Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 480

traditional and modern, accompanied by “umu”, or typical
Rapa Nui cuisine. Wed, Fri & Sun at 9pm.
Piditi Av Hotu Matua s/n, by the airport. Smaller club
that gets packed with an older crowd on weekends; action
kicks off after midnight. Thurs-Sat until 6am.
Te Ra'ai Kaituoe s/n T 32 2551460. Highly recommended
island banquet, accompanied by a traditional singing and
dancing performance of the Haha Varua dance group on
Mon, Wed and Fri nights. Book ahead for pick-up from your
guesthouse.
Toroko Av Policarpo Toro s/n, opposite Ahu A Rongo.
Popular club with a mellow atmosphere that attracts
young islanders on a Sat night.

popular time to visit Easter Island. Semana Santa (Easter
week) has lively celebrations at Hanga Roa's Iglesia
Parroquial de la Santa Cruz. The Ceremonia Culto al Sol is
a feast that takes place on June 21 for the winter solstice,
and Día de la Lengua Rapa Nui, a celebration of the Rapa
Nui language, is held in late November.
Hospital The brand-new Hospital Hanga Roa on Simón
Paoa s/n ( T 32 2100215), southeast of the church, means
islanders no longer have to travel to the mainland for all
but the most basic procedures.
Internet and phone Internet cafés in Hanga Roa tend to
be expensive, charging CH$1500/hr. Man@net on Akamu
Tekena s/n (Mon-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 10am-10pm) has
wi-fi, while similarly priced Omotohi Cybercafé on Te Pito O
Te Henua s/n doubles as a call centre and you can hook up
your laptop to a cable, though you won't get charged any
less. When dialling a Rapa Nui number, all local numbers
are preceded by a “2”, making them seven-digit numbers.
Laundry Lavandería Rapa Nui, on Te Pito O Te Henua s/n,
near the church (Mon-Sat 9.30am-1pm & 4.30-7pm).
Pharmacy Farmacía Cruz Verde, Akamu Tekena s/n,
opposite Tu'u Maheke (Mon-Sat 9am-1pm & 4.30-8pm).
Post o ce Te Pito O Te Henua s/n (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm
& 3pm-6pm).
Shopping There are two crafts markets in town: Feria
Municipal, at Tu'u Maheke at Atamu Tekena, and Mercado
Artesanal, at Tu'u Koihu at Ara Roa Rakei; the latter is larger
and better-stocked. Local crafts, and woodcarvings in
particular, tend to be expensive; a cheaper option is to seek
out the local jail (off Manutara, behind the airport), as
local craftsmen sometimes outsource to inmates.
Surfing and diving Surfing schools near Playa Pea offer
lessons to beginners, and Hare Orca, next to the Orca
Diving Centre, rents surf- and boogie boards (CH$12,000/
9000 for 3hr). The established and reputable Orca
Diving Centre on the Caleta Hanga Roa ( T 32 2550877,
W seemorca.cl) and Mike Rapu Diving Centre next door
( T 32 2551055, W mikerapu.cl) both offer day and night
dives (CH$30,000-45,000), as well as introductory dives
for complete beginners (CH$40,000).

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There are two banks on the island.
Banco Estado, at Tu'u Maheke s/n (Mon-Fri 8am-1pm),
has an adjoining ATM which only accepts MasterCard.
Another Banco Estado ATM can be found at the Puna Vai
gas station which doubles as another exchange o ce,
at the west end of Av Hotu Matu'a. Banco Santander,
at Av Apina s/n (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm), just south of the
Sernatur o ce, has an ATM that accepts Visa cards. You can
change US dollars at both banks. Many establishments
accept US dollars and credit cards.
Car, scooter and bicycle rental Most agencies
and bike rentals are found along Av Atamu Tekena and
Av Te Pito O Te Henua. Oceanic Rent a Car and Insular
rent hardy 4WDs (from CH$30,000/24hr), as well as
quad bikes (CH$30,000/24hr), motorbikes (CH$25,000/
24hr), scooters (CH$20,000/24hr) and mountain bikes
(CH$10,000/24hr). Makemake Rentabike, at Atamu
Tekena s/n, rents well-maintained bikes (CH$10,000/24hr)
and gives out handy maps of various bike routes around
the island. There is no insurance on the island, and to
rent a scooter, dirt bike or motorbike, you need a valid
motorbike licence.
Festivals Tapatai Rapa Nui, a ten-day cultural celebration
in February, involving traditional dance and music, statue-
carving competitions, canoe races and more, is the most

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