Viral TikTok explains why it takes 15 days to travel between two islands just two miles apart

In what world can a two-mile journey take two days?

It sounds unbelievable, but as TikToker and Geographic fanatic Sam explains that it is the case for the Diomede Islands.

You can watch the video in full here.

Two islands make up the Diomede Islands - there is Little Diomede which is US territory as its part of Alaska and has just a small population of 115 people.

Only two miles to the west the second island is Big Diomede (otherwise known as Tomorrowland) and is classed as Russian territory.

Despite being a larger island, as it’s name sake suggests, there are no longstanding inhabitants.

As the two islands are part of two different territories, Sam explains the big time difference even though they are just two miles apart.

He says: “It’s 2pm on Friday here [Little Diomede] right now and it’s 10am on Saturday there [Big Diomede].”

Due to the lack of regular travel network between the two islands, if you wanted to island hop from one to the other, it’s going to set you back over two weeks.

Sam breaks down the long journey travellers would have to embark upon.

“You first would have to take a boat to Whales, Alaska, from there tomorrow you can catch a 4.45pm flight to Nome.

“Then you have to wait overnight for this flight to Anchorage on Sunday, it’s Friday night right now so that’s two days from now.

“From there you would have to wait um believe it or not until Tuesday in Anchorage to get this flight to Seattle - you would wait overnight in Seattle, then from Seattle you would fly to JFK and wait overnight in New York.

“You would then fly to Moscow, wait overnight in Moscow then fly to Irkutsk and wait 32 hours in Irkutsk and then fly to Anadyr.”

Sam then details how he had to sift though a Russian airline website to find out that you would have to wait until August 8th for the next flight to take to the closest airport to Big Diomede called Lavrentya.

For the final leg of the journey you then “just have to find some guy with a boat” to take you to Big Diomede Island.

All in all, the trip takes 15 days in total - not exactly the most relaxing holiday.

And it’s isn’t kind on the bank balance either, as Sam calculated the journey would cost around $3,000 in total, after all there is several flights you would need to take.

Though one person in the comments contested Sam’s journey and wrote: “Hi I live here and I promise its’ not that complicated.”

TikToker Julia, who is a journalist based in Nome, Alaska debunked the claim saying “it’s really not that complicated.”

You can watch the video in full here.

Julia explains a quicker way to travel to Big Diomede islandTikTok/julialwasher

She began by describing Nome as a “hub community” for 15-20 indigenous villages - including the little village on Little Diomede.

Julia explains there is regular air travel in the region “because most of the indigenous village are not accessible via the road system.”

So basically you can charter a flight with a private company instead of taking a 15 day round trip.

But before you get too excited and plan your getaway to Big Diomede, Julia describes the island as “basically a giant rock in the ocean.”