Stay away from these: A peek into some of the world's deadliest corners

Who would dare?

Stay away from these: A peek into some of the world's deadliest corners

Some places on Earth are dangerous because they are extreme. Others are dangerous because they look harmless. Let’s take a look at locations where nature, geography, or isolation have earned a reputation for being… unforgiving. Burning craters, frozen villages, poisonous volcanoes: beautiful, maybe, but arguably not worth the visit.

A cliff-hugging mountain route with no guardrails

Image: Kyle Loftus

That’s exactly as narrow as it looks. Hidden deep in Bolivia’s Andes, this road was once considered the most dangerous drive on Earth. In some sections, it shrinks to a single lane, with sheer drops plunging thousands of feet into the jungle below.

That’s why it earned the nickname "Death Road." Only for the experienced–and brave–drivers!

A burning crater that has been on fire for decades

Image: Ybrayym Esenov

Did you know there’s a massive crater in a desert that has been burning continuously since the 1970s? No wonder people call it the "Door to Hell."

It’s in the middle of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, and it was accidentally ignited during a Soviet drilling operation that struck a natural gas pocket. Engineers set it on fire, expecting it to burn out in days… but it never did.

An island where venomous snakes outnumber humans

Image: Harshit Suryawanshi

In Brazil, civilians are forbidden from visiting Snake Island. Located off the country’s coast, it is home to thousands of golden lancehead vipers, one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

Only scientists are permitted to go there, and for good reason: a single bite can be fatal without immediate medical care.

A volcano where toxic gas surrounds sulfur miners

Image: Spenser Sembrat

Stay away from the interior of Indonesia’s Kawah Ijen volcano, too. The crater emits thick clouds of sulfur gas that can burn lungs and eyes within minutes. The volcano is also famous for its "blue fire," an electric-looking glow caused by ignited sulfur gases at night.

A peaceful-looking lake that released a deadly cloud

Image: Edouard TAMBA

Lake Nyos in Cameroon appears calm and ordinary, but in 1986, it became the site of one of the strangest natural disasters ever recorded. Without warning, the lake released a massive cloud of carbon dioxide that rolled silently through nearby villages.

The gas displaced oxygen in the air, suffocating more than 1,700 people and countless animals as they slept.

Temperatures to freeze engines

Image: Hans-Jurgen Mager

Oymyakon, in eastern Siberia, is one of the coldest permanently inhabited places on the planet. Winter temperatures routinely drop below –50°F, cold enough to freeze exposed skin in minutes and cause cars to stall if left running outside for too long.

Everyday tasks, from going outside to cooking meals, require constant adaptation to the cold. Schools only close when temperatures become truly extreme, which says a lot about daily life in the village.

One of the hottest and most toxic places on the planet

Image: Jorge Tung

Here’s the scenario: temperatures regularly soar above 120°F, while acidic pools, sulfur clouds, and active volcanoes dot the landscape. Even the air can be dangerous; one shouldn’t breathe in those gases for long.

That’s what it’s like in the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. A place so extreme it looks more like another planet than part of Earth.

The aftermath of a disaster

Image: Ilja Nedilko

Let’s not forget the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, releasing massive amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere.

Nearby Pripyat was evacuated within 36 hours. While radiation levels have dropped significantly since then and limited tourism is now permitted, parts of the exclusion zone remain dangerously contaminated, such as the infamous Red Forest. Staying in Pripyat long-term is still considered unsafe.

A coastline littered with shipwrecks and bones

Image: Joshua Kettle

Namibia’s Skeleton Coast earned its name honestly. Dense fog, powerful currents, and shifting sands have caused countless ships to run aground over the centuries.

Survivors who made it to shore often faced an even harsher fate, trapped between the Atlantic Ocean and one of the world’s driest deserts, with little chance of rescue.

An unpredictable volcano looming over nearby towns

Image: amir hamzah

Mount Sinabung, in Indonesia, was quiet for centuries before reawakening in 2010. Since then, it has erupted repeatedly, sending fast-moving clouds of ash, rock, and superheated gas down its slopes.

These pyroclastic flows are among the deadliest volcanic hazards: if one erupts nearby, there’s little chance of escape. Entire villages have been evacuated and abandoned as the volcano continues to reshape the surrounding landscape.

A rainforest where getting lost can be fatal

Image: Mark

Finally, let’s not leave out the Amazon rainforest! Some regions are indeed very difficult to survive in. Dense vegetation that erases paths, rivers that shift with the seasons, and humidity that drains energy faster than you would expect.

Add venomous animals, disease-carrying insects, and extreme isolation, and even experienced explorers can find themselves in serious trouble if they become stranded.