Easter Island on SALE!!! June 2005

Is it the end of Easter Island when a travel discount web-site showcases Easter Island?
http://www.shermanstravel.com/SnapShot.asp?SnapShotID=501751

Once-in-a-lifetime Easter Island package Explore the world's most remote inhabited island for nine days, with air, hotels, & tours, for $2284

Book by: ASAP
Travel by: December 11, 2005

The Deal
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 2400 miles west of Chile, lies the world’s most remote inhabited island: enigmatic Easter Island. Discovered by a Dutch explorer in 1722, this stunning isle is home to one of the world’s most fascinating sights – remarkable stone statues of unexplained origin. These figures have mystified archeologists and visitors alike for centuries; now you can admire them up close with the terrific 9-day package we’ve found, and spend a couple of days in Santiago, Chile, to boot, all for just $2284, including four-star hotel stays with daily breakfast, airfare, and guided tours. For those of you who would prefer to book travel independently, we've also found air-only deals to South America, including Santiago, from $305 round-trip.

Nine-day air, hotel, and tour package to Easter Island for $2284
Needless to say, due to its remoteness, Easter Island is one of the world’s priciest and off-the-beaten path destinations, which is why this package is such great value. Air only could cost as much as the total price for this tour, but instead you’re getting a first-rate travel adventure in this mind-boggling place, with all sorts of inclusions.

Case in point: you’ll be staying in four-star hotels throughout; in Chile’s capital of Santiago, where you spend two entire days exploring the colonial delights of this Andean city, you’ll enjoy two nights at either the upscale Novotel or the deluxe Fundador, both excellently located properties with an array of plush perks. On Easter Island, you’ll overnight at the intimate Otai Hotel, complete with a lush garden, a swimming pool, and a restaurant/bar. Five-star accommodation is available, too, for $223 extra, at exquisite hotels in both places.

As for other inclusions, the tours are a definite highlight; you’ll get a half-day sightseeing tour of Santiago as well as two entire days of touring Easter Island’s most gripping archeological sights, including Tahai, home to the giant statues, known as moais; three spectacular caves with ancient wall paintings; the fantastic ruins of Vaihu; and the Ranu Raraku volcano quarry, believed to be the original moai ‘factory’.

You’ll surely be blown away by Easter Island’s sights and secrets, but you should also be blown away by the fact this package also includes airfare, for totals of $2284 from New York, $2374 from Miami, and $2392 from Los Angeles.

Air-only to South America, including Santiago, from $305 round-trip
Avianca airlines, one of the region's top carriers, has posted exciting fares for early fall travel to a host of South American destinations, including Santiago. See our Latin America in Oct – book low fares to Chile, Brazil, Peru, & more on Avianca Editor's Pick!

The Dollars
This package priced per person based on double occupancy is valid for Thursday or Friday departures between August 16 and December 11, and includes all of the following:

Accommodation for seven nights, with hotel taxes and service charges included (with upgrade options available)
Daily breakfast
Round-trip air to Santiago/Easter Island
Tours as specified above
All transfers
Services of an English-speaking guide
You’ll have to pay extra for air taxes and fees, as well as gratuities to guides and drivers.

The Catch
Add another $100 to the tally: U.S. citizens must pay a first-time entrance fee to Chile.

The Booking Details
Visit http://www.taratours.com or call 1-800-327-0080 and mention ShermansTravel.

I got all excited - I thought the whole ISLAND was for sale!

I don't recall seeing 4 star hotels on the Island, or even 5 star.

This is not a bad deal - although when James and I went airfare was like $1400 plus our zero-one star lodgings were about $30 per night.

On 2005-06-15 15:54, dangergirl299 wrote:
I got all excited - I thought the whole ISLAND was for sale!

I don't recall seeing 4 star hotels on the Island, or even 5 star.

This is not a bad deal - although when James and I went airfare was like $1400 plus our zero-one star lodgings were about $30 per night.

My main memory of hearing about the trip you two took is how the musty smell permeated everything you brought back- especially the clothing!

A friend went to Chile and Easter Island a while back, and she said it was really cool, they stayed on the island with some local villagers and I guess worked the farm as part of the deal. A the end of their stay, they went to a big community dinner of traditional foods and the whole experience was very non-commercial, non-touristy. All the kids in the village carved little wooden Moais, and she bought a ton of them, and gave one to everyone at work.

On 2005-06-15 16:06, mrsmiley wrote:

My main memory of hearing about the trip you two took is how the musty smell permeated everything you brought back- especially the clothing!

You get what you pay for...

I would be interested to know if paying all that extra $ for a "four or five star" hotel would get you a place withOUT the musty smell - the "fancy" hotels we drove by did not look four/five star to me.

I guess I'll find out next time - there is an eclipse coming up in a few years - that would be a good time to go again. I promised a Dutch guy named Howard (?) I would be there for that.

my friend, darren, has been on a trip around the world for the past year and recently travelled to rapa nui in an impromtu stop on his journey. they stayed for a week and camped out in a tent two weeks ago. apparently is was 10 dollars a night to camp in the designated area (somewhere on the west side of the island...i'll get more details when he gets back to california) they had a great time and only encountered one night which was difficult to sleep through (torrential rains and crazy wind). they brought a bag of groceries from chile and cooked for most of their meals.

they also reported that all of the carved moais were at a "fixed price" which was way beyond their means. if i remember correctly, a 6 to 10 inch moai was selling for 80 bucks and up.

they took numerous pictures during their week there, and the weather was fairly cooperative. we lived vicariously through them for that week!

On 2005-06-15 17:25, dangergirl299 wrote:
a Dutch guy named Howard (?)

His name was Wouter.

Tikicleen: prices quoted to you for wooden Moai are approximately double the prices I observed in 2000 and 2004.

On 2005-06-16 16:13, tikibars wrote:

On 2005-06-15 17:25, dangergirl299 wrote:
a Dutch guy named Howard (?)

His name was Wouter.

Yep that's me! I visited indeed on 2004 for a memorable 11 day-trip.
Check out my Moai pics at http://www.woutervelthuis.web-log.nl/
click on the Easter Island galery.

Enjoy!
Take care

Those are some fantastic shots. Thanks for the link.