These forbidden places on Earth are totally off-limits, but we're giving you a glimpse of what goes on in these no-go areas
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Snake Island
Where to find it: Brazil
Brazil’s Ilha da Queimada Grande—dubbed Snake Island—is home to a dense population of one of the world’s deadliest snakes: the golden lancehead viper. Its venom is so poisonous that it melts human flesh around the bite, and some claim there’s one snake per square meter in certain areas.
For safety reasons, the Brazilian government doesn’t allow visitors, and a doctor is required on the team for any research visits, just in case of animal bites. Those restrictions didn’t deter YouTubers, including Mr. Beast, who visited the island (with researchers) out of a mix of curiosity, thrill-seeking and content creation. Don’t worry, they survived the night in one of the most dangerous and forbidden places on Earth.
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U.N. buffer zone
Where to find it: Cyprus
Turkish troops invaded Cyprus in 1974, sparking a civil war between the Greek and Turkish inhabitants. When the fighting ended in a ceasefire, the United Nations took control of a no-man’s land “buffer zone” in the country’s capital, Nicosia. Also called “Green line,” the area features heavy restrictions for public entry across 180 kilometers—it’s essentially a ghost town apart from a few inhabited villages.
Walls separate the Turkish community in the north (which no other country except Turkey recognizes as a separate state) from the Greek community in the south. Behind the walls are abandoned homes and businesses. In May 2025, leaders from the two factions met to discuss policy initiatives, including the opening of border gates, but whether that will happen remains to be seen.
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Tomb of Qin Shi Huang
Where to find it: China
In 1974, farmers discovered the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Since then, archaeologists have found about 8,000 clay soldiers, known as the Terracotta Army, along with horses, chariots and farm implements. Despite the excavation and the mysteries that lay hidden within, the Chinese government has declared it off-limits, making it one of the forbidden places in the world that the average history lover will never see. Archaeologists, however, might get a peek. But even they are restricted.
Archaeologists are prohibited from touching the central tomb with Qin Shi Huang’s body, which has been closed since 210 B.C.E. and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. This decision is due, in part, to respect for the dead. But there’s also a real concern that current technology isn’t up to snuff for excavating without damaging the ancient artifacts. The tomb also contains high levels of mercury, which could be lethal for explorers.
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Chernobyl
Where to find it: Ukraine
On April 26, 1986, an explosion near Chernobyl, in the then Soviet-owned Ukraine, became the worst nuclear accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster site and its 30-kilometer radius (nearly 19 miles) was completely uninhabited for a long time. Today, the area, which is located around 80 kilometers (about 50 miles) away from Kyiv, is inhabited only by a few small communities in rebuilt villages. Small guided tours previously operated, but they have been suspended due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Nearly four decades after the disaster, cleanup projects are still ongoing, and the power plant’s director guesses the area won’t be inhabitable in the long term for an estimated 20,000 years.
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Area 51
Where to find it: Nevada
The U.S. government wouldn’t admit Area 51 existed until 1992 documents (released in 2013) mentioned the Nevada military base. Officials still haven’t revealed what type of research goes on in this forbidden place, though conspiracy theorists claim government researchers study alien activity there.
You can get a birds-eye view of the 4,687-square-mile spot on Google Maps, but the sprawling desert makes it hard for anyone to sneak in, and security is tight. Even visitors with security clearances reach Area 51 on private planes that keep the windows drawn until landing.
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North Sentinel Island
Where to find it: India
In the Bay of Bengal sits the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India. The Sentinelese tribe of North Sentinel Island is thought to have been there for 60,000 years, and it’s one of the last communities in the world to remain totally isolated from outside societies. It is illegal to go within 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) of the island, making it one of the most intriguing yet forbidden places on Earth.
Because the Sentinelese haven’t encountered the diseases others have built resistance to, contact with outsiders could prove deadly to the tribe. That’s why the Indian government has agreed not to attempt any contact.
Visiting the island doesn’t just put the Sentinelese at risk or come with a threat of legal action. It’s dangerous to visitors too. In 2006, the boat of two fishermen drifted to the shallows of North Sentinel Island, where the Sentinelese killed the pair. Since then, there have been other reports of people landing on the island and facing legal action or being killed by the Sentinelese tribe.
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Vatican Secret Archives
Where to find them: Vatican City
Housed in a heavily protected area of the Vatican are 53 miles of shelves containing 35,000 volumes of catalogues and documents relating to the Catholic Church, dating as far back as the eighth century. Some artifacts in this forbidden place include a letter from Mary Queen of Scots begging Pope Sixtus V to save her from beheading and documents of Martin Luther’s excommunication.
The archive is closed to the public, but it opened to researchers in 1881. Still, it isn’t easy to get a pass inside. Researchers who apply gain access for up to three months, and no more than 60 scholars are allowed in at once.
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Fort Knox
Where to find it: Kentucky
There’s a reason we say something is “as secure as Fort Knox.” One of the most famous forbidden places on Earth, Fort Knox is the most heavily guarded spot on the planet. Built in 1936, the vault is believed to hold a large portion of U.S. gold reserves, which makes it off-limits to the public. The door to the vault, made of steel and concrete, weighs more than 20 tons.
No person can make it into the vault alone; staff need to enter several combinations to gain access, and various staff members know just one. Even they wouldn’t be able to get in without the help of their colleagues.
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Svalbard Seed Vault
Where to find it: Norway
Plunging more than 393 feet into a mountain between Norway and the North Pole, the Svalbard Seed Vault holds a massive collection of seeds in a vault designed to withstand man-made and natural disasters. If a major catastrophe happened, the 1.3 million preserved seed samples from almost every country in the world would ensure diverse food options.
Managed by the Norwegian government, the vault forbids the public from visiting, though a limited number of depositors are allowed inside to deliver the seeds to its shelves.
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Lascaux cave
Where to find it: France
The prehistoric paintings in the Lascaux cave were discovered in 1940, and they became a tourist attraction after World War II. Now, however, the cave system is a forbidden place on Earth. So what happened?
The carbon dioxide from visitors’ breath started to damage the paintings. Lascaux cave was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and closed to the public in 1963 to preserve the paintings and protect them from future damage. Replicas such as Lascaux IV opened for business after the original cave closed, but only preservationists and researchers are allowed in the original.
FAQs
Are there any forbidden places that have recently become accessible to the public?
Unfortunately, no forbidden places have become accessible in recent years. In 2020, Pope Francis opened a portion of the Vatican Secret Archives for public access. But soon after, a pandemic-induced lockdown forced its closure, and it’s remained off-limits.
What are the most famous urban legends or conspiracy theories about restricted locations?
Conspiracy theories abound when it comes to forbidden places. One of the most famous: aliens. Who hasn’t heard talk about Area 51 and so-called government testing for military equipment or alien activity? There’s a whole alien-based economy in the surrounding areas of Nevada!
Are there forbidden places on Earth where no human has ever been?
There are many unexplored places on Earth. Probably the most notable forbidden location is North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean. While humans have been there, they’re few in number—and several haven’t returned to share any findings. The spot is off-limits due to dangers and to protect the indigenous tribes that live there.
And don’t forget about all of the unexplored places in the deep sea. There’s much we haven’t discovered in this world beneath our own.
How do governments stop people from entering these forbidden places?
Areas are cordoned off and often guarded with heavy security to ensure no visitors come to these forbidden places. Wired fences, day-and-night patrolling and inaccessible locations are some of the ways governments prohibit access to the general public.
Can people ever get permission to visit these off-limits sites?
Yes, in some special cases, researchers or journalists can apply to visit these forbidden places in the world. But access doesn’t come easily and takes a lot of time and effort. To make an exception, the folks who run these forbidden sites need applicants to make a strong case for their research.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- The Wall Street Journal: “Brazil: No Fun for Arachnophobes”
- Smithsonian Magazine: “This Terrifying Brazilian Island Has the Highest Concentration of Venomous Snakes Anywhere in the World”
- Drew Binsky: “Surviving 24 Hours On Snake Island With MrBeast”
- UNFICYP: “About the buffer zone”
- The Atlantic: “Frozen In Time: The Cyprus Buffer Zone”
- AA Turkey: “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus president, Greek Cypriot leader meet in UN buffer zone”
- Live Science: “The Secret Tomb of China’s 1st Emperor: Will We Ever See Inside?”
- USA Today: “30 years later: Chernobyl disaster could trigger more cancer, deaths”
- Time: “Apocalypse Today: Visiting Chernobyl, 25 Years Later”
- The Telegraph: “Stone Age tribe kills fishermen who strayed on to island”
- Independent: “Sentinelese tribe: Rare footage captures one of world’s last uncontacted indigenous people”
- History: “Step Into the Vatican’s Secret Archives”
- Archivio Apostolico Vaticano: “Application for admission to the apostolic archives and access to the study rooms for research works”
- Crop Trust: “FAQs”
- The Guardian: “The doomsday vault: the seeds that could save a post-apocalyptic world”
- The Guardian: “Arctic stronghold of world’s seeds flooded after permafrost melts”
- Lascaux Dordogne: “The Lascaux cave”
- Reuters: “Church ‘not afraid of history’: Pope Francis to open secret Pius XII archives”
