If you are thinking about avoiding the very popular tourist spots, why not go for something completely different, the most isolated places you can visit on Earth? A remote location can show you tropical climates in a new light and you can also visit relentless deserts and brave the Arctic temperatures.
What is particularly interesting is that these remote places mentioned below are someone’s home. We cannot really imagine living there in the way we know it but we cannot deny the beauty of every single one of these isolated spaces.
Tristan Da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is a volcanic island located in the South Atlantic. 258 people call it home and there are just 9 different last names for the residents. While locals do speak English, there is also a unique dialect that was invented on the island. It includes words derived from English, South African, Dutch, Irish, Italian, American, Scottish, and St Helenian.
In Tristan da Cunha you do not need a vehicle or an extended warranty for it as the British Overseas Territory is quite small, with South Africa being the closest country. If you want to reach the island, you have to take one of 3 ships. They leave Cape Town 3 times 9 times per year, taking you on a journey of over 1,700 miles.
Cape York Peninsula
Located in Australia, this spot is the northernmost point of the continent. There are countless crocodiles in the area but we are talking about a perfect location for sport fishing. 5 indigenous communities own the land and manage the tourism industry in the area. You can reach the peninsula from Cairns after a 28 hours drive. You also have to rent a 4WD vehicle to go around the region.
Oymyakon
Located in Russia, this is a place where you can end up with frostbite in just minutes. We are talking about a remote town that is officially known as the coldest place that is inhabited in the entire world. There are 500 residents there that live in complete darkness for around 21 hours every single day. The average temperature is actually an incredible -58 degrees.
While you cannot grow crops in Oymyakon, if you go there you can live on some tasty reindeer meat, horse blood ice cubes with macaroni, frozen fish, and much more.
An interesting thing is that indoor plumbing is practically impossible. Water instantly freezes. Because of this, most locals utilize outhouses.
If you decide to travel to Oymyakon, prepare for a true adventure. You take a flight to Magadan or Yakutsk from Moscow. Then, you take the road to Oymyakon, a road named “The Road of Bones”. Never drive on that road alone.
Easter Island
If you go to Chile, check out Easter Island, a location with 900 statues and 3,300 residents. The economy is basically completely dependent on tourism since there are numerous people that make the really long journey from Chile that covers 2,300 miles just to reach the statues.
As expected, Easter Island is officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site and what is particularly interesting is that there is no known reason why the statues were built. If you want to travel by plane, there is just one airline you can take, LAN, which can take you there from the US if you pay around $900.
Barrow
Since we are talking about isolated places, it is obvious that we had to mention one in Alaska.
The first thing that you should know is that there are exactly ZERO roads that take you to Barrow. You can only get to this town via plane from Anchorage. It lasts for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The reason why you want to visit is that you will be right on top of Alaska. The winter is made out of 65 consecutive days of full darkness.
Not many people live here and you should know that living costs are high. A simple peanut butter jar can cost you $10.
Kerguelen Islands (also known as Desolation Island)
These islands are located in the Indian Ocean, around 2,000 miles away from Africa’s southernmost point. You can only access the islands by ship and the route is only active for 4 days every single year.
This remote location is surrounded by 300 islets that cover 2,400 square miles. You can also see glaciers, with the islands receiving snow, sleet, or rain for 300 days every year. This is why you should not be surprised to learn that most of those that live on the islands are actually researchers from France.
Final Thoughts
There is obviously no shortage of remote locations around the world but those above are some of the most interesting you can consider. Why not take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime to visit some of these?