There’s something liberating about hopping into a tiny rental car and charting your own course, especially in a place as remote as Easter Island. With its pastoral scenery, towering moai statues, and rugged coastline, the island invites adventure at every turn. There are no set schedules, no guides—just you, the car, and miles of untamed beauty.
We started our week on Easter Island by exploring Hanga Roa on foot, focusing on the free activities. On our second day, we joined a full-day tour of Rano Raraku, Ahu Tongariki, and other sites that require a guide.
Once we’d seen a little of the island, we rented a car for our final three days, blending half-day guided tours with independent excursions. We often felt like we had the South Pacific island to ourselves while driving our compact Suzuki along its paved roads.
Based on our experience, I’ve compiled a one-day itinerary to illustrate what you can see and do independently. But first, let’s look at some of the rental options and costs available to travelers.
Renting a Car
One of Easter Island’s great charms is its diminutive size. On the day our LATAM flight from Santiago landed, we checked into our seaside guesthouse and took a leisurely walk through Hanga Roa, the island’s only town. From the moment we’d committed to visiting Easter Island in 2024, Kel was intent on renting a car so we could have maximum flexibility to photograph the moai.
As we walked down Atamu Tekena, one of the main streets running north-south through Hanga Roa, we stopped at several shops to inquire about rental car rates. The quoted prices got progressively cheaper, which shows that it’s worth shopping around.
Our first stop was Haunani Rent a Car, where the menu ran from a compact, automatic Suzuki Celerio for 90,000 pesos ($96) to a manual Land Rover Defender for 250,000 pesos ($268). All prices are for 24 hours. We were quoted a slightly discounted price for a two or three-day rental.
The cheapest price was on the same street at O Nei Rent a Car, where an automatic Suzuki Spresso went for 70,000 pesos (about $75 per 24 hours). In addition to the low base rate, we received a discount for renting the car for three days. The total cost for our Easter Island rental car was $208.
Moreover, the vehicle was practically brand new, with less than 5,000 miles on it. Given the island’s remoteness,…
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