10 Places Women Aren’t Allowed to Visit

Some places around the world welcome visitors with open arms, yet hold firm to traditions that limit who can enter their most sacred spaces.

These restrictions often surprise travelers, but they are usually tied to long histories, religious beliefs, or cultural practices that communities have protected for generations.

Understanding the reasons behind these rules offers a deeper look into how different societies define purity, devotion, and heritage. The following places remain off-limits to women in specific ways, and each one reflects a complex story rather than a simple prohibition.

Okinoshima Island

Sacred tradition defines life on Okinoshima, where Shinto priests perform rituals in near total isolation. Women are prohibited from entering under long-standing religious customs, and even men must complete purification rites in the sea before stepping ashore.

Access remains extremely limited, with a small number of male visitors permitted only once a year, preserving the island’s protected spiritual character.

Caves of Lihue Calel National Park

Some caves within Lihué Calel National Park remain closed to women under long-standing Mapuche traditions. These sites are reserved for ceremonial use by men, and park officials uphold the custom as part of preserving Indigenous heritage.

The restriction applies only to select caves, so women can still explore the park’s sweeping landscapes, wildlife, and volcanic formations without limitation.

The Mannarasala Temple (During Menstruation)

Women may visit Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple throughout the year, although entry is paused during menstruation under long-held purity traditions. The temple is devoted to serpent deities and is surrounded by thousands of snake images that draw pilgrims seeking blessings for health and fertility.

While the rule remains in place, the wider discussion around such restrictions continues to evolve across India.

Mount Athos

Mount Athos in northern Greece has upheld a ban on women for more than a millennium, a rule tied to its deeply rooted Eastern Orthodox monastic traditions. Twenty monasteries operate here under autonomous governance, and the restriction is protected by Greek law.

Visitors who receive permission will find a remote spiritual enclave where ancient rituals, scholarship, and solitude define daily life.