Turtle watching

Green sea turtles in Hanga Roa shallows—quiet hours, no touching.

Green sea turtles (honu) show up in town waters to rest and feed. Rapa Nui is not a nesting beach—you will not find eggs here. Most animals arrive from other parts of the Pacific as they grow, drifting with currents rather than breeding on the island.

Where to look

Try Playa Pea, a small beach in Hanga Roa, and the fishermen’s wharf area at Hanga Piko—turtles often rest in clear, shallow water there. Dawn and dusk are calmer for you and for them; mid-day crowds and boat traffic make sightings less likely.

Rules that matter

It is strictly forbidden to pick turtles up or chase them. Keep your distance, avoid flash photography in their faces, and let them surface and breathe in peace.

Why they are here

Juvenile and sub-adult turtles use Easter Island as a feeding stop along oceanic routes. Without nesting beaches, conservation focus is on reducing disturbance in the water—not collecting shells or “helping” hatchlings that do not exist here.

Pair with

Snorkelling and boat trips get you farther along the coast; Beaches covers Anakena and Ovahe when you want a swim after a quiet morning in town.