9 forbidden islands you may long to visit—but never will

Some places on Earth are more than destinations—they are enigmas. Hidden behind veils of legal restriction, cultural protection, or untamed danger, these islands repel the tourist's gaze while drawing the imagination in deeper. Below are nine islands that remain firmly off-limits for travellers, despite their beauty, history, or haunting appeal. (Image: Canva)

1. North Sentinel Island, Andaman Sea, India
Encircled by turquoise waters, this island might seem idyllic from afar—but its shores are fiercely guarded by the Sentinelese people, who have remained isolated for over 60,000 years. Indian law forbids any approach within five nautical miles to preserve their way of life and prevent disease transmission. The island is both a cultural time capsule and a stark reminder that not all lands seek discovery. (Image: Wikipedia)

2. Niihau, Hawaii, USA
Just across the channel from Kauai lies Niihau, often called “The Forbidden Island,” not for danger, but because it is privately owned and deliberately sequestered. Purchased by a wealthy family in the 19th century, Niihau prohibits outsiders, preserving traditional Hawaiian culture and the Hawaiian language without interference. Only relatives, military personnel, or specially invited guests may step ashore. (Image: Canva)

3. Fort Carroll Island, Baltimore, USA
Anchored in the Patapsco River, this eerie man-made island began life as a military defense fort in the 1850s. Today, Fort Carroll stands in quiet disrepair—its structures crumbling, its interior overtaken by seabirds and vines. Public access is denied, not due to secrecy, but because the place is dangerously unstable, a ghost of America's past suspended in concrete. (Image: Wikipedia)

4. Bouvet Island, South Atlantic Ocean, Norway
Shrouded in ice and enshrouded in clouds for most of the year, Bouvet Island is the epitome of geographic isolation. This Norwegian territory is located thousands of kilometers from any populated landmass and is so treacherous to approach that only scientific expeditions may attempt a landing. The weather is hostile, the terrain unforgiving, and the silence—absolute. (Image: NASA via Wikipedia)

5. Île Saint-Paul, Indian Ocean, France
Wind-beaten and circled by sheer cliffs, Île Saint-Paul lies adrift in the southern Indian Ocean. Though uninhabited, it once hosted fishermen, scientists, and mariners—most of whom left after an infamous 1930s tragedy involving starvation and betrayal. Today, the French government keeps it off-limits to preserve the fragile wildlife, including rare seabirds and endemic invertebrates. (Image: Wikipedia)

6. Poveglia Island, Venice Lagoon, Italy
Few places carry a legacy as disturbing as Poveglia. Once a quarantine station for plague victims and later a mental asylum, the island’s haunting ruins remain closed to the public under Italian law. Although ghost stories abound, the real danger lies in decaying buildings and collapsed floors. It is a place where history has not faded—it has curdled. (Image: Canva)

7. North Brother Island, New York, USA
Tucked away on the East River, this abandoned island was once a quarantine hospital and later a drug treatment facility. Its most infamous resident was “Typhoid Mary,” forcibly isolated here. The city closed the island permanently, citing hazardous structures and ecological protection. Even in view of Manhattan, it feels like an outpost lost to time. (Image: Wikipedia)

8. Ilha da Queimada Grande (Snake Island), Brazil
Situated off Brazil’s southeastern coast, this island is home to one of the world’s deadliest snakes: the golden lancehead viper. With a density of up to five snakes per square meter, Brazil’s navy has banned all public access. The only visitors allowed are licensed researchers, and even they tread carefully—boots high, nerves steel-clad. (Image: X/@BiodiversidadeB)

9. Heard Island, Southern Ocean, Australia
Heard Island exists in the realm of extremes—a volcanic Australian outpost in the roaring latitudes of the Southern Ocean. Constant storms, glacial terrain, and the threat of eruption make it inhospitable. As part of a protected marine reserve, it is strictly off-limits to tourists. The island is a sanctuary for science and silence alone. (Image: Wikipedia)