Results: Most Forbidden Areas in the World!! Part 8

Coca-Cola's Vault. The World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, is the site of a multi-million dollar vault that's said to safe-guard Coke's secret formula. Tourists can see it from the outside, but the interior is strictly limited to top executives. Though the vault itself is likely a publicity stunt, the formula is apparently a real, handwritten recipe that's been in the company's possession since at least the 1920s. It sat in a safe deposit box at an Atlanta bank for decades before moving to its current home at the World of Coca-Cola in 2011. Despite all that trouble, Coke's secret formula may not be much of a secret at all. That same year, This American Life shared a recipe for Coke that had allegedly been passed down from a mysterious pharmacist. Coca-Cola, of course, denies that this formula is the same one they have locked away. Would you want to get your hands on the OG recipe?

Uluru (Formerly Ayers Rock) Australia. One of the world's most famous forbidden places hasn't been forbidden for that long. In October 2019, Uluru, or the Australian landmark formerly known as Ayers Rock, closed to the public. Climbers had been trekking to the outback for decades just to scale the iconic rock formation. But long before it was a tourist attraction, Uluru was a sacred place to Indigenous groups. Following petitions from the Anangu people, the board of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park finally announced plans in 2017 to ban hikers from the site for good. (You can still visit the area, but climbing the rock is forbidden.) In case that isn't enough to keep people away, there are also rumors of a curse that targets disrespectful tourists. Visitors who have collected rocks from Uluru have reported streaks of bad luck, and enough of the cursed keepsakes have been mailed back to park rangers to earn them the nickname "sorry rocks." Would you visit despite not being able to hike it?

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Following the meltdown at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine in 1986, a 18-mile radius exclusion zone was established around the site. Though it's still against the law to live there, you can take a day trip with a licensed guide. Most of the exclusion zone is now open to tourists, including the infamous Reactor 4 control room where the disaster took place. You'll need a hazmat suit to enter the control room, but you can get away with long-sleeved clothing outside the power plant. Not sure if anyone would want to visit this site, especially given the war right now. But would you?

North Korea's Room 39. North Korea's version of Area 51 is Room 39, but instead of military secrets, it's said to hide things like black market Viagra. The name refers to the secret department as a whole, but it's also believed to be the name of a real office in the Workers Party building in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. According to some defectors, it keeps foreign cash flowing into the pockets of elite officials. Illegal activities coming out of Room 39, such as counterfeiting, insurance scams, and drug production, along with some legal endeavors, are estimated to make the country between $500 million and $2 billion USD. Of course, the country's notorious secrecy makes all of this hard to confirm. I know no one would visit, but are you curious to know what secrets they have?