Want to isolate yourself from humanity? Or maybe just make a real alternative travel itinerary? We list ten faraway destinations based on the (precarious) means of access and the time it takes to get there
10. SUPAI
Where – USA
Population – 200
Distance from the nearest civilization – 110 km
The closest Indian reservation to the Grand Canyon has no roads or rivers that connect it to other settlements and access is via car to the nearest city, Flagstaff. The next 13 km must be done on foot (two hours of walking) or on horseback, which is how mail arrives. You can also arrive by helicopter. Constant floods and floods have driven away tourists and even residents
9. NORTH SENTRY
Where – Indian Ocean
Population – up to 400 (population estimated, as there is no contact between outsiders and locals)
Distance from the nearest civilization – 572 km
Belonging to India, the island is untouched, since, for many centuries, the Sentinelese have not made contact with outsiders, welcoming them with spears and arrows. The island is two days away by boat from the Andaman Islands. There are no ships heading to North Sentinel, but the island is in the middle of other shipping lanes
8. SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
Where – Atlantic Ocean
Population – Rare researchers
Distance from the nearest civilization – 1,400 km
The closest continent is Antarctica and you can only get there by ship. But first you need to fly to the Malvinas Islands. A trip from São Paulo to the Malvinas lasts one day. From there, it’s another two or three days on the high seas to reach the destination and, perhaps, meet researchers who stay there for some months of the year.
7. CAPE YORK
Where – Australia
Population – 18 thousand
Distance from the nearest civilization – 917 km
To get to this environmental reserve, you can only drive a four-wheel drive car, as the roads are made of clay and the rain is constant. The challenges of the trip are not to get bogged down in the flooded areas and not to be the victim of any accident involving crocodiles. From the city of Cairns, the route of more than 900 km is done in three or four days
6. SANTA HELENA
Where – Atlantic Ocean
Population – 4 thousand
Distance from the nearest civilization – 2 thousand km
The island is in the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Brazil and Angola. Although there is a landing strip for small planes, it is exclusively for the military. Therefore, the easiest way to get there is by ship. Leaving South Africa, the closest country, the journey takes six days. The price is also not at all inviting: R$ 10,000 for the trip and a 28-day stay
5. FOJA MOUNTAINS
Where – Papua New Guinea
Population – 300
Distance from the nearest civilization – 500 km
The way there has no roads and you can only go there by helicopter. Even so, the instability of the weather and winds can disrupt the trip. Scientists call the region the “lost world”, as it is home to some of the few mountains untouched by man. Not even the nearest inhabitants enter the forest that surrounds the mounds…
4. KERGUELEN ISLANDS
Where – Indian Ocean
Population – 80 (researchers who live locally only at certain times of the year)
Distance from the nearest civilization – 3 thousand km
The rocky archipelago of Grande Terre, of which the islands form part, is virtually uninhabited. In Kerguelen, for example, only scientists live. Only one ship passes through there, and only three times a year, to take supplies – the trip lasts 15 days because of the bad weather. The ticket costs around R$ 45,000 and there are only spaces on the vessel for 15 tourists
3. TRISTAN DE CUNHA
Where – Atlantic Ocean
Population – 270
Distance from the nearest civilization – 2.8 thousand km
Because it has no airport, the island is seven days away from civilization. Access is via a port that receives ships from South Africa. An English colony, the island has no hotels or hospital. Only one doctor and five nurses serve the population. Residents offer room and board in their own home for $30 a day
2. PITCAIRN ISLANDS
Where – Pacific Ocean
Population – 50
Distance from the nearest civilization – 330 km
Although it takes less time to access than Tristan da Cunha, the visitor goes through more hiccups to reach Pitcairn. Those without a yacht need to take a weekly flight to the island of Mangareva, in French Polynesia. Afterwards, a ferry takes you to the port of Rikitea, in the village of Mangareva. From there, a boat departs every three months to its final destination. This last stretch lasts 32 hours
1. MEDOG
Where – China
Population – 12 thousand
Distance from the nearest civilization – 480 km
The only city in the Chinese territory that has no road connection with other cities, that does not offer access by waterways or airports. The place is so remote that a trip from São Paulo takes about seven days. After a day trip to Beijing, tourists can take a direct flight to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, which takes six hours. As the flights only leave in the morning, it is impossible to catch the same day you arrive in Beijing. On the third day of travel, you must go to the city of Bome and then walk for four days. But the sacrifice is worth it. With an altitude of 4,800 m, ice-capped mountains on one side and forest on the other, Medog is considered an unspoiled paradise
IMAGES CREDITS 10) The Blonde Coyote, 9) NorthSentinelIsland.com, 8) Jeff Shea, 7) John Benwell, 6) Wikipedia, 5) Tim Laman, 4) Pascal Subtil, 3) CTBTO, 2) doublecnz, 1)行涉天涯-杨卫平
SOURCES Sites How Stuff Works, Toptenz, New Scientist, Survival Goods, List 25, Fox News, Weather, BBC, Universe Today, Huffington Post, CNN, Travelers Point, Erik Claire, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, Tibet Travel, Himalayan Glacier, Viaje Aqui e Backpackers