TOP 15 Forbidden Places You’re Not Allowed to Visit
Top Fives・18 minutes read
Numerous inaccessible locations worldwide, including famous sites like Glasco Caves and Maya Bay, are restricted due to environmental, cultural, wildlife, or safety concerns, with limited access granted only to authorized personnel and researchers. These restrictions aim to preserve these unique and sensitive locations for future generations, safeguarding their natural beauty, historical significance, and ecological balance.
Insights
- The locations mentioned in the text, such as Glasco Caves, Uluru, and Pravcicka Brana, have been closed off to the general public due to various reasons like environmental preservation, cultural significance, and protection against erosion, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts in safeguarding these unique sites for future generations.
- Islands like North Sentinel Island, Morgan Island, and Niihau Island have strict access restrictions imposed to protect indigenous tribes, wildlife, and maintain privacy for residents, showcasing the delicate balance between preservation of culture, environment, and safety considerations in managing restricted areas.
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Recent questions
Why is climbing Uluru banned?
Due to spiritual significance and tourist damage.
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Summary
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Off-Limits: Mysterious and Forbidden Places
- Glasco Caves, France, discovered in 1940, contain 600+ paintings dating back 17,000 years, closed in 1963 due to deterioration, now accessible only to authorized researchers.
- Maya Bay, Thailand, famous for "The Beach" movie, closed in 2019 due to environmental damage, undergoing coral cultivation and trash cleaning for future reopening.
- Grand Shrine of Ise, Japan, built over 2,000 years ago, rebuilt every 20 years, only accessible to priests and the imperial royal family, with public viewing from outside.
- Morgan Island, USA, home to rhesus monkeys since 1979, off-limits due to disease transmission risks, only accessible to occasional researchers under strict quarantine.
- Uluru, Australia, banned climbing since 2019 due to spiritual significance and damage caused by tourists, now only viewable from a distance.
- Mezgorai, Russia, a town with 16,000 residents, cut off from the outside world, believed to house top-secret military projects, strictly restricted to government employees and families.
- North Sentinel Island, Bay of Bengal, home to the isolated Sentinelese tribe, strictly off-limits to outsiders, patrolled by the Indian Navy to maintain peace.
- Pravcicka Brana, Czech Republic, a natural sandstone arch, prohibited for walking since 1982 to prevent erosion, now only viewable from a distance.
- Poveglia, Italy, abandoned island with a dark past, used as a quarantine station and mental asylum, strictly off-limits due to historical diseases in the soil.
- Heard Island, Australia, home to active volcanoes and glaciers, forbidden for visitors due to fragility, remote location, and environmental sensitivity.
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Unique Islands: Snake, Surtsey, Niihau, Heart
- Snake Island, located 21 miles off the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is known for its deadly Golden Lancehead Viper population, evolved to have potent venom to kill birds instantly for food due to limited food sources.
- Surtsey Island in Iceland was formed by an underwater volcanic eruption in 1963, providing scientists with insights into island formation; it remains protected to study ecosystem development with 89 bird species and 335 invertebrates.
- Niihau Island in Hawaii, the seventh largest, is privately owned by the Robinson family since 1864, with strict access only for family, relatives, US Navy personnel, and government officials, fostering a self-sufficient community with solar power and horse transport.
- Heart Reef in Australia, part of the Great Barrier Reef, resembles a heart shape and was a popular tourist attraction until foot traffic threatened its structure, leading to a ban on visitors to protect its integrity.
