Easter Island Spirit is a bespoke, independent tour company aimed at visitors looking for something beyond the mainstream package tours
We offer exclusively Private Tours, and solely in English, all led by guides with enormous experience and passion for this island, and all of whom are either indigenous islanders or foreigners supporting their Rapanui family. We are proud to have become the English-speaking experts on Easter Island today.
Our office is the first and only carbon neutral building in the town of Hanga Roa, being powered entirely by solar power. Our ultimate aim, as soon as electric cars arrive in Chile in reasonable numbers, is to be able to offer tours of Easter Island that leave no carbon footprint whatsoever.
About James
I first arrived on Easter Island in 1996 aged just 19, with nothing more than the dream of spending a few months living on one of the world’s most isolated inhabited islands. By the time I left 3 months later, I was captivated by the island, its people, and their unique culture. I read Modern Languages at Cambridge University, ultimately diverting as much of my studies towards Polynesia and the various languages of this diverse region as I could, culminating in a further year on the island in 1999 before completing my undergraduate degree. I returned for what I thought would be a final, farewell year on Easter Island in 2001 prior to getting a ‘proper’ job, and have been living here pretty much ever since! A 3-year stint as a commodities trader in London in the middle only confirmed that I had made the right choice for myself, and I am delighted to now be able to call Easter Island home.
I led my first private tour of the island in 2000, before setting up my own bespoke touring company, Easter Island Spirit, in 2007. Aimed at visitors looking for much more than just the standard Easter Island tours, I had always envisaged offering experiences here that reflected my own interests when travelling, coupled with my own vision for a healthy and sustainable tourism for this small and unique island. With a select team of excellent local guides, I am very proud that we have managed to create enriching and enjoyable experiences for every single guest that chooses to visit Easter Island with us.
Between 2004 and 2015, I was fortunate enough to be asked to present the Tapati Rapa Nui, the annual cultural festival that takes place each February, showcasing and ultimately preserving the Rapa Nui culture via a series of musical and sporting events. I was even lucky enough to be able to participate in some of the competitions myself, a rare privilege that is bestowed on few non-Rapanui.
In 2009 I was appointed Honorary British Consul on Easter Island, and despite the grand title, it is probably one of the quietest places in the world to represent the Queen overseas! It has, however, given me the opportunity to meet a fascinating array of visitors to the island, and be able to offer consular assistance to any foreigner who requires it, something that I find highly rewarding.
By 2010 I felt that the island merited its own guidebook, as opposed to the final chapter of a general travel guide to Chile, and wrote ‘A Companion to Easter Island’, which I update every 2-3 years, and has since been translated into 6 other languages. I am currently in the process of writing a second book, based on the stories of some of the most famous historical visitors to the Pacific, coupled with my own experiences of living in Polynesia for over 20 years.
In the last few years I have been the guest lecturer on board several cruise ships, including those of Cunard, Oceania, Crystal, and Princess, on their voyages that include Easter Island and the South Pacific. I have taught an online course about Polynesia for Context Travel during the pandemic, and have also been asked to contribute with interviews or articles for the BBC, Chatham House, and many other international news outlets.
For additional academic or commercial opportunities that you might have relating to Polynesia, or if you would specifically like me to be your guide for your upcoming visit to Easter Island, feel free to contact us in order to discuss availability.
