Has anyone stopped at Easter Island on a cruise? If yes, do you think the visit is worth flying the 2,300 miles (one way) from Santiago for a visit? If yes, how long would you stay?

Will be in Santiago following a Regent cruise and wondering whether we should make a post-cruise visit to Easter Island.

Thanks.

Jim

On the list Jim not been there yet. I think it would be pretty fascinating.

I don't remember how it was worded, but on one Radisson trip the flight was not to Easter Island but to one similiar to it. Be sure it is to the real Easter Island.

"not to Easter Island but one similar to it"!?!

All I can say is "Yikes!"

Easter Island aka Rapa Nui is the most isolated inhabited island on the planet by geographic distance. The Moai (stone figures) are unique. Any island similar to it would be at least 1200 miles away (Pitcairn), wouldn't have the Moai, and have a dissimiliar culture...but it would be an island, that's about it. If Radisson/Regent ever mislead people with this kind of description, I'd report them to the National Geographic and the Association of American Geographers! (I'm a geographer, BTW).

Easter Island is one place that I have always wanted to see. It's pretty hard imagining mistaking it for any other place, but then not everybody read about it in National Geographic in the 60s I guess. I know that there's a Christmas Island somewhere out there, maybe that's where the confusion could lie??

We have been to Christmas Island on the way from San Fran.to Tahiti many years ago (7).. It's not anywhere you would want to fly out of your way to, but the children of the Island all came out in their beautiful costumes, what a treat.. I don't think Easter Island is anywhere near Christmas Island....
We took a tour while there, and the big part of the tour was riding in the jeep down the runway of the airport, I think, if I remember correctly was one flight a week.... :banana: :) :)

Decided to go after reading about it in the library. I enjoy remote and unique places removed from modern civilization. It is a five hour plane ride from Santiago about half way between Santiago and Tahiti.

However, we won't be roughing it. The Explora Lodge well known in the Chile Patagonia region has opened a small but very nice lodge on Easter Island.

Thanks for your responses.

Jim

The Radisson excursion was offered out of the South America circumnavigation and there was no deception involved. It was very up front and worded something like "an Easter Island experience."

P.S. I left out one word. It should have been worded "an Easter Island-like experience." It was an island closer to Ecuador and was very much appreciated by those who went.

Wendy: As far as I know, there are at least two Christmas Islands. One is off Hawaii and was used as a technical stop by Regent. The other is off Australia. Easter Island is in a different part of the world.

Still would have to say that there isn't anything that would constitute an "Easter Island-like experience" since you'd expect the stone figures that are the signature feature and what you would have have gotten was...an island!

There is only one Easter Island. (on my to-do list)

I've been to Easter Island and it is the only one as far as I know.

We arrived by ship and there is not a very good anchorage - open seas with lots of swells - probably easier to arrive by plane, but a small island - takes very little time to see everything.
Still, a fascination place. Have you read “Collapse,” by Jared Diamond? He speculates on how the island's history evolved.

Hey, I enjoyed Easter Island when Matt Lauer of the Today Show went there this year as part of his annual "Where is Matt Lauer?" show. I really enjoyed it, but no longer feel I have to go there, fortunately! His coverage was very good at the time. I felt like I have been there.