Welcoming the New Year in Easter Island is a dream for many travelers. Here you will find information and tips to enjoy the change of the year to the fullest.
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Celebrate the new year in Easter Island
Get away from the big city, escape the winter cold in the northern hemisphere and enjoy warm temperatures, taste the local cuisine, dance to the Polynesian rhythms or admire the serenity of the moai under the light of the fireworks are just a few of the reasons to welcome the new year on Easter Island.
More and more people are considering celebrating the new year in a different way. After sharing Christmas with the family, many want to start the year in a new, exotic and distant place. And what better place than to do it in one of the most remote islands in the world?
Rapa Nui, besides being an incredible open-air museum where you can admire the famous statues, also offers activities for all tastes and fantastic spaces to rest and relax.
Because the high season on Easter Island starts in December and lasts until March, we advise you to prepare your trip in time to get space and avoid extra costs.
Book your flight
If you do not want to miss this magnificent party and want to get good prices for your ticket, we advise you to book your flight to Easter Island well in advance, since the demand for those dates is very high and prices soar.
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Book your accommodation
Similarly, we suggest you book your accommodation as soon as possible. The offer of rooms on the island is not very large and the availability of them during these dates is even lower and at very high prices. Save money and gain peace of mind by booking in advance. If you also book through our website you will be collaborating with the Toki NGO School of Music and Arts whose purpose is to protect and spread the Rapa Nui culture.
What to do in New Year in Rapa Nui?
The archaeological sites belonging to the Rapa Nui National Park can be visited normally on December 31 and January 1 but they will close at 6:00 p.m.
Most of the main tourism agencies on the island usually operate normally, but some may change their schedules on the 31st and others rest on the first day of the year. It is advisable to consult in advance the possible changes.
We recommend you to finish your excursions contemplating the sunset in Tahai. An incredible place to rest and take stock of the year that ends while the sun goes down on the horizon behind the silhouettes of the moai.
Then you can choose from the varied selection of New Year’s Eve Dinners that you can find in many of Hanga Roa’s restaurants to savor the rich local cuisine.
After the feast you can enjoy the fireworks show that takes place in Hanga Vare Vare and continue the celebration there or at one of the nearby parties. Performances with live music, electronic music, pop, reggae and rapanui rhythms mix during the night.
If you want to do something original, the Rapa Nui Stargazing agency proposes to end the year enjoying one of the most beautiful night skies in the world. Do not miss this unique experience under the stars of Rapa Nui. More information here.
And to start the new year, if the hangover allows it, there is no better place than to go to the other end of the island to watch the sunrise in Tongariki. Watching the sun rise behind the 15 stone giants is an ideal mystical moment to start a new cycle full of good purposes.
Then, the best option, since many places close on January 1, is to recover from the excesses of the previous night by resting under the palm trees of Anakena beach.
New Year’s Eve dinners in Rapa Nui
Until a few years ago, it was not easy to find an open restaurant where to dine and toast for the new year. However now, more and more places organize dinners, dances and special celebrations on the last night of the year. Here are some suggestions. Book early to secure your table.
Te Ra’ai
In Te Ra’ai they offer a complete package that includes a Grand Dinner with cocktail, entrance, main course and dessert. All enlivened with the rapanui songs and dances of their ensemble and live music. They also take you to Hanga Vare Vare to see the fireworks show. Can you ask for more? More information here.
Pea Restaurant
At Pea Restaurant you can dine by the sea for 40,000 pesos per person. It includes appetizer and sparkling wine. More information here.
Kanahau
In the Kanahau restaurant, located in the main street Atamu Tekena, they propose a rich gourmet dinner for 70,000 pesos per person that includes a glass of Moet Chandon champagne. More information here.
Hani Hani
In Hani Hani they offer two types of menu, one tasting menu for 45,000 pesos and another for 50,000 pesos per person, which you can enjoy on its pleasant terrace facing the sea. More information here.
Mamma Nui
In Mamma Nui, which also has the option of accommodation in glamping mode, they present an appetizing menu for 45,000 pesos per person that includes appetizer, entrance, main course, dessert and drink. More information here.
