Top 10 Places Tourists are Prohibited from Visiting

Exclusion zones, off-limits islands where animals have taken over, or beautiful places you will likely not see in your lifetime… Here are the top 10 places tourists are prohibited from visiting.

1. Zone Rouge

Often referred to as the Red Zone, Zone Rouge is one of the most restricted places in the world. Located in the Northeast of France and isolated after its destruction during the first world war, it contains a lot of human and animal remains, as well as many un-exploded mines. Hence, Zone Rouge has been deemed too physically and environmentally unstable a place for humans to live.

2. Poveglia island

Referred to as Ghost Island, this Italian island has always been called the most haunted place in the world. The real story behind it was that it was a quarantine colony in the 1700s for those suffering from the bubonic plague. Later in the early 20th century the island became a mental Asylum and it was also rumored that some twisted doctors conducted some crazy experiments there. No one is allowed to visit unless you have a special permit. As they say, visit at your own risk!

3. Mezhogreye

This is a small Russian town located in the Earl mountains which is totally forbidden to everyone. Some sources say it's forbidden because that's where they keep their nuclear weapons. It also houses the Russian government's extensive bunker. That's why the town is completely cut off from people.

4. Snake Island

Located in Brazil, Snake Island is one of the most dangerous places in the world because it is literally filled to the brim with snakes. It was actually banned to protect the snakes there, considering the number of endangered species of snakes that live on the island. Only a few researchers and the Brazilian Navy are currently allowed there.

5. Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

With the tragic event of the accidental nuclear meltdown, the aftermath took many lives and made the area unsafe for human dwelling or settlement. Fast-forward several years, and almost all the places are safe for human living again except a small area called the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, which is off limits due to the remaining radioactive contamination which is very dangerous.

6. Morgan Island

Often called Monkey Island, Morgan Island is home to about 4000 Rhesus monkeys. Apparently, the monkeys didn't originally belong to the South Carolina Island, but were but they were relocated from Puerto Rico, where they were living in a research center before they moved to the Island. There are now laws against anyone going to the island, so that means if you go there, you're going straight to jail.

7. North Brother Island

Located between the Bronx and Ryder's Island, this island used to be the home of Riverside Hospital, which was used to quarantine those suffering from tuberculosis and smallpox. It was later used to house veterans after the second world war and then it became an addiction treatment facility, after which it was finally abandoned. It has been closed to the public ever since.

8. Fukushima Exclusion Zone

Back in 2011, there was the Fukushima Nuclear disaster which hit Japan, residents located within 18 miles of the plant were asked to evacuate the plant and today that area remains uninhabited. Similar to the Chernobyl Nuclear meltdown, they are the only events to receive a level 7 event classification on the international Nuclear events scale.

9. Lascaux Cave

The caves are home to over 600 parietal wall paintings that cover the interior walls and ceilings. Discovered in 1940 in Dordogne, in the southwest of France, the caves were listed as a UNESCO world heritage site for their incredible prehistoric painting. As such, they've attracted a lot of tourists which was not good for the paintings. The carbon dioxide that was exhaled by the tourists was damaging the paintings, and so the site was closed down in 1963.

10. Metro 2

During the administration of Josef Stalin, there was an underground metro tunnel system said to have been built. It's known as the Metro 2 and code-named D6 by the KGB. It was said to have connected to the Federal Security Service, different government departments, and the Kremlin to a government airport. The metro also had a lot of apartments that could house a few officials and their families. Since its creation, it was never a tourist site unless you have the right level of clearance, but out of curiosity and adventure, it would be the number-one destination.

Have you heard of or tried to visit any of these sites? Tell us about your experience in the comments!