The Paracel Islands, also known as the Hoang Sa Archipelago, are a cluster of approximately 130 small islands and coral reefs in the South China Sea, and the location of one of Google Earth’s mysterious black sites.

This place, seen by few human eyes, appears on Google Earth as a series of blurred and blacked out images, for reasons not entirely understood.

The Paracels are also home to the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole, known as Dragon Hole, which appears to have been deliberately scrubbed from Google Earth.

Approximately 1,000 feet deep and referred to by local fishermen as “the eye of the South China Sea”, photographs of Dragon Hole exist despite the lack of satellite imagery. It was, however, only officially revealed by the Chinese government less than a decade ago.

Further adding to the intrigue of this location, legend claims that the Dragon Hole is where the much fabled Monkey King once found his golden cudgel.

Many have sought an explanation for why the site is not visible on Google Earth. Measures such as blurring and blacking out locations are typically reserved for military bases, prisons and areas whose discovery could represent a security threat...