embarking in Valparaíso and continuing the trip until disembarking in Sydney or ending at the ports of departure in Europe.
Duration of the trip to Sydney: 37 days
Duration of the trip to Barcelona: 83 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Valparaíso (Chile) – February 10, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: February 20, 2023
Price: from $6,000 USD per person to Sydney
Price: from $15,000 USD per person to Europe
Princess
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: World cruise 2023
Full duration: 109 days
Next departure dates
Port of departure and arrival: Auckland (New Zealand) – May 31, 2023
Port of departure and arrival: Sydney (Australia) – June 4, 2023
Port of departure and arrival: Brisbane (Australia) – June 6, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: September 3, 2023
Price: from $19,000 USD per person
There is the option of embarking in Dover (United Kingdom) or New York (USA) and continuing the trip until disembarking in the ports of origin.
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: Great Atlantic and Pacific Voyage 2023
Full duration: 57 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Dover (United Kingdom) – July 26, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: September 3, 2023
Price: from $11,000 USD per person
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: Panama Canal and Transpacific 2023
Full duration: 36 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: New York (USA) – August 16, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: September 3, 2023
Price: from $7,000 USD per person
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: World cruise 2024
Full duration: 112 days
Next departure dates
Port of departure and arrival: Auckland (New Zealand) – April 26, 2024
Port of departure and arrival: Sydney (Australia) – April 30, 2024
Port of departure and arrival: Brisbane (Australia) – May 2, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: August 1, 2024
Price: from $19,000 USD per person
There is the option of embarking in Dover (United Kingdom) or New York (USA) and continuing the trip until disembarking in the ports of origin.
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: Great Atlantic and Pacific Voyage 2024
Full duration: 57 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Dover (United Kingdom) – June 24, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: August 1, 2024
Price: from $10,000 USD per person
Ship: Coral Princess
Voyage: Panama Canal and Transpacific 2024
Full duration: 36 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: New York (USA) – July 13, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: August 1, 2024
Price: from $6,000 USD per person
Costa Cruises
Ship: Costa Deliziosa
Voyage: World tour
Full duration: 131 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Trieste (Italy) – January 6, 2024 / December 7, 2024
Departure port: Civitavecchia (Italy) – January 10, 2024 / December 11, 2024
Departure port: Savona (Italy) – January 11, 2024 / December 12, 2024
Departure port: Barcelona (Spain) – January 13, 2024 / December 14, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: February 14-15, 2024 / January 24-25, 2025
Price: from $15,000 USD per person
Silver Sea
Ship: Silver Explorer
Voyage: Puerto Williams (Chile) – Papeete (Tahiti)
Full duration: 39 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Puerto Williams (Chile) – March 4, 2023
Arrival port: Papeete (Tahiti) – April 12, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: March 27-28, 2023
Price: from $28,000 USD per person
Ship: Silver Explorer
Voyage: Valparaíso (Chile) – Papeete (Tahiti)
Full duration: 25 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Valparaíso (Chile) – March 18, 2023
Arrival port: Papeete (Tahiti) – April 12, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: March 27-28, 2023
Price: from $21,000 USD per person
Ship: Silver Explorer
Voyage: Papeete (Tahiti) – Valparaíso (Chile)
Full duration: 23 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Papeete (Tahiti) – October 27, 2023
Arrival port: Valparaíso (Chile) – November 19, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: November 10-11, 2023
Price: from $19,000 USD per person
Ship: Silver Cloud
Voyage: Grand South Pacific Expedition
Full duration: 76 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Perth (Australia) – August 25, 2024
Arrival port: Valparaíso (Chile) – November 7, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: October 29-30, 2024
Price: from $74,000 USD per person
There is the option of boarding in Papeete (Tahiti) and continuing the trip to Valparaíso.
Ship: Silver Cloud
Voyage: Papeete (Tahiti) – Valparaíso (Chile)
Full duration: 23 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Papeete (Tahiti) – October 15, 2024
Arrival port: Valparaíso (Chile) – November 7, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: October 29-30, 2024
Price: from $24,000 USD per person
Regent
Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
Voyage: Navigate the world
Full duration: 143 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Miami (USA) – January 7, 2023
Arrival port: Barcelona (Spain) – May 30, 2023
Stop in Hanga Roa: January 24, 2023
Price: from $80,000 USD per person
Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
Voyage: Navigate the world
Full duration: 143 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Miami (USA) – January 7, 2025
Arrival port: Miami (USA) – June 24, 2025
Stop in Hanga Roa: February 23 and 24, 2025
Price: from $90,000 USD per person
There is the option of embarking in San Antonio (Chile) and continuing the journey only to Papeete (Tahiti).
Ship: Seven Seas Mariner
Voyage: Isles of Wonders
Full duration: 18 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: San Antonio (Chile) – February 16, 2025
Arrival port: Papeete (Tahiti) – March 6, 2025
Stop in Hanga Roa: February 23 and 24, 2025
Price: from $11,000 USD per person
Azamara
Ship: Azamara Onward
Voyage: World cruise
Full duration: 155 nights
Next departure dates
Departure port: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (USA) – January 5, 2024
Arrival port: Barcelona (España) – June 9, 2024
Stop in Hanga Roa: January 24 and 25, 2024
Price: from $36,000 USD per person
There is the option of embarking in Lima and disembarking in Papeete (Tahiti) or continuing the trip until ending in Barcelona or disembarking in other ports.
Duration to Papeete (Tahiti): 17 days
Next departure dates
Departure port: Lima (Peru) – January 18, 2024
Price: from $3,500 USD per person to Papeete
