A tropical getaway on a secluded island sounds like a dream vacation for many travelers, but North Sentinel Island is one destination you’ll want to steer clear of. While the thought of relaxing on pristine white beaches, cocktail in hand, and gazing out at crystal-clear waters is undeniably tempting, it’s best to stick to popular destinations like the Maldives, Seychelles, or Mauritius for that kind of paradise.
However, there’s one island in the Indian Ocean that tourists are strictly forbidden from visiting. While its pristine natural beauty has been preserved from the outside world, it’s a destination far too dangerous to explore.
North Sentinel Island, one of the 572 islands in the Andaman archipelago, is home to approximately 500 indigenous people who remain isolated from modern civilization.
North Sentinel Island, a protected area of India located in the Bay of Bengal, sits near Myanmar and Thailand, its closest mainland neighbors. The island is inhabited by the Sentinelese, a tribe known for their fierce resistance to outsiders. Due to the tribe’s voluntary isolation and hostile defense of their territory, a five-nautical-mile (9.3 km) exclusion zone surrounds the island, strictly prohibiting entry.
The Sentinelese, often labeled as the world’s most dangerous tribe, are believed to have lived on the island for approximately 60,000 years. Despite the clear dangers, some adventurers have attempted to breach the exclusion zone, often with deadly consequences.
One of the most recent and tragic incidents involved American missionary John Allen Chau in 2018. Driven by his desire to spread Christianity, Chau was sent by a Missouri-based missionary group to live among the Sentinelese, despite the near impossibility of communication, as their language remains unknown to the outside world. At 26 years old, Chau made multiple attempts to contact the tribe.
Before his fatal visit, Chau had arrived in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman Islands, on a tourist visa. He then paid local fishermen around $400 (£301) to illegally transport him to North Sentinel Island.
On November 15, 2018, John Allen Chau was dropped off by a boat about 700 meters from the shore of North Sentinel Island. Ignoring warnings from the fishermen who brought him, he paddled toward the island in a canoe, carrying a waterproof Bible. Once ashore, Chau attempted to offer gifts and communicate with the Sentinelese, but was met with hostility and quickly retreated.
On a subsequent visit, a young boy shot an arrow at him, which pierced the Bible he held. Despite this clear warning, Chau made one final attempt to reach the island on November 17. This time, he did not return. Fishermen later reported seeing the tribe drag his body along the beach and bury it. Despite efforts by Indian authorities, Chau’s body was never recovered, and seven individuals, including the fishermen who had ferried him to the island, were arrested.
Before embarking on his mission, Chau wrote in his diary, “I think it’s worthwhile to declare Jesus to these people. Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed… Don’t retrieve my body.”