Incredible Quietest Places on the Earth

In an era of noise pollution and annoying cacophony, the very notion of quietest places on the earth comes as a balm for the soul. And the soothing fact is that the quietest places exist on the planet. Not a hyperbole, there are natural and human made locations where noise disturbance is little or nil. These are the quietest places on the earth that are notable for the sound of silence or nature.

In order to be recognised and obtain a Quiet Park Status, the place should have ‘noise levels of below 45 decibels and a maximum of eight short “noise disturbances” an hour’. Interestingly and fortunately, there are scores of quietest places or parks existing in different parts of the world. It would have been a cakewalk to name the loudest or most noisy places. However, to recognize places like Muir Woods National Monument, CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, Landmannalaugar, Anechoic chamber or Tak Be Ha Cenote is no easy task. There are more to the list as given below.

Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan

Packed with forests, hills and wildflower-filled valleys, Yangmingshan National Park is one of the quietest places to visit. Awarded Urban Quiet Park status by Quiet Parks International in 2020, the park is situated not far from Taipei. Yet, the park is naturally beautiful and a quiet destination. To add more charm to the spot, it is laced with hot springs, cliffs, meadows, and lakes. Blooming flowers like cherry blossoms, azaleas, calla lilies and hydrangeas in different seasons make Yangmingshan National Park all the more attractive.

Expanded over eleven thousand hectares of land, the park is designed in traditional Chinese style. Fruit plants and the presence of rare species of birds add more charm to the park. One of the more attractive features of the park is the ‘flower-clock’. The park is also a preferred location for nature lovers and hikers. Despite the flow of visitors, the park was awarded ‘World’s First Urban Quiet Park’.

Zabalo River, Ecuador

Located in the Amazon rainforest, Ecuador’s Zabalo River is a scenic location. More importantly, the location is one of the quietest places in the world. The river is in the heart of an expansive land of wilderness, which is protected by the Indigenous Cofán people. Probably, these two factors contribute to the hushed ambiance in the region. However, the location is frequented by tourists as arranged by tour companies. Camping, trekking, canoeing, fishing are a few activities that tourists enjoy on this part of the earth. Probably, what they enjoy more could be the silence. Away from the city life and roads, the surroundings of the Zabalo River are devoid of all artificial or human-made noises. It is just the natural voices and you. How blissful! The area around Zabalo River was declared the first Wilderness Quiet Park by Quiet Parks International in 2019.

Zürich, Switzerland

Yes, Zürich it is and you read it right. Despite being one of the top tourist destinations in Europe, it is also one of the quietest places you can visit. If you are looking for peaceful days, the city offers the same. A city poised in the lap of nature is Zürich. Once you are outside of the heart of the city, even the road trips resemble a trip in the park. Rivers, parks, walking trails and even hiking spots, perfect Zürich. According to tests carried out by the World Hearing Index and the World Health Organization, Zürich has the lowest noise levels of any city.

Älvsjöskogen Nature Reserve, Sweden

Where artificial noises are muted and natural sounds reverberate, Älvsjöskogen Nature Reserve noticeably turns everyone’s attention as one of the quietest places. It is in 2015; the city of Stockholm launched its guide to Silence Project. In the area, sign boards are installed to encourage the visitors to follow the protocol, as it is one of the dedicated quietest places in the country. Consequently, in the year 2022, the protected forest area received recognition as an Urban Quiet Park Status. The forested land is the natural habitat of several species of exotic birds. At the same time, designated picnic spots attract tourists to spend relaxed and peaceful time. The park is also an educational centre where visitors learn about its flora and fauna. Judarskogen Nature Reserve, Hansta Nature Reserve, Sätraskogen Nature Reserve are other spots that are beautiful and remarkably quiet in Sweden.

Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii

A dormant volcano landscape, Haleakalā National Park is often frequented by visitors to marvel at the dawn and dusk. The Crater is a natural outcome of years of erosion of the volcanic mountains. The diversly rich landscape consists of deserts, rock beds, streams, and waterfalls. Hiking trails, horse rides, the flora and fauna are other attractions here. Besides these characteristics, what makes the Crater a special location is its quietest ambiance. It is so silent that the visitors to the crater say they can hear their heartbeats. According to Gordon Hempton, known as the Sound Tracker, the park has the fewest decibels and least noise pollution. Imagine spending a couple of days at the park. With its stunning landscape, unpredictable weather, spectacular scenes at night, encompassed by silence, the park is truly a magical haven.

Wouldn’t you wish for more such places everywhere? However spectacular and tourist-friendly some places are, they are hardly devoid of noise pollution. Human existence coexists with noise pollution. That is where Quiet Park status hogs the limelight. Once conferred such a title by the QPI team, the designated parks and spots become special zones. You can listen to more of silence than artificial noises at such places.