The five best places to see Easter Island statues are Rano Raraku, Ahu Tongariki, Ahu Nau Nau, Ahu Tahai, and Ahu Akivi. These archaeological sites showcase hundreds of moai in different settings, from a volcanic quarry and sandy beach to restored ceremonial platforms.
Although they're sometimes called the "Easter Island heads," moai are full-body statues created by the Indigenous Rapa Nui people. Some appear to be only heads because centuries of soil movement have partially buried their bodies.
Kel and I visited every major moai site during our week on Rapa Nui. Instead of overwhelming you with every location, this guide focuses on the five I found most impressive and photogenic. You can see all five in one busy day, but spending several days lets you return in better light and at a more relaxed pace.
Moai Sites
1. Rano Raraku
The most important archaeological site on Rapa Nui is Rano Raraku, a volcano on the island's eastern side that the Indigenous people used as a quarry.
The volcanic crater is made of tuff, a soft volcanic rock ideal for carving. From 1100 to 1500 AD, roughly one thousand moai statues were carved from the crater's eastern slope. The statues honor ancestors, chiefs, and important figures in Rapa Nui society.
Rano Raraku provided most of the moai found on the island, and over 400 statues in various stages of completion remain at the site. One fascinating aspect of touring Rano Raraku is the chance to see moai statues at different stages of construction.
Some unfinished multi-ton statues remain attached to the ground by their backs, as the back was the last part to be carved before the moai were moved. Others stand upright with their head and shoulders above ground while their bodies remain buried in the soil.
Several statues were left face-down, possibly because they didn't meet the builders' standards or were abandoned before being transported to their intended ahu (ceremonial platform).
Visiting the Quarry
Rano Raraku is part of Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors must purchase a ticket available online through the official Rapa Nui National Park website for 72,000 Chilean pesos (about $77).
Tickets are valid for ten consecutive days from the start date. Because of the ecological and archaeological sensitivity of this moai site on Easter Island, you must visit with a guide, and you're allowed only one entry.
Note: The ceremonial village of Orongo, home to the Birdman cult, which succeeded the moai-centric society, is the only other site limited to one visit.
Budget-conscious travelers can visit Rano Raraku with a local tour company like Mahinatur, which has an office in Hanga Roa town. This was our approach, and the 90 minutes we spent at Rano Raraku, the first stop on a day-long tour, was sufficient.
However, if you'd like more time and flexibility at Rano Raraku, it's better to pay more and hire a private guide through the park website. I recommend a private tour for anyone who wants to film the site or control the time of day you visit.
Speaking of timing, we were at Mahinatur's mercy since we took a group tour. It was raining when we left town from their office on the tour bus.
Thankfully, by the time we reached Rano Raraku, 12 miles east of town (and about a 30-minute drive), around 9:15 a.m., the rain had stopped.
Most of the moai statues face south, so it's tricky to get their faces fully sunlit, whether you go in the morning or afternoon. Plus, clouds can always interfere. Another variable is the sun's position in the sky, which changes throughout the year.
2. Ahu Tongariki
About one mile east of Rano Raraku volcano is Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu complex on Easter Island with 15 moai statues. We first saw it from above while walking through Rano Raraku.
The ahu is over 200 feet long, and the moai face inland to watch over the community. It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and served as a ceremonial site.
Recent research on Easter Island, published in PLOS One in 2019, showed that the placement of ahus along the coast corresponds to freshwater sources, which would've been vital to the survival of Rapa Nui society.
In 1960, a massive tsunami triggered by the Valdivia earthquake off the coast of Chile knocked the moai statues at Ahu Tongariki off their platform. The fact that these multi-ton statues were swept inland and left in ruins speaks to the wave's power.
From 1992 to 1996, the Chilean government, the Rapa Nui community, and Japanese archaeologists and engineers led a restoration effort. They used modern equipment to restore the moai statues to their rightful place on the platform.
Ahu Tongariki is a testament to the moai's cultural importance and the resilience of the Rapa Nui people. It's one of the most visited and photographed sites on Easter Island.
Tips for Tongariki
The restored moai statues at Ahu Tongariki are among the most spectacular sites on Easter Island. Rano Raraku may have more moai, but most are partially buried, incomplete, or face down in the ground.
At Ahu Tongariki, you can better understand what these monoliths looked like in their final placements around the island. The site is also home to petroglyphs named Papa Tataku Poki.
Ahu Tongariki is part of Rapa Nui National Park, so you must present your park pass and enter with a licensed guide. We visited Tongariki after Rano Raraku as part of a group tour, which let us walk around the entire ceremonial platform and get close-up shots of the moai statues.
Three days later, we returned at about 6:20 a.m. in a rental car to photograph Ahu Tongariki at sunrise. Since we didn't have a guide, we couldn't enter the site, but it didn't matter.
We got some excellent photos from outside the rock wall that encircles the site. At various times, the sky was purple, orange, and pink. Before we left, we also saw a complete rainbow over nearby Rano Raraku!
3. Ahu Nau Nau
Constructed atop Anakena Beach on the northern coast of Easter Island, Ahu Nau Nau is one of the island's most well-preserved and scenic moai sites. The beach is the legendary landing site of Polynesian chief Hotu Matu'a, leader of the island's first settlers, sometime between 400 and 700 AD.
As the only sand beach on an otherwise rough coast of volcanic rock, it was also where European explorers came ashore in the 19th and 20th centuries. More recently, American anthropologist William Mulloy and Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl conducted field research in the 1950s.
Ahu Nau Nau features seven moai statues restored to their platform in the 1970s. Two of the statues are missing their heads and parts of their bodies.
The moai at Ahu Nau Nau are among the best-preserved on the island because, after being toppled, they were buried in sand and protected for centuries.
This preservation has kept the intricate carvings on their backs visible. Four moai are topped with red scoria topknots (pukao), symbolizing high status and power.
To the right of Ahu Nau Nau is Ahu Ature Huki, which consists of a single moai sculpture. Ahu Ature Huki is notable as the first moai to be re-erected in modern times (1956) by the island's community, with help from Thor Heyerdahl, marking the beginning of Easter Island's restoration efforts.
Getting to Anakena Beach
There are many ways to get to Anakena Beach to see Ahu Nau Nau and Ahu Ature Huki. Our first visit was on the small group tour that began at Rano Raraku and Ahu Tongariki.
Three days later, we returned in our rental car for a seafood lunch (highly recommended) and to take some photos.
If neither a guided tour nor a rental car appeals to you, you could take a private taxi or shuttle bus from Hanga Roa town. With a cab, I'd recommend setting a pick-up time so they can collect you in advance.
The food vendors at Anakena now offer Wi-Fi, but I wouldn't rely on it. Shuttle services like Te Ao Tour offer reliable schedules to the beach and back.
You could rent a bike and cycle from town to Anakena Beach and back for exercise. It's about 10 miles one way (20 miles round trip), so set out early and take plenty of water.
Finally, if you can access a boat or want to hire one to take you around the island, that's another option.
4. Ahu Tahai
Situated on the west coast of Easter Island, within walking distance of Hanga Roa town, the Tahai Ceremonial Complex is one of the oldest and most important moai statue sites. The early Rapa Nui used it for religious ceremonies, ancestor worship, and social gatherings.
The complex includes three restored ahu:
- Ahu Vai Uri (five statues, constructed around 1200 AD)
- Ahu Tahai (one statue built around 700 AD)
- Ahu Ko Te Riku (one statue with eyes and hat)
Like many other moai sites, the Tahai complex was abandoned in the 17th Century as the Rapa Nui society faced ecological challenges and social conflicts. The statues were toppled, then restored in the 1960s and 1970s.
The effort, led by William Mulloy, included erecting the moai statues, reconstructing the ahu platforms, and restoring the moai's eyes on Ahu Ko Te Riku. The remains of Mulloy and later his wife Emily were buried within view of the statues and are marked by a large stone and plaque.
Tahai at Sunrise and Sunset
Due to its proximity to town, Kel and I visited Tahai four times during our week-long stay on Easter Island. The half-mile walk before sunrise was peaceful; the day was beginning, horses were grazing, and few tourists were around.
Mornings are ideal if you want to catch the sun illuminating the faces of these moai.
The Tahai Ceremonial Complex is most frequently visited at sunset, as the sun goes down behind the statues. This can make for a colorful sky; however, the statues' faces will be dark. And you'll likely be sharing the view with more tourists.
5. Ahu Akivi
For the fifth must-see moai statue site on Easter Island, I'd like to highlight Ahu Akivi, constructed in the 16th Century. Located on the western side of Rapa Nui, Ahu Akivi is one of the few ceremonial platforms inland rather than on the coast.
The seven similar moai at Ahu Akivi are uniquely oriented to face the Pacific Ocean. This is unusual, as all the other moai on platforms face inland. According to oral tradition, the seven moai represent the seven explorers the island's first king, Hotu Matu'a, sent to find the island before his arrival.
During the Spring Equinox, they face sunset; during the Autumn Equinox, they have their backs to sunrise. This precise placement suggests that Ahu Akivi once served as an astronomical observatory.
William Mulloy and Gonzalo Figueroa led the restoration of Ahu Akivi in the 1960s. They repaired the ahu (platform) and placed the moai back on top.
Visiting Ahu Akivi
Kel and I visited Ahu Akivi on a half-day group tour we booked through Mahinatur in town. Although it was raining when we were there, the site on the side of Monte Terevaka, Rapa Nui's tallest volcano, still offered a nice view. Ahu Akivi is about four miles northeast of town.
Exploring the moai statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is a unique experience, offering a glimpse into the island's cultural heritage and stunning vistas. Whether you're visiting the iconic Rano Raraku, the expansive Ahu Tongariki, or the scenic Ahu Nau Nau, each site tells its own story and holds its own significance.
By prioritizing these top five moai sites, you can make the most of your time on Easter Island and immerse yourself in the mystique of this remote South Pacific destination.
