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On a world map, the 180th meridian divides the Eastern Hemisphere from the Western Hemisphere. The area it passes through is mostly water, but remote parts of Russia, Alaska, Fiji, and a few others pass near or through it.

Is there any country I can set foot on both hemispheres as a traveler if I wanted to? If so where can I visit to do so?

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    You can also stand with a foot in both hemispheres if you travel to the prime meridian. The Royal Observatory, Greenwich in London is a fun place to do it.
    – user124107
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 20:41
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    You can also set foot in both hemispheres at the 0 meridian. And I do so nearly every day, as I live in the West, but work in the East. And on Saturday my parkrun crosses from East to West four times.
    – James K
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 20:42
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    @JamesK always a pleasure to meet a fellow Greenwhich park runner
    – Jivan
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 21:58
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    Nice guess, but the wrong run!
    – James K
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 22:02
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    does the question not answer itself? You can do exactly what you ask in Russia, Alaska, and Fiji. Or is the question more about where is it practical to do so?
    – Tristan
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 10:58

3 Answers 3

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Yes, on Taveuni Island, the third-largest island in Fiji, and a popular tourist destination.

The 180 meridian is crossed by a road. This image is from Google Earth

enter image description here

There is a nearby hotel called First Light Inn.

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    Keep in mind that though it is the 180, it is not the date line. Also we found the wild parrots, lush vegetation and general Taveuni beauty were attractions in themselves. Take the coastal walk while you're there, eat a wild lime, etc.
    – Kate Gregory
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 13:52
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    @KateGregory good point - the sign and legend in the photo are misleading. As in Alsaka, the international date line detours from 180 longitude for political reasons.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Nov 16, 2021 at 13:56
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    @WeatherVane There is no geographic reason why the international date line would need to be anywhere near the antimeridian. It just so happens that the antimeridian is among the least populated meridians on the planet, which is why the international date line is (relatively) nearby. However, this is just coincidental — there is no reason why one couldn't have the date line in the Atlantic Ocean or even through the middle of Europe or Asia.
    – gerrit
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 9:25
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    @VScode_fanboy the Date Line doesn't cross Taveuni. Please see this map.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 9:40
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    I know it is a commemorative board. I have stood in front of it. But the Date Line does not go through Taveuni or any other populated place. That would make it different days in different houses. The 180 doesn't cross much land, but the date line crosses even less and tries to avoid separating islands in the same country.
    – Kate Gregory
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 12:09
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In Chukotka, far eastern Russia, there is a monument where the 180° meridian and the Arctic Circle meet, though getting there is apparently something of a trek; as the linked website states:

If the weather is fine, you can reach the meridian by car after about a 60-km ride along the Egvekinot — Valunisty gold mine road. There is a sign post by the road. However, this still is not the 180th meridian. To get to the intersection point, you will need to walk about 2 km more in the direction indicated by an arrow laid in stone.

There also appears to be a road, though it might be unpaved and/or accessible during only part of the year, running near the Arctic coast which crosses the 180° meridian a bit west of Mys Shmidta. Wikipedia references suggest that there is some information about this road in Petit Futé Chukotka if you can somehow track down a copy.

Chukotka is a very remote and harsh part of the world; a special permit from the Russian government is required to visit, and you probably want to engage the services of a qualified guide in order not to die from the cold weather and limited services.

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    The monument is pretty interesting. I encourage other readers to follow the link. It's not the simple block of stone or concrete that I expected. There are some (fairly trivial) inaccuracies in the accompanying text, however.
    – phoog
    Commented Nov 18, 2021 at 8:23
  • And the special permit to the border zone is necessary even for citizens of Russia.
    – Vladimir F Героям слава
    Commented Nov 18, 2021 at 19:42
  • @VladimirF: According to the Chukotka tourism page, "Previously, most of the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Area was in the border zone. Since 2018, the border zone has been limited only to Big Diomede island, Wrangel island, and the Herald Island. Citizens of Russia no longer need a special pass to enter the municipal district."
    – Michael Seifert
    Commented Nov 18, 2021 at 22:00
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Clearly Antarctica. Either stroll around it at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (US), as many do, or take a skidoo from McMurdo or Scott Base (NZ) a little ways across the Ross Ice Shelf.

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    A quick estimate on Google Maps reveals that Ross Island, on which McMurdo and Scott bases are located, is about 200 miles (about 300 km) from the 180° line. Better pack a lunch.
    – Michael Seifert
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 12:50
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    Or the North Pole - during the winter it should be pretty well frozen there, so while you're not technically on land, you can still walk there.
    – Darrel Hoffman
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 15:09
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    You can also time travel into the future by walking counter-clockwise around the pole, or the past by walking clockwise! And HG Wells thought you had to invent a machine... pfftt!
    – FreeMan
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 17:26
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    @FreeMan You can also time travel into the future by lazying on your sofa.
    – gerrit
    Commented Nov 17, 2021 at 21:15
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    Hey, @Kevin, who asked you to rain on my party with facts??!? Harumph! I'm taking my time travel machine and going home...
    – FreeMan
    Commented Nov 18, 2021 at 23:27

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