If you’re looking for your next vacation destination, but want to avoid touristy spots, you might want to add some of the most isolated places on Earth to your travel bucket list. Some of these locations are so remote that they can only be reached by dirt roads, a boat or a plane.
Lush tropical climates, extreme Arctic temperatures or sandy deserts; there are many different types of isolated locations and you can choose among them according to your preference.
Here are 15 of the most isolated and remote places on Earth, where you can spend your next vacation in a peaceful and quiet environment.
Cape York Peninsula, Australia
The Cape York Peninsula enjoys a very unique location. It is Australia’s northernmost point. It is the place where there is an abundance of wildlife species. The Australian peninsula of Cape York is widely popular for having crocodiles in the waters surrounding it. It is a great place for adventure-seekers.
You can go fishing as well as indulge in different types of water sports activities. The land is of Cape York Peninsula is owned by the locals. They also actively manage and maintain tourist activities in the region. If you are planning to take a trip to Cape York, the place is around a 28-hour drive from the city of Cairns. Port Arthur, which is one of the most haunted places in the world is also located in Australia.
Oymyakon, Russia
Oymyakon is one of the most isolated places on earth due to its extremely cold temperatures. It is a rural locality, which is situated in the district of Oymyakonsky in Sakha Republic, Russia. Oymyakon falls is in the proximity of the Yana-Oymyakon Highlands 30km northwest of Tomtor along the Indigirka River near the Kolyma Highway, which connects this place to the rest of the country.
Oymyakon experiences record low temperatures all year round. It is one of the coldest places on earth. Despite extreme temperatures, this place in Russia is permanently inhabited. There are a number of factors behind the region’s low temperatures, the most evident one among them is that it is far from any coastal area and from its moderating effect on the weather.
Easter Island, Chile
Easter Island has around 900 iconic statues. These structures are also recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site, which intrigue tourists and historians all over the world because the purpose behind their construction is yet to be known. It is one of the remotest places on earth with only 3,000 residents. People travel thousands of miles to explore this mysterious place.
Easter Island is found 2,088 km (1,300 miles) when traveling from Pitcairn Island and 3,767 km (2,340 miles) from the city of Santiago in Chile. The island spans 63 square miles and is highly famous for its gigantic historical structures and stone statues.
Barrow, Alaska
If you are looking to go to a really remote location on your next vacation, then you should definitely visit Barrow in Alaska. The road infrastructure leading to Barrow is nowhere to be seen. The place can be directly accessed by plane. However, due to extreme weather conditions and mountainous landscape, road trips to Barrow Alaska could be very tedious and time-consuming.
The place is no less than a natural wonder. Sitting at an extreme elevation — the very top of Alaska — the winter in the area has 65 straight days of darkness. Barrow is located in one of the remotest locations in the world, which is why the cost of living here is also incredibly high.
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Ittoqqortoormiit is located in Greenland. It has a very unique name, which is quite difficult to pronounce. The place was founded in 1925. People from West Greenland and Tasiilaq came and settled here. When it comes to far-off distances in Greenland, Ittoqqortoormiit is a part of a very remotely located region surrounded by the wilderness of the country.
Not any other inhabited area is anywhere near Ittoqqortoormiit. It’s so remote and isolated that you may need to reach the town by helicopter if you are not a fan of treacherous road trips, which may also involve trekking. The sky of the area is so clear that you can easily see the Northern Lights.
Changtang, Tibet
Changtang is a place at a very high altitude in Tibet. It is often dubbed as “The Roof of the World,” If we talk about the elevations in the region, they range from 4,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level, which is pretty high. Changtang covers around 990-miles across the Tibetan Plateau and is widely inhabited by nomadic people who are known as the Changpa. It is one of the remotest places on earth, which is also famous for being home to different wildlife species like snow leopards and yaks. Animals like these can survive in extremely harsh weather.
The picturesque natural views of the region are based on beautiful lakes and vast highlands It is surely an interesting place to visit for tourists, but to enter Changtang in Tibet you may need a special permit. This permit could cost you thousands of dollars.
Socotra Island, Yemen
If you think you have explored some of the weirdest-looking places in the world, then you may not have seen Socotra Island yet. It looks just like an alien world, which is mainly because of the plants and tree species that are found there, such as Dragon’s Blood Tree. Socotra Island is also one of the most isolated places on earth. It is located on the Gulf of Aden n Yemen.
You would surely get surprised by the fact that there are more than 800 rare species of plants found in Socotra. There are many species that can’t be found anywhere else on this planet. The weird shapes and colors of some of the plants here are surely going to leave you spellbound. This UNESCO Heritage Site is located at a distance of 400 miles from the capital of Yemen, Sanaa.
Longyearbyen, Norway
Longyearbyen enjoys a remote location in Norway. It is a part of a small island, which is known as Spitsbergen Island. It is located within the Arctic Circle. Longyearbyen is a rural locality, which is quite popular for coal-mining activities. People visit this Arctic town from far-off places to enjoy the show of the Northern Lights, which are pretty vivid on a clear night.
There is also a well-managed place known as the Svalbard Museum. It displays the most intriguing cultural and natural history of the region in the form of many different types of exhibits. You can take an up-close look at the stuffed polar bear. Another museum in the area is by the name of the North Pole Expeditions Museum. It has interesting records that tell visitors about the efforts many by people in the early days to reach the pole.
Tristan Da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean
If you are looking for some of the remotest locations on earth for your next vacation, then don’t forget to add Tristan da Cunha to your list. It is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic, which only has a population of 258 people belonging to around 9 different families.
The language that is commonly spoken here is English. It is important to mention here that many words used in the locally spoken dialect of English on the Tristan da Cunha island have been derived from many different regional languages including Scottish, South African, Italian, American, Dutch, and Irish. These are all the languages of the places of origin of the people living on this small volcanic island.
Tristan da Cunha falls in the British Overseas Territory. It is the most remote group of islands located in the Atlantic ocean, which have been inhabited by settlers from different countries. South Africa is the nearest country to this volcanic island and the only way to get there is to travel on a ship from Cape Town each year, which is a 1,732 mile-long journey.
Devon Island, Canada
Known as one of the most isolated places on earth, Devon Island falls in the territory of Canada. It is recognized as the largest uninhabited island in the world, where there are no permanent residents. The location of the island is quite unique. It is found on the Baffin Bay in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Canada, which further adds to its geographical significance. It is one of the largest and most prominent members of the Arctic group of islands. With elevation up to 1,920 meters (6,300 feet) Devon Ice Cap is among the highest points on the planet.
Devon Island is home to many picturesque highlands.
There is a series of small mountain ranges on the island, which are famous all over the world. These mountain ranges include such as the Haddington Range, Treuter Mountains, and the Cunningham Mountains. Devon Island is extremely famous among scientists and geologists due to its remoteness as well as the remarkably similar appearance of its landscape to that of Mars. Devon Island usually remains dry all year round. It receives very little rainfall throughout the year. During the winter season, the mercury usually drops to as low as −50 degrees celsius.
Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica
One of the most important research facilities of the USA is the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. The most interesting part about this research station is its location. It is located at the South Pole. So, it is obviously one of the remotest places on earth, where temperatures are extremely cold. Talking about the exact location of Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, it is found on an incredibly high plateau in Antarctica, which has an elevation of more than 2,8 meters (around 9,301 feet) above sea level.
The place is run and looked after by different American research institutions. The facility falls in one of the most central regions of the South Pole, which is known for its extreme weather conditions. During the Antarctic winter, blizzards occur very frequently. The unfavorable changes in the environment it very hard to survive in this particular region. However, the people working at this research facility have the necessary food supplies and other essentials to get through this hostile seasonal weather.
Adak, Alaska
Located on Kuluk Bay, which is a part of Adak Island, Adak is an abandoned settlement. It is surely among the remotest regions on earth, which was once inhabited by people. The place is surrounded by a group of islands and is very famous for its topography. The population was of Adak in Alaska is very low. There are now only 171 people living in this rural settlement now, according to the 2020 US Census. The average temperature in the region ranges range between 20 and 60 °F (−7 and 16 °C). Owing to its unique climatic condition, it also receives ample annual rainfall, which measures up to 1,670 millimeters. When it comes to precipitation in the area, then you’d be surprised to know that December experiences the highest precipitation, which makes it the wettest month in the entire year, Another interesting fact about Adak, Alaska is that it never experiences thunderstorms.
Pitcairn Island
Located at a distance of 3,300 miles from New Zealand, Pitcairn Island is a part of the British Overseas Territory, which also administers the island. You would be surprised by the fact that is one of the most difficult-to-reach places on the planet, which is why no helicopter or plane has ever landed on the island. However, it is only accessible by a yacht ride, which may take around 32 hours.
The history and origin of the very first settlements in Pitcairn Island are still unknown. However, stone statues and different types of burial and ritual sites were discovered in the year 1790 by European voyagers. The place is based on four volcanic islands. The island itself has been formed by volcanic and seismic activities over the years. The islands in the area are spread hundreds of miles across the ocean and if all the islands were combined, they would be around 18 square miles in the form of a combined landmass.
Crescent Lake, China
Located in the middle of a Chinese desert is an ancient natural oasis, which is called Crystal lake. This natural attraction was about to disappear underneath sand before the government realized it and took all necessary measures to save it. Talking about the location of the lake, it is found in northwest China, around 6 kilometers south of the city of Dunhuang, As the name suggests, the Crescent Lake, which is called Yueyaquan in Chinese, is a half-moon-shaped freshwater spring in the shape of a half-moon.
It is one of the oldest natural sites in the country and according to many historical records, this lake has existed for 2,000 years. However, due to the climatic changes in recent years and the increasing desertification in China and surrounding regions, it was disappearing fast until the government came up with a solution to save it and started refilling it. Owing to the uniqueness of this natural attraction, it has become a popular tourist site, where there are different activities available for tourists like camel rides and souvenir stalls.
Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
The Afar region in northern Ethiopia is home to one of the world-famous natural attractions — the Danakil Depression. It is a desert plain, which appears to be extremely vast and tortured. The positioning of the Danakil Depression is so unique. It lies around 125 meters (410 ft) below sea level. The unique topography and weather conditions of the region make it one of the most inhospitable and hottest places on Earth. The average temperature of the Danakil Depression is around 34 degrees Celsius (94 degrees Fahrenheit). However, it can go as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
It is the land of volcanoes, sulfur springs, geysers, colorful mineral-laden lakes, acidic pools, and vast salt pans. It is all because of Danakil Depression is right above the region where three tectonic plates meet. The volcanic activity that is taking place beneath the ground results in hot water springs, spitting out different chemical deposits leaves behind orange, green and yellow colors on the surface, which looks very unique. It is not only the hottest place but also one of the most isolated places on earth. However, due to the long and interesting history of volcanic activity, the place is famous among geologists all around the world.
There you have it — 15 of the most isolated places on Earth. Visiting one of these locations is surely going to be quite an adventure to enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature at its best.
