Fish feeding

Small fish at Hanga Roa’s rocky shallows—keep it minimal and clean.

Reef fish gather where waves break over lava shelves near the harbour. Feeding is a minor pastime, not an attraction with tickets—go with small pinches of plain food only if you choose to, and never empty bread bags into the sea.

Where it happens

Hanga Piko and the outer edges of Playa Pea offer knee-deep water full of wrasse and damselfish. Slippery rocks and surge mean good shoes and one hand free for balance—keep children within arm’s reach.

Keep it responsible

Greasy snacks and large quantities foul the water and train fish to beg at boats. If you feed at all, use a few crumbs once, then stop. Watch your fingers—moray eels share the same holes.

Better views underwater

Mask and snorkel from the Beaches or Snorkelling pages let you watch natural behaviour without bait. Operators who feed fish on tours are the exception—ask what they use and why.

Related activities

Scuba diving and boat trips reach clearer offshore reefs; Turtle watching overlaps many of the same quiet corners if you prefer to stay dry.

Feeding the fish

You can buy ordinary bread at any grocery or corner shop in Hanga Roa, tear off small pieces, and hold them just under the surface for reef fish to take. The fishermen’s wharf at Hanga Roa Otai and the small-boat port at Hanga Piko are the handiest places. Carry bags and wrappers back to town—do not leave litter on the rocks.