The World's 10 Most Remote Vacation Destinations

In the time of coronavirus, many travelers are seeking out remote destinations that offer an exciting yet isolated experience. Official-Canada-eta.com recently analyzed 169 countries against the number of arrivals and the population density, scoring them on a scale of zero to 100 to determine the top places for a quiet, socially distant vacation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the top 10.

Located about 250 miles off of the African coast, Madagascar is the world's second-largest island country, covering a whopping 226,658 square miles (46th most in the world). Despite a population of over 26 million, the island only sees about 291,000 annual tourist arrivals.

The Kyrgyz Republic, a country of more than 6.3 million in central Asia, is far from a tourist hotspot, with about 423,000 visiting annually. Plus, the country ranks middle of the pack in terms of total area (77,202 square miles), coming in 85th worldwide.

The only South American destination in the top 10, Bolivia possesses the sixth-lowest number of local residents per square kilometer (10). The country's score of 79.5 out of 100 is enough to propel it slightly ahead of neighboring Paraguay, which falls just outside of the top 10 with a score of 75.9.

Belize, which plans to reopen its borders to international travelers this October, is one of only seven destinations to earn a total score above 80. The Central American country draws about 489,000 tourists in a normal year and is home to about 383,000 citizens.

Palau's average annual visitor count (106,000) is nearly six times that of its population (17,900), making this island country in the western Pacific Ocean one of the most remote places on the planet. With a total area of just 177 square miles, Palau ranks 180th in the world.

While the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan in south-central Asia has become less isolated in recent decades, its remote score of 84.2 is good enough for the fifth-best among the nearly 170 countries Official-Canada-eta.com analyzed.

Mongolia has the lowest number of local residents per square kilometer (two), edging out countries like Australia, Iceland and Canada. Despite its size, the East Asian country's ruggedness also means it pales in comparison to other places in terms of tourist-friendliness, drawing about 529,000 per year under normal circumstances.

The South Pacific is well-represented when it comes to the most remote vacation destinations in the world. The archipelago of Vanuatu narrowly edges out Mongolia with a score of 87.5 out of 100, attracting about 116,000 visitors each year.

With only 27,900 tourist arrivals per year, the Solomon Islands-famous for its role in World War II-is undoubtedly among the most remote places travelers can visit. The sovereign state northeast of Australia comprises a half-dozen major islands and hundreds of smaller islands.

New Caledonia in the South Pacific ranks as the most remote vacation destination, with a population of just over 284,000 and an estimated 120,000 arrivals per year. The French island territory scored an impressive 92 out of 100 for a quiet getaway.