It's hard to imagine that there are places that we're not allowed to visit, especially with today's technology.
Even without the threat of death, there are plenty of places that cannot be visited because they are cut off for various reasons. Military bases, forbidden islands, and fragile natural landmarks are a few examples of destinations that are off limits to people. Take a look at some of the Earth's most guarded locations that don't allow visitors.
North Sentinel Island In India Is Where An Isolated Tribe Lives
Located in the Andaman archipelago under India's control, North Sentinel Island is strictly off limits to visitors of any kind. This is because the island is home to the Sentinelese, an isolated tribe that has been known to react violently to trespassers. In 2018, the tribe killed an American missionary named John Allen Chau, who attempted to make contact with them.
Besides the tribe's tendency to defend the island, government officials are concerned that outside contact could introduce dangerous diseases to the indigenous population. Except for a few research excursions, no one has made contact with the Sentinelese.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault Holds A Massive Collection Of Seeds
The massive collection of seeds is in a vault designed to withstand man-made and natural disasters.
If a major catastrophe ever happened, the 890,000 preserved seed samples from almost every country in the world would ensure diverse food options were still available.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Svalbard seed vault opens its door only a few times a year. Still, climate change might test how effective the Seed Vault is.
In May 2017, melted permafrost made it inside. Today, it's become of vital importance for war-torn and drought-affected Syria.
Pluto's Gate In Turkey Is Dedicated To The Roman God Of Death
Located in the ancient city of Hierapolis, Turkey, it was once the site dedicated to the Roman god of death, Pluto. After its discovery in 1965, Pluto's Gate's dangers were proven to be more than just a myth.
Scientists measured the CO2 concentration and discovered the sun dissipates the gates. At night, the CO2 becomes heavier in the air due to lower temperatures. At dawn, the CO2 reaches 35%, which is enough to kill people and animals in a matter of minutes.
Wittenoom, Australia, Is A Ghost Town
Wittenoom was once an outback mining town in Western Australia that harvested blue asbestos. Blue asbestos is extremely toxic, and soon, the substance contaminated the soil and water supply. It's estimated that 2,000 workers and residents died from asbestos exposure and related diseases. Because the site is still dangerous, the town was decommissioned, demolished, and removed from maps to discourage explorers.
Area 51 Failed To Exist Until 2013
The U.S. military installation 100 miles north of Las Vegas is one of the most mysterious places in the world.
That's especially true considering the U.S. government denied its existence until 2013.
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The area is mainly used by the CIA and the U.S. Air Force as a testing territory.
Despite it being a military installation, many people believe that it might be a place where scientists researched a crashed alien spacecraft. Area 51 is completely prohibited.
The Lascaux Caves Have An Interesting Background Story
The ceilings and the walls of this cave are covered with parietal wall paintings. It's believed that the age of the paintings goes back some 17,000 years. Back in 1940, the caves were discovered by Marcel Ravidat, leaving people wondering about their origins and meanings. Anthropologists believe that the paintings might symbolize past hunting success or a mystical ritual. The caves are closed to tourists to preserve the artwork, but people can visit accurate recreations that are near the original site.
Metro-2, Line D6 Was Russia's Mysterious Metro System
During Stalin's reign, a secret system of underground transportation was built.
The Metro-2 supposedly connects administrative institutions like the Kremlin, Vnukovo-2 airport, and General Staff Academy. The Moscow metro administration denies the existence of these tunnels.
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- Wikipedia/Anakin/CC BY 3.0
- Wikipedia/Anakin/CC BY 3.0
Back in 1994, an urban exploration group claims to have found the entrance to the underground transportation system.
Now, only one of four lines is confirmed to exist, and that is line D6. Access is only permitted with a special pass.
Fort Knox Is The Most Heavily Guarded Place On The Planet
The Fort Knox vaults are the home to the U.S. gold reserves.
Not one single person can make it into the vault, as several combinations need to be entered to gain access.
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Fort Knox has been regarded as the most heavily guarded place in the world and nobody would be able to get in without the help of a guard.
Even the building itself is hardcore and made of concrete-lined granite, reinforced by steel fences to withstand any attacks.
Ilha Da Queimada Grande (Snake Island) Is The Home Of Endangered Venomous Snakes
Located off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean, Ilha Da Queimada Grande is the only home to the endangered venomous golden lancehead pit viper.
The island is closed to the public to protect the snake population (and tourists from getting bitten).
The U.N. Buffer Zone Started After Turkish Troops Invaded
Turkish troops invaded Cyprus in 1974. The invasion led to a civil war between the Greek and Turkish inhabitants. The fight ended in a ceasefire, and the United Nations took control of a no man's land "buffer zone."
There, walls separate the Turkish community in the North and the Greek community in the South. Behind the walls are nothing but abandoned homes and businesses. Some "Civil Use Areas" allow civilians, but other areas haven't been touched in decades.
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Due to the overall low population of the golden lancehead, the snake has been labeled as critically endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species.
It was also placed on the list of Brazil's most endangered animals.
The Cave of the Crystals In Mexico Is Beautiful But Deadly
Mexico's Cave of Crystals contains giant selenite crystals – some of the largest ones on Earth. However, the conditions that allow these crystals to form are deadly to humans. When the cave isn't flooded, it becomes extremely hot and humid. Most people would only survive 10 minutes in the cave's environment without proper protection, and one miner died attempting to steal crystals. For this reason, the cave is closed to the public, and only scientific researchers have been allowed to enter.
North Brother Island Was The Place Where Over 1,000 People Died
The 13-acre island is located on the East River just miles from Manhattan, New York. 1,000 or so people lost their lives after a passengers ship sank in the island's waters. Later, it was at a Riverside Hospital where the survivors were treated for contagious diseases.
The island was later abandoned until the 1950's when a center opened up to treat drug addicts. Today, it's a bird sanctuary for herons and other birds. The island is currently off-limits to the public.
Mausoleum Of The First Qin Emperors Tomb Was Found In 1975
Farmers discovered the tomb of China's first Emperor. Archaeologists have since found about 2,000 clay soldiers and another 8,000 yet to be discovered. The Chinese government has forbidden archaeologists from touching the central tomb with Qin Shi Huang's body.
Nonetheless, opponents of excavation believe that current technology couldn't preserve anything that the tomb holds. If technology does advance further down the road, that could be a possibility.
Cheyenne Mountain Complex, United States
Constructed during the Cold War, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex is the headquarters for NORAD (North American Aerospace Command). These days, the facility is responsible for watching 7,000 aircraft per day, including the President's flights and landings. The facility features 25-ton security doors and has a self-sufficient survival system in the event of an attack. The fortified site is strictly off-limits to the public.
Ni'ihau Island In Hawaii Is Often Called The Forbidden Island
In 1864, Hawaii's Ni'ihau Island was bought by Elizabeth Sinclair, and it's been privately owned ever since. The "Forbidden Island" name goes back to 1952. During the polio epidemic on the Hawaiian Islands, it was forbidden to leave and enter the island to avoid the disease.
Today, with a population of over 170 people, the island is off-limits to anyone who's not the island owners, Bruce and Keith Robinson, U.S. Navy personnel, and government officials.
The Ryugyong Hotel In North Korea Is Still Unfinished
Traveling to North Korea is available to tourists holding passports from most countries; however, all visitors must book with a state-approved tour group. Attempting to travel the country alone or unaccompanied is forbidden.
If you do go, you'll likely see the Ryugyong Hotel, recognized for its pyramid shape. Construction of this famous hotel started in 1987 but was paused in 1992 because of the economic crisis in North Korea.
The exterior of the hotel was completed in 2011, but it's unclear whether the abandoned hotel has any plans to open its doors soon.
White Island, New Zealand
Interestingly, White Island used to be open to the public and was a popular destination for guided tours. That all changed in 2019. The island's volcano erupted without warning while 47 people – mostly tourists – were present, and tragically, 22 people died in the natural disaster. Since then, it has been closed for all ground tours.
Stack Rock Fort Is Private, But Also For Sale
A historic island off the coast of South Wales is not open to the public, but it was on the market! Stack Rock Fort was created for the purpose of defending Britain from a French invasion, led by Napoleon III.
The uninhabited fort was built between 1850 and 1852. It was sold to a community interest group called Anoniiem in the early 2020s.
Poveglia Island Is One Of The Creepiest Places In The World
It all started during the Roman Empire when the island used to be the home of the plague.
During the medieval era, the plague made an unnecessary return and the island became home to thousands of sick people.
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A terrible amount of people were dumped into the ground, buried in the same graves, and eventually burned.
Fast-forward to 1922, when the government opened a mental hospital on the island. These days, you can find washed-up human bones on the island shore.
Vale do Javari Indigenous Territory In Brazil Is Patrolled By security Forces
The Vale do Javari Indigenous Territory contains the world's largest concentration of uncontacted indigenous tribes in the world. These tribes continue to follow their own specific cultural traditions and have little awareness of modern technology or the outside world. To protect the tribes, access to the area is prohibited. Brazilian security forces patrol the location to ensure illegal poachers, loggers, and any other trespassers stay away.
Vatican Secret Archives Are Very, Very Long
Did you know that the Catholic Church had a secret archive? Neither did we. But, they do have an archive where they store documents that relate to the Catholic Church.
The archives date as far back as the eighth century and an entire archive is so long that it has 53 miles of shelves. Entrance is strictly forbidden, especially for anyone who is not a researcher with special permission for access to the archives.
Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was One Of Japan's Worst Disasters
Back in 2011, the Fukushima nuclear disaster struck Japan really hard. It was so bad that residents within 19 miles of the plant were forced to evacuate. The disaster is the second one to be given the Level 7 event classification by the International Nuclear Event Scale.
It's right next to Chernobyl, and due to its extreme radiation, nobody is allowed to enter these premises. That is, except for Keow Lee Loong, a Malaysian photographer who chose to illegally sneak into Fukushima's exclusion zone.
1986 Was The Year Of The Chernobyl Exclusion Disaster In Ukraine
Due to high radiation levels, every local was ordered to immediately leave the premises as the area became abandoned. These days, you can still find abandoned shoes, toys, and other possessions that were left behind.
Even though there are excursions that allow anyone to check some parts of town, there is a 19-mile zone known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The territory is strictly forbidden from any access, as it results in anyone getting radioactive contamination.
Surtsey Island In Iceland Is Only Used For Scientific Research
In 1963, the island of Surtsey formed after a huge volcanic eruption that lasted for three years. Today, the island is only used for scientific research to better understand how an ecosystem forms without any human impact.
There are only a select few scientists that are allowed on the island and one of the main rules for scientists is to not bring any seeds. It's estimated that Surtsey will remain above sea level for another century.
The Grand Shrine Of Ise In Japan Is Rebuilt Every 20 Years
The Grand Shrine is a sacred place where people worship Amaterasu, a goddess of the sun and the universe of the Shinto religion.
The temple was built without the use of nails, but instead by meticulously joining wood.
The Catacombs Is A Mysterious Place In Paris
While this was first built as a tunnel network for Paris' stone mines, it became a storage site for 6 million dead bodies at the end of the eighteenth century. A small part of the tunnel is open to the public, where tourists can see thousands of bones and skulls stacked together.
99% of the 170-mile-long maze is forbidden to enter because it's pretty easy to get lost. It sounds pretty bone-chilling to walk around these tunnels and not get scared.
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One of the most fascinating facts about the Shrine is that it is rebuilt every 20 years to honor the Shinto concept of death and rebirth.
The only chance people have to get a glimpse is through wooden fences and no photography is allowed.
Morgan Island (Monkey Island) Got Its Name From 4,000 Rhesus Monkeys After Relocating From Puerto Rico
In South Carolina, there is an island that's filled with monkeys! Unfortunately, the population isn't native to the area since the monkeys were relocated from La Parguera, Puerto Rico.
The monkeys were infected with the herpes B virus, so they were forced to be moved because of that and overpopulation.
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South Carolina offered to relocate the monkey colony to their uninhibited Morgan Island.
The only people allowed on the island are researchers working for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Bohemian Grove Is Where The Rich And Powerful Meet In Secret
Located in Monte Rio, California, 2,500 elite men have participated in this event since it started back in 1872. The event only invites the most important figures from around the world, such as high-ranking politicians, Nobel Prize winners, and various military officials.
The club plays host to plays and rituals as a part of the festivities. The motto of the club is "Weaving Spiders Come Not Here," meaning that outside concerns are not to be discussed during the event.
Pitcairn Islands, British Overseas Territory
Located in the South Pacific Ocean, the Pitcairn Islands are notable for being the site of the HMS Bounty mutineers. Surprisingly, the main island has a small population of less than 50 people, making it one of the most remote inhabited locations on the planet. Access to the Pitcairn Islands isn't forbidden, but because of its difficult location, getting there is practically impossible for most travelers.
Mount Athos, Greece, Is Home To 20 Eastern Orthodox Monasteries
On a remote peninsula in Northern Greece lies Mount Athos, a sacred site that has been the home of numerous monasteries for 1000 years. Female visitors are strictly forbidden from the area, but men can visit if they obtain a special permit known as a Diamonitirion. Those who make a pilgrimage to the site can eat with the monks and learn about how they preserve ancient traditions.
It Is Forbidden To Climb Gangkhar Puensum In Bhutan
Gangkhar Puensum is known as the world's highest unclimbed mountain. In Bhutan, mountains are seen as spiritual symbols and climbing them is considered disrespectful. While smaller mountaineering excursions were allowed for a time, a complete ban took effect in 2003. This was also implemented for practical reasons, as Bhutan lacks any sort of search-and-rescue infrastructure, so no one would be able to help climbers in peril.