These incredibly isolated, serene and unspoiled destinations are some of the most remote places on Earth

20 of the Most Remote Places on Earth


Easter Island, Chile
Known for its more than one thousand Moai statues, Easter Island may be famous, but it’s definitely remote. In fact, it’s more than 2,000 miles from modern civilization. Easter Island’s mysterious statues were sculpted from volcanic rock by the Rapa Nui people between A.D. 1250 and A.D. 1500. The island’s three peaks—Terevaka, Poike and Rano Kau—are made of ancient lava and form a dramatic landscape. Flights are limited and modern amenities are few, but the experience is worth it.

Longyearbyen, Norway
Longyearbyen is one of the world’s northernmost towns—and one of the quirkiest. A local law prohibits burial because bodies don’t decompose in the permafrost. (There’s a running joke that it’s illegal to die in Longyearbyen.) There’s also a law requiring locals to carry protection against polar bears. Located on the archipelago of Svalbard, this unique town is home to 2,100 residents, and is perfect for kayaking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and biking.

Devon Island, Canada
You know a place is desolate when NASA uses it for interstellar research: The space program has tested robots, spacesuits and vehicles here in preparation for missions to Mars. Part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Devon is the second largest in the group and lies closer to Greenland than mainland Canada. Its barren landscape offers complete solitude—there’s almost no animal life, but you might spot a few polar bears.

Crescent Lake, China
This ancient moon-shaped lake in the Gobi Desert is a true oasis. Fed by natural springs, Crescent Lake has lasted over 2,000 years. Though surrounded by desert, it’s surprisingly accessible—shuttle buses make this one of the few remote natural wonders you can reach with ease.

Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
Located in northeastern Ethiopia, the Danakil Depression is a scorched alien landscape of colorful natural wonders like salt flats, acid pools and sulfur fields. It’s also home to one of the few lava lakes on Earth. One of the hottest places on the planet, the Danakil Depression is often called “The Gateway to Hell” for its intense heat and otherworldly terrain.

Barra Island, Scotland
Barra is the southernmost inhabited island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. It’s home to just over 1,000 people, and as one most remote places on Earth, this 10-mile-long island has few amenities but plenty of wide-open spaces. If you’re flying there, know that it has an unusual beach runway: Flights land right on the sand, timed with the tides.

Apolima, Samoa
Apolima is one of the smallest of Samoa’s islands, ringed by turquoise waters and lush jungles. There are no roads or cars, and getting to this remote island escape is difficult. After a 30-minute boat ride, visitors have to navigate a rough, swirling channel to access a volcanic crater bay that leads to the island’s only village.

Tristan da Cunha, British Overseas Territory
This British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean is a group of volcanic islands. Truly one of the most remote places on Earth, its isolation makes it ideal for spotting dolphins, whales, penguins and seabirds, and that same isolation and beauty draw travelers looking to truly disconnect. Home to just 269 people, it’s considered the most remote inhabited island on Earth—over 1,500 miles from the nearest landmass.

McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Antarctica is at the top of any list of the most remote places on Earth. McMurdo Station is a scientific outpost just 850 miles from the South Pole, located on the southern edge of Ross Island. It’s the largest U.S. research base in Antarctica, home to hundreds of scientists conducting year-round research in extreme conditions, as well as lots and lots of penguins.

Pitcairn Island, British Overseas Territory
This U.K. territory in the South Pacific is home to just 50 people, which makes sense given it’s one of the most remote places on Earth. Pitcairn Island is a tropical haven with incredible snorkeling and clear waters. Located 3,000 miles from New Zealand, Pitcairn is extremely isolated, but its pristine beaches and clear waters will make you almost forget about home.

Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Tucked away in Egypt’s Western Desert, Siwa Oasis is one of the best-preserved pockets of North African culture. Fed by more than 200 natural springs, this mud-brick village offers visitors a rare chance to experience traditional foods and ancient practices.

The Kerguelen Islands, French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Deep in the Indian Ocean, this icy archipelago is rarely visited and is nicknamed the “Desolation Islands.” A lone research station is the only sign of human life, accessible by ship.

Tibetan Plateau, China
Covering 965,000 square miles and rising between 13,000 and 15,000 feet, the Tibetan Plateau lies between the Kunlun Mountains and the Himalayas. It’s the source of many of Asia’s major rivers and lakes, and it’s also near Mount Everest. The region has been inhabited for more than 20,000 years, though few native communities remain today.

Socotra Island, Yemen
Known for its stark landscape and bizarre plant life, Socotra has earned the nickname “Alien Island.” Its limestone base is believed to have formed when the ocean once covered the land, creating ideal conditions for rare Dragon’s Blood trees. Locals speak Soqotri, an unwritten language, and the island is also home to people of Arab, Somali, Greek and South Asian descent. Tourism has grown over time, but Socotra’s bizarre flora and fauna still make it feel like another world.

Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile
The largest island in Chile’s Juan Fernandez archipelago, Robinson Crusoe Island used to just be called Juan Fernandez Island, but was (re)named after Alexander Selkirk, a sailor marooned here in 1704 for more than four years. (Selkirk’s survival inspired Daniel Dafoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe.) The Chilean government officially renamed it in 1966.

Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Greenland’s most remote town, Ittoqqortoormiit, has just 450 residents and a single grocery store. Founded in 1925 by settlers from Tasiilaq and West Greenland, it lies on Greenland’s remote east coast. It’s one of the best places in Greenland to witness the midnight sun in summer and the northern lights in winter.

Oymyakon, Russia
Oymyakon, a remote Siberian town, is the coldest inhabited place on Earth. It has about 500 residents, who endure average winter temperatures of –58 degrees. It’s so cold locals refer to vodka as “Russki Chai,” or Russian tea—a tongue-in-cheek way to warm up.

Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
The ancient baobab trees on this dirt road path that connects Belo Tsiribihina and Morondava, on the west coast of Madagascar, are a sight to behold. Legend has it that the trees look the way they do because the devil ripped them out of the ground and put them back upside down, according to Atlas Obscura.
If you can believe it, there was once a forest full of these trees, but due to construction and the encroachment of modern life, the trees were cut back, leaving these final trees striking in their isolation.

Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Tórshavn, named after the Norse god Thor, is the capital of the Faroe Islands and has just 25,000 residents, making it one of the smallest capitals in the world. The North Atlantic archipelago located between Iceland and Norway is filled with European-style cafes and is steeped in the culture of rich traditional Faroese ballads. It’s truly a blend of the modern and historical, set against the backdrop of dramatic cliffs and sea views.

Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Scotland’s second entry on the list of the most remote places on Earth, the Outer Hebrides consist of over 100 islands, including the earlier entry Barra Island. Known for Gaelic culture, ancient history and sweeping land-and-sea views, the Outer Hebrides are accessible, yet remote enough to feel like another world.
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Sources:
- Beautiful Samoa: “Apolima Island”
- Visit Svalbard: “Longyearbyen”
- The Canadian Encyclopedia: “Devon Island”
- USA Today: “The hottest place on earth: Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression”
- Tristan Da Cunha: “Welcome to Tristan da Cunha”
- United States Antarctic Program: “McMurdo Station Webcams”
- Government of the Pitcairn Island: “About the Pitcairn Islands”
- Atlas Obscura: “Robinson Crusoe Island”
- Visit Greenland: “Ittoqqortoormiit”
- Telegraph: “Welcome to the world’s coldest inhabited place”
- Atlas Obscura: “Avenue of the Baobabs”
- Visit Scotland: “Outer Hebrides”