Rapa Nui

Easter Island still attracts more tourists than it can handle

Scattered around the shores of this tiny Polynesian island, many of the more than 900 male-shaped stone monoliths, called moai, can be found face-down rather than gazing calmly from an upright positio

Record tourism could harm Easter Island statues

'Every flight is full'

EASTER ISLAND, Chile — It's Earth's most-remote inhabited land, a South Pacific speck of volcanic rock so isolated the locals call it "Te Pito O Te Henua," or "the Navel of the World."

Crime And Punishment - Easter Island Style

Finnish tourist gets punishment after vandalizing Easter Island statue

HELSINKI - A Finnish tourist who vandalized a Moai statue on Easter Island was fined about 10,000 euros (15,700 U.S. dollars) and banned from entering the island for three years by a Chilean court, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported on Monday.

The 26-year-old Finnish man was also compelled to make a public apology for his action ... read more

Easter Island

Finnish tourist allegedly breaks earlobe from an Easter Island statue

SANTIAGO, Chile – A Finnish tourist was detained after allegedly stealing a piece of volcanic rock from one of the massive Moai statues on Easter Island.

Marko Kulju, 26, faces prison and a fine of $19,000 if convicted of breaking off part of the ear of a Moai, one of numerous statues carved out of volcanic rock between 400 and 1,000 ... read more