Your stop on the map

Easter Island moai map: every major site, coast by coast

Answer in brief

The main moai sites are Rano Raraku and Ahu Tongariki in the east, Te Pito Kura and Anakena on the north coast, Akahanga and Vinapu in the south, and Tahai and Ahu Akivi in the west.

Plan the route

  • 400 at the quarry, 288 on platforms5
  • Ahu Akivi's moai face the sea4
  • A park ticket and a guide are required10

Browse 20 stops

The moai of Rapa Nui, site by site

Start by picking a route; tap a pin or stop for its note and Google Maps.

Map of Easter Island marking the main moai sites, from Ahu Tahai and Ahu Akivi in the west to Rano Raraku, Ahu Tongariki and Te Pito Kura in the east

  1. The island's only town and the start of every tour; the airport sits beside it, and green turtles swim in the cove among the fishing boats.

    Google Maps

  2. Three restored ahu and the remains of a village, steps from town; the park calls it one of the best places on the island for sunset.

    Google Maps

  3. Seven moai that look out to sea, aligned with the sun at the equinoxes, the platform linked to the explorers of the founding story.

    Google Maps

  4. The red scoria quarry where most of the pukao topknots were carved; unfinished pieces still lie there.

    Google Maps

  5. Two monumental ahu with fitted basalt walls that the park compares to Inca stonework.

    Google Maps

  6. An old village site with one of the longest platforms on the island and eight toppled moai.

    Google Maps

  7. Village remains and toppled moai by the sea; the park links them to the civil wars of the 18th century.

    Google Maps

  8. The volcano where the moai were carved: the park counts 400 statues in every stage of work on its slopes and in its crater.

    Google Maps

  9. The largest platform on the island, 15 restored moai with their backs to the Pacific, and the classic sunrise spot.

    Google Maps

  10. Home of Paro, the largest moai ever moved from the quarry, with its huge pukao.

    Google Maps

  11. The platform behind Anakena beach, whose moai still wear their red pukao.

    Google Maps

  12. The stone village of the birdman cult on the rim of Rano Kau, with Motu Kao Kao, Motu Iti and Motu Nui out in the sea below.

    Google Maps

Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors

The statues are spread around a small island, mostly on platforms near the shore. Use the map, then this guide, to see which sites belong together and which tour reaches each one.

Editorial team, easterislandtour.quest · Updated November 11, 2026 · Takes 7 min

The essentials

  • The quarryRano Raraku, with 400 moai at every stage.1
  • The great rowAhu Tongariki, 15 restored moai.2
  • The beachAnakena, with the topknotted moai of Ahu Nau Nau.3
  • Facing the seaAhu Akivi's seven moai, inland.4
  • One day, many sitesThe culture day sold here covers the east and north, from $80.

Where are the moai on Easter Island?

If you are wondering where are the moai on Easter Island, the short answer is almost everywhere, but not evenly. By Chile Travel's figures the quarry at Rano Raraku holds 400 and the platforms 288, and the remainder are scattered elsewhere,5 and the main sites lie inside Rapa Nui National Park, which covers 6,908.06 hectares by CONAF's measure.6

Most platforms stand near the coast, with their statues facing inland toward the land of the clan that raised them; Chile Travel notes that most moai look toward the center of the island and that Ahu Akivi is the exception.7 That pattern makes the island easy to read by coast: a western group around Hanga Roa, the south coast road, the quarry and Tongariki in the east, and Anakena on the north shore.

Distances are short, roads are not always good. CONAF reports paved roads along the south coast and an excellent road from Hanga Roa straight to Anakena, while the north coast is reached mostly on dirt tracks,8 and Chile Travel describes a circuit of 154 km for those who rent a four-wheel drive.9 Every major site also needs a park ticket and an accredited guide.10

Site by site

The main moai sites and how to reach them

SiteWhat you seeAreaA tour that goes
Ahu TahaiThree restored ahuWest, by townAkivi and Tahai half day
Ahu VinapuInca-like stone wallsSouth coastOrongo to Ana Te Pahu
AkahangaToppled moai by the seaSouth coastCulture day
Rano RarakuThe quarryEastCulture day
Ahu Tongariki15 restored moaiEastCulture day
Te Pito KuraParo, the largest movedNorthCulture day
AnakenaMoai with pukao, a beachNorthCulture day
Ahu AkiviSeven moai facing the seaInlandOrongo to Ana Te Pahu
OrongoThe birdman villageRano KauOrongo to Ana Te Pahu

Descriptions from the park administration and Chile Travel; stops from the listings' itineraries.11,21,22,1,2,23,3,4,24

Hanga Roa and the west: Tahai and the museum

Start where you sleep. Hanga Roa is the only town, and in its cove green turtles swim among the fishing boats, according to Chile Travel.15 Just north of the center, the ceremonial complex of Tahai has three restored platforms and the remains of a village, and the park rates it among the best places on the island for sunset.11

Tahai is a good first stop for history too: the National Library dates its main platform to 713 AD, the oldest on the island,16 and the archaeologist William Mulloy led its restoration.17 It sits within walking distance of most lodgings, which makes it the easiest moai visit of the trip, ideal for the evening you land.

A few steps away, the island museum displays the Moai Tau, a basalt statue brought back from Santiago,13 and a complete moai eye, the biggest yet discovered, which turned up at Anakena in 1978.14 Seeing the eye before you visit the platforms helps you imagine how the statues looked when they still had their gaze.

Statues per site

How many moai stand or lie at each platform

  • Ahu Tongariki15
  • Vaihu8
  • Ahu Akivi7
  • Ahu Nau Nau7

Counts from the park administration and Chile Travel; Vaihu's moai are toppled.2,18,19,20

The south coast: Vinapu, Vaihu and Akahanga

Drive east from the airport and the south coast road passes some of the most evocative ruins on the island. At Vinapu the park describes two monumental ahu with basalt walls fitted in a style it compares to Inca work,21 and Chile Travel draws the same comparison.25 Heyerdahl's team restored a red scoria moai at Vinapu in its campaign of 1955 and 1956.26

Further east, Vaihu holds the site of an ancient village with one of the longest platforms on the island and eight toppled moai,18 and Akahanga shows village remains and statues lying where they fell by the sea, which the park links to the civil wars of the 18th century.22 Here you see the moai as they were left after their fall, rather than restored.

The culture day sold on this site follows this coast: after a traditional village it spends 45 minutes on a guided walk at Ahu Akahanga before heading on to the quarry. The visit is short but telling, because the toppled statues of the south coast make the restored rows of Tongariki and Anakena all the more striking later in the day.

Plan your route

Which part of the map first?

Start with what you most want to stand in front of.

  • If I have a single full day

    The east and north

    The culture day covers the quarry, Tongariki, Te Pito Kura and Anakena.

  • If I want the birdman story

    Orongo and the west

    The 7-hour day adds Vinapu, Puna Pau and Akivi.

  • If I want a sunset with moai

    Tahai

    The park rates it among the best sunset spots.11

  • If I want moai and a swim

    Anakena

    Topknotted moai of Ahu Nau Nau stand behind a white beach.3

  • If I want moai facing the ocean

    Ahu Akivi

    The only platform whose statues look out to sea.4

Cover the island

Tours that split the map between them

Sold here

East and north

Culture day

  • Length8 hours
  • CoversQuarry, Tongariki, Anakena
  • GuidesEnglish, Spanish
Compare

The other half

West and inland

Orongo to Ana Te Pahu

  • Length7 hours
  • CoversOrongo, Vinapu, Akivi
  • GuidesEnglish, Spanish
Compare

Sunset

Evening loop

Akivi and Tahai

  • Length3 hours
  • CoversAkivi, Puna Pau, Tahai
  • GroupUp to 15
Compare

The east: Rano Raraku and Tongariki

The south coast road ends at the island's two most famous sites. Rano Raraku, about 25 minutes or 18 km from Hanga Roa, is the quarry where the statues were carved,41 and the park counts 400 of them there in every stage of making, with a lake in its crater.1 Our page on the quarry covers it in depth.

Below it, about a kilometer away on the bay of Hotu Iti, stand the fifteen moai of Ahu Tongariki,42 the biggest ahu of all and the classic place for sunrise.2 Rebuilt between 1992 and 1995 after a great wave scattered it in 1960, it is the best place to grasp how a full platform once looked; our sunrise page tells that story.43,44

Because the two sites are so close, east coast tours usually pair them. On the culture day booked through this site the quarry gets 1 hour on foot with the guide, and Tongariki 45 minutes, a stop the listing marks optional. Remember that your park ticket admits you to Rano Raraku only once,37 so choose a clear day for it.

Go with a guide

Price the whole map for your group

The shared tours that together reach every major site.

Compare all 3 options

Price the whole map for your group

The shared tours that together reach every major site.

2 people
  1. East and north day8 hours · price per person from $80

    ≈

    View
  2. West and inland day7 hours · price per person from $70

    ≈

    View
  3. Akivi and Tahai sunset3 hours · price per person from $82

    ≈

    View

Starting prices on GetYourGuide, exchanged at the ECB reference rate. The booking page gives the exact price.

A simple plan

Seeing the moai over a few days

  1. Arrival evening

    Tahai

    Walk from town to the three restored platforms for sunset.11

  2. First day

    East and north

    Akahanga, Rano Raraku, Tongariki, Te Pito Kura and Anakena.

  3. Second day

    West and inland

    Orongo, Vinapu, Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi and Ana Te Pahu.

  4. Third morning

    Dawn at Tongariki

    Arrive about an hour before sunrise.12

  5. Any day

    The museum

    Moai Tau and the great eye from Anakena.13,14

The north coast: Te Pito Kura and the Anakena beach moai

On the way to the north shore, Ahu Te Pito Kura keeps Paro, the largest moai ever transported from the quarry, with a huge pukao.23 The national conservation center gives it a height of 10 meters and an estimated weight of 90 tons, the biggest statue ever placed on a platform.45 The culture day stops here for a guided walk of 45 minutes.

Anakena is where the day ends on many tours, and for good reason. The white beach, palms and calm water make it the island's favorite swimming spot, and Chile Travel describes it as the place where Hotu Matu'a landed in tradition.33 The Anakena beach moai on Easter Island stand on Ahu Nau Nau, a platform of 7 statues, several of them still wearing their red pukao.20,3

Chile Travel gives the drive from Hanga Roa as 25 minutes and 18 km on its Anakena page,46 and as 17 kilometers on another page.47 The beach is public, but the platforms need an accredited guide,48 and Anakena is the only place in the park with first aid and lifeguards in season.49 The tour sold here gives you 1.5 hours of free time there.

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Seven moai aligned to the sun during equinoxes, unique in looking at the sea, connected to legendary explorers.
Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration)19

Before you set out

Moai sites checklist

Permits3

  • Park ticket, valid 10 days from first entry36
  • Accredited guide for every park site10
  • Rano Raraku and Orongo: one entry each37

On the road3

  • Dirt tracks on the north coast: drive slowly8
  • Public toilets: Ahu Akivi, Anakena, Orongo and Rano Raraku only38
  • Carry water: food is mostly in Hanga Roa and at Anakena

At every site2

  • Hands off every statue and platform: no climbing or leaning39
  • Take nothing, not even a pebble40

Inland: Ahu Akivi, Puna Pau and Ana Te Pahu

Ahu Akivi on Rapa Nui breaks the island's rule. No other platform has statues gazing out to sea as its seven moai do, and legend says they stand for the first explorers sent by Hotu Matu'a,4 while the park adds that they are aligned with the sun at the equinoxes.19 Mulloy's restoration work brought this platform back too.17

Close by lies Puna Pau, the small crater quarry where most of the red pukao were carved, with unfinished pieces still on its slopes,30 and Ana Te Pahu, a large volcanic cave once used as a refuge and store and ringed by gardens of native plants.31 Together they show that moai sites were part of a working landscape of quarries, homes and gardens.

These inland sites are on the western loop, not the east coast day. One tour links Rano Kau, Orongo, Vinapu, Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi and Ana Te Pahu in 7 hours, from $70, and a 3-hour half day ends its loop of Akivi and Puna Pau with sundown at Tahai. Ahu Akivi is also one of the few park sites with public toilets.38

Orongo, and an order to see it all

The last great site is not a moai platform at all. Orongo, the ceremonial village of the birdman cult, sits on the rim of the Rano Kau volcano about 10 minutes, or 5 km, above Hanga Roa,50 with Motu Kao Kao, Motu Iti and Motu Nui out in the sea below.24 It closes when the wind on the crater rim is too strong.51

A simple order works for most visitors. Spend the first full day on the east and north: the south coast ruins, Rano Raraku, Tongariki, Te Pito Kura and Anakena, which is exactly the route of the culture day sold here. Give the second day to the west: Orongo and Rano Kau, Vinapu, Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi and Ana Te Pahu, then finish at Tahai for sunset.

If you have a third day, use it for whatever moved you most, whether a sunrise at Tongariki, another swim at Anakena or an unhurried afternoon at the museum. Keep the park ticket's limits in mind: it lasts 10 days from your first entry,36 and both Rano Raraku and Orongo can be entered only once on it.37

FAQ

Fast, clear answers, short.

Where are most of the moai?
At Rano Raraku and on coastal platforms.

By Chile Travel's count, 400 stand at the quarry and 288 on ahu.5

Which moai face the sea?
Those of Ahu Akivi.

Its seven moai are the only ones whose gaze is turned to the ocean.4

Where can I see moai with topknots?
At Anakena.

The moai of Ahu Nau Nau, behind the beach, still wear their red pukao.3

Which site has the most standing moai?
Ahu Tongariki.

Its platform holds 15 restored moai in a single row.2

How far is Anakena from Hanga Roa?
About 25 minutes.

Chile Travel gives 18 km on one page and 17 kilometers on another.46,47

Can I visit the sites without a guide?
Not the park sites.

A ticket and an accredited guide are mandatory to enter the park.10

How long is the park ticket valid?
10 days.

It counts from your first entry, not from the date you buy it.36

Sources

  1. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  2. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  3. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Anakena ↩
  4. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Itinerary through the must-see spots of Rapa Nui ↩
  5. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · 5 Fun Facts about the Moai of Rapa Nui ↩
  6. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Rapa Nui ↩
  7. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Excursions on Easter Island: what you can do ↩
  8. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Rapa Nui ↩
  9. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Discover the magic of the island of Rapa Nui ↩
  10. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  11. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  12. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · A trip to the Pacific: the best activities to do on Rapa Nui ↩
  13. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Chile) · El moai mas antiguo que resguardaba el MNHN vuelve a Rapa Nui ↩
  14. Museo Antropologico Padre Sebastian Englert, Rapa Nui (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural) · Historia ↩
  15. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Hanga Roa ↩
  16. Memoria Chilena, National Library of Chile (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural) · Arqueologia (Rapa Nui) ↩
  17. Museo Antropologico Padre Sebastian Englert, Rapa Nui (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural) · Historia ↩
  18. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  19. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  20. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Excursions on Easter Island: what you can do ↩
  21. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  22. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  23. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  24. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  25. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Discover the magic of the island of Rapa Nui ↩
  26. Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Restauracion (CNCR, Chile) · Ahu Tongariki: trabajos de conservacion de sus 15 moai (Conserva 11, 2007, PDF) ↩
  27. Museo Antropologico Padre Sebastian Englert, Rapa Nui (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural) · Historia
  28. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Rano Raraku
  29. Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage of Chile · Ya esta de vuelta en Rapa Nui el Moai Tau
  30. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  31. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  32. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · A trip to the Pacific: the best activities to do on Rapa Nui
  33. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Anakena ↩
  34. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Rano Raraku
  35. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Orongo
  36. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Preguntas frecuentes ↩
  37. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Rapa Nui National Park ↩
  38. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Preguntas frecuentes ↩
  39. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Preguntas frecuentes ↩
  40. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Guia del visitante ↩
  41. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Rano Raraku ↩
  42. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Excursions on Easter Island: what you can do ↩
  43. Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Restauracion (CNCR, Chile) · Ahu Tongariki: trabajos de conservacion de sus 15 moai (Conserva 11, 2007, PDF) ↩
  44. Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Restauracion (CNCR, Chile) · Ahu Tongariki: trabajos de conservacion de sus 15 moai (Conserva 11, 2007, PDF) ↩
  45. Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Restauracion (CNCR, Chile) · Isla de Pascua, conservacion de su estatuaria (Conserva 4, 2000, PDF) ↩
  46. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Anakena ↩
  47. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · A trip to the Pacific: the best activities to do on Rapa Nui ↩
  48. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Anakena ↩
  49. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Rapa Nui ↩
  50. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Orongo ↩
  51. Ma'u Henua Indigenous Community (Rapa Nui National Park administration) · Preguntas frecuentes ↩

More to read

More to read before you fly to Rapa Nui

GuideEaster Island tour pricesGuideRapa Nui tours comparedGuidePrivate, group or family tourGuidePackages and flights from Santiago

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