5 Most Remote Places on Earth That You Can Still Visit

The world is becoming an increasingly smaller place. Modern transit has made it possible to get almost anywhere in less then a day, and it seems that there is no place left for the truly adventurous to conquer. There are a few places- barley noticeable on the map- that still hold the title of the most remote places on earth. From small islands, to desolate fishing communities, to tiny towns in the freezing tundra of Russia, if you look hard enough the remote places on earth are still there.

Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, and most remote place on earth, lies 1,750 miles from South Africa and 2,090 miles from South America. The island is roughly seven miles across and has an area of thirty-eight square miles. In 2009, the British territory Tristan da Cunha had a population of 750. Tristan da Cunha plays the part of being a remote island well. All land is communally owned, and newcomers are strictly forbidden from buying land or settling on the island. Despite this, visitors are welcome to Tristan da Cunha, and many inhabitants sell crafts and rare stamp collectibles through out the year.

Pitcairn Island

Pitcairn Island, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, has the smallest population of any inhabited area in the world. Pitcairn itself is the only inhabited island in the group that makes up the Pitcairn Islands with a total of fifty people living on the island. The Pitcairn Island has a unique history. Originally inhabited by Polynesians, Pitcairn Island was deserted by 1790 when a group of mutineers and Tahitians made their way on to the island. There were eighteen people total on the mutinied ship. Current residents of the Pitcairn Islands are direct descendents of these mutineers.

Motuo County, China

No roads lead to Motuo County located in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. This small patch of land on the slope of the Himalayas is populated by 10,000 people, but nearly inaccessible to the rest of the world. Currently, the only way for an outsider to access Motuo County is by passing over the Himalayas and crossing a 200-meter suspension bridge. Attempts have been made to build a roadway in the past, but nature won't allow it. Mudslides and avalanches have taken out any road ever built to Motuo County. Motuo is said to be one of the holiest places in Tibet for Buddhists, and one of the most beautiful in all of China, making the strenuous journey worth it to travelers who can find a way in to Motuo County.Oymyakon, Russia

Not surprisingly, one the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere is also one of the most remote places on earth. Oymyakon is located in Russia along the Indigirka River between two mountain ranges. Oymyakon has a population of around 500 people, mostly fisherman. Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited area in the Northern Hemisphere, with the lowest recorded temperature reaching −96.2. Due partly to the location of the Indigirka River and the freezing temperatures, Oymyakon is an excellent spot for year round ice fishing.Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland

The island of Ittoqqortoormiit is the least populated town on one of the least inhabited islands in the world. Ittoqqortoormiit is located on the eastern shore of Greenland, an island that is nearly desolate with its low population. This small fishing community is home to around 500 people. While Ittoqqortoormiit is a coastal town, the water surrounding it is frozen most months of the year leaving only a small window where the town is accessible by boat. The rest of the year the only way to access Ittoqqortoormiit is through infrequent flights at an airport twenty-five miles away, or by land travel through Greenland.

There are still remote places on earth to provide an outlet for daring travelers wishing to follow the path less taken. Tiny islands dotted across the world's oceans conjure up a time when mutiny was common on the open sea. Tiny ice fishing towns give visitors a chance to brave the coldest temperatures on earth, and nature itself lends a hand to keep at least one place on the map off the roads.