Explore Life Beyond The Grid: A Guide To Earth’s 10 Most Remote Inhabited Places
Exploring the far reaches of our planet can be an exhilarating experience. Travelling to the remotest parts of the Earth offers a unique chance to disconnect from the modern world and immerse oneself in nature's untouched beauty. From the frozen landscapes of Antarctica to the uncharted territories of the Amazon rainforest, these regions remain largely undisturbed by human hands.
Often on holiday, we find ourselves stepping outside our usual routines and spending more time outdoors. For some, travel serves as an escape, while for others, it offers a unique experience. While many of us have visited various inhabited places to explore different cultures, there are some isolated locations where people have uniquely adapted to their environments. Let's explore a few of these places.
Tristan Da Cunha
Tristan Da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean is the most remote inhabited point on Earth. Situated 1,750 miles from Cape Town, South Africa, its settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, houses 238 permanent residents. A six-day boat trip from South Africa is the only way to reach it. Home to just a few hundred residents, it provides a glimpse into a lifestyle that is increasingly rare in our globalised world.
The Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean, part of the British Overseas Territories, are also notably remote. Only Pitcairn Island is inhabited, with a population of about 50. Tourists can visit by taking a freighter ship from New Zealand. Pitcairn Island currently has a handful of registered accommodation providers offering guests a range of home stay and private accommodation. You can enjoy the full Pitcairn home stay experience — sharing all meals and amenities in the home of a local family or you can opt for a semi private chalet, or studio unit — with optional shared meals, or an entirely private 2 or 3 bedroom bungalow or chalet rental.
Easter Island
Easter Island, part of Chile, is located approximately 2,200 miles off the coast. Renowned for its monolithic statues called moai, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site with fewer than 8,000 permanent residents. It is the closest landmass to the oceanic pole of inaccessibility. Getting there today is far easier, but the island is still very far afield. Long flights service Rapa Nui from Santiago, Chile and Tahiti. Don't miss the Rapa Nui National Park and its most prominent attributes are the archaeological sites. It is estimated that there are about 900 statues, more than 300 ceremonial platforms and thousands of structures related to agriculture, funeral rites, housing and production, and other types of activities.
Devon Island
Devon Island in Canada’s Nunavut Territory is the largest uninhabited island in the world. It has been used for Mars simulation expeditions since the 1990s. The nearest populated island, Cornwallis Island, is 50 miles away. Despite its lack of permanent human residents, there is life on Devon Island in the form of rich and diverse vegetation and wildlife. Most of the precipitation occurs in an area of the island known as the Truelove Lowland Area, which is where an abundance of water accumulates throughout the year. Devon Island is covered in snow for almost the entire year, and only snow free for fewer than two months!
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, known as the Desolation Islands, are home to scientists in Port-aux-Français. They study the glaciated geography and the islands are accessible only by a ship that departs four times a year. The islands are mostly covered in glaciers and snow, with rocky cliffs and steep valleys. The islands are also known for their unique flora and fauna, including a variety of mosses, lichens, and seabirds. The Kerguelen Islands are also home to a large population of seals, including the southern elephant seal and the subantarctic fur seal. These seals are an important part of the island’s ecosystem and are protected by French law. The islands are also home to several species of penguins, including the king penguin and the southern rockhopper penguin.
Oymyakon
The remote village is generally considered the coldest inhabited area on Earth. Oymyakon is a two-day drive from Yakutsk, the regional capital which has the lowest winter temperatures of any city in the world. The town relies on a diet of reindeer and horse milk. Ironically, Oymyakon takes its name from the Russian for "water that doesn't freeze." The settlement was born in the 1920s when winter herders would water their reindeer at a thermal spring there. During the shortest days of the year, every night is 21 hours long in Oymyakon.
Villa Las Estrellas
Villa Las Estrellas in Antarctica is a Chilean village and research station with fewer than 200 residents. Due to its remoteness, residents must have their appendixes removed before arriving. Palmerston Island in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of about 60, is reachable only by boat from the Cook Islands. Spanish for “Stars Town,” Villa Las Estrellas is a civilian settlement located in the unforgiving terrain of Antarctica, only one of two on the entire continent. You can visit this Chilean home away from home through various organized tours associated with cruise ships that travel through the area.
Supai Village
Supai Village in Havasu Canyon, Arizona, is the most remote community in the US. To be granted access, you'll need to be lucky enough to secure a highly coveted permit to Havasu Falls via a lottery held once annually, usually in February. Permit in hand, getting to Supai requires an eight-mile hike, riding by horse or mule, or taking a helicopter ride. With about 600 residents, it receives mail delivery by mule. The community is home to just about 200 people, who accommodate thousands of tourists every week, shuffling through their village to reach the waterfalls.
Adak
Adak, Alaska, is the westernmost point in the US and the southernmost community in Alaska, located on Adak Island in the Andreanof Islands group, 1,200 miles from Anchorage. It has a population of around 171 and offers activities like birdwatching, fishing, and hiking. The only commercial transportation to the island is via Alaska Airlines. There is no ferry, marine passenger service or other commercial air service to the island unless it is chartered. Also, cellular service is extremely limited on the island and coverage is not guaranteed.
Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen in Norway is the world’s northernmost settlement, on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. It has a population of approximately 2,400 from 53 countries. If you visit the polar town, you will be more than 2,000 km from Oslo, 3,000 km from Paris and 5,000 km from New York. The North Pole, on the other hand, will only be 1,300 km away. Notably, no one is allowed to be buried there due to the permafrost, and residents must carry weapons for polar bear protection.
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