There is nothing more exciting than discovering new places, traveling the world and getting to know different cultures that can not only give us knowledge, but also new experiences. However, as much as we want to travel every corner of the world, sometimes it is a bit difficult to achieve.
For example, some of us are obsessed with exploring space and conquering some other planet, and if we get a little closer, the truth is that there are still parts of our own planet that have been forgotten or have been discovered but not colonized, Not to mention some military bases, espionage secrets, or even places that are classified as “legally persecuted”, which are prohibited and therefore, with a difficult legal entry.
Find out what they are and everything you need to know about 5 incredible places where visitors are prohibited.
5 places where visitors are prohibited
1. The Coca-Cola vault in Atlanta, United States
It is estimated that 96% of the planet’s population recognizes the brand Coca Cola; However, very few people know the true formula to create such a well-known drink. Coca-Cola says that only two executives knew about the formula at any one time, although it has never released names or positions.
In 1920, the recipe ended up being locked in a New York bank, until 1925, which was transferred to the Trust Company Bank in Atlanta. Yet today, the famous Coca-Cola recipe is housed in an Atlanta museum.
The vault looks like something out of a movie; It has a palm scanner, a numeric-coded padlock, and a massive steel door. Inside there is another safe with more security methods. And inside it, a metal box contains what its owners call “the best kept trade secret in the world.” A piece of paper with the formula, according to Coca-Cola.
2. Isla Serpiente or da Queimada Grande, Brazil
Located about 100 kilometers off the coast of São Paulo, this island may seem like the ideal exotic place to get lost , but the truth is that for decades the place has been uninhabited due to being completely invaded by deadly snakes.
There are many more ways to get there, but the reptiles that inhabit it are so deadly (such as the Golden Lancehead viper, which with strong, fast-acting venom, can dissolve the meat around its bites) that authorities have access restricted to the maximum. Only scientists who justify their visit and obtain the relevant permits can set foot on its 43 square kilometers of surface.
The threat is everywhere: it is estimated that there are between one and five snakes per square meter. It is for this reason that the Brazilian government expressly prohibits visiting the island.
3. Bhangarh Fort, India
Located in the state of Rajasthan, in the northwestern part of India, is the city of Bhangarh, a popular tourist attraction in the country for two reasons: it contains the historical remains of Fort Bhangarth, an abandoned city built in 1573; and for being the only city in India recognized by the Government as “officially haunted.”
The fortress was built by the ruler of Amber Kachwaha for his youngest son in 1573 and gradually its population was reduced until in 1783, a severe famine forced the villagers who still lived there to flee. Local legends claim that the reason the kingdom was ruined was that the fort was cursed.
The history of the Fort and its strange paranormal cases have been a magnet for the curious. Due to certain tragic incidents that occurred in this place and because of the belief that the fort is haunted, the government has decided to prohibit access to the fort after sunset and before sunrise.
4. North Brother Island, United States
North Brother Island, located in the East River, between the Bronx and Rikers Island, is not exactly what we could call an island paradise.
In 1885, the island was acquired by the city and a new hospital was built on it to treat infectious diseases and those who arrived there were in a way exiled by force; Furthermore, all those who died there were stored in the island’s morgue.
In general, it was a dark and secluded place for many patients, and as if that were not enough, in 1904, the passenger ship General Slocum caught fire off the island, bringing with it a shipwreck that killed 1,021 people and increased its terrible fame.
Later, starting in 1951, it served as a rehabilitation center for minors. There were cases of rebels, heroin addicts and dangerous convicts. In fact, there is graffiti on the walls that can still be seen and that shows the harshness of what patients experienced on the island during that time.
Today it remains a ghostly and dark place , but also a lush, overgrown, and abandoned bird sanctuary. The New York City Department of Parks does not recommend visiting the island, as all that remains there are buildings that are in a dangerous state of disrepair.
6. Diego García, British Overseas Territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories belonging to the British Crown, but not an integral part of the United Kingdom. These are colonies that did not become independent or voted to remain British territories.
Such is the case with Diego García, located between East Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, an important strategic asset for the United States Navy , which has a major military base there.
During the Cold War, the United Kingdom rented the island to the United States for 50 years, but the island was not uninhabited, so before renting it, the British government expelled about 2,000 inhabitants. Since then, the islanders have unsuccessfully demanded the right to return to their homes, but with the expiration of the set period in 2016, the UK extended the contract for another 20 years.
References
- Fernández, C. and Moynihan, R. (2018). 10 incredible places around the world where visitors are forbidden. For Business Insider. [Revised February 2019].
