The World’s Most Remote Places

There’s something about the world’s most remote places that captures the imagination of the intrepid traveler and conjures up images of exotic faraway lands. Sometimes you just want to get away from it all and go as far as you can.

World’s Most Remote Places

From the wilds of Siberia to the rugged and remote Fiordland, if you want to get away, we’ve got the access. These are some of our favourite of the world’s most remote destinations. You can still get there and back without a search party going out after you.

Easter Island

As any glance at a globe will tell you, the Pacific Ocean is utterly vast and therefore full of remote places. Rapa Nui, aka Easter Island, lies more than 2,000 miles from mainland Chile. It’s a five-hour flight from Santiago to the island, where the famous moai statues were erected by Polynesian adventurers who settled there about 900 years ago. SCUBA diving and surfing are popular activities, as are trekking and horseback riding. The isolation makes it a great place for stargazing when the sun goes down.

Travel advisor tip: Combine Easter Island with a trip to Chilean Patagonia or the Galapagos and Peru. A mix of land and sea, a trip like this hits many of the highlights of South America.

Hawaii

Although it’s very popular and a full-fledged U.S. state, Hawaii is definitely one of the world’s most remote places. Honolulu is almost 2,500 miles from the nearest large city, San Francisco. Of the eight main islands, six are open to visitors, and it’s practically impossible to run out of things to do. Oahu is home to Diamond Head and the famed North Shore. Maui boasts magnificent sunrises over Haleakala, while Kauai’s Na Pali Coast is a sight to behold.

Hawaii, aka the Big Island, has an active volcano in Kilauea and a permafrost lake atop dormant volcano Mauna Kea. Lanai, in contrast is the smallest inhabited island. Just 9 miles from Maui, it’s a world away, full of rugged backroads and endless views. Molokai has the world’s highest sea cliffs and longest continuous fringing reef.

Travel advisor tip: Hawaii is an excellent stopover on a trip to New Zealand or Australia – it breaks up the long flight (into two long-ish flights but that’s okay, right?) and adds a tropical element to an otherwise adventure-based trip.

• Check out some of my other suggested destination combinations!

Antarctica

It’s at the end of the world and, while long theorised, wasn’t seen by humans until the 19th century. It’s mind-blowing how truly spectacular that much ice can be. It doesn’t hurt that there are also penguins, leopard seals, whales, and Antarctic birds on and around all that ice.

You can take a long hike or go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the seventh continent and kayaking among orcas in the waters offshore. Antarctica is a truly wild place, and that’s just how we like it.

Travel advisor tip: It’s a long way to go, so pair Antarctica with a side trip from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and take in the Argentinian wine country. Alternately, set sail with Silversea on their Argentina to Cape Town voyage for a truly unique adventure!

Mongolia

With 3 million residents in more than 600,000 square miles, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated sovereign nation on Earth. Those 3 million people are incredibly friendly, and thrilled to share their homeland with guests.

Nomadic horsemen still roam the steppes. The vast gorges, snow-capped peaks, crystalline lakes and endless grasslands will make you forget that city life even exists. There’s nothing like fly-fishing all day then retiring to a yurt to make you feel rustic. Culturally, visitors can explore ancient Buddhist temples and Karakorum, the capital from which Genghis Khan took over large swaths of Asia.

Travel advisor tip: Mongolia remains one of the most isolated countries despite its location smack dab in the centre of Asia. Consider pairing it with Georgia or one of the ‘Stans for an in depth voyage along the Silk Road.

Svalbard

About halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is a Norwegian island home to polar bears, Arctic fox, and reindeer. Snowmobiles are the main mode of ground transportation as there are no roads connecting settlements. Most travel is done by air and sea.

Svalbard has three seasons. There’s the polar summer from mid-May through September, when the sun barely sets. From October through February, Northern Lights winter – when the sun rarely shines and the Aurora Borealis dance through the long night. Sunny winter is March through mid-May, when days get a little longer and the animals start waking up from their long winter’s nap.

Travel advisor tip: You have to fly from Oslo to get to Longyearbyen, so you have the chance to tack on a few days in the Norwegian fjords or a few days in another northern European capital like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, or Stockholm.

Which of the world’s most remote places do you want to visit? Check out my adventure bucket list for more ideas on some exciting adventures.

*

Learn how booking with a travel advisor adds value to your destination combinations & adventures! Email today to arrange a complimentary consultation. Not quite ready to learn more? Pin this >>> for future reference!