Papa Vaka Petroglyphs
Quick Facts
- Location
- Chile, Isla de Pascua
- Category
- Historic Ruins & Heritage
- Duration
- 20-30 min
- Opening Hours
- Daily 08:00-17:30 · Open-air site following Rapa Nui National Park hours (generally 8:00-17:30); low morning or dusk light best reveals shallow carvings; explanatory panels and viewing platforms on site
- Ticket Price
- Free Admission: No separate ticket · Rapa Nui National Park ticket required (foreign adults about USD 80 / CLP 54,000); self-guided visits are fine
- Address
- North coast road, Rapa Nui, Chile (between Ahu Te Pito Kura and Pu o Hiro)
- Coordinates
- -27.0908, -109.2944
Introduction
Papa Vaka, just off the north-coast road of Rapa Nui, is one of the island's largest and densest petroglyph complexes. In Rapanui, papa means 'stone' and vaka 'canoe', after a huge slab carved with a 12-metre double-hulled canoe — some read it as the very vessel that carried the first ancestors across the sea. Across exposed basalt slabs, shallow reliefs show marine themes: tuna, sharks, octopus or squid, turtles, fish hooks (mangai) and rows of unexplained holes, reflecting a culture oriented to the sea and its fishing rites. One rock, Papa Mangai, holds the island's greatest concentration of stone fish-hook motifs. There are no moai or ceremonial platforms here, yet no site speaks more directly of Rapa Nui cosmology and navigation memory.
✨ Highlights
🛈 Practical Info
Opening Hours
| Monday | 08:00-17:30 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 08:00-17:30 |
| Wednesday | 08:00-17:30 |
| Thursday | 08:00-17:30 |
| Friday | 08:00-17:30 |
| Saturday | 08:00-17:30 |
| Sunday | 08:00-17:30 |
Open-air site following Rapa Nui National Park hours (generally 8:00-17:30); low morning or dusk light best reveals shallow carvings; explanatory panels and viewing platforms on site
Ticket Information
| Free Admission | No separate ticket |
|---|
Rapa Nui National Park ticket required (foreign adults about USD 80 / CLP 54,000); self-guided visits are fine
Transportation
Cross-island road toward Anakena; 1 km past Te Pito Kura, on the right
100 m off the road, signed; add Ovahe and Anakena
FAQ
What are the opening hours of Papa Vaka Petroglyphs?
Monday: 08:00-17:30; Tuesday: 08:00-17:30; Wednesday: 08:00-17:30; Thursday: 08:00-17:30; Friday: 08:00-17:30; Saturday: 08:00-17:30; Sunday: 08:00-17:30; Open-air site following Rapa Nui National Park hours (generally 8:00-17:30); low morning or dusk light best reveals shallow carvings; explanatory panels and viewing platforms on site
How much is the admission for Papa Vaka Petroglyphs?
Free Admission: No separate ticket; Rapa Nui National Park ticket required (foreign adults about USD 80 / CLP 54,000); self-guided visits are fine
How long should I spend at Papa Vaka Petroglyphs?
A typical visit takes 20-30 min.
How do I get to Papa Vaka Petroglyphs?
Driving/Parking: Cross-island road toward Anakena; 1 km past Te Pito Kura, on the right
