# Where is the most quiet place on earth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666 "2012-01-06T21:12:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![quietnessseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/258eb7/32.png) [@quietnessseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quietnessseeker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/1 "2012-01-06T21:12:32Z")
Dear Forum users, a recent discussion on “Where to spend a really quiet vacation?” sparked a question that seems very hard to answer - besides “fun”-answers - and I could not find any scientific data on it: Where is the (on average, over time) most quiet place on the surface of planet earth? (“Surface” ruling out indoor environments, caves, orbitals or similar places.) This place would probably have to be - without splashing water (rain, rivers, sea) - without strong winds or things that make sounds when exposed to wind - without animals that make noises (birds, insects etc.) - far from humans making noise - without glaciers, volcanos or other noise sources Do you have an answer to this, or at least a pointer to some empirical measurements? (BTW: When you search the Web for this questions, you find a lot of answers - but none of them seems even remotely based on evidence or at least a plausible reasoning…) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/2 "2012-01-06T21:24:56Z")
I’ve been told that balloon rides are eerily quite due to the fact that you are traveling with the wind, so it makes no sound. Haven’t been in one so not sure if this is true but it makes sense. So a balloon ride over the ocean should be deafeningly quite. Or if you have to stay on a surface, how about a sailboat in the middle of the ocean on a dead calm day. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/3 "2012-01-06T21:25:48Z")
I’m guessing it would be hard to find a quieter place than the [dry valleys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMurdo_Dry_Valleys) of Antarctica. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/4 "2012-01-06T21:30:49Z")
A forest after a snowstorm (with no wind) is eerily silent. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/5 "2012-01-06T21:32:32Z")
I’m going with Antarctica . . . except for the wind. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/6 "2012-01-06T21:38:15Z")
Balloons are real quiet. Except for when the pilot fires the burners. Those are very loud. And they get used every couple of minutes. The Antarctic dry valleys are famous for very high winds that blow for weeks at a time. Not quiet at all. OP: Once you get away from humanity, wind is your noisiest thing. The problem is wind blows darn near everywhere. In a lot of open desolate plains it blows darn near non-stop. ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/7 "2012-01-06T21:40:00Z")
I’d guess Northeastern Siberia, as long as you’re not near the coast. This map shows that areas of it have very low average winds, and it likely has less humans and wildlife than areas that are similarly low: [http://www.3tier.com/static/ttcms/us/images/support/maps/3tier\_5km\_global\_wind\_speed.jpg](http://www.3tier.com/static/ttcms/us/images/support/maps/3tier_5km_global_wind_speed.jpg) Glaciers could be an issue, but how much noise do they really make as long as they’re not melting? Again, this is more of an educated guess than empirical evidence. ---
**Author:** ![quietnessseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/258eb7/32.png) [@quietnessseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quietnessseeker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/8 "2012-01-06T21:48:20Z")
If it’s agreed that “wind” is the most important natural noise factor, then maybe some deep canyon in a desert or similar could be especially quiet, as it is mostly protected from wind? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/9 "2012-01-06T21:52:58Z")
This place outa be pretty quiet: > **[Atacama Desert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert)** > > The Atacama Desert (Spanish: Desierto de Atacama) is a desert plateau located on the Pacific coast of South America (Argentina and Chile). Stretching over a 1,600 km (990 mi) strip of land west of the Andes Mountains, it covers an area of 105,000 km2 (41,000 sq mi), which increases to 128,000 km2 (49,000 sq mi) if the barren lower slopes of the Andes are included. > The Atacama Desert is the driest nonpolar desert in the world, and the second driest overall, behind some specific spots within the... ---
**Author:** ![quietnessseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/258eb7/32.png) [@quietnessseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quietnessseeker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/10 "2012-01-06T21:55:36Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > This place outa be pretty quiet: > [Atacama Desert - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert) Hmmm… a friend of mine has been there not long ago, and reported very strong winds blowing most of the time… didn’t sound that quiet… ---
**Author:** ![quietnessseeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/258eb7/32.png) [@quietnessseeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quietnessseeker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/11 "2012-01-06T21:57:55Z")
> [@TerpBE](#): > > I’d guess Northeastern Siberia, as long as you’re not near the coast. This map shows that areas of it have very low average winds, and it likely has less humans and wildlife than areas that are similarly low: [http://www.3tier.com/static/ttcms/us/images/support](http://www.3tier.com/static/ttcms/us/images/support) Too bad this map does not tell about winds on the ocean… may the Sargasso Sea could qualify for being especially quiet due its low average winds…? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/12 "2012-01-06T21:59:29Z")
Yeah, if there were high winds that would be problem. Perhaps there are areas without winds. If the winds prevail in a certain direction maybe you can get in a dead zone on the backside of one of the mountains? Maybe the bottom of a quarry ?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/13 "2012-01-06T22:06:36Z")
My bedroom when I was married to my ex-wife? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/14 "2012-01-06T22:11:22Z")
Is underground out of limits? Because I have been in some high limestone caves that were amazingly quiet (and dark). By high limestone, I mean that the cave was eroded out during an ancient period when the water level was considerably higher. That obviates the ‘drip-drip-drip’ of actively eroding limestone caves. Perhaps a lavatube in granite deep underground? Or just do what I do and remove my hearing aid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/15 "2012-01-06T22:39:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The Antarctic dry valleys are famous for very high winds that blow for weeks at a time. Not quiet at all. I was thinking that, but I couldn’t resist mentioning them because they’re so interesting. Also… does wind make noise when there’s nothing to obstruct it? For example, if it’s blowing over a sheer sheet of ice? If not, then it would sound windy if you were there, but it would be silent if you weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/16 "2012-01-06T22:57:01Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > does wind make noise when there’s nothing to obstruct it? If the flow is truly laminar, you can make a decent case that it doesn’t. But rapid airflow across the surface of the earth almost never is, so - from the point of view of physics - windy places are reliably noisy. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/17 "2012-01-06T22:58:01Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Is underground out of limits? According to the OP, yes. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/18 "2012-01-06T23:08:28Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > If the flow is truly laminar, you can make a decent case that it doesn’t. But rapid airflow across the surface of the earth almost never is, so - from the point of view of physics - windy places are reliably noisy. But that depends on how fast the wind is and what the obstructions are. I can’t give specifics but I seem to recall being in some fairly windy places where the wind wasn’t making noise (except for our big flappy tent). So, I think some places you can have winds, just not HIGH winds and be ok. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/19 "2012-01-06T23:08:51Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > My bedroom when I was married to my ex-wife? I said my bedroom … _tap, tap, tap_ … is this thing on? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666/20 "2012-01-06T23:18:10Z")
The quietest place I’ve ever been is [here](http://g.co/maps/fpp36)in Point Reyes National Seashore. Driving through the entire park with the top down was eerie and beautiful. We stopped in a meadow, surrounded by flowers for acres, and turned off the car. No birds, no waves, no cars - nothing. Like being in a cave with headphones on. Just head for the lighthouse & you’ll see! It also has the added advantage of not being Antarctica! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-most-quiet-place-on-earth/608666.md?page=2)