Featured Image Credit: LISE ASERUD/Contributor / DimanDiver / Getty
Area 51 is one of the most top secret places on Earth.
A YouTube channel once described what you would see if you were to trespass the gates of the top-secret area.
But turns out it's not the only forbidden place on our planet.
Here are five forbidden places you're not allowed to visit.
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North Sentinel Island
Tucked away in the Bay of Bengal, North Sentinel Island is about the size of Manhattan and home to the Sentinelese, the world's most isolated tribe.
The Sentinelese are fiercely hostile to outsiders and guard their jungle-covered island by any means necessary.
And for good reason too. The transfer of viruses and other diseases by Westerners could easily wipe out a vulnerable and isolated tribe.
To keep everyone safe, the Indian Coast Guard patrols the area and strictly bans all visits.
The Vatican’s Secret Vault
The Vatican Secret Archive - now called the Vatican Apostolic Archive - was established in the early 17th century to store the personal documents of all the popes.
For over 250 years, these records were completely sealed off. But, in 1881, Pope Leo XIII allowed a few Catholic scholars to access the vault, but even today, tourists and journalists are not allowed in.
Only a small group of accredited religious academics can enter - and even they can't browse freely.
The Doomsday Vault
No, this is not a bunker in Mark Zuckerberg's or Elon Musk's mansion.
Officially named the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, this secure facility is located on the island of Spitsbergen, deep within the Arctic Circle.
It contains seeds from over 1.3 million plant species from around the world in case of any global disasters.
Carved into rock, the facility sits more than 100 metres (328 feet) inside a mountain and is designed to withstand earthquakes, nuclear attacks, and rising sea levels.
It’s also off-limits to humans, protecting it from germs and other threats.
Snake Island
Ilha da Queimada Grande - also known as Snake Island - was separated from the Brazilian mainland around 11,000 years ago.
The isolation of the land led to wild evolution in the local snakes.
Today, these are called golden lancehead vipers, snakes with venom that can melt human flesh and kill within an hour.
Some reports suggest there is now one snake per square metre of the island.
The Brazilian government has banned anyone from going there but no sane person would probably think of visiting. Only a few researchers are allowed, and they must be accompanied by a doctor.
The Church of St. Mary of Zion
Legend has it that the Ark of the Covenant is housed in a church in Aksum, Ethiopia.
The guardians of this relic are said to be sworn to protect it for life and are reportedly trained to kill anyone who tries to enter.
In reality, the object inside the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is likely a replica of the Ark, if it even exists at all. Since no one alive has been allowed inside, what it truly contains remains a mystery.
