One of the first things that struck me was how quickly the moai just...appear. We'd barely started walking around before there they were. These statues I'd seen in history books and photographs my entire life were suddenly right in front of us - and then there was another one, and another one. We stopped every few feet to take pictures until we eventually realized we weren't going to get very far if we kept this up.

That initial feeling never completely wore off. You know you're traveling to Easter Island to see the moai, obviously. But knowing what they look like and actually walking among them are two very different things.

Making friends on Easter Island

We'd booked a private tour for our first full day, which ended up being one of the best decisions we made. Easter Island isn't particularly large, but there's a tremendous amount of history packed into it, and having someone explain what we were looking at made a huge difference.

Our day started before sunrise at Ahu Tongariki. It was early, quiet and incredibly peaceful. We stood there with the 15 moai silhouetted in front of us as the sky slowly changed behind them. I remember mostly just watching in silence and thinking about the amount of history sitting right there in front of us. These statues had been standing on this remote island in one form or another for centuries, long before we ever knew they existed - and here we were watching another day begin behind them.

It's hard to make that sound as incredible as it felt without getting a little corny. But it really was one of those moments where nobody needed to say much.

Another memory that has strangely stuck with me? The dogs. There were dogs roaming around seemingly everywhere, and we'd stop and play with them as we walked. Something about sitting on this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific, surrounded by ancient history while a happy dog wandered over looking for attention, felt wonderfully normal in a place that otherwise felt anything but.

Sunrise at Ahu Tongariki

An unfinished moai at Rano Raraku

I had a similar feeling at Rano Kau, although the scenery couldn't have been more different.

Rano Kau is an enormous extinct volcanic crater, with water and vegetation covering much of the crater floor. It was completely different from so much of what we'd been seeing around the island - including, for once, no moai!

But what I remember most is standing high above the island and looking out at this beautiful blue water surrounding us. You know Easter Island is incredibly remote before you get there, but this was one of those moments when you could actually feel it. There was this tiny piece of land in the distance and then seemingly nothing but ocean beyond it. It was beautiful, a little surreal, and a view that has really stuck with me.

Looking out from Rano Kau

We made plenty of other stops during our tour, including Te Pito Kura, where our guide showed us the smooth stone associated with Te Pito o Te Henua, often translated as the “navel of the world.” Local tradition connects the site with Rapa Nui history and mana, or spiritual power. I don't remember this stop nearly as vividly as Tongariki or Rano Raraku, but that's almost inevitable on a day when you're taking in so much at once.

By the end of our tour, we'd covered an enormous amount of the island. More importantly, though, we understood so much more about what we'd been looking at since we arrived.

That's why I'm especially glad we toured early in the trip. The following day, we rented an ATV and explored on our own. We could go back to places we liked, return to Anakena, and simply drive around without trying to cram in another checklist of sights. After spending the previous day learning about the island, it was nice to have time to just enjoy being there.

We flew back on Day 4, and honestly, the amount of time felt just right for us. Three days gave us enough time to really explore the island, learn about its history and then have some time on our own without feeling rushed.

Easter Island had seemed so intimidating to plan from afar. Once we were there, it was anything but. It's small, easy to settle into and unlike anywhere else we've traveled.

And after years of seeing those moai in books and photographs, there's still something a little surreal about knowing we actually stood beside them.

Last updated: September 2026