n the depths of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, the Door to Hell was set alight in 1971 after engineers feared it was emitting poisonous gases. Over 40 years later the gaping inferno continues to rage, drawing in the small number of tourists who venture to the country each year. It is hard to predict when the government might finally extinguish the methane-fuelled inferno, or how long it will take to burn out naturally, but it’s certainly a sight worth seeing while you can.
