All the Easter Island / Chile 2003 pictures were taken by Chris Flaat or Dave Flaat, using a Canon Digital Rebel. All images are copyrighted by Christopher A. Flaat and may not be used for any purpose without my written permission. (However, I have given out high-resolution images and permission in the past; interested parties should feel free to drop me a line.)
This was my first trip abandoning film and going entirely digital. I will never go back. During the whole trip I had to change my memory card and battery only once. I never had to worry about security frying my film. I didn't have to scan my negatives. Life is good!
Learn some Spanish, because a lot of Chileans speak no English. Learn at least the basics (yes, no, please, thank you, basic numbers, etc.). If you do that, you'll get along fine.
I recommend the Lonely Planet Spanish phrasebook. I used another one, which was really lame, and after seeing the LP phrasebook wished I'd had that instead.
If you want to go to Easter Island, there are two guidebooks you need. First, get the Lonely Planet guidebook for Chile. This is an indispensable practical resource. Second, get the Uncommon Guide to Easter Island from the Easter Island Heritage Foundation; this is a great little guide that goes into depth on all the major sites and is a must-have if you don't have your own guide.
We stayed at the Hotel Otai. It's not a five-star affair, but I would recommend this place to anyone, based on its location, amenities, and staff.
We stayed on the island for four nights. This was a good length of time for a starter trip, giving us three full days. I would NOT recommend spending any less time than this. If & when I return, I would want to stay for at least five nights, and maybe longer. A week would be an ideal amount of time to spent.
For transportation, your best bet is to rent a jeep. Note that there are essentially no amenities outside Hanga Roa (except for an occasional pop & hot dogs vendor at Anakena beach), so I can't imagine walking, biking, or even motorcycling around. When the sun is at full force, it is very strong, and having air conditioned transport that can carry lots of water & pop has much to be said for it. If you do get a jeep, be sure to get the Easter Island map from ITMB so you know where you're going and what you're seeing by the side of the road.
Hanga Roa changes a lot. The brand new Lonely Planet guide was already out of date with a couple of restaurants and an internet cafe that had closed, but others had sprouted up. (This isn't a knock on LP, just a fact of life that businesses come & go quickly here.)
Go see a polynesian dance show. Having seen an extremely cheesy & pathetic one in Hawaii, I didn't want to, but my brother talked me into it. We saw the dance group "Polinesia" at the Kopa Kavana restaurant. The food was unimpressive but the group Polinesia was GREAT. I even bought one of their CD's.
Go see a sunset at the Tahai complex.
LanChile is the airline that flies between Santiago & Easter Island. Their service & food are excellent.
We stayed at the Hotel Diego de Velasquez in the Providencia district. This was a decent hotel, with a good location. The Providencia district was a nice area to stay in, with many services & food options. The Providencia area seems to be very clean, safe, and orderly.
Go see the Precolumbian Art Museum. Very impressive.
I'm sorry, but this place is a dump. If I was ever on a cruise that departs from here, I would make sure I'm staying at the nearby, upscale Vina del Mar area -- or in Santiago -- and not in Valparaiso itself.
One good thing about Valparaiso is the antique market that is held on weekends. If you're an antique or history junkie , there's a lot here that's of interest.
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All content copyright 2003 by Christopher A. Flaat.