The most well-known site of the DMZ and the closest point to North Korea, is the JSA (Joint Security Area, pictured). Here, soldiers from both countries face each other with only a few feet of gravel in between, always ready to act in case of an emergency. In the JSA, negotiations between North and South Korea are held, with no negotiator having to leave their country, because the border runs right through the centre of the building and even the table the delegates sit around.

Civilians tie prayer ribbons to fences near the DMZ and hopes for peace and family reunifications on the Korean peninsula are persistent.

Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration

Situated in the middle of the Nevada desert, this US Air Force facility has long been kept a secret and there are many conspiracy theories and mysteries linked to it. Restricted Area 51 – also officially referred to as Groom Lake – is a military site used for flight testing.

The small nearby town of Rachel on the so-called 'Extraterrestrial Highway' is a key tourist attraction. A popular stopover among UFO hunters is the alien-themed restaurant Little A'Le'Inn (pictured).

Called the black mailbox (it was originally painted black), it belongs to Steve Medlin who lives on a nearby ranch. It is the only landmark for 40 miles (64km) on the highway and has become a handy meeting point for UFO seekers on dark nights, many of whom have filled the mailbox with letters to visitors from other worlds, much to the frustration of its owner. It was for that reason Medlin added the Alien mailbox beneath, so people would stop messing with his post.

Brave tourists can usually visit the 6,200 square miles (16,000sqkm) of Skeleton Coast National Park and marvel at the shipwrecks and skeletons, as well as the dramatic sand dunes of the desert. 

Take a look at these amazing ruins where Mother Nature ran riot

At first glance, this island off the coast of Brazil seems like the perfect escape with its crystal blue waters, lush vegetation and rocky expanse. However, there is a reason it's a no man's land...

Aptly nicknamed 'Snake Island', the Ilha da Queimada Grande is home to around 4,000 venomous vipers – that amounts to approximately one snake per 10 square feet (1sqm). The bite of the golden lancehead (or Bothrops insularis), that can only be found here, is deadly. The Brazilian government has therefore banned visitors from the island. Only the navy is allowed to access it.

Check out more abandoned islands the world forgot

One of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, Western Sahara has just over 500,000 inhabitants and consists mainly of desert. Yet its land mass is larger than the UK.

Discover these secret wonders hidden in the world's largest deserts

Almost half of that number live in its largest city Laayoune (about 200,000 inhabitants), which is administered by Morocco and is under the supervision of UN peacekeepers. This house is said to be the oldest, dating back to 1934.

The four mysterious radomes of Teufelsberg seem to be a bit out of place. Little is known about what exactly was listened to and what methods were used. 

The buildings now have uneven surfaces, broken glass and debris is scattered around. Climbing up inside the towers is only for the very brave as it involves ascending the stairs in total darkness. 

Discover what else to see in Germany's compelling capital city here

For 45 years, time has stood still in the so-called 'Green Line' in Cyprus, a buffer zone introduced by the United Nations to keep the peace between the waring halves on the Mediterranean island. It was established following a civil war between the Turkish and the Greek communities on Cyprus, in 1974, and has largely been a no man's land ever since. 

Abandoned houses, shops and even an airport remain untouched and crumbling reminders of a bygone era. At the derelict Nicosia International Airport, a destroyed Cyprus Airways jet still stands near the runway.

Take a look at more airports that were built then abandoned

The buffer zone cuts right through the capital of Nicosia (Lefkosia). In some parts of the old town it is only several feet (a few metres) wide.

UN peacekeepers are still present in the buffer zone and patrol within the area. In the case of an emergency, a mobile unit is always ready to respond. According to the UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus), approximately one thousand incidents occur within the buffer zone each year.

Pictured are warning signs marking the boundary of the UN. Since 2003, a number of crossing points have opened up that allow Cypriots and tourists to walk or drive between the north and south, allowing some freedom of movement. 

Now take a look at stunning images of the world's abandoned castles

Three-quarters of a century later, the ghost town is a memorial to those who perished. Rusted cars, including the Peugeot 202 the mayor drove before his brutal death, still sit on the roads. 

Discover the incredible pictures of tourist attractions that no longer exist

Today, its Ferris wheel, carousels and bumper cars are covered in rust and stand abandoned in the ghost town.

Take a look inside America's abandoned theme parks here

This doll was left behind in a kindergarten in Pripyat. There have been talks to redraw the boundaries of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to reflect the declining radioactivity in the outer parts of the area, but some areas still send Geiger counters into a fit of beeps. Before the war, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was safe to visit for tourists, but could be explored on guided tours only.

Now discover the eeriest abandoned attraction in every state