Surviving Snake Island in Brazil; 5 disturbing facts about the world’s most dangerous island every traveller should know

This is no ordinary island but a landmass infested by the world’s most venomous snakes, including the golden lancehead viper. Situated off the coast of southeastern Brazil, it is an island so dangerous that even seasoned adventurers are not allowed to explore freely. Officially known as Ilha da Queimada Grande, it is a forest-covered land in the Atlantic Ocean where more than snakes live legends and stories so disturbing that it gives people nightmares. It’s so dangerous that Brazilian authorities have prohibited tourism entirely.

Let’s find out more about Snake Island and how to reach here, if you can.

The island is managed and protected by Brazilian conservation laws. It is because the island is the famous home of one of the world’s rarest and deadliest snakes: the golden lancehead viper. The island is heavily guarded by the government of Brazil. The access is restricted and only select researchers, scientists and naval personnel are allowed on the island for safety reasons.
Here are five disturbing facts every traveller should know before planning a trip to Snake Island.

One of the biggest and obvious reasons for such restriction is that the island is home to thousands of deadly snakes. The number of snakes found on the island is scary. Researchers say parts of the island have “one snake per square metre” (though actual estimates vary). It is also the only natural habitat of the critically endangered golden lancehead viper which is a species of snake that is found nowhere else on the planet, making it all the more fascinating. The island was cut off from mainland Brazil thousands of years ago and snakes took over.

If you thought the golden lancehead is just rare, it is also highly venomous. Highly means a painful death in seconds! As per reports, the venom can cause severe tissue damage, internal bleeding, kidney failure, and several other life-threatening problems in humans. You’ll also find sensational tales on the internet which claim the venom can “melt human flesh.”

Having said that, this place is not safe even for adventurous experiences. Civilian and tourist entry to Snake Island is banned by the Brazilian government. The Brazilian Navy keeps monitoring the island the whole time. Only authorised scientists and conservation researchers are permitted under strict supervision. The island is a protected ecological conservation site managed by Brazil’s ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade).

This clearly means:

No tourist allowed
No hotels, guesthouses
No hiking
No guided expeditions

One of the most (in)famous stories of the island is about the abandoned lighthouse. It is believed that the government had built a lighthouse on the island. There was a keeper who lived with his family. One night, the family was attacked by the snakes who entered from an open window. The whole family was killed and the lighthouse was abandoned. However, there are no verified official records confirming these stories. Today, the lighthouse is automated. The Brazilian Navy manages it.

(PC: São Paulo Secreto)

Illegal smuggling is one of the prime issues here. The golden lancehead is extremely rare and everyone’s imagination. The venom of lancehead is highly in demand for medicinal uses and more. The snake has unfortunately become valuable on the illegal exotic animal market. Reports suggest that smugglers attempted to capture snakes for black-market collectors. This is also another reason why Brazil keeps strict restrictions on the island.
Far from being merely a “forbidden horror island,” Snake Island is actually an important conservation zone protecting species that exist nowhere else on the planet.

Technically, no. Normal travellers cannot legally enter. But, adventurous visitors travelling through the coast of São Paulo sometimes take boat tours in surrounding waters. They can look at the island from a distance. These tours generally depart from mainland coastal towns in southeastern Brazil. But Snake Island remains off-limits unless someone has official authorisation.
For most travellers, the island is best experienced as a story — a haunting tale of nature’s fierce and raw form. And perhaps this is the reason why Snake Island continues to attract the imagination of travellers.
All these stories have transformed Snake Island into one of the world’s most mysterious travel-related legends.

(This article was researched using official conservation information from ICMBio Brazil Government, along with reporting and reference material from Enviro Literacy.)