When residents of these remote community say they inhabit in the heart of nowhere , they ’re not exaggerating . Whether they ’re situate 1500 miles from the nearest glide or 17,000 feet above ocean floor , these are nine isolated towns you wo n’t get hold yourself “ just passing through ” anytime soon .
1. EDINBURGH OF THE SEVEN SEAS, TRISTAN DA CUNHA
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Located1243 milesfrom the nearest colony , this hamlet on the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha is considered one of the most isolated communities on earth . The townspeople was named in honor of the Duke of Edinburgh ’s visit to the island in 1867 , but today it ’s commonly look up to as “ The Settlement ” by the town ’s 300 - rum occupier . The prompt way to get there is by limp a six - solar day boat ride from South Africa , the island ’s closest continental neighbour 1491 miles east . In add-on to vibrant wildlife , the island is also home to an active vent at its nerve centre . In 1961 , the universe had to be evacuated to England when it erupted , but gratefully the damage was minimal and most residents returned a few days later .
2. WHITTIER, ALASKA
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There ’s only one road lead in or out of this south Alaskan town , and it passes through a2.6 - mile , exclusive - lane tunnelthat exclude down at dark . The population spike during the summertime month , but in the wintertime Whittier claims around 200 residents . Most of the population lives together in a 14 - report condominium building calledBegich Towers , which is also home to the town ’s post situation , church building , and nook store .
3. VILLA LAS ESTRELLAS, ANTARCTICA
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One of only two civilian settlements on the entire continent , the island ofVilla Las Estrellashas all the components of your quintessential small town . The village of 100 ( and even fewer during the wintertime months ) is home to a gym , church service , postal service position , and a gift shop for tourists . The town even vaunt internet access , but it ’s book for exclusive use of goods and services by the school ’s three computers .
4. LA RINCONADA, PERU
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sit nearly17,000 feetabove ocean level , La Rinconadain the Peruvian Andes is the highest human village on earth . Despite the lack of running water system and the dizzying height , the town has pile up a population of about 50,000 . The main draw is n’t the view — it ’s the gold mines settle beneath the monumental La Bella Durimiente glacier above the town .
5. SUPAI VILLAGE, ARIZONA
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The Havasupai reservation village of Supai is only approachable by helicopter or by walk theeight - mile trailthat connects it to the nearest route . Despite its distant fix , the town still handle to pull in tourists each year due to its Grand Canyon real estate and its propinquity to the photogenicHavasu Falls . Supai remains one of the only smirch in the U.S. where ring mail is still deliveredvia mule .
6. COOBER PEDY, AUSTRALIA
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One hundred years ago
, a teenager revolutionized Australia ’s opal mining industry when he discover a gemstone in the remote , southerly outback . The unforgiving desert terrain was n’t on the button an ideal space for a mining town , so in gild to make it inhabitable , the homes of Coober Pedy were ramp up underground . Today the population of less than2000enjoys admittance to an hush-hush bar , hole-and-corner art gallery , andthree undercover churches . In addition to producing most of the world ’s opal , Coober Pedy also draw gross from curious holidaymaker .
7. LONGYEARBYEN, NORWAY
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The Scandinavian township of Longyearbyen is so far north that it’scloser to the North Polethan it is to Oslo , Norway ’s cap . The arctic positioning create for parky temperature year - round and long winters of unploughed darkness . The sign of the zodiac there arebuilt on stiltsin order to keep the underlie permafrost from thaw beneath them and becoming unstable .
Despite these coarse weather condition , Longyearbyen draw residents from around the creation . Of the townsfolk ’s few than 3000 inhabitants , nearly a thirdof them are foreigners . The community ’s greatest appeal is likely its shockingly low offense rate , which is facilitate by the fact that it ’s illegal to go in Longyearbyen without a job or a permanent name and address . ( It ’s alsoillegal to die there , because it ’s too cold for physical structure to break down . ) And while crime is low-pitched , heavy weapon possession is outstandingly eminent — but this is chiefly to protect against the terror of pivotal bear . The danger is such an egress that the police implement a law that anyone ramble outside the urban center limits must deport a arm and recognize how to employ it .
8. PALMERSTON, COOK ISLANDS
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The remote island of Palmerston in the South Pacific was first conciliate by Englishman William Marsters150 old age ago . Today , all but three of the residential area ’s 62 occupier are the verbatim posterity of Marsters and his three Polynesian wife ( who happened to be cousins ) . Part of the Cook Islands , Palmerston is made up of arenaceous isle connect by a circular coral reef , which sits too faithful to the surface for sea plane to shoot down safely . The ocean outside the halo is too boisterous , so the island is only approachable by boat . In addition to accomplish Palmerston by racing yacht or tourist ship , visitors can also try hitching a ride on thecargo shipthat delivers supply to the island double a year .
9. SIWA OASIS, EGYPT
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As is the case with any true haven , getting to Siwa is no field day . Surrounded byhundreds of kilometersof empty Saharan desert , the remote village is well make byhired caror an overnight bus trip-up from Cairo . Tourists still make the trek to experience the community ’s idyllic palm groves , Olea europaea orchards , andfresh water springs . Only this year was a solar power plant put up in the townsfolk to render electricity . There is no cell headphone servicing , and the oasis ’s isolated position has leave the inhabitants ’s tribal Berber acculturation to remainlargely unchangedthroughout the centuries .
