The 20 most isolated places on Earth

• Many of the world's most isolated places are home to small towns with fascinating histories and cultures.
• Some can only be accessed by boat or plane.
• Here are 20 remote places that people live in, and that are worth the long trek.

If you're looking to avoid touristy spots for your next vacation, you might want to try visiting one of the most isolated places on Earth — some of which can only be accessed by boat or plane.

A number of these remote locations feature gorgeous tropical climates, while others require braving Arctic temperatures or relentless deserts. The adventure is yours to choose.

Here are 20 of the most remote places on Earth that some people call home.

SEE ALSO: This man is the last resident of a remote village in Siberia

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Tristan da Cunha, British Overseas Territory

The volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic boasts a population of 258 people with only nine different last names. 

The locals speak English, but have also invented their own dialect with words derived from Scottish, English, St Helenian, South African, American, Dutch, Italian, and Irish, reflective of their various places of origin.

South Africa is the nearest country to this British Overseas Territory, which is said to be the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world.

To get there, you have to time your visit one of the three ships that make nine trips from Cape Town each year — a journey of 1,732 miles.

Cape York Peninsula, Australia

The northernmost point of Australia, Cape York is a peninsula that's swimming with crocodiles. However, it's a great place to go fishing for sport. The land is owned by five indigenous communities, who also manage its tourism industry.

Cape York is about a 28-hour drive from Cairns, and renting a four-wheel-drive vehicle is a must.

Oymyakon, Russia

This remote Russian town is known as the coldest inhabited place on Earth. Its 500 residents live in darkness for 21 hours a day with an average temperature of -58 degrees.

It's impossible to grow crops there, so people live on reindeer meat, frozen fish, and ice cubes of horse blood with macaroni, according to WIRED. Indoor plumbing is also tricky since the water freezes, so most use outhouses.

Getting there can take several days. From Moscow, a flight to either Yakutsk or to Magadan is the closest you can get, and both are over 560 miles away. The road from those cities that leads to Oymyakon is called "The Road of Bones." Don't drive it alone.