easter island travel
2007-1-12 10:37:33,from:WOWIn Chile it's called Isla de Pascua and the natives there call it Rapa Nui or Te Pito te Henua ( world's belly button). It is 14 miles long by 7 miles wide and it's actually about the only city not on the Panamericana, it's about 2,332 miles off the coast. Known for its Moais (stone statues), it is a must for people into ancient mysteries. There are frequent flights from Santiago that take about 4 or 5 hours.
LanChile Airlines flies a Boeing 767 from Tahiti and Santiago to Easter Island twice a week. In the high season December to March, extra Santiago-Easter Island flights are added. From North America and Europe, LanChile has direct flights to Santiago from Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Madrid, and Frankfurt. People in Europe and Australia can have Easter Island included in a cheap round-the-world ticket, something that usually isn't possible in North America. Travelers in Canada and the U.S. can have Easter Island added to any LanChile ticket to Santiago quite inexpensively. The departure tax is US$26 to Tahiti or US$7 to Santiago, but it's usually included in the ticket price.
Most visitors require only a passport valid six months ahead to stay 90 days in Chile. Visas are not necessary for North Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, and most Europeans to travel here. Check this at any LanChile Airlines office. An entry tax or cobro por reciprocidad is collected upon arrival in Chile, with the amount varying according to nationality (U.S. passports US$100, Canada US$55, Australia US$30, Mexico US$15, etc.). This rather high tax is valid for the duration of the passport and doesn't have to be paid again each visit. No vaccinations are required.
The local currency is the Chilean peso. Credit cards are rarely usable on Easter Island as those accepting them have to wait a long time to be paid. Some hotels levy a 10% service charge for the use of credit cards.
If you want to pay something approaching local prices, ask how much the item or service costs in pesos. Only tourists pay in U.S. dollars and dollar prices are invariably higher. When prices are quoted in dollars, you can usually save a small amount by asking to pay in pesos. Easter Island is less expensive than French Polynesia but more costly than the rest of Chile.