Wait, They Actually Ranked These 40 Wildly Remote Places?!

Meet Longyearbyen - Earth’s top ‘Where the heck is this?’ spot. It’s up so far north that summers feel like a never-ending party with the midnight sun, and winters? Pure polar darkness. Don’t let that fool you though; this place has more food joints and places to crash than you’d guess. They say it swings between endless light and eternal night. Fancy that!

Imagine chilling in a place where sheep outnumber humans. Welcome to the Faroe Islands, a self-governing mini nation packed with mountains, fjords, and just over 54,000 folks. Pretty dramatic - and yes, way quieter than your average city party.

If ‘desolate’ was a place, it’d be these islands. Kerguelen Islands are so remote, no one actually calls it home - just scientists doing their thing and lots of animals making themselves comfy. This place is like nature’s secret lab in the far south of the Indian Ocean.

Only one island here is lived on - the rest are just chilling. Heimaey hosts about 4,300 people and tons of hungry puffins, making it a bird fan’s heaven with cliffs and sea sights for days.

If you’ve always dreamed of spotting a polar bear outside your window, this Greenland gem is for you. With just around 345 residents, it’s nestled between mega fjords and giant parks. It’s chilly, quiet, and kind of magical.

Socotra is that one island where plants and landscapes look like they were dreamed up by aliens. From cucumber-shaped trees to red-bleeding sap, this beauty sits off Yemen’s coast, rocking some truly one-of-a-kind nature vibes.

Picture a volcanic rock so remote, it’s basically the vacation spot for no one. Bouvet Island, in the South Atlantic, is wild, rugged, and insanely hard to land on. Think Antarctica without the penguin selfies.

Skeleton Coast is basically a sea-side horror movie set - a place littered with bones and shipwrecks. Fog, rough waters, and deadly surf make it a no-go for most, but perfect for thrill-seekers who like their beach trips with a hint of danger.

Welcome to the Galapagos of the South, where penguins rule. South Georgia Island has more penguins than people, with only about 30 researchers hanging around. It’s a wildlife sanctuary and a dream spot for nature lovers.

Imagine living where almost everyone is related and descended from sailors and Tahitians from way back in 1790. That’s Pitcairn Island - a blob in the Pacific with less than 40 people and zero boredom.

Foula is Scotland’s secret - steep cliffs, seabirds everywhere, and about 35 human neighbors to chat with. Visitors come for the hiking and birdwatching, but you'll mostly find peace and quiet here.

Munnar might be a tourist spot, but it’s tucked away in South India’s green mountains, making it feel like a well-kept secret. Rolling tea plantations and cool breezes make it a terrific chill spot far from the urban jungle.

Flores Island is like a nature show on repeat - giant waterfalls, endless green hills, and dramatic cliffs. It’s way out in the Atlantic, with only 3,400 folks calling it home. Perfect if you want a quiet, green getaway with jaw-dropping views.

Welcome to the ultimate ‘off the grid’ spot: the South Pole. It’s insanely cold, half the year is pitch black, and the nearest city is 2,400 miles away. If you love freezing your toes off for a bucket-list pic, this is your jam.

Adak is the Alaska you didn’t know about - a tiny town of just over 170 people, perched on an island in the Aleutians. It's both the Westernmost and Southernmost spot in Alaska, which basically screams extreme.

Macquarie Island is basically the club where penguins and seals party yearly - in the millions! Owned by Australia and off New Zealand, it's an isolated, UNESCO-listed wildlife haven you have to see to believe.

Imagine a massive, icy island so empty only 140 people live there. That’s Ellesmere, with more polar bears strolling around than people. Great if you want endless personal space!

Palmerston is a coral reef paradise with a tiny community of about 50, all descendants of a lone captain who landed here 150 years ago. You can only get here by boat since seaplanes can’t land. Talk about exclusive!

Cape York Peninsula is the wild north tip of Australia, packed with rugged landscapes and a rich mix of Aboriginal cultures. Home to around 18,000 people, it’s remote and totally packed with nature stuff to explore.

Svalbard is Norway’s Arctic playground and it’s wild. Think tundra, glaciers, and shifting lights with just 2,500 people trying to keep up with nature. It’s remote and seriously cool (literally!).

Tristan da Cunha is what ‘remote’ means. Only about 250 people live here with no cars - boats are your ride. This South Atlantic island is a peaceful place to escape the world, as long as you don’t mind vast oceans all around.

Laura Beach is the chill-out zone of the Marshall Islands. No mega-resorts here, just calm beaches, quiet streets, and maybe a coconut or two. Perfect for those who love a holiday without the crowds.

Coober Pedy is Australia’s underground answer to desert madness. To beat the blistering heat, people live, shop, and worship underground. Plus, it’s the 'opal capital of the world,' so treasure hunters, this one’s for you!

Dundas Harbour is like a frozen time capsule - an abandoned hamlet with spooky old buildings and the Arctic’s northernmost cemetery. Only reachable by ship in summer, it’s the perfect place for Arctic ghost story vibes.

Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut and yet, it has no roads connecting it to anywhere else. With 7,700 people, it’s a buzzing little hub on icy Baffin Island where you have to fly or boat in. Talk about exclusive!

Welcome to the lonely town on Easter Island, way out in the Pacific Ocean. About 7,000 folks live here with steady breezes and mild weather, but it’s still miles away from anywhere. Perfect for fans of the unknown.

Supai is like a no-car village in the heart of the Grand Canyon. To get there, you walk, ride a mule, or take a helicopter. Eight miles from the nearest road, it’s a serious step off the grid.

La Rinconada sits a whopping 3 miles up in the Andes and is the highest permanent settlement on Earth. Life here is rough - no running water, freezing temps, and a crazy gold mining scene keeping people alive.

Oymyakon is Russia’s frost giant, with temps so low they freeze your breath solid. About 500 people live here, toughing it out with some of the most brutal winters on the planet.

McMurdo Station is science central on the frozen continent. In summer, a thousand people camp out here, but winter empties it down to just a few hundred hardy souls. It’s as cold and isolated as it sounds.

Jan Mayen is a mountain island way up in the Arctic Ocean. No one lives here permanently - we’re talking tiny research crew only - because the weather is wild and the seas are rough.

The North Pole might be a bit warmer than South Pole (only a bit), but it’s still mad remote. You get there mostly by icebreaker ship and have a good chance of seeing polar bears, seals, and seabirds. Total Arctic magic.

Gough Island sits south of Tristan da Cunha and is home to way more birds than people - the latter being a tiny team of researchers. It’s a bird lover’s paradise with millions of winged residents, including rare albatrosses.

Utqiagvik, formerly Barrow, is frozen, dark (65 days straight of no sun in winter!), and pricey. There’s no road in, so you fly in. Oh, and you might see more caribou than people.

Out of 27 islands, only two are lived on, guarded by 600 locals who have kept their language and traditions intact. Besides culture, expect kitesurfing, snorkeling, and birdwatching. Reachable by plane only twice a week - talk about exclusivity!

Mêdog was China’s last roadless spot until 2013. Surrounded by wild mountains and thick forest, it’s a rugged, small-village place far from the crowds and city buzz.

Siwa Oasis is Egypt’s hidden desert jewel, preserving ancient language and culture. It’s a long 5-hour bus ride from Cairo, but worth it for local dates, olives, and a swim in the legendary Cleopatra’s Bath.

Ascension Island is a tough place with dusty deserts, and yet it’s the breeding ground for green turtles who swim 1,400 miles from Brazil just to lay eggs here. Home only to workers, it’s a lunar-like landscape with green forests on a mountain top. The closest neighbors? Hundreds of miles away.

Saas-Fee is the Swiss Alps’ cozy gem, no cars allowed. Nestled next to towering 4,000-meter mountains, it’s got skiing, sledding, and a chill, old-school mountain vibe that’s a bit like stepping into a postcard.

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, Manacapuru is the big town you get to by hopping on a riverboat from Manaus. It’s hot, busy, and packed with life and culture, making it the jungle's lively heart.