Travel agencies nowadays can solve any visa issue. Getting Schengen is not a problem, with the USA everything is not at all difficult, and even a trip to the UK has not been particularly difficult for a long time. But there are countries that are truly difficult and even almost impossible to get into. The issue may be either in the issuance of the visas themselves or in the remoteness of these territories. We have collected five points on the map that only the most persistent travelers can reach.
North Korea (DPRK)
North Korea is known for the “special” course that the country’s leadership has set. As a result, the DPRK found itself almost completely isolated. Citizens of the USA, Israel and Japan are practically prohibited from entering, but for residents of the CIS and a number of other countries the border is open.
You cannot travel alone – only as part of a tourist group. Tourists will be accompanied there continuously by two guides. Previously, cell phones were taken from tourists before entering North Korea, but this is no longer done. Cell phones are of no use anyway: roaming doesn’t work, and neither does the Internet. Bank cards are not accepted. If you need euros, dollars or Chinese yuan, purchases can only be made in special tourist shops. If you only have Russian rubles in your wallet, then it is better to first exchange them for one of these currencies. Cameras and laptops are allowed, but there will be problems with taking photographs – many things cannot be photographed.
Guides follow you everywhere, and even from the hotel you can’t just go for a walk. You will either be caught by the police and returned to your hotel, or the guide will find out where you went and for what purpose. You never know, suddenly spy. By the way, such care from the guides also has a positive aspect. Upon entering the country, all tourists’ passports are taken away and returned only before departure. Getting lost in a country with such rules without a passport and knowledge of the language is a sure way to end up in a difficult and dangerous situation. Therefore, tourists themselves usually make sure that they do not stray far from the group – it’s safer. In addition, keep in mind that you will most likely get away with breaking the rules – after all, you are a guest of a prosperous country and do not know all the intricacies. But a guide who didn’t keep an eye on you may get punished by the regulatory authorities.
As for the cultural program, you should definitely go to one of the grandiose productions, which many have only seen recorded on YouTube. For example, to the Arirang music and gymnastics show, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most grandiose festival of its kind. About one hundred thousand people take part in the performance, and the action takes place in a stadium with a capacity of one hundred and fifty thousand spectators. Tourists often come to the DPRK specifically for Arirang.
Several places are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Fund – historical monuments and sites of the city of Kaesong and the Goguryeo tomb complex with ancient paintings on stone slabs. There are also many sanatoriums with hot springs in the country, where North Koreans themselves relax.
Saudi Arabia
Getting to the kingdom is not easy, especially alone, without a tourist group. Saudi Arabia does not issue tourist visas: entry into the country is allowed mainly for work purposes, but there is a small loophole – visiting sacred places. It is extremely difficult for a single tourist to find himself in the country, so the best option is to travel as part of a group. If you have an Israeli visa in your passport, there is no chance of visiting Saudi Arabia.
The country lives according to Sharia law, and for the initial violation of them there will be no warnings – punishment will immediately follow. This is one of the few countries where the death penalty is still regularly used, not through a humane injection of poison, but by beheading or stoning. It is better for tourists not to offend religious feelings or disrupt the current way of life. Men have more concessions, while women are prohibited from wearing short skirts, appearing in public without a headscarf and unaccompanied by a man, swimming in open swimsuits, and driving a car. The religious police enforce the rules.
Among the interesting places to visit are the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, the zoo in the capital Riyadh, King Abdullah Park and the world’s largest mosque al-Haram, which is located in Mecca.
Turkmenistan
One of the few post-Soviet countries for which it is not easy for a Russian citizen to obtain a visa. The procedure is more like a lottery: the principles by which embassies make decisions on issuing a visa are completely unclear. There have been cases when people tried to get to Turkmenistan several times, but to no avail, and then they were suddenly allowed to travel. An invitation from relatives or friends also does not particularly increase your chances. There are few accredited travel agencies, and a guide will be assigned to a group of travelers, just like in the DPRK.
Turkmenistan is an amazingly beautiful country, and it’s a shame that it’s so difficult to get into; There are almost no travel reports or travel stories. Some experienced travelers claim that Turkmenistan is a much more closed state than the DPRK. Here, too, there is a cult of the president’s personality, and there is even an “Arch of Neutrality” with a statue of the former head of state Saparmurat Niyazov, which turns after the sun.
Other attractions include the National Museum of Turkmen Carpet, which displays more than two thousand works; many of them are unique. You can look at rare animals at the recently opened National Museum of Wildlife of Turkmenistan, where there are more than 250 species of birds and animals.
Be sure to visit the Dinosaur Plateau – a large limestone slab on which dinosaurs walked millions of years ago. There are more than two thousand footprints of different shapes and sizes on the plateau. There is also information about footprints found there that looked like human ones; how they got there is a mystery. Another tourist attraction bears the grim name of “The Gates of Hell.” Turkmenistan is rich in natural gas. In the early seventies, geologists, having discovered an underground cavity, decided to set fire to the gas accumulated there in order to secure the territory. They had no idea about the real volume of deposits – the fire has not gone out for forty-five years. At night, the “Gates of Hell” looks really ominous.
Pitcairn Islands
This territory formally belongs to Great Britain, but it is unlikely that the British themselves know anything about Pitcairn and its inhabitants. The islands, of which only one is inhabited, are located in the Pacific Ocean and are incredibly difficult to reach. Russian citizens have two ways to get there: either apply for a visa-free trip for up to 14 days with entry and exit on one ship, or obtain a visa from the island’s representative office in Auckland, New Zealand. The route also poses difficulties – Pitcairn can only be reached by water, and the journey will take about a day and a half. There are several cargo and passenger ships that accept tourists on board. But we still need to get to the ship. To do this, prepare to fly to Tahiti, and then from the small islands of French Polynesia you can take a boat to Pitcairn. In total, the journey from Moscow to the island will take about three days.
Oddly enough, there is absolutely nothing to see on the island; it is more interesting for its amazing history, which at first you hardly believe in. In the first half of the nineteenth century, part of the crew of the British ship “Bounty” staged a mutiny, captured the ship and headed for Tahiti; Having reached the island, the sailors sailed further, taking with them local girls and several Tahitian male slaves. The mutineers knew about the uninhabited Pitcairn Islands, which were discovered in 1767 and named after the son of a sailor who spotted these lands; That’s where they were heading.
They settled well on the island, ran the household, leaving the dirty work to slaves, and even learned to distill alcohol. All went well until a conflict occurred between the sailors and the slaves, as a result of which the Tahitians were killed, and only John Adams and Edward Young of the white men survived. The latter died in 1800. John Adams governed the community until 1829, when he passed away. Nine years later, Pitcairn became a British colony. Some residents gradually moved to New Zealand and Norfolk, but not everyone wanted to leave the island. At the moment, about fifty people live there, most of them are descendants of John Adams and the rest of the sailors.
The few tourists who make it to Pitcairn bring 80% of the island’s income annually. There are no hotels, embassies, or visa centers, but local residents happily welcome tourists into their homes and provide guests with everything they need. There are several buildings built specifically for visitors. Pitcairn is a must-see for travelers who crave a real challenge and want to experience a truly exotic destination.
Antarctica
Perhaps only Antarctica can compete with the Pitcairn Islands in terms of travel complexity. Firstly, the cost of travel is very high. Secondly, there are only a few companies in the world that organize flights to this continent. The easiest way, if the word “simple” is generally applied to traveling to Antarctica, would be a flight from Chile or South Africa. Separately, sea cruises from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa are reported.
In addition to penguins, you can see the geographical and ceremonial South Pole here. The first one does not look particularly presentable: just a sign, and next to it there is a pillar with a tip, which is replaced every year with another one. The ceremonial pole is a chrome-plated ball surrounded by flags of countries participating in the exploration of Antarctica. On the continent, by the way, only scientific activity is allowed. No visas or permits are required to get here.
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