Top 30 Places You Are NOT Allowed to Visit

Top-30-Places-You-Are-NOT-Allowed-to-Visit

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for areas around the world that are closed off to travelers and locals due to dangerous conditions or exclusive access.

#30: Surtsey, Iceland
Even in the most barren places, life seems to find a way. The volcanic island of Surtsey first became visible in the early 1960s, after an eruption caused it to form and rise above sea level. Despite the harsh conditions, various life – including native plants, birds, and marine animals – managed to find a way to thrive. While they may have found a home on Surtsey, that option isn’t available to humans. The only proof that they’ve been there at all is a small hut, where scientists stay while studying the volatile landform. Given the fact that it’s slowly sinking back into the sea, it’s only a matter of time before this relatively young discovery returns back to whence it came.

#29: Plum Island, New York, USA
Considering how tourist-heavy the rest of New York is, it’s hard to fathom not being able to visit any part of it. While visitors used to be allowed to come and explore Plum Island for themselves, they eventually had to stop once it started being used for riskier purposes. It became the leading site for research into animal diseases, with the intention of learning more about them and subsequently helping farmers across the country. At one point, it was home to several deadly sicknesses, including swine flu. Even after the facility was relocated, the island was left in a permanent state of limbo. As no one can visit, its flora and fauna are allowed to thrive untouched.

#28: Ploutonion at Hierapolis, a.k.a Pluto’s Gate, Turkey
It’s no wonder this used to be known as the gate to the underworld. The entrance to the building emits gas, giving the impression of fire burning below. For someone living in ancient times, it’s clear to see why they believed it was more insidious. However, in the present day, we have a clear reason not to get too close. The cave was built on a seismic fault, causing it to emit those toxic fumes. They were reported as being so dangerous that all living organisms would succumb to them. Although the temple was destroyed generations ago, it’s sectioned off due to the fumes still being threatening – although, if you happen to pass by, you may see them escape from below yourself.

#27: Morgan Island, South Carolina, USA
A whole island full of monkeys sounds like every child’s dream come to life. However, as fun as it would be to visit them, there’s a very good reason they’re completely isolated off the coast of South Carolina. They came to the island after several primates in Puerto Rico were discovered with various infections that eventually began to infect the human population as well. Worried, the government ended up shipping over 1,000 of the infected animals to what is now known as Morgan Island. In the decades since, their population has only grown, and they’ve essentially claimed the land as their own. The only way most people can even come close to seeing them is by photograph.

#26: El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico
While it’s undoubtedly one of the most iconic structures in the world, it’s also completely shut off to sightseers. Built atop a sinkhole by the Maya civilization, the huge structure served as a place of worship and sacrifice. It was also an impressive feat of architecture as well, and was proof of the society having an understanding of how sinkholes worked. Up until 2006, people were able to climb the stairs and even enter the inner chambers of the temple. However, after someone fell to their death, the majority of the structure was quickly and permanently closed off. The response is entirely understandable. However, considering what lies inside, many are hoping that one day it’ll be reopened for appreciation once more.

#25: Club 33, Disneyland California, USA
While Disney parks are public places, some locations have a members-only private club. You can find Club 33 inside several Disney parks around the globe, but the most prominent is at Disneyland in California. The clubs give people access to a high class dining experience – and alcohol - in an exclusive environment. However, this elite experience isn’t open to everyone. The waitlist is long, and even had to be shut down for years due to there being too much interest. With a minimum $60,000 initiation cost and a renewal fee of up to $20,000, this remains an establishment that, indeed, most people are not allowed to visit.

#24: Pravčická brána, Czech Republic
Sometimes, all you need to do is look at a location to understand why it’s been deemed off-limits, even if it was once open to all. Pravčická brána is the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe, and it’s as hazardous as it is beautiful. While it used to be a widely visited location, the sheer amount of walking done on it has caused it to erode. It’s been off limits since the 1980s, with the hopes that the damage will be mitigated. Unfortunately, it’s still disintegrating– and soon, it could collapse entirely.

#23: Bohemian Grove, California, USA
A meeting place for some of the most prominent and important men in the world is understandably also one of the most exclusive. Considering how much power and money are accumulated by the members, it only makes sense that they’d want somewhere completely reclusive to meet. Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, California became the home of these infamous meetings. There are several different traditions that take place, including a musical play. While it sounds like a fun event to visit, membership is completely limited to men with excess funds and clout.

#22: Niihau, Hawai’i, USA
Most of Hawaii is open for people to inhabit and visit, but one island is privately owned and not open to the general public. Niihau is off-limits to all visitors, save for a few groups– the descendants of those who bought it, government officials, and military personnel. Other than that, the only residents are the remaining few native islanders, whose population has been estimated to be less than fifty. The lack of any major human intervention means that many species have flourished, particularly avians like the Hawaiin stilt, and plants like Brighamia insignis. While there are limited tourist activities to take part in, for the most part, there’s no way for most people to access the Forbidden Isle.

#21: Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
It seems like something out of an apocalypse movie. The Global Seed Vault in Norway has become one of the world’s coolest and most important resources in modern times. It houses hundreds of thousands of different seeds, keeping them viable in case they ever need to be reintroduced following an environmental disaster. The project started in the mid 1980s, and by the 2000s, it had swelled into a worldwide effort. The vault was opened in 2008, and since then has remained tucked away in the mountains of Svalbard. Understandably, the area is completely unavailable to anyone besides those with employee clearance. While it’s a fantastic idea, we can only hope there’ll never be a situation that requires them to be removed from their place.

#20: Hart Island, New York
Despite only being a mile long, it’s the final resting place of over one million people. The graves date back to the Civil War, and they house the only permanent residents of this New York isle. It was initially owned by the Department of Corrections, who had strict rules about who could travel there. They even limited the ferries, which were the only way to access the site. In the mid 2010s, they loosened their regulations by allowing relatives to visit once a month– as long as they requested permission first. When the Department of Parks and Recreation took over in 2021, many were hopeful that the restrictions would be dropped. However, as of 2024, their policies haven’t changed– leaving Hart Island in perpetual semi-isolation.

#19: Mezhgorye, Russia
Mezhgorye might have a welcome sign at the town entrance. But that doesn’t mean you can just wander in. First founded in the 1970s in Russia’s southern Ural Mountains, the town is home to some 7,000 residents, at least according to a 2010 census. You can’t visit however without official government permission. Described as Russia’s Area 51, Mezhgorye is a closed town rumored to have once stored nuclear warheads. Supposedly, it’s the site of a vast subterranean bunker with its own highways and railroads, large enough to house 60,000 people! No one is quite sure however, because the Russians are keeping their cards close to their chest.

#18: RAAF Woomera Range Complex, Australia
Covering an area of over 47,000 square miles, the RAAF Woomera Range Complex in South Australia encompasses one of the largest no-go zones in the world. The military and aerospace site is run by the Royal Australian Air Force and serves as a test site for rockets, drones, surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank missiles and anti-submarine missiles. The Woomera Range Complex was the brainchild of the British, whose desire to establish a rocket testing program on home soil following WWII was stymied by their population density. So they turned to Australia. Together they formed the Anglo-Australian Joint Project in 1946. The Woomera Range Complex has been closed to the public since 1947.

#17: Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Australia
An external territory of Australia, the Heard and McDonald Islands are uninhabited and remote, surrounded by rough seas and covered by mountains and glaciers. If that wasn’t enough to deter you, they’re also home to two active volcanoes. The closest thing to civilization is 280 miles away - namely the Kerguelen Islands, home to a few French soldiers, scientists, and researchers. Travelers can’t visit Heard Island and McDonald Islands without being part of a scientific expedition. Regardless, with no permanent base or settlement to speak of, actually getting there and finding shelter is unlikely to say the least.

#16:Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, China
China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, unified China and helped build the Great Wall. When he died in 210 BC, he was laid to rest in a gigantic tomb, protected by a garrison of 8,000 Terracotta warriors. For years, the burial complex remained hidden from the world, until in 1974 farmers stumbled over fragments of terracotta. While the Terracotta warriors have been excavated, the tomb itself remains buried. Officials fear that archaeological work will damage the tomb. Deep inside is an elaborate underground palace, said to have been filled with treasures and surrounded by rivers of mercury, but at least for now, it remains off-limits and shrouded in mystery.

#15: Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, Virginia, USA
Tucked away in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center is just a 48-mile drive from Washington, DC. That’s no coincidence, as the Center serves as a relocation site for the nation’s top civilian and military personnel in the event of a nuclear war or national disaster. Controlled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the facility is a way of ensuring that the government will continue to function regardless of what’s happening outside its presumably very thick walls. Despite the fact it’s a “civilian command facility,” visits from we regular folks are prohibited.

#14: Chapel of the Tablet, Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, Ethiopia
Located in the town of Axum, the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is said to house the Ark of the Covenant, the biblical chest that contains the original stone tablets with the Ten Commandments. The story goes that the Ark was brought to Ethiopia by its first emperor, Menelik I; and there are those that believe it never left. The Ark is protected by a monk who dedicates his life to praying before it in the Chapel of the Tablet. Near the end of his life the monk appoints a successor. As such, the only way you’re getting into this chapel is by becoming an extremely dedicated Ethiopian monk.

#13: Poveglia, Italy
A tiny island an hour south of Venice, Poveglia is home to a dark past. Over the centuries the island has served many purposes. It was a refuge for civilians fleeing barbarian invasions in the 5th century, a strategic Venetian fort in the 17th century, a quarantine zone for those suffering from the plague in the 18th century, and finally an asylum for the mentally ill in the 20th century. It’s said that a doctor performed horrific experiments on his patients. Today, it’s rumored to be haunted by their tortured souls, and remains off limits to locals and tourists.

#12: Metro-2, Moscow, Russia
It might not have been officially confirmed, but speculation abounds around Moscow’s secret underground metro system, separate to the city’s public metro. Thought to have been built during Stalin’s era, it’s said to consist of four lines that connect the Kremlin to various other government buildings and institutions. Over the years a number of people have admitted its existence in some form or another, including Vladimir Shevchenko, a former advisor to Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Shevchenko claimed that reports were exaggerated however, and that the tunnels have begun to decay. If Metro-2 is indeed real, it goes without saying that civilians are prohibited. And if it’s not, well then you obviously can’t go there.

#11: North Brother Island, New York, USA
Like our other entry Poveglia, North Brother Island has been used for a number of diverse purposes. Located in New York City’s East River, it started as a quarantine zone for smallpox victims in the 19th century, but later grew to house those suffering from a number of quarantinable diseases. Over the years it has also hosted housing for war veterans, and in the 1950s a shady rehabilitation center for drug addicts. Today the island is considered a protected area and bird sanctuary, with access limited to those who apply for specialized visits. There’s been talk of allowing visitors back to the island, but for now, it’s closed to the public.

#10: Ilha da Queimada Grande [aka Snake Island], Brazil
You probably wouldn’t want to visit this island even if you WERE allowed. Located off the coast of Sao Paulo, the Ilha da Queimada Grande, aka Snake Island, is crawling with golden lancehead pit vipers - about one per square meter. Its venom is thought to be five times more potent than that of any mainland viper, and capable of melting human flesh. So yeah, not exactly a tropical island paradise. Civilians aren’t allowed to visit the island, and scientists are only allowed trips if they receive special permission.

#9: Ise Grand Shrine, Japan
One of the holiest places in Japan, this Shinto shrine complex is thought to have been built in the year 4 BC. Parts of the shrine are rebuilt every 20 years to symbolize the cycle of life, death and renewal. Dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, the site is a popular pilgrimage site, with over 9 million Japanese tourists visiting it in 2013 alone. However, access to the shrine itself remains strictly prohibited to commoners, with only priests and priestess allowed to enter its hallowed walls. As such, those who make the trek to the Ise Grand Shrine can expect to see only its wooden fences and thatched roofs.

#8: The Catacombs, Paris, France
Dug out over centuries, these tunnels in France’s capital were converted into a vast underground ossuary to deal with Paris’ overflowing cemeteries. They’re now home to the bones of some six million people - giving them their nickname “The World’s Largest Grave.” Thanks to human curiosity, a small part of the catacombs was opened to visitation in the 19th century, and they’ve since become part of the 14 City of Paris Museums. However, what interests us here are the miles and miles of tunnels that have been sealed off from the public. It’s illegal to venture into them, but a subculture of “cataphiles” have made it their mission to explore the tunnels and make them their own.

#7: Pine Gap, Australia
Located just south of Alice Springs in central Australia, Pine Gap, or the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap as it is officially called, is a satellite tracking station operated by both the US and Australia. While the facility was initially used for “space research” (or at least that’s what they told the public), it’s now a key cog in the spy machines of both the CIA and NSA, controlling satellites as they pass over Russia, China and the Middle East. Its remote location helps prevent anyone intercepting the flow of information. Needless to say, the facility, which employs over 800 people, is strictly off limits to the public.

#6: The Jiangsu National Security Education Museum, Nanjing, China
Nothing gets the conspiracy juices flowing like a Chinese spy museum that bars foreigners from entering. The items in the museum, which range from espionage documents to tiny pistols and miniature cameras, are from as far back as 1927 and as recent as the 1980s. Some believe the museum is a propaganda tool, with U.S. Army intelligence officer Matthew Brazil claiming “The regime appears to be accelerating counterintelligence efforts in response to fears of spies.” However, ask the museum’s director and you’ll get a different response. According to her, “We don't want such sensitive spy information to be exposed to foreigners, so they are not allowed to enter."

#5: Lascaux, France
Lascaux is home to some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art in the world. The cave paintings are estimated to be more than 17,000 years old, and mostly depict large animals. The Lascaux caves have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the public has been banned since 1963, primarily because any human presence in the cave could potentially be destructive. Currently, only a handful of scientists are allowed to enter the caves, though a replica of them, called Lascaux II, was opened to the public in 1983.

#4: RAF Menwith Hill, UK
Described as the world’s biggest electronic monitoring station, this Royal Air Force station provides intelligence support service to the US and UK. It was originally set up to intercept messages between the Soviet Union and its allies during the Cold War, but the station is still in full operation today. In fact, several of the satellites are controlled directly by the American NSA, something that’s been criticized in recent years after the Snowden leaks. Its most infamous program is ECHELON, a surveillance program for the interception of private and commercial communications.

#3: North Sentinel Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
The North Sentinel Island is home to the Sentinelese, a group of indigenous people with a population of somewhere between 50 and 400. They are one of the last peoples in the world to remain untouched by modern civilization, and refuse any contact with outsiders. In 2006, they killed two local fishermen, and in 2018 killed an American missionary who snuck onto the island to convert them to Christianity. While peaceful contact was made during the early 1990s, the Indian government stopped sending people to the island in 1997.

#2: Vatican Secret Archives, Vatican City
Next to the Vatican Library, the Vatican Secret Archives houses the acts promulgated by the Holy See, as well as state papers, papal account books, and other important historical documents. The name is a bit misleading however. It should perhaps be called the Vatican PRIVATE Archives, because its existence and the documents within aren’t actually secret. That doesn’t mean you just wander in however. Only qualified researchers can apply for an entry card and request to examine a document, and many things dated after 1939 are off limits.

#1: Area 51, Nevada, USA
Nevada’s Area 51 has been a hotbed for criticism and speculation for decades. While the base’s primary purpose is unknown to the public, evidence suggests that it’s been used to develop and test weapons. All research in Area 51 is considered Top Secret, which has made it a frequent subject of UFO folklore. Many people believe that the base is home to alien spacecraft and even alien species, while others suggest that scientists are working on time travel or teleportation devices. As the base is closed to the public, speculation about the US Air Force facility only continues to grow.

Which banned location do you think seems the most fun to explore? Let us know in the comments below.