What’s the Best Self-Guided Tour Route for Budget Travel to Easter Island?

Easter Island (Rapa Nui, also known as Rapa Nui Island) has been a long-anticipated destination, and finally, I got to see the magical natural scenery and the mysterious Moai statues. We stayed on the island for four days and three nights, renting a car after landing and hiring a guide for a day and a half, while the rest of the time we explored on our own.

Main expenses:
· Round-trip airfare (¥6354)
· Homestay (four days and three nights, one room ¥2423)
· Entry ticket to the island scenic area (CL$ 74250)
· Theater performance (CL$25000)
· Car rental (three days calculated as 24h*3days CL$150000)
· Guide (a full-day guided tour with a vehicle CL$110000, half-day cave exploration with a local guide intercepted on the road CL$70000)

Itinerary:
Day
· Santiago – Easter Island 09:10—12:50
· Check-in and rent a car from the rental company 16:00
(There is no signal on the island, need to contact the landlord in advance to arrange a driver for pick-up and drop-off, CL$10000, the driver will keep raising the price, not very ethical)
· Anakena + Ovahe 7+1 Moai statues + hidden beach 16:30—18:30
(Located at the northernmost part of the island, no entry ticket needed , there are small trails, and the Moai statues are quite intact, pretty good )
· Returned to the town’s supermarket to buy dinner ingredients + some souvenirs

Day
· Ahu Tongariki 15-row Moai statues 6:00—8:00
( Without a guide, you need to drive a bit further to see the full sunrise view of the Moai statues, very impressive! After sunrise, many cattle and horses come out to forage, and the morning light is beautiful)
· Drove around the island for about two hours 10:00—12:00
(Got a general idea of which places require a guide and which can be stopped for photos directly)
· Hanga Roa, the town of Hanga Roa 12:00-15:30
(Here you can eat and drink, watch surfers , the tourist center is here, where you can get free Moai stamps, and also inquire about guide services)
· Ana Kai Tanata 16:00
(This spot is located on the southwest side of the island, found randomly on Google Maps!

A surprise! No entry ticket or guide needed! A stunning spot! You can see the movement and shape of the waves, the waves are high! But incredibly blue! A great place for photography)
· Orongo, the Birdman Village 17:00
(This place requires a guide, but when we went, there was no guard, so we climbed up the crater and looked around the village!

It’s one of the highest points on the island)
· Watched the show Varua Ora 20:30—22:30
(The performance was very passionate and featured local characteristics, and after it ended, you could go on stage to take photos with the actors)