Every person has a bucket list of exotic places they want to visit during their lifetime. But there are some locations that you can definitely exclude from this list. Some of these spots aren’t worth visiting. But other destinations are simply forbidden to go. Do you want to know which taboo places we are talking about? We have made a list for you where we have included destinations with snake-infested islands to top-secret military bases. After reading this blog post, you will come to know why these places are off-limits.
Morgan Island, South Carolina, USA
In the American continent, there is a place that has about 4,000 rhesus monkeys that live on Morgan Island, South Carolina. But you know what? They aren’t native to our lands. So, how did they manage to get there? These peaceful apes were relocated from Puerto Rico after an outbreak of herpes virus B infection.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is sometimes referred to as “The Doomsday Vault,” and it is an important place for all of us. The vault is home to 100 million seeds from all over the world. Why are these seeds under high security, you ask? If there ever were a horrific disaster that wiped out the plant kingdom, the seeds could restore our natural vegetation. It is built to outlast any natural disaster, and it is very high above sea level in case of flooding due to sea level rises. Interestingly, the vault knows no politics because even North Korea has contributed seeds.
North Sentinel Island, India
Right off India’s coast in the Bay of Bengal sits a tiny island called North Sentinel Island. With turquoise-blue waters and beautiful sandy beaches, one would think it is the perfect vacation destination, but outsiders are not allowed. The indigenous people, known as the Sentinelese, reject any contact with the outside world.
North Brother Island, New York, USA
North Brother Island sounds like an inviting place, but this island in the East River of New York has a sad past. After a ship sank, about 1,000 passengers took refuge on the island. It later became a hospital for people with contagious diseases, including Mary Mallon, aka Typhoid Mary. Mary was the first recorded patient to have typhoid fever, and she infected 50 other people, three of whom died. Today the island is abandoned, and it has actually become a bird sanctuary. We wonder if Typhoid Mary haunts the island, which is why no one visits it.
Lascaux Caves, France
Although the Lascaux Caves in France are a UNESCO Heritage site, it is not open to the public. Since 1963, France banned the public from entering the caves due to fungal invasions that could be destructive to its preservation. But why are these caves so precious? They give insight into the history of the human species. The caves contain over 600 examples of prehistoric art that date back about 20,000 years. Although people can’t go inside the real caves, it is possible to experience them in the museum and replica built right next to the actual caves.
Vatican Secret Archives, Vatican
If you have ever wondered about the secrets relating to the Catholic Church, you might have to keep waiting because the Vatican Secret Archives is under tight security. The archives contain documents that date as far back as the 8th century, including papal account books, a letter from Michelangelo to Pope Julius II, and a letter from Mary Queen of Scots written before her execution. The mysterious vault is located underground, and it has about 53 miles worth of shelves. No one is allowed to enter besides researchers who are given special permission, but even they have limitations to what documents they can look at. Some secrets will never be revealed.
Pluto’s Gate, Turkey
While Turkey has many incredible places you can visit, there is one off-limits location for your safety. Pluto’s Gate in Hierapolis, Turkey, dates back to ancient times, and people didn’t dare to go near it. The legend said that no one could survive there, and a historian threw sparrows inside to test it, and they immediately died. It was cruel to use harmless birds, but it leads to an interesting discovery. In 1965, scientists confirmed this legend when they found that the CO2 levels were so high, and at night it got cold enough so that it formed a lake on the bottom of the gate. Any living being could not survive more than a few seconds there.
Chichen Itza Pyramid, Mexico
You might be surprised to see this one on the list because millions of tourists come to see the Chichen Itza Pyramid each year. However, even though you can visit it, people are not allowed to climb it. Until 2006, people were allowed to climb to the top, but a tragic accident caused them to close it to the public.
Grand Shrine Of Ise, Japan
When it comes to shrine culture, Japan has it down to a science. There are an estimated 80,000 shrines, but none of them are as important as the Grand Shrine of Ise. The carefully crafted temple is the most expensive due to its architecture, but there weren’t any nails used.
Snake Island, Brazil
While you might be sad that you can’t visit some destinations on this list, this is definitely not one of them. Ilha Da Queimada Grande, Brazil, better known as Snake Island, is just 93 miles off the coast of Sao Paulo, and it is home to a sickening amount of snakes—between one and five snakes per ten square feet to be exact.
