The Earth is a unique creation that may put us in a state of permanent awe due to its natural wonders. But, there are a lot of chills and fears hidden within this perfect beauty. There are many locations in the world that are both beautiful and secure, but there are also some places that one should avoid visiting due to potential threats. If you’re itching to travel the world, it’s best to stay away from the locations that have been ranked as the top 10 most dangerous places in the world as they have been shown to pose the greatest risk. Here is the list of places you should avoid on your next travel adventure.
- Death valley national park, USA
- Snake island, Brazil
- Volcano tours, Hawaii
- Danakil desert, Ethiopia
- Lake natron, Tanzania
- Gates of hell, Turkmenistan
- Skeleton coast, Namibia
- Death road, Bolivia
- Oymyakon, Russia
- North sentinel island, Andaman
1. Death valley national park, USA:
One of the world’s most dangerous and hottest places is Death Valley National Park, situated between Nevada and California in United States. Along with its distinctive geological features, it is well-known for its record-breaking heat and dryness. Temperature extremes are common in this region, which makes both residents and visitors uncomfortable due to the harsh weather. The intense heat and scorching light of death valley will quickly wear you out, regardless of how strong you are. The record temperature on earth, at 134°F (56.7°C), is held by this breathtaking desert.
2. Snake island, Brazil:
A popular list of the most dangerous places on earth includes Snake Island, officially known as “Ilha de Queimada Grande.” This lethal island is located along the coast of Sao Paulo state in Brazil and it is home to the world’s most venomous snakes. The deadly Golden Lancehead, a species of pit viper which exists nowhere else in the world can only be found on this island of which there is an estimated 2000–4000 in existence. The Brazilian government forbade tourists from entering the island because due to its high level of danger.
3. Volcano tours, Hawaii:
Hawaii is a fascinating place that offers much more than just serene beaches, verdant mountains, and fragrant air. However, it also has the world’s most dangerous tourist places. Over the years, reports of fatalities from excessive lava haze and flying rocks have made it a frightening place to be. The world’s only place where one can see active volcanoes close up is the Hawaiian Islands. It has one of the oldest active volcanoes, Mauna Kilauea and Volcanoes National Park. It has been erupting continuously until 1983 and it also home to the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa. In the Hawaii volcano national park, you can take a boat trip to see the lava waterfalls, tropical rainforests, and other geological phenomena as well as the red-hot rivers that are flowing with lava.
4. Danakil desert, Ethiopia:
One of the hottest, driest, lowest places on earth is the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia. During the day, the temperature frequently rises above 50°C (122°F), making it an unpleasant location to live or visit. It will still reach 131°F, despite not being quite as hot as Death valley. This desert is regarded as one of the most dangerous places of Africa because of its scorching temperatures, acid pools, salt formations, hot springs, and eruptive volcanoes. This location is volcanically active area and the average temperature of this desert never drops below 50°C, greatly increasing the risk.
5. Lake natron, Tanzania:
It is located on the Kenyan border in Northern Tanzania. This dangerous salt lake is among the world’s most corrosive places, turning animals and birds into stones. Yes, that is true! Lake natron’s extremely reflecting and chemically dense waters resemble a glass door that fools birds in the air into believing they are over empty space. Their bodies degrade in a matter of minutes from the moment they land in the water due to lake natron’s highly salinized water, which can reach temperatures of up to 140°F and a pH of up to 10.5, which is nearly as alkaline as ammonia. What gives the lake its peculiar pink-red hues? Absolutely! The lake’s distinctive reds and oranges are caused by cyanobacteria, which have inhabited natron despite the fact that most species can’t survive in the 120° lake water. Interestingly, this lake is home to millions of flamingos. Anyone visiting this perilous spot in Africa must take caution because it is among the most dangerous places in the world.
6. Gates of hell, Turkmenistan:
The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the “Gates of Hell,” is situated roughly 260 kilometers north of Turkmenistan’s capital in the centre of the Karakum Desert. It’s an underground cave with a field of natural gas inside of it. It was set fire in 1971 by a group of geologists in an attempt to stop the methane gas from spreading, but the fire has been burning ever since. The incident began as a result of a drilling rig hitting a natural gas cavern by accident. This caused the ground to collapse, creating a large hole that released poisonous gases. So, the hole was set on fire to prevent a natural catastrophe, thinking that the fire would go out in a few weeks. But even after several decades, the flaming pit continues to burn. Sadly, it is a man-made disaster rather than an act of nature. “The Door to Hell” intrigues tourists from all over the world despite being regarded as a dangerous place.
7. Skeleton coast, Namibia:
The Skeleton Coast stretches from the north of Namibia to the south of Angola is renowned for being among the most dangerous places in the world. As its name suggests, the skeleton coast is literally covered with skeletons. You may now think whose skeleton is found on the skeleton coast? The coast is littered with numerous whale skeletons and the bones of various animals, including elephants, turtles, seals, and others, giving the place an unappealing look. Along with that, its coastline is dotted with innumerable shipwrecks as a result of strong waves, erratic ocean currents, and dense fog. Also, it is challenging for tourists to explore this remote location because of the weather, strong winds, and lack of food and water. Even though it’s a very inhospitable environment, a variety of animals can be found here, including elephants, rhinos, jackals, and hyenas.
8. Death road, Bolivia:
The extremely narrow and winding North Yungas Road, often referred to as “Death Road,” connects La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia and terrifies even the most courageous drivers with its steepness and lack of guardrails. This 43-mile (69-kilometer) switchback is highly dangerous to drive down or up because of landslides, waterfalls, fog and cliffs that plunging 2,000 feet (610 meters) at each turn. This place was included on lists of the world’s most dangerous places to visit due to the approximately 300 drivers who died there annually until 1994. The majority of deaths on the dangerous road nowadays are caused by local laborers and hikers.
9. Oymyakon, Russia:
Oymyakon, a small town located in Siberia, Russia is one of the deadliest and coldest places in the world because of the extreme weather. Can you guess, how chilly is that place? It’s colder than we imagined. Yes, Here, -71.2°C (-96.2°F) was the lowest temperature ever recorded. It takes guts to travel to this side of the world because even saliva and eyelashes freeze into tiny, sharp needles that prickle faces as people pass by. Mobile phones do not work in these bitterly frigid temperatures, and the inability to cultivate anything and the scarcity of vegetables are even bigger problems. The average temperatures can drop as low as -50°C . As a result, it is hard for tourists to visit this location safely, because few people can only withstand this low temperature and terrible cold. In addition, only 500 people make their home here, and even they struggle to endure the severe weather.
10. North sentinel island, Andaman:
One of the world’s dangerous and forbidden islands is North Sentinel Island in the Andaman, which is home to the Sentinelese tribe. The native sentinelese people have chosen to live in voluntary isolation and rejecting all forms of communication with the outside world for centuries and have been living in their traditional way of life. When someone tries to enter the island, they typically become violent and start attacking. Two fishermen lost their lives as a result of such attacks in 2006. Visiting to the sentinelese Island is severely prohibited, since the Indian government has implemented rules in place to safeguard them and their isolation.
Bonus Information:
Bermuda triangle:
The Bermuda Triangle is a well-known, globally recognized location that is both dangerous and popular. Over the past recent years, it has gained attention as a result of several enigmatic disappearances. There have been numerous possibilities put forth to explain these disappearances, ranging from aliens to magnetic forces. Even though most of the cases have been explained in a logical and reasonable manner, others are still mysterious.
Conclusion:
Does fear start to seep into your spine already? Indeed, these locations offer a variety of experiences, and they appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Even if certain places are distinctive, they can also be very dangerous. We hope that this list of the most dangerous places in the world will help you create a more meaningful bucket list.