5 of the Most Perilous Tourist Destinations in the World

Some places in the world are dangerous not because of crime, but because nature simply doesn’t care about your Instagram photos.

Some people love relaxing vacations with sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and 5-star hotel service. However, there are those who simply cannot sit still and relax. They are open to exploring active volcanoes, radiation, extreme winds, or any other potentially deadly hazards.

Don’t get the wrong idea here, we’re not saying that these dangerous places are not worth seeing. Some of them are absolutely stunning. But they are also the kind of destinations where winging things could be the end of you in mere seconds.

Here are five tourist spots that are fascinating, beautiful, but also incredibly dangerous.

Mount Washington, USA

Mount Washington in New Hampshire may not sound as perilous as, say, Mount Everest, but do not let the cozy New England setting fool you. At 6,288 feet, it is hardly a molehill in comparison to others, but Mount Washington is famous for its wildly unpredictable weather with temperature drops, low visibility, and the winds that feel more like angry spirits rather than atmospheric events.

For decades, Mount Washington held the record for the fastest surface wind speeds ever measured—231 mph in 1934. Yes, that’s 321 miles per hour. At that speed, you’d be blown back to Kansas in about 6 hours! Now add extreme cold, ice, and storms during winter, and your hike turns one of those hikes into a survival situation very quickly. So if you do end up planning a trip to Mount Washington, pay close attention to the forecast and be ready for anything.

Pripyat, Ukraine

Pripyat does not pose any immediate danger to the tourists, unless there’s another drone attack. It is an eerie, quiet city frozen in time, with a history that’s way more unsettling than it appears on the surface. It was built in the 1970s for workers at the nearby Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and their families. Then, in April 1986, the greatest nuclear disaster changed everything. After the explosion and release of radioactive material, Pripyat was evacuated.

Today, the abandoned apartment blocks, empty schools, and crumbling buildings make Pripyat one of the most haunting places in Europe. If you didn’t know what had transpired there, you’d think it’s just a big, creepy movie set, except it is very real. Mother Nature has slowly been taking back what’s rightfully hers, covering roads and buildings in greenery. Due to radiation, some areas of the city are much safer than others, while there are a few that are considered too risky. That is why Pripyat is not the kind of place anyone should wander through casually and should only be explored through controlled, guided routes, with strict rules about where people can go and what they can touch.

Mount Everest, Nepal

For some adventure travelers, climbing Mount Everest is the ultimate bucket-list dream. Unfortunately, it is also one of those dreams that comes with a very serious warning label. Naturally, the main danger is altitude. The higher you go, the thinner the air gets, which in turn means your body gets less oxygen. This can lead to altitude sickness, exhaustion, and much worse if you push too hard.

There’s also the weather. Freezing temperatures, fierce winds, avalanches, and icefalls are all par for the course. That being said, plenty of people visit Nepal to appreciate the beauty of this peak. You get all the views and vibes without any risks to your well-being.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is breathtaking to look at, with all the lava fields, craters, steam vents, and scenery that looks like Earth is still under construction. The park is home to Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth by volume. So, while stunningly beautiful, the area can also be quite deadly.

While lava is the number one reason to stay away from the fiery zits, volcanic gases can be even more dangerous. Even when an eruption looks beautiful from far away, it is still an eruption, and the hot rocks are being fired at ridiculous speeds. Some people call it the deadliest and most impressive fireworks show on Earth.

Death Valley, California

Death Valley, as its name implies, is a place that should be approached with caution. If you get careless, the extreme heat will cook you alive, and all those cool photos you took will remain forever unposted. Summer temperatures can reach dangerously high levels of 120-125°F, with no shade or icy-cold lemonade stands to help you cool off.

Remember that cars can overheat and quickly become superheated ovens on wheels, phone service in the desert is spotty at best, and if you don’t bring enough water, you might as well just keel over. And that’s not even mentioning the nasty rattlesnakes and scorpions. When planning a tour, remember that in extreme heat, even a quick walk can become a very bad idea.