Breathtaking landscapes, amazing rock formations, large deserts and majestic glaciers - all these places can make a person feel very, very small. Here you can forget about the bustle, focus on contact with the surrounding beauty and listen to yourself. Check out ten unique places where you will feel the grandeur of nature and it will seem as if time has stood still.
I publish interesting travel stories about places that I have not yet visited myself. A joint column with BigPicture.ru is published daily
1. Arches National Park, USA. (Photo: Norm Erikson / flickr.com)
American Arches National Park is located in eastern Utah and covers an area of 309 square kilometers. The beautiful natural rock arches were formed as a result of erosion and weathering processes that have been going on here for 150 million years. These arches have become a real symbol of the state of Utah - even car registration numbers depict rock arches.
2. Arches at first glance look fragile, but in fact they perfectly withstand the effects of various atmospheric phenomena. The most famous rock formations are Delicate Arch, Tower Arch, Double Arch, North Window and South Window. (Photo: Stephen Oachs / flickr.com)
3. Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia. (Photo: Auré from Paris / flickr.com)
On the Altiplano plateau in the Andes, at an altitude of 3653 meters above sea level, you can see an unusual snow-white landscape - this is the Uyuni salt marsh. Once there was a salt lake here, now it is just a salt desert. Uyuni, together with Lakes Titicaca and Poopo, is what remains of Lake Ballivian from Pleistocene times. This 10,582 square kilometer spot in Bolivia is one of the flattest places on Earth.
4. The Uyuni salt marsh is especially dazzling during the rainy season - from November to March - then its surface resembles a giant mirror. (Photo: Patrick Nouhailler / flickr.com)
5. South Moravia, Czech Republic. (Photo: Pawel Uchorczak)
This place is more and more often called Slavic Tuscania. South Moravia is probably one of the most picturesque regions in Central Europe. Here you will find fantastic landscapes, magnificent castles, rich local folklore and famous hills covered with dense forests and numerous vineyards.
6. Endless colorful fields of Moravia. Surprisingly, this landscape resembles a woven carpet, and not the work of Mother Nature. Our planet never ceases to surprise us. (Photo: Pawel Uchorczak)
7. Peak District, UK. (Photo: Ken Hircock / flickr.com)
The Peak District is a mountainous area in the southern Pennines of central and northern England. The Peak District is partly located in Derbyshire. This is a very beautiful place with hills, passes and endless peat bogs.
8. An ideal place for lovers of hiking or mountain biking. Here is the longest tourist route, the length of which is 431 kilometers. (Photo: Andi Campbell-Jones / flickr.com)
9. Namib Desert, Namibia. (Photo: Kovac´s / flickr.com)
Friendly, safe and extremely scenic, Namibia welcomes tourists to the world's oldest desert, the Namib Desert. Located on the Atlantic coast, the desert is without a doubt one of the most unique places on our planet.
10. Nowhere in the world will you find such high dunes - up to 300 meters in height and such a color of sand - from apricot to blood red. The desert looks fabulous, and it seems that it stretches to infinity (more than 30 kilometers). The area of the Namib Desert is comparable to the area of the Czech Republic - 81,000 square kilometers. (Photo: jordicerda52 / flickr.com)
11. Dolomites, Italy. (Photo: Remigiusz Agatowski / flickr.com)
The Dolomites consist of rocky groups - limestone and dolomite, separated by deep valleys and high passes. The sharp rock formations that appear to pierce the sky are the result of erosion, a process that has shaped the local landscape over several thousand years.
12. A distinctive feature of the Dolomites is that they do not represent a clear, pronounced mountain range, but consist of rocky groups. (Photo: Remigiusz Agatowski / flickr.com)
13. Landmannalaugar, Iceland. (Photo: euskadi 69 / flickr.com)
In Iceland, not far from the Hekla volcano, there is an amazing place - Landmannalaugar. This is where the hot springs are located, gurgling like water in a pan. The beautiful area pleases the eye, and sometimes it seems that nature could not create such colorful stones and earth.
14. One of the local mountains with the interesting name Brennisteynsalda, which means “wave of sulfur”, is considered the most beautiful and colorful in all of Iceland. (Photo: Jón Óskar / flickr.com)
15. Vatnajokull, Iceland. (Photo: Larry / flickr.com)
Another unique place in Iceland, Vatnajökull is the largest national park in Europe and the second largest glacier on the continent. Its main attraction is its unusual ice caves.
16. The best time to see these incredible formations covered in thousands of years of ice is from December to March. (Photo: Larry / flickr.com)
17. Isle of Skye, UK. (Photo: Douglas Griffin / flickr.com)
The Isle of Skye is also called the Isle of Fogs. This is the northernmost point of the Inner Hybrids. The entire coastline is dotted with bays, cozy beaches and peninsulas. Here you can also see the Storr Rock - more than 1000 meters above sea level, as well as picturesque waterfalls and ancient castles.
18. Rock of Storr on the Isle of Skye. (Photo: Douglas Griffin / flickr.com)
19. Bieszczady, Poland. (Photo: Agnieszka Ignaszak / flickr.com)
The Bieszczady Mountains are the most beautiful and wild mountains in Poland, which are part of the “big bow” of the Eastern Carpathians. In the western part of the Eastern Beskids there is Mount Tarnica - 1346 meters high, which has become a favorite destination for tourists. In the Bieszczady Mountains you can find corners of virgin nature. Beautiful forests, wild animals, birds and virtually uninhabited terrain make this an ideal place for solitary walks and “spying” on wildlife.
20. It is best to come to Bieszczady in early autumn - this is the ideal time to relax in this part of the Carpathians. (Photo: Mariusz Petelicki / flickr.com)
Are you planning a vacation? I present a list of places that are prohibited from visiting. Moreover, you yourself do not go there to go after reading this post.
Surtsey is a volcanic island located off the south coast of Iceland. It was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption that began in 1963 and ended in 1967. People are not allowed to visit this island, even scientists, to ensure natural ecological development without outside interference. However, this ban was violated. Thus, a rooted tomato plant was found on the island, which was brought by scientists. Oh, how naughty these scientists are!
Weather Mountain is an emergency operations center. This facility is located in Virginia, USA. It is one of the primary locations for the relocation of high-ranking civilian and military officials in the event of a national disaster.
Mezhgorye is a closed city in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. People living in the city are said to be doing top-secret work on Mount Yamantau, which is believed to be home to nuclear weapons, Russian treasure, and war bunkers with a huge coal warehouse. But really, who knows?
Metro-2 is a secret underground metro that is located parallel to the public Moscow metro. It was built by Joseph Stalin under the KGB code name D-6. Presumably it is still used by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The length of Metro 2 is rumored to be longer than the public metro. They say that it connects the Kremlin with the headquarters of the FSB, and other places of national importance. The FSB or the Moscow Metro administration refuse to confirm or deny its existence to this day.
It is one of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, home to an indigenous group called the Sentinelians. Their population is estimated to be between 50 and 400 people. The islanders reject any contact with other people and are among the last people on earth who have been virtually untouched by modern civilization.
Recent attempts to contact the tribe were met with arrows and stones. And on January 26, 2006, two fishermen tragically died when their boat drifted off the island.
The Vatican Secret Archive is actually no longer classified. It remained completely closed to outsiders until 1881, when Pope Leo XIII opened it only to a select few. These days, thousands of researchers are poring over these documents, but with 52 miles of shelves in the archives, some dark secrets from the past may still be waiting to be discovered.
About 90 km from the city of Sao Paulo is “Snake Island”. This place is so heavily infested with poisonous snakes that it has been named one of the most dangerous islands in the world. Scientists estimate that about 4,000 snakes live on the island's 110 acres, which is one snake for every six square meters.
And these are not just any snakes. Snake Island is the only known home of the venomous spearhead snake, one of the most venomous snakes in the world. The snake's venom is said to be three to five times stronger than that of any continental snake. And he can simply melt human flesh. Currently, the Brazilian Navy prohibits residents of the country from visiting the island, although sometimes even scientists are refused.
It's quite difficult to get into North Korea. Now imagine how difficult it is to get into room 39, a secret facility of the North Korean government. This facility is used for illegal activities including counterfeiting $100 bills, drug production (including methamphetamine and heroin), and international insurance fraud. Many argue that Number 39 is critical to Kim Jong's continued power, allowing him to buy political support and finance North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.
RAF Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. This location provides communications and support for UK intelligence services and the US military. Some of the satellites are controlled directly by the US National Security Agency. It is believed to be the largest electronic monitoring station in the world, originally created to intercept communications between the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc Allies. Many now believe that at the moment its original scale has increased...
The USA is famous for its high degree of secrecy. But their efforts around Area 51, located in Nevada, are on another level. So the main purpose of the base is unknown, but it is generally believed that it is used for the development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems. Many theorists believe that aliens and UFOs are being studied here. But civilians are prohibited from entering there, so we will never know the truth.
Incredible facts
The world is full of secret and exclusive places that we either don’t know exist or would like to visit but can’t. The list below highlights ten of the most interesting places around the world that are closed to the general public or that are almost impossible to get to.
10. Mezhgorye
Mezhgorye is a closed city in Russia, where people who work on the secret Yamantau Mountain are supposed to live. The city was founded in 1979. The height of Mount Yamantau is 1640 meters, it is the highest in the Southern Urals. There are suspicions that there is a secret nuclear bunker or nuclear installation in this place. In the late 1990s, during the government of Boris Yeltsin, information about a major excavation project surfaced in the press. At the top of the object, two garrisons Beloretsk-15 and Beloretsk-16 were built. Many times questions were asked about this place, however, the only answer was that it was a mountainous place, a repository of Russian treasures, as well as a bunker for leaders in the event of a nuclear war.
9. Vatican Secret Archives
The archives are not actually secret, despite their name. You can study any document you wish, however, you will not be able to enter the archive room itself. You must make a request for a specific document and it will be provided to you. Despite the fictional versions put forward in many films on this topic (for example, "Angels and Demons"), all documents are available for viewing and there are no copies of "suppressed" scientific theories or great works that were suppressed.
However, you will not be able to access those documents that are not yet 75 years old. This is done to protect diplomatic and government information. However, indexes are available by which a person can check whether a given document exists in the archives or not. The Vatican's secret archives are estimated to consist of stacks 84 km long.
8. Club 33
Contrary to popular belief, Disneyland has every right to distribute alcoholic beverages during times when public access is closed and private parties begin. But there is one place at Disneyland that always sells booze openly: Club 33. This is a private club located in the heart of Disneyland's New Orleans Square. Considered a secret feature of the theme park, the entrance to the club is located next to the Blue Bayou restaurant on "33 Royal Street" and can only be identified by a sign with the number "33" engraved on it. In order to become a member of the club you need to pay from 10 to 30 thousand dollars. If you nevertheless decide to spend this amount and apply now for membership, then you will become the last in a 14-year queue.
7. Moscow metro – 2
Metro 2 in Moscow is a supposed secret subway that runs parallel to the public metro. The system was supposedly built during Stalin's time and was codenamed D-6 by the KGB. Russian journalists note that the existence of this metro is neither confirmed nor denied by the Federal Security Service, as well as the administration of the Moscow metro. The length of metro-2 is rumored to exceed the “civilian” metro. This metro is said to connect the Kremlin with the headquarters of the FSB, the government airport Vnukovo-2 and the underground city near Ramenki, among other places of national importance. Needless to say, the unconfirmed fact of its existence makes it extremely difficult to visit.
6. White Gentlemen's Club
This club is the most exclusive club for English gentlemen. It was founded in 1693 by the Italian Francesco Bianco in order to sell a new product that had just appeared - hot chocolate, however, it later became a typical private gentlemen's club. The club is famous for its "book of bets", which describes the strange adventures of the club members. The most famous of these is a £3,000 bet on which of two raindrops will slide off a window the fastest.
Why is the club on this list? Women are not allowed into it, so half the people are immediately excluded. Secondly, men who want to join this exclusive club can only do so by invitation from a current member of the club who has the support of two other members. Unless you are a member of the royal family, or unless you hold some kind of high position in politics, you are unlikely to ever receive an invitation to join the club.
5. 51st district
The 51st District is the nickname of a military base located in southern Nevada in the western United States. The base is located on the southern shore of Groom Lake and is a secret military airfield. The main purpose of the base is to develop and test experimental aircraft and weapons systems. The base is surrounded by a lot of secrets, and its very existence is hardly recognized by the US government. It is for this reason that it is a frequent subject of conspiracy theories as well as UFO folklore. Signs in 51 districts state that lethal force will be used against anyone who enters restricted areas.
4. Bureau 39
Bureau 39 is perhaps one of the most secretive organizations in North Korea that seeks ways to obtain foreign currency. Bureau 39 was created in the late 1970s. The organization is described as the cornerstone of North Korea's economy, centered on the dynastic Kim family. It is unknown where the name of the organization came from. Very little is also known about the organization itself due to the amount of secrecy surrounding it, however, it is believed that Bureau 39 uses 10-20 bank accounts in China and Switzerland for the purposes of counterfeiting, money laundering and other illegal transactions.
Moreover, some sources claim that Bureau 39 is involved in drug smuggling and illegal weapons sales. It is known, however, that the organization has 120 foreign trade companies under its jurisdiction, and until the death of Kim Jong Il, Bureau 39 was under his direct control. However, North Korea denies participation in any illegal activities. Bureau 39 is believed to be located inside the ruling party building in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.
3. Ise Grand Shrine
The Japanese Grand Shrine of Ise, which is the collective name for over 100 shrines, is Japan's holiest shrine. It is dedicated to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, and has existed since the 4th century BC. In accordance with the Shinto idea of death, the temple is destroyed and reborn every 20 years (the next rebirth is scheduled for 2013). Only a priest or priestess, who must be a member of the royal family, can enter there.
2. Mountain "Emergency Operations Center"
This is a place that is not only closed to the public, but also that no one wants to go to. In most end-of-the-world movies, we see government officials and other chosen people going to some place in the hopes that they can escape their impending doom. This mountain is a real place that was created in the 1950s due to the outbreak of the Cold War, however, it continues to function to this day. This is the place of "last hope". For obvious reasons, the activities taking place there are strictly classified. The mountain is managed by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency. The center has been active for a long time, and even with minor local problems in the United States, most telecommunications traffic is routed through it.
1. Mentwit Hill Military Base
Menwith Hill is a British military base connected to the global spy network ECHELON. The base is a large satellite ground station that listens to telephone conversations and can warn of a missile attack. This base is considered the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. Apparently, the white, streamlined domes are part of the Echelon spy system.
It is known that the Echelon system was created to monitor the military and diplomatic relations of the Soviet Union and its eastern allies during the Cold War in the early 1960s, but the base did not cease its activities after the end of the Cold War. Now she is busy tracking possible upcoming terrorist attacks, and also serves as political and diplomatic intelligence.
Ordinary people most often choose popular tourist routes and destinations for vacation, such as Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, the Caribbean, the Alps, etc. More “advanced” tourists do not follow the beaten path and try to choose something unique, say, tours to Antarctica or the Arctic. But no matter how much money you have, no matter how much you want, you will never, ever get into these places where tourists are strictly prohibited from entering.
1. SURTSEI ISLAND
Reason for ban: scientific experiments
In 1963, a local volcano erupted in Iceland, resulting in the formation of a new island with an area of 2.7 square kilometers. This immediately aroused the interest of scientists from different countries, as it became an outstanding example of new education and the emergence of new life. Since then, the island of Surtsey (named after the mythological character Surt) can only be visited for scientific purposes, and is a restricted area for all tourists.
2. QUEIMADA GRANDE ISLAND
Reason for ban: too many poisonous snakes
The island of Queimada Grande, located 35 km off the coast of Brazil, looks like a real paradise. However, a trip to this island will cost you your life, as it is simply infested with poisonous snakes: there are approximately 4,000 snakes in an area of 0.43 square kilometers. One of the most dangerous snakes in the world lives here - the island bothrops (Bothrops insularis), the bite of which causes rapid tissue necrosis, that is, death is almost instantaneous. Its venom is five times stronger than that of other vipers. For this reason, Brazilian authorities have imposed a ban on visiting the island of Queimada Grande, also called the island of snakes.
3. NORTH SENTINEL ISLAND
Reason for ban: unfriendly natives
North Sentinel Island is one of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Although officially administered by India, the island is home to the dangerous Sentinelese aborigines, who avoid all contact with civilization and fiercely resist any invasion. According to scientists, these natives spent 60,000 years isolated from the rest of human civilization. These people actively defend their territory. For example, in 2004, after the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Indian government sent a helicopter to find out if local residents needed help, but the flying helicopter was met with arrows from local residents, who clearly wanted to drive it away. Their latest victims were lost fishermen. Following their killings, Indian authorities warned citizens to stay away from the Sentinelese and their land.
4. ISE TEMPLE, JAPAN
Reason for ban: only for the chosen ones
The most important shrine in Japan is Ise Jingu Shrine. The main temple is surrounded by a high wooden fence. Only high-ranking priests and members of the imperial family are allowed inside. Until 1945, Ise Shrine was even more difficult to get to: it was separated from the outside world by the Miyagawa River, which symbolized the border between ordinary and sacred land. Monks were strictly forbidden to cross this river: it was believed that this would violate the sanctity of the sanctuary and cause problems for all of Japan.
Vacations in foreign countries are always a great idea. You have the opportunity to explore different cultures, meet new interesting people and just enjoy the trip. Hundreds of countries will be happy to welcome you as a tourist, but there are also some that are quite a difficult task to get into. Political, geographic and other factors make these 7 countries almost impossible for tourists to visit.
1. Saudi Arabia
Not long ago, Saudi Arabia was a country that did not issue visas to non-Muslims. Only in 2018 the country began to receive tourists. However, before you get a visa, you will have to face a number of difficulties. Thus, women are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia only if accompanied by a spouse or as part of a tourist group, otherwise they may be denied a visa. You don’t have to dream about visiting Saudi Arabia even if your foreign passport has an entry stamp into Israel.
2. Eritrea
It's safe to say that this African country is not on the list of the 10 most tourist destinations on earth. Moreover, some people have not even heard of its existence.
Eritrea is sometimes called the North Korea of Africa. The media writes that there is no freedom in this country, there is a bloody regime in power, and people are tortured in prisons. Eritrea is an African police state, which is mainly visited only by representatives of the media; ordinary tourists have nothing to do here.
3. North Korea
Until recently, foreign tourists were prohibited from entering North Korea. Today you can get to this closed and unusual country from Russia as part of a tourist group. Finding a tour operator for trips to North Korea is quite difficult. The company must have an agreement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK.
Before traveling to the country, you should familiarize yourself with some information. Thus, there are no roaming programs in North Korea, so you will always be outside the network coverage area. You will also not be able to access the Internet - according to the law, tourists do not have the right to use the Internet on the territory of the DPRK.
Money brought into North Korea must be declared. In order to leave the country without problems, the tourist will have to confirm each purchase with a sales or cash receipt.
Please note that the export of North Korean currency is prohibited; if discovered, the money will be confiscated at customs.
Are you still sure you want to spend your holiday in North Korea, or is it better to choose a more hospitable destination?
4. Butane
A few decades ago, Bhutan was not accessible due to its location on the southern border of the eastern Himalayas and a complete lack of infrastructure. Today, 2 airlines fly to this amazing, distant country. You can get to Bhutan accompanied by a guide. The cost of his services can reach $250 per day. The amount is not small; the good news is that this price includes not only excursion services, but also meals.
5. Kiribati
How can you get to a country located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean? Anyone who has set out to have a stamp from this island state in their foreign passport should first fly to Fiji or Australia, from where there are direct flights to Kiribati. Be prepared to spend at least a day on the flight, and also spend the amount of money on tickets for which you can relax in a 5* hotel in Turkey.
6. Tibet
The tiny country rejects 99% of foreign entry requests. To enter Tibet, you need a visa and a permit - the official tourist permit from the authorities to visit the country, which is issued by the travel agency. You can visit Tibet only as part of an excursion group or accompanied by a licensed guide. These services can be ordered from an agency located in the region. You can also obtain a permit and visa when purchasing a tour through Russian travel agencies specializing in this area, but the cost of the tour in this case will be higher.
It should also be noted that the country is closed to visitors from February to April due to unfavorable weather conditions.
7. Iran
Visiting one of the most ancient and incredible cities on our planet is quite a difficult task. The Muslim country has very strict rules and entry requirements. It is better to apply for a visa in advance through the embassy or consular department; you can also use the services of a travel agency that will help you collect and correctly process all the necessary documents.
For tourists from Russia, it is possible to obtain an entry visa upon arrival in Tehran at Imam Khomeini Airport; this option is only suitable if the period of stay in the country does not exceed 14 days.
It is best to visit this country as part of a tourist group, as it is safer and more interesting. A qualified guide will take you to all significant places and tell you a lot about this beautiful country.
