Easter Island time

The Easter Island time is different from the official time in continental Chile due to its geographical location. Here you can know what the current time is in Rapa Nui, what time zone it belongs to, when the sun rises and sets, when the time changes and the most common hours on the island.

What time is it in Easter Island?

Easter Island time zone

Rapa Nui or Easter Island and the uninhabited island of Salas and Gómez are geographically located in the UTC-7 time zone. But in 1980 it was determined to shorten the time difference with Continental Chile to facilitate communication and administrative procedures. For that reason, since then the official Easter Island time belongs to the UTC-6 time zone.

EAST Standard Time (GMT/UTC-6)

EAST is the official name of Easter Island Standard Time. Rapa Nui time is 6 hours behind the UTC (Universal Time Coordinated ) so it is also expressed as UTC-6, GMT-6 or -06: 00. This time zone, which is used from April to September , it has 2 hours of difference with Continental Chile (UTC-4), and it changes on the same dates.

EASST Summer Time(GMT/UTC-5)

EASST is the official name of Easter Island Summer Time. During the southern summer season Rapa Nui time is advanced 1 hour so it is 5 hours behind the UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) so it is also expressed as UTC-5, GMT-5 or -05: 00. This time zone, which is used from the months of September to April, keeps 2 hours of difference with Continental Chile (UTC-3), since it changes on the same dates.

Time change in Easter Island 2020-2021

As in continental Chile and in other countries of the world, Easter Island is a territory in which the DST (Daylight Saving/Summer Time) is applied, that is, the change of schedule during the summer months in order to have more hours of light and save energy.

The Official Time of Western Insular Chile, formed by Easter Island and Salas y Gómez Island, changed to UTC-5 time zone on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 22:00 local time, and advanced the clocks by one hour.

The summer time in Rapa Nui will be active again on Saturday, April 3, 2021, when it will return to the UTC-6 time zone and the clocks will have to be delayed one hour at 22:00 local time.

Chile time zones

The traveler must take into account that in Chile there are three time zones according to Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, because it has a presence on 3 continents: America, Antarctica and Oceania. In 2017, the time zones of the country were redefined, being as follows:

• UTC–4: Continental Chile, Juan Fernández Archipelago and Desventuradas Islands (DST applies).

• UTC–3: Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region (DST does not apply).

• UTC–6: Western Insular Chile: Easter Island and Salas y Gómez Island(DST applies).

According to the last decree in force of the Government of Chile, as of 2019, daylight saving time will be applied from the first Saturday of September until the first Saturday of April of each year.

Source: horaoficial.cl

This change (DST) will only take place in Continental Chile that will have the UTC-3 spindle and in Western Insular Chile that will have the UTC-5 time zone. However, in the Region of Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctic, the DST will not be applied, which will keep the UTC-3 time zone throughout the year, corresponding to summer time.

Warning: Time changes affect flight schedules and electronic devices. It should be taken into account if your trip matches the days when the time zone is changed.

What time is the sunrise on Easter Island?

The sunrise time in Rapa Nui varies according to the time of the year. The earliest sunrise occurs during the first days of December around 7:15 am, and the latest on the first Saturday of April (before the time change) and the first Sunday of September (after the time change) around 8:30 am.

Many visitors ask the exact time of sunrise on Easter Island because they want to see the wonderful spectacle of sunrise in Tongariki. If you don´t want to miss it, it is best to leave your accommodation with time and calculate a half-hour journey from the center of Hanga Roa to Tongariki. Check the table below for the exact time of sunrise.

If you have not hired a tour for this unique event and you go on your own, remember to drive carefully since there is no lighting on the road, there are stretches with the asphalt in poor condition and it is likely to find loose horses crossing the track.

What time is the sunset on Easter Island?

Similarly, the sunset time in Rapa Nui also varies according to the time of year. The earliest sunset occurs during the first days of June around 6:30 pm, and the latest on January 15 in the middle of the southern summer.

In the southern hemisphere on December 21, the Summer Solstice takes place and is the longest day of the year (and the shortest night). It marks the passage from spring to summer, at noon the sun reaches the highest point of the whole year. From this date the days begin to shorten.

One of the best sunsets you can observe in Rapa Nui is in the Tahai area. Watching the sun hiding behind the silhouettes of the moai statues is the best way to end the day on the island. Many tourists and locals congregate in Tahai to share this moment. If you are fond of photography, consult the following table to not miss the schedules of the sunset on Easter Island.

Sunrise and sunset times in Easter Island

Check other dates

Hours in Rapa Nui

Below we detail the schedules established in Easter Island of the main places of interest for tourists.

Visiting Hours to the National Park

Most visitors buy the National Park tickets at the stand that is open at Mataveri Airport upon arrival of each plane. But many do not know that they can avoid that queue and also buy them at the Mau Henua office located on the main street Atamu Tekena. Its business hours are Monday through Sunday from 08:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The visiting hours of the archaeological sites of the National Park for which it is required to show the ticket is from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The last admission is usually half an hour before closing. The opening of the Ahu Tongariki takes place earlier to allow access to tourists who are going to watch the sunrise.

Business hours

On Easter Island, fortunately, there is no frantic pace of the big cities and its inhabitants take their lives more calmly. The stores do not open very early, they usually start work around 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. Lunchtime is another clear example of Hanga Roa’s quiet life. In general, many shops close after 2:00 p.m. and there is no movement again until after 5:00 p.m. or even later.

Although many stores close at 8:00 p.m., some minimarkets are open until 10:00 p.m. and even until 12:00 p.m., so stocking up after a full day of excursion will not be a problem. Some shops and many of the craft market stalls, attend on Sunday mornings after 09:00 a.m. Mass.

The Post Office, located on Te Pito or Te Henua Street, opens Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays only in the morning.

The Latam Airlines office located at the junction of Atamu Tekena street with Pont Avenue is from Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 09:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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