Alex Carson
#1 Heard Island Volcano, Australia
There is a volcanic Antarctic Island that is about two-thirds of the way between Madagascar and Antarctica. It is about 368 square miles and very mountainous. There is plenty of wildlife in the area, including penguins, marine birds, and seals. In 2000, a long lava flow was discovered by scientists at the University of Hawaii. It has been active ever since, and you are not allowed to visit. Even if you were allowed, you would need to sail for at least two weeks to get to to the land mass.
#2 Snake Island, Brazil
This island is located off the coast of Brazil. The Brazilian government has made it illegal to set foot on the island because it is home to the deadliest species of snake on Earth. The snake is called the Golden Lancehead Viper. This snake’s venom can eat human flesh. There are over 4,000 of this species of snake on the island and it is estimated that there is one snake every 16 square feet. The island is far too dangerous for a human to visit. Each year, the government gives just a small handful of scientists a permit to visit the island to study the snakes. Other than that, you aren’t allowed to visit the island.
#3 North Sentinel Island, Andaman Islands
This is one of the most dangerous of the 10 forbidden places you are NOT allowed to visit. This island sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it actually exists. It is an island that is covered by forest and it is completely closed in by a coral reef. The reason that you cannot go there is because the people on the island are too dangerous. It is home to people called the Sentinelese. They have rejected contact with any outsiders. Their community is one of the last to be touched by civilization. In 2008, two fishermen were in a boat that got too close to the island, and they were reportedly killed by the tribe. In 2004, after the earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the tsunami, researchers flew in helicopters to access the damage. While in the air, the helicopter was attacked by the tribe. They shot arrows and threw stones at the aircraft from the coastline. People are not allowed to visit due to the danger.
#4 Lascaux Caves, France
This complex group of caves is located in the Northwestern part of France. It is home to a piece of ancient artwork that was drawn over 17,000 years ago. The picture is of large animals that scientists believe existed back then. Sadly, in 2008, the caves were sealed off to the public due to a fungal outbreak. The government allows just a few scientists to enter the cave each year to study the painting.
#5 Vatican Secret Archives, Vatican City, Italy
If you are ever going to visit Vatican City, don’t expect to be allowed to visit the Vatican Secret Archives. This is an area located underground which has over 52 miles of shelves which contain more than 35,000 items. Some of the most famous include the acts of the Holy See, letters from Michelangelo, King Henry VIII’s request for a marriage annulment, and a letter written by Mary Queen of Scotts while she was awaiting her execution. This area is sealed off to the public. There is only a very small group of scholars who are allowed to enter the area and they must go through a serious and extensive application process before they are allowed.
#6 Ise Grand Shrine, Japan
This is a shrine dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu-omikami, and is located in the Japanese town of Uji-tachi. There are two main shrines with about 125 secondary shrines. The location is said to date back to the third century. Don’t count on ever visiting the shrine, as you need to be a high priest or priestess or you have to be a member of the Japanese Imperial Family. From the outside, yo can see buildings with thatched roofs and you cannot get past the gate.
#7 Area 51
One of the most well-known areas that are strictly prohibited areas is Area 51. It is located in Southern Nevada and it is a secret place and is a detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. The facility is said to be an Air Force base for testing experimental weaponry and aircrafts. Many people have another idea of what this area is. It is said that a spaceship crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 and the government took the ship and its alien occupants to Area 51 for studying. Only military personnel with special clearance are allowed inside. Also, the airspace above Area 51 is a no-fly zone. It is protected by fighter jets and anti-aircraft weaponry.
#8 Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
This is a seed bank and storage facility located underground on Spitsbergen, which is an island in Norway. It is located about 800 miles from the North Pole and is built about 400 feet into the mountainside. The contents of the vault consist of over 4,000 species of seeds from all around the world. It is a safe place for these seeds in the event of a major global event. Organizations can deposit seeds into the vault for safe keeping. The people who make deposits would only have access to their seeds. The vault has a high tech security system and only a small group of employees are allowed in the facility.
#9 Poveglia, Italy
This is a very small island located between Venice and Lido. Over the years, it was home to a shipping checkpoint, a fort, and a quarantine station during an outbreak of the Bubonic Plague. Later, it was an insane asylum. This island is not forbidden to visit, however, nobody wants to. It is known to be the most haunted place on Earth. According to the rumors, ghosts of war victims, plague victims, and a doctor who murdered psychiatric patients roam the island. On the island are burned and charred human remains. Mass graves were dug and people were thrown in, some alive if it was believed that they suffered from the Bubonic Plague. It is not a place that anyone ever visits.
#10 The Inside of the Coca-Cola Vault
The creators of Coca-Cola take their secret recipe very serious. They are so serious about it that it is kept inside a heavily guarded vault for over 125 years. You are allowed to visit the vault and see it from the outside, however, the recipe stays inside at all times and it not allowed to be seen by anyone.
