Thanks to modern technology and air travel the world has become a smaller place. With jets, bullet trains and the impending advent of space tourism, destinations that once took months or even years to reach, today only take a few hours.
It seems there is nowhere left for a would-be adventurer to really get lost, or is there? Well, there are many places on earth that are still considered to be in the middle of nowhere. I’ve compiled a list of the 10 most remote places on earth.
Tristan da Cunha
Image by Savista Magazine
Tristan da Cunha is one of the single most remote inhabited places on earth. It is located in the Southern Atlantic Ocean and the closest land to the island is us, South Africa, which is 2816 kilometres away. The island is estimated to have a permanent population of 275. Once connected to South Africa by a British transport ship, the only visitors the island receives now are deep sea fishing boats.
Check out: Paddling Wild around Tristan da Cunha
Arctic Pole of Inaccessibility
Image by theamazingbuzz.com
For those who don’t know, a pole of inaccessibility is that point on a continent which is the greatest distance from the coastline. The Arctic Pole on the Arctic Ocean Ice Pack is 1094 kilometres from the nearest land mass. No permanent structure can exist at the pole because of the constant movement of the ice pack.
Tibetan Plateau
Image by Nicolas Marino
Surrounded by spectacular mountain ranges, the Tibetan Plateau is the world’s highest and largest plateau. Dubbed as the Roof of the World the plateau reaches heights exceeding 5000 metres and covers an area of 2, 500 000 kilometres. The southern rim of the Tibetan Plateau called the Himalaya-Karakoram complex contains Mount Everest, 13 other peaks higher than 8000 metres and hundreds of 7000 metre peaks each higher than anywhere else on earth. Now that is impressive!
Deception Island, Antarctica
Image by Benjamin Dumas
Weird name right? The island got its name after a small aircraft pilot misjudged the distance from the land and crashed. Another reason why the island is called Deception Island is because it looks like a normal island but the island is entirely hollowed out from the inside. Once a whaling station that was destroyed by a volcanic eruption, the island is now home to a Penguin colony.
La Rinconada, Peru
Image by Toptenz.net
Considered to be the highest city in the world, La Rinconada in Peru is a small mining town located nearly 17000 feet above sea level. The city is located on a permanent glacier and it is this extreme yet impressive geography that makes it so desolate. Traveling to La Rinconada is problematic to say the least. The treacherous and winding mountain roads will be a challenge for any experienced driver.
Oymyakon, Russia
Image by Spotonlists.com
Located at an elevation of approximately 750 metres above sea level, Oymyakon is a rural village with a population of approximately 472. The village holds the record for the lowest recorded temperature for any permanently inhabited location at -69.2 °C. In December, the northerly area of the village experiences three hours of day and around 21 hours of day in June.
Cape York Peninsula, Australia
Image by D8OSYL
Located in Australia’s northern tip, Cape York Peninsula is home to the aboriginal tribes with a population of 18000. The big expanse of untouched wilderness is considered to be one of the largest undeveloped places in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on earth. Notoriously hard to access because of flooding and poor conditions, the unpaved Peninsula Development Road is the only way to get there.
Pitcairn Island
Image by Murray Isbister
Pitcairn Island is the only island out of four volcanic islands that is inhabited. The island is a speck of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and measures about 3.6 kilometres from east to west. Because there is no airstrip on the island, getting to the island requires hitching a ride on a shipping boat out of New Zealand, the journey can take up to ten days. With only 48 inhabitants, Pitcairn Island is the least populated area in the world.
Bouvet Island
Image by Maurits Heech
Bouvet Island in the South Atlantic Ocean is one of the most remote islands in the world. The uninhabited subantarctic volcanic island covers an area of 49 square kilometres with 93% covered by a glacier. The nearest landmass is Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land approximately 1609 kilometres to the south. An interesting fact about the island is that it was the setting for the 2004 film Alien vs Predator.
Easter Island
Image by Ben Smethers
Famous for the rock statues called Moai that dot the beaches, Easter Island or Rapa Nui is found approximately 3218 kilometres off the Chilean Coast. The name “Easter Island” was given by a Dutch explorer who had discovered the island on Easter Sunday. The island is relatively small with a population of about 4000, most of which are descendants of the aboriginal Rapa Nui people.
Main image by Dangerourscreation.com
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