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See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 27 Fotos
Raja Ampat, Indonesia - Also known as the "underwater Amazon," the beautiful coral reefs of Raja Ampat are home to an incredible biodiversity.
© Shutterstock
1 / 27 Fotos
Raja Ampat, Indonesia - This was put at risk when a cruise ship smashed into the coral reef after advancing during low tide. To make matters worse, a tugboat was then called, which further damaged the coral reef.
© Shutterstock
2 / 27 Fotos
Uluru, Australia - This huge sandstone monolith is one of Australia's most iconic landmarks. But tourists have found a way to disrupt the local ecosystem.
© Shutterstock
3 / 27 Fotos
Uluru, Australia
- Apparently, tourists like to poop and pee on top of this natural wonder. The consequences? The extinction of a rare shrimp species.
© Shutterstock
4 / 27 Fotos
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - Located in Chile's Patagonia region, Torres del Paine is a breathtaking, unspoiled natural wonder. But a number of careless tourists have set fire to it on more than one occasion.
© Shutterstock
5 / 27 Fotos
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - In 2005, a Czech tourist accidentally burned down to ashes about 5% of the entire park. In 2011, an Israeli tourist also set ablaze a similar portion of the park. Then in 2015, two tourists were banned from the park for trying to start a campfire.
© Shutterstock
6 / 27 Fotos
Paracel Islands, China - These islands have been disputed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In 2013, tourists started to visit the islands.
© Shutterstock
7 / 27 Fotos
Paracel Islands, China - But soon they also started hunting and fishing endangered species and bragging about it on social media.
© Shutterstock
8 / 27 Fotos
Isla de sa Porrassa, Spain - You will find this inhabited small island off the coast of the popular resort Magaluf, in Majorca, Spain. Magaluf is a popular hot spot among young tourists looking to party hard.
© Shutterstock
9 / 27 Fotos
Isla de sa Porrassa, Spain - Every year, people swim from Magaluf beach to the island. In 2015, two Scottish teenagers did the same, but also accidentally started a fire after tossing their cigarettes to the dry ground.
© Shutterstock
10 / 27 Fotos
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland - These dramatic cliffs are one of Ireland's most famous natural wonders. The breathtaking site attract over 800,000 visitors every year.
© Shutterstock
11 / 27 Fotos
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland - But in 2013, two French graffiti artists thought the cliffs needed a touch of street art and spray-painted a huge mural on them...
© Shutterstock
12 / 27 Fotos
Big Major Cay, The Bahamas - Otherwise known as Pig Beach, this place is a huge tourist attraction. Visitors love to interact with the animals, but the pigs are suffering the impact of mass tourism.
© Shutterstock
13 / 27 Fotos
Big Major Cay, The Bahamas
- A number of pigs have now died, mostly because of the impact of tourism in the island. Tourists feed the pigs all sorts of inappropriate food, including rum and beer. In addition, the pigs got used to foraging for food left by tourists in the sand, instead of doing so in the forest. As a result, many ingest deadly amounts of sand.
© Shutterstock
14 / 27 Fotos
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - Once an untouched wild paradise, these islands are now also suffering the consequences of mass tourism. Local fauna and flora is being threatened by invasive species.
© Shutterstock
15 / 27 Fotos
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - According to a 2017 study, humans have introduced over 1,500 alien terrestrial and marine species to the islands.
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Graffiti in American national parks - From Crater Lake to Joshua Tree, a graffiti artist managed to leave her mark on nine American national parks!
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Graffiti in American national parks - She decided to share pictures of her "work" on social media, was caught, and ended up being banned from over 20% of the US landmass.
© Shutterstock
18 / 27 Fotos
Racetrack Playa, USA - The Racetrack in California's Death Valley is known for a strange phenomenon: large rocks that move, apparently by themselves, leaving a trail behind them.
© Shutterstock
19 / 27 Fotos
Racetrack Playa, USA - But then a visitor thought it would be a great idea to drive an SUV to the Racetrack and do some donuts, damaging the soil. And a few months later, it happened again!
© Shutterstock
20 / 27 Fotos
Devils Hole, USA - The extremely rare Devils Hole pupfish inhabits the waters of the Devils Hole, a cavern located within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada.
© Public Domain
21 / 27 Fotos
Devils Hole, USA - In 2016, three drunk men threw cans in the water, vomited, and one even left his used boxer shorts behind. They killed one fish, and potentially caused damage to the ecosystem.
© Public Domain
22 / 27 Fotos
Goblin Valley State Park, USA - This Utah park is known for its hoodoos, locally known as goblins. These spectacular geological structures form the park's unique alien-like landscape.
© Shutterstock
23 / 27 Fotos
Goblin Valley State Park, USA
- But three men saw one of the ancient structures as a threat to visitors and decided to knock it down. Indeed, natural history destroyed in seconds.
© Shutterstock
24 / 27 Fotos
Duckbill, USA - But then in 2016, a group of teenagers pushed the hoodoo and destroyed it.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Tree of Ténéré, Niger
- Its proud but lonely stand against time was abruptly ended in 1973, when a drunk driver managed to crash into the only obstacle for hundreds of miles. A metal sculpture now takes its place in the desert. See also: Responsible tourism: Simple ways to travel more ethically.
© Shutterstock
26 / 27 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 27 Fotos
Raja Ampat, Indonesia - Also known as the "underwater Amazon," the beautiful coral reefs of Raja Ampat are home to an incredible biodiversity.
© Shutterstock
1 / 27 Fotos
Raja Ampat, Indonesia - This was put at risk when a cruise ship smashed into the coral reef after advancing during low tide. To make matters worse, a tugboat was then called, which further damaged the coral reef.
© Shutterstock
2 / 27 Fotos
Uluru, Australia - This huge sandstone monolith is one of Australia's most iconic landmarks. But tourists have found a way to disrupt the local ecosystem.
© Shutterstock
3 / 27 Fotos
Uluru, Australia
- Apparently, tourists like to poop and pee on top of this natural wonder. The consequences? The extinction of a rare shrimp species.
© Shutterstock
4 / 27 Fotos
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - Located in Chile's Patagonia region, Torres del Paine is a breathtaking, unspoiled natural wonder. But a number of careless tourists have set fire to it on more than one occasion.
© Shutterstock
5 / 27 Fotos
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - In 2005, a Czech tourist accidentally burned down to ashes about 5% of the entire park. In 2011, an Israeli tourist also set ablaze a similar portion of the park. Then in 2015, two tourists were banned from the park for trying to start a campfire.
© Shutterstock
6 / 27 Fotos
Paracel Islands, China - These islands have been disputed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In 2013, tourists started to visit the islands.
© Shutterstock
7 / 27 Fotos
Paracel Islands, China - But soon they also started hunting and fishing endangered species and bragging about it on social media.
© Shutterstock
8 / 27 Fotos
Isla de sa Porrassa, Spain - You will find this inhabited small island off the coast of the popular resort Magaluf, in Majorca, Spain. Magaluf is a popular hot spot among young tourists looking to party hard.
© Shutterstock
9 / 27 Fotos
Isla de sa Porrassa, Spain - Every year, people swim from Magaluf beach to the island. In 2015, two Scottish teenagers did the same, but also accidentally started a fire after tossing their cigarettes to the dry ground.
© Shutterstock
10 / 27 Fotos
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland - These dramatic cliffs are one of Ireland's most famous natural wonders. The breathtaking site attract over 800,000 visitors every year.
© Shutterstock
11 / 27 Fotos
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland - But in 2013, two French graffiti artists thought the cliffs needed a touch of street art and spray-painted a huge mural on them...
© Shutterstock
12 / 27 Fotos
Big Major Cay, The Bahamas - Otherwise known as Pig Beach, this place is a huge tourist attraction. Visitors love to interact with the animals, but the pigs are suffering the impact of mass tourism.
© Shutterstock
13 / 27 Fotos
Big Major Cay, The Bahamas
- A number of pigs have now died, mostly because of the impact of tourism in the island. Tourists feed the pigs all sorts of inappropriate food, including rum and beer. In addition, the pigs got used to foraging for food left by tourists in the sand, instead of doing so in the forest. As a result, many ingest deadly amounts of sand.
© Shutterstock
14 / 27 Fotos
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - Once an untouched wild paradise, these islands are now also suffering the consequences of mass tourism. Local fauna and flora is being threatened by invasive species.
© Shutterstock
15 / 27 Fotos
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador - According to a 2017 study, humans have introduced over 1,500 alien terrestrial and marine species to the islands.
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Graffiti in American national parks - From Crater Lake to Joshua Tree, a graffiti artist managed to leave her mark on nine American national parks!
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Graffiti in American national parks - She decided to share pictures of her "work" on social media, was caught, and ended up being banned from over 20% of the US landmass.
© Shutterstock
18 / 27 Fotos
Racetrack Playa, USA - The Racetrack in California's Death Valley is known for a strange phenomenon: large rocks that move, apparently by themselves, leaving a trail behind them.
© Shutterstock
19 / 27 Fotos
Racetrack Playa, USA - But then a visitor thought it would be a great idea to drive an SUV to the Racetrack and do some donuts, damaging the soil. And a few months later, it happened again!
© Shutterstock
20 / 27 Fotos
Devils Hole, USA - The extremely rare Devils Hole pupfish inhabits the waters of the Devils Hole, a cavern located within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada.
© Public Domain
21 / 27 Fotos
Devils Hole, USA - In 2016, three drunk men threw cans in the water, vomited, and one even left his used boxer shorts behind. They killed one fish, and potentially caused damage to the ecosystem.
© Public Domain
22 / 27 Fotos
Goblin Valley State Park, USA - This Utah park is known for its hoodoos, locally known as goblins. These spectacular geological structures form the park's unique alien-like landscape.
© Shutterstock
23 / 27 Fotos
Goblin Valley State Park, USA
- But three men saw one of the ancient structures as a threat to visitors and decided to knock it down. Indeed, natural history destroyed in seconds.
© Shutterstock
24 / 27 Fotos
Duckbill, USA - But then in 2016, a group of teenagers pushed the hoodoo and destroyed it.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Tree of Ténéré, Niger
- Its proud but lonely stand against time was abruptly ended in 1973, when a drunk driver managed to crash into the only obstacle for hundreds of miles. A metal sculpture now takes its place in the desert. See also: Responsible tourism: Simple ways to travel more ethically.
© Shutterstock
26 / 27 Fotos
Natural wonders destroyed by tourists
Reckless tourists are ruining our planet
© Shutterstock
Our planet is full of amazing places that many of us dream of visiting one day.
Places that we would only be exposed to through a National Geographic documentary are now available at the distance of a click. Do you want to know where the most spectacular and secluded places on Earth are located? All you need is access to the Internet and you’re good to go.
It doesn’t take much to come up with a shortlist of beautiful distant destinations for your next vacation. Traveling to remote locations has never been easier. Lower air travel fares and a wider network of local transportation has made once remote places easily accessible. Your average folks are now following the trail of explorers and scientists alike and delving deep into the wilderness.
Tourism can be extremely beneficial for many countries’ economies and an important source of income for many people around the world, but if not properly controlled, it can have disastrous consequences.
Despite the rise of sustainable tourism, many places in the world are simply not prepared for the influx of people they’re getting, nor is the ecosystem in many of those places.
From remote natural parks to uninhabited islands, tourists are getting everywhere, and sometimes their footprint causes irreversible damage. It’s inevitable that, as more people travel, more often, and to more locations than ever before, accidents will happen.
How many of us have been to beautiful locations, away from it all, only to find traces of human presence, from bottles to cigarette butts. While this is far from being an enjoyable experience, the truth is that it can get worse—a lot worse.
From unfortunate accidents, to downright vandalism, in this gallery you’ll find many cases where stupidity outweighed curiosity. While you might not completely lose faith in humanity, these examples will at least make you question the whole human conscience and our relationship with the planet.
Click through and get to know some of planet’s most amazing places that have been ruined by tourists.
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