The most dangerous places in the world vary across extremes — whether atop a monolith to be closer to God or exploring a scorched coast filled with death, it is those extremes in climate, architecture, and brutality that make the location so dangerous. Check out our twenty most dangerous places in the world, and maybe try not to travel to these locations.
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20. Katskhi Pillar, Georgia
Atop the Katskhi Pillar in Georgia is one of the highest and most isolated monasteries in the world. It is also one of the most dangerous places to visit. The Katskhi Pillar is a natural limestone monolith at an altitude of 138 feet and located around 200 kilometers west of the capital city of Georgia, Tbilisi.
Amazingly monks visit this monastery to be closer to God, and considering the climb up the monolith is perilous, we can see why they felt that way.
19. Danakil Desert, East Africa
The Danakil Desert of East Africa spreads across northeastern Ethiopia, southern Eritrea, and northwestern Djibouti. This desert is so dangerous because of its widespread volcanoes and geysers that spew out toxic gases and unbearable heat, and temperatures often surpass 122°F. In addition to the natural dangers, the Danakil Desert is also prone to human conflicts such as kidnapping making the desert even more treacherous.
18. Lake Natron, Tanzania
Located in the north Ngorongoro District of Arusha Region in Tanzania, Lake Natron may look appealing but is very deadly. The water can reach temperatures up to a scorching 140°F, and the pH hovers around 9-10.5 due to its over-saturation of salt. If this still doesn’t deter you from visiting, this lake can calcify dead bodies, burn the skin of animals and humans, and even strip the ink off of printed materials. No thanks.
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17. Hanging Temple, China
There are many beautiful and unique places to visit in China. However, one of the most dangerous places to visit is the Hanging Temple. This temple, which is a 6th-century architectural wonder, was constructed directly into the cliffs of Mount Heng located in the Shanxi Province.
Along with daring ledges, there is a maze of passageways that add to the thrill of exploring.
16. Manaus, Brazil
Manaus may not seem that dangerous just from looking at it — after all, it is a city. Located in Brazil and housing two million people, there is some crime in the streets, but nothing that is record-breaking. The real danger is what surrounds the city. Manaus lies right in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, and on the bank of the Amazon river. Both the deadly creatures on land and water can pose a real danger to you, such as piranhas, anacondas, and deadly eels.
15. Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic
Though there is no significant proof of harmful forces in the Bermuda Triangle, the legends that surround the section of water in the Atlantic may cause you to steer clear. Triangulated between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, the Triangle has been home to many disappearances. Several of these have been justified by alien interference or magnetic forces, but often the disappearances are due to logical explanations. Even so, it is still one of the most dangerous places in the world.
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14. Death Valley, California
Death Valley is one of the most extreme places on Earth. It is located on the California and Nevada border and is best known for its extreme temperatures and lack of any plant or animal life. Because of this, Death Valley is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world.
In comparison, there are very few deserts in Africa or the Middle East that have temperatures anywhere near Death Valley. The average temperature here is 108.1F.
13. Fukushima, Japan
Fukushima may not look dangerous, even picturesque, but this all changed in March 2011. After an earthquake and tsunami hit the town a nuclear power plant exploded due to overheating failures. This caused amplified damage to the area and still contains high levels of radiation. Though there haven’t been any real impacts on the people living in the town, not many people visit this area due to the high radiation levels.
12. North Sentinel Island, Andaman Islands
The most dangerous thing on North Sentinel Island isn’t the location or the animals, it’s the people that live there. The Sentinelese are very hostile to any outsiders and will shoot arrows at any planes or boats that come near. Protected by the Indian government, the Sentinelese will not be prosecuted if they kill an outsider, and places this island on our most dangerous places in the world list.
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11. Oymyakon, Russia
The cold winters of Russia are known to everyone, however the extreme temperatures of Oymyakon make it stand out as one of the most dangerous places in the world. The extreme temperatures of Oymyakon have left many dead from frostbite, reaching minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yet some people continue to live and stay in Oymyakon, though they often struggle to keep any body heat and have a severe problem with getting food to eat.
10. Gouffre Berger Cave, France
Caves are dangerous on a normal day, but Gouffre Berger takes this danger to a whole new level. Located in the French Alps, it was discovered in 1953 and is the 39th deepest dave in the world. If you decide to venture down to the bottom of the cave, a return trip takes between 15 and 30 hours without any long breaks. The biggest danger comes from water, as the caves flood very quickly during a storm or heavy rain. Several people have died in these caves because of the flooding.
9. Mount Sinabung, Indonesia
Volcanoes are extremely dangerous, and living next to an active stratovolcano is even more so. Residents on the Indonesian island of Sumatra must contend with Mount Sinabung, with its eruptions displacing thousands of people and covering the towns in both lava and ash. The most recent eruptions occurred in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, but there is no safe space on this island, and that is the main reason why it’s on our list.
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8. “The Gates of Hell,” Turkmenistan
The Darvaza Gas Crater, commonly known as the “Gates of Hell,” is located in Turkmenistan and is a field of natural gas located within an underground cave. In 1971, a team of geologists set fire to it to prevent the spread of methane gas, but this fire never went out and has been burning ever since.
Located in the heart of the Karakum Desert, is known to be one of the most dangerous places in the world. From explosions of fire, boiling mud, and orange flames emanating from the place all day and night, it explains why this location has earned the name “The Door to Hell.”
7. Mailuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan
Another radioactive town appears at the seventh spot on our most dangerous places in the world list. Mailuu Suu, located in southern Kyrgyzstan, was the location where 10,000 tons of uranium were processed for the Soviet’s nuclear programs. Since the land is prone to earthquakes, landslides, and floods, the radioactive contamination has increased a lot, and can negatively impact anyone who travels there due to exposure.
6. Dallol, Ethopia
While Lake Natron has water that is extremely high in pH, Dallol has water that is extremely low and acidic (less than 1). Found in Northern Ethiopia, it is one of the hottest inhabited places on Earth with temperatures averaging 94.3°F. The water isn’t the only danger here, as several geysers spew extremely toxic gases, making this whole place dangerous and a ghost town.
5. Skeleton Coast, Angola and Namibia
The famed Skeleton Coast, which is located to the south of Angola and the north of Namibia, is one of the deadliest places in the world. This dangerous coast stretches from the south of the Kunene River to the Swakop River and its brutal climate offers almost zero percent chance of survival.
From hot winds that blow across the Skeleton Coast and the combined lack of food and water, the conditions make it a challenging and isolated area. Skeleton Coast gets its name from the bones of various animals that have lost their lives here including elephants, turtles, seals, and whales.
4. Lake Nyos, Cameroon
Lake Nyos holds a dangerous secret under the surface of its waters, in the form of carbon dioxide leaks due to volcanic activity. When the conditions are right, a “limnic eruption” can occur forcing large amounts of carbon dioxide gas to burst from the lake and into the air. Since the gas is heavier than air, it creates a thick layer above the ground, causing death by suffocation. This happened in 1986, and killed over 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock.
3. Fraser Island, Australia
Known for being a tourist destination with stunning beaches and pristine waters, there is a very real danger here on Fraser Island in Australia. The remote island is home to several species of poisonous spiders, extremely aggressive wild dingo dogs, deadly jellyfish, and sharks. You may want to be careful traveling to Fraser Island, because even though the views are stunning the wildlife may kill you.
2. Snake Island, Brazil
Located around 25 miles from the coast of Brazil, Snake Island is known to be one of the most dangerous places in the world, a place where no locals even dare to step foot. The island’s real name is Ilha da Queimada Grande, and owing to its dangerous reputation, the Brazilian government made it illegal for anyone to visit.
The island is full of golden lancehead snakes, which are a species of pit viper, one of the deadliest in the world. There are many rumors and folklore, including the tale about the last fisherman who went too close to the shores of this island. His body was found days later drifting lifeless in a pool of blood.
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1. Wittenoom, Australia / Most Dangerous Places in the World
Known as the largest contaminated site in the southern hemisphere, Wittenoom is our number one most dangerous place in the world. Located in Western Australia, the site was a bustling town in the 1930s as mining for blue asbestos began. In the 1950s and early 1960s Wittenoom was Australia’s only supplier of blue asbestos but was shut down in 1966 due to unprofitability and growing health concerns. Today the entire location is closed to visitors, and most of the buildings have been torn down to decrease the amount of asbestos contamination.
Though many parts of the world are beautiful, many more places are dangerous and hostile. Make sure to avoid these twenty most dangerous places in the world the next time you go on vacation, or at least study them from far away.
