Science and technology have made the world a smaller place, as it is now easy to go from one continent to another in a matter of hours when before it takes months. But perhaps, the more dramatic reason for this state of the world lies in communication.
The internet has made real-time contact between persons on different sides of the globe an everyday thing. And where cables have not yet been laid, broadband global area network (BGAN) makes it possible for even the remotest places on earth to keep up with the rest of the world.
BGAN uses several geostationary satellites orbiting the earth that are connected to portable terminals no bigger than a standard laptop deployed in remote places that have no cellular and wireless data networks. With a BGAN terminal, you can connect to the internet anywhere in the world.
Physically, there are still places on earth that are so far from the rest of humankind that they retain an aura of mystery. This makes them an exciting target for adventurers who will not mind the long flights and the additional trip by land or by sea.
And with a BGAN terminal in tow, they can still be in touch with pretty much anyone they have left behind. For those who are willing to go the extra mile, so to speak, just to get the ultimate travel adventure, here is a list of the remotest places on the planet that most casual travellers won’t have in their itinerary.
RAPA NUI
More popularly known as Easter Island and for those massive rock sculptures dotting its beaches, this tiny island is about 2,000 miles west of the coast of Chile. While it already has a small airport, the sense of isolation for first-time visitors is really palpable.
TRISTAN DE CUNHA
Made up of small islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean, it’s under British jurisdiction, with a total population of 271. Its nearest neighbour is South Africa, which is about 1,700 miles away.
MOTUO COUNTY
Located in China within the Tibetan Autonomous Region, many people consider it as Tibet’s holiest land. No roads have been successfully built to give easier access to it because of its landscape.
You will have to follow a backbreaking overland route that goes through frozen parts of the Himalayas and finally cross a 200-meter long suspension bridge.
ALERT, NUNAVUT
A small village in Canada, it is located on the Arctic Ocean 500 miles below the North Pole and has the distinction of being the northernmost permanently inhabited place on the planet. Its year-round population: 5.
PITCAIRN ISLAND
A small island almost at the center of the southern Pacific Ocean, it has a population of around 50 people, many of whom are descendants of the crew members of the HMS Bounty. To reach it, you will need to make a 10-day trip on a shipping boat from New Zealand.
BJØRNDALEN
Found in the remote area of Svalbard in the Arctic Archipelago under Norwegian control, this tiny town has some of Norway’s fastest internet speeds, even as it has more polar bears than humans.
ITTOQQORTOORMIIT
You can reach this small fishing and hunting village on Greenland’s eastern shore to the north of Iceland by boat only during the three months when the surrounding seas are not frozen.
