The world’s ten most dangerous natural areas

Our planet is an exciting, beautiful, fascinating place that never ceases to surprise us in its diversity and vitality. It’s home to magnificent mountains, wondrous volcanoes, majestic rivers, endless deserts, and so much more. Yet no matter how beautiful our planet is, we should never forget how dangerous nature can be.

Today, we here at Focus Asia Travel have prepared a list of the most thrilling and dangerous locations in the world. If you’d like your holiday to come with a side of danger, these places are just for you. Otherwise, steer well clear!

1. Death Valley, USA

If the Earth is our home, Death Valley is its fiery oven. The highest temperature ever recorded on our planet is 134 degrees Fahrenheit in this breathtaking desert (56,7 degrees Celsius). The blazing sun and searing heat of Death Valley will quickly exhaust you, no matter how tough you are. You can only live here for 14 hours without water.

2. The Danakil Desert, Eritrea

Baking temperatures that frequently exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius), numerous active volcanoes, and geysers that spew toxic gases — it’s difficult to imagine a harsher landscape than Africa’s Danakil Desert. Most people would probably consider this horrible place to be a literal “Hell on Earth,” but it still attracts a large number of daring adventurers from all over the world. Just keep in mind that visiting the Danakil Desert without an experienced guide is strictly prohibited.

3. Mount Washington, USA

Mount Washington’s summit holds the world record for the fastest winds on the planet’s surface. The top speed recorded here is 203 miles per hour (327 km/h). The strong winds, however, are not the only cause for concern in this area; the freezing temperatures, which can reach 40 degrees, and the continuous heavy snowfalls make Mount Washington a very dangerous place. Mount Washington, despite its modest height of 6,288 feet (1,917 meters), is one of the world’s deadliest peaks. The loads that the human body experiences at the top can be compared to those experienced at the summit of Mount Everest.

4. Sinabung Volcano, Indonesia

On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, there is an active volcano. Eruptions occur frequently here, leaving thousands of people without shelter or a means of subsistence. Several nearby towns and villages have already been completely covered in lava and ash: in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. The most recent explosion happened on February 27, 2016. This eruption ejected a lethal cloud of volcanic gas, stones, and ash up to 2,500 meters in the air. And no one knows what will happen there the next day.

5. lha da Queimada Grande (Snake Island), Brazil

This island, located somewhere off the coast of Brazil, is widely regarded as the most dangerous place on the planet. The reason for this is simple: this area is home to one of the world’s most venomous snakes, Bothrops. The island is home to approximately five snakes per square meter, according to researchers. There have been several reports of people succumbing to the deadly predators in a matter of minutes. One of these stories tells of a lighthouse keeper who was killed after being attacked by snakes. Since that fatality, Snake Island’s lighthouse has been automated, and the Brazilian government has barred visitors from entering.

6. Madidi National Park, Bolivia

This place appears to be very picturesque at first glance, but it is actually very dangerous. Why? Because it is home to some of the most poisonous and aggressive fauna on the planet, contact with any of the plants growing in this park can cause severe itching, rash, and dizziness. Tropical parasites can infect any cut or wound.

7. Valley of Death, Kamchatka, Russia

The Russian Far East’s Kamchatka Peninsula has its own Death Valley. It is not far from the well-known Valley of Geysers. Toxic gas concentrations in this area pose a serious threat to all living things: plants and animals die quickly, while people become ill and develop a fever, dizziness, and chill.

8. Bikini Atoll, The Marshall Islands

This island, lost somewhere in the ocean, appears to be a paradise, doesn’t it? However, Bikini Atoll was the site of numerous nuclear testing programs, which turned the idyllic island of Bikini into a radioactive wasteland. The residents were forced to flee their homes, and the situation is still dangerous for living organisms: the abnormally high level of radiation recorded here can cause cancer.

9. Afar Depression, Ethiopia

The Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar Region is one of the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet. Small earthquakes are constantly shaking the region, causing a slew of deep chasms to form. This is due to Erta Ale’s summit crater containing two lava lakes. The amount of lava in them changes constantly, causing the Earth’s surface to tremble up and down.

10. Lake Natron, Tanzania

This surreal image, which appears to be an extraterrestrial landscape, is actually a photograph of Lake Natron in Tanzania. The alkali salt crust on the lake’s surface is so dangerous that any living creature that comes into contact with it dies. Swimming is strictly prohibited in this lake for obvious reasons, and the strong odor of hydrogen sulphide emanating from the lake’s surface will keep you from admiring the breathtaking scenery for long.