Haunted places and horror stories elicit a certain level of excitement. If you enjoy exploring strange places and are fascinated by ghosts, don’t miss out on visiting these eerie locations from around the world. These locations will undoubtedly give you the jitters.
- Island of dolls (Mexico)
- Pripyat (Ukraine)
- Aokigahara forest (Japan)
- Bhangarh fort (Rajasthan)
- Fern hill hotel (0oty)
- Dow hill (West bengal)
- Screaming tunnel (Canada)
- Tak tak school (Hong kong)
- Mukesh mills (Mumbai)
- Neulbom garden restaurant (South korea)
Top 10 haunted places in the world
1. Island of dolls (Mexico):
There’s just something incredibly exciting about a location with a tragic and intriguing background. A small island with a terrible history that has not been expected to be a tourist destination may be found between the canals of Xochimico, just south of Mexico City. The island is called Isla de las Munecas, a haunted island where countless decaying dolls hanging from the trees are definitely the height of horror.
According to the legend, Julian Santana Barrera (Island caretaker) witnessed a little girl and her sisters swimming beside the river’s bank more than 50 years ago when the strong current swept one of them away. He made a huge effort to save the young girl, it was late though. Barrera was saddened that he was unable to save her. He noticed a floating doll next to the canals which is possessed by the girl. In order to appease the soul of the young girl who he was unable to save, he hung the doll from a tree.
According to several versions of the narrative, he did it as a symbol of respect for the deceased girl, to protect himself from her and pacify her spirit, in some cases, to shield the girl’s ghost from other evils in the water.
Barrera gathered more than 1,000 dolls over for the following 50 years; some were gifts by neighbours and travelers, while others were found in the trash in the area’s largest city. All of the dolls are still there, horrifyingly rotting and occasionally beheaded.
According to other tales, Barrera was becoming more and more plagued by a girl whispering, “I want my doll,” and nighttime footsteps. Even though it’s unclear, one thing is certain, he faced something terrific in his cabin in the middle of the woods, miles away from populated areas. 50 years later Barrera was found drowned in the same spot where the girl was claimed dead. Visitors now flock to Isla de las Munecas because they want to see the scenes from the terrible story.
2. Pripyat (Ukraine):
Abandoned places can be creepy enough, but the reason for abandonment at Chernobyl makes the place not only creepy but dangerous. Pripyat, the ghost township of Ukraine is among the world’s haunted places. It was a nuclear city established in the 1970s and once home to over 50,000 people before the disaster.
The Chernobyl in Pripyat witnessed the worst nuclear power plant accident in the historical record on 26th April, 1986, killing approximately 31 people and leaving many with deformities and cancer caused by radiation. The entire city was evacuated in four hours. Since evacuees were instructed to only bring necessary items, many of their belongings are still in Pripyat, but it’s these items which tell the story of the disaster.
On September 2010, both Chernobyl and Pripyat were considered secure enough for visitors. The once inhabited hospital, grocery stores, theme parks, movie theaters, and public venues are left in ruins, luring hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. If you plan to visit this creepy destination, you must still be screened before entering and for radioactive particles after departing. Tourists are also forbidden from touching barricaded objects and from sitting down anywhere.
Whilst humans have long left, the radiation still hasn’t. If you want to grasp the real essence of Pripyat, walk through all the spookily abandoned dorms of the residences here and the empty classrooms of schools!
3. Aokigahara forest (Japan):
Ever heard of Aokigahara Forest in Japan? If your answer is no, well let me tell you that this stunning green forest has been regarded as the most spooky place on earth as it has experienced the greatest suicide rate and has the reputation of being the world’s 2nd most prevalent place to commit suicide, after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.
Aokigahara is a high-density forest at the bottom of Mount Fuji in Japan, roughly two hours from Tokyo, the country’s booming capital city. This haunting place is universally acknowledged as the “SUICIDE FOREST” since it was one of the world’s most renowned suicide spots. It is also recognized as Jukai, which translates to “sea of trees” due to its dense forest.
Suicide was once considered an act of respect and honor in Japan. It has been utilized for ‘ubatse,’ or the practice of renouncing old women in the woods end up dying, and it is said that one‘s yurei (spirit) even now continues to haunt the forest.
The forest of Aokigahara is deafeningly quiet, and indeed sunlight struggles to make its way through the treetops. The wilderness is so gloomy that when an individual gets lost within, it is extremely difficult to find their path. Furthermore, due to the region’s rich deposits of magnetic irons formed by rocky soil, all innovations such as compass, smartphone, and GPS fail here. Due to the forest’s notoriety as a suicide venue, there are many indications requesting those who might enter to rethink and reach out for help.
A Japanese psychiatrist who interviewed a few Aokigahara suicide survivors, three decades ago wrote that one of the major reasons was that “they did believe that they would be able to end up dead successfully without even being discovered.” As a consequence, many people who chose to commit suicide can choose a destination that is concealed and hard to identify to spend their final hours. Suicides are so usual in this area that officers and community members undertake searches per month for carcasses that have selected the woods as their final resting place.
If you decide to go to the forest, keep in mind:
- Always continue on the path and follow the signs.
- Never venture out on your own.
- Always maintain plastic tape or lace on hand as a marker.
- Avoid visiting at night.
4. Bhangarh fort (Rajasthan):
Bhangarh fort, which is infamous for being the most haunted place in India, was once a thriving town. King Madho Singh, constructed the fort in Rajasthan in 17th century. Numerous tales are connected to the fort, particularly when it comes to Rajasthan’s terrifying Bhangarh Fort legend, but two of them are popular with the locals.
- According to mythology, a sage by the name of Guru Balau Nath cursed the fort at Bhangarh. The sage used to meditate on the site where the fort now stands. When he requested the sage for permission to construct his fort, the sage offered just one condition that no building inside the fort should be taller than his house, and the fort’s shadow must never fall on his house. Ajab Singh, the grandson of Madho Singh, allegedly rejected this warning and dramatically raised the fort’s height, which led to the town’s destruction.
- A second, more well-known version of the haunted Bhangarh Fort legend. Princess Ratnavati, was regarded as Rajasthan’s crown gem due to her exquisite beauty. She had several marriage proposals and admirers vying for her attention. After being captivated by her stunning beauty, a local wizard fell in love with her. The wizard noticed the princess’s maid purchasing fragrant oil and took advantage of the opportunity. He enchanted the oil so that as fast as the princess used it, she will be in love with him. However, the princess realized the wizard’s trick and threw the oil onto a nearby boulder. The wizard was crushed when the boulder rolled in his direction and he cursed the entire region before he died, making it impossible for anyone to ever dwell there in peace. Invading Mughal troops later ruined the kingdom, killing Princess Ratnavati and all the other residents of the fort.
5. Fern hill hotel (Ooty):
The building of this palace actually started in 1844. The Fern Hill Hotel was constructed as the Mysore Maharaja’s villa during his reign. The palace is set roughly on 50 acres of land encircled by verdant green. The palace was crafted in the Swiss Cottage style. Subsequently in the 1860s, the mansion was transferred to someone else known as “Moonesami”.
It was even the hill station’s 1st club. However, during British Raj, Ooty rose to prominence and became a gathering destination for visitors from all over the region, primarily the upper class. This Mansion was a significant attraction for visitors who travel to Ooty. It is fully active as a luxury resort for tourists. The hotel decided to close for a long time due to many supernatural events, but no one knows what happened over the years that causes Fern hill hotel a spooky sight. People are only aware of its haunting and the fact that a girl killed herself at that place.
Incidents occurred during the filming of the Bollywood movie Raaz, in which Bipasha Basu starred. Saroj Khan and her crew returned to the hotel late at night after shooting. Someone was shifting and rearranging the furniture above their floor all night. They couldn’t sleep because the screeching and slamming noises were so loud. The cast became upset because they had an early morning shoot. Even the receptionist was tried to be reached, however the telephone was dead. Someone eventually went to the reception early that morning to complain. That’s when they realized there was no floor above them. All of them were shocked by this occurrence.
Another strange incident occurred with Raaz’s team. During the recording, the team noticed a girl singing in the background. However, there was no girl in the background when the photos were taken. Nothing is more intriguing than a location that is both utterly gorgeous and creepy.
6. Dow hill (West Bengal):
Amongst India’s top haunted places, Dow Hill in Kurseong is in west bengal, 30 kilometres from Darjeeling. The Dow Hill area, on the other hand, is notorious for paranormal phenomena, which is why this hill station is labelled as spooky. This place also has a haunted school, a headless ghost, a death road, and numerous true ghost stories. The region, which is encircled by woodlands and is situated atop Kurseong town, is home to the famous Victoria Boys & Dowhill Girls schools.
There has been a lot of paranormal activity in the corridors of Victoria Boys’ School and the nearby forests. According to local residents, the sound of footsteps emanating from the school would be heard even after the school is shuttered for three months from December to March. The story of the headless boy is one that both residents and tourists are afraid of. People claim to have seen a headless boy walk along the roads and disappear into the woods, and that whoever sees him will never forget him. People have also reported seeing a red eye and a woman dressed in grey clothes roaming around. All of these things combine to make this location one of India’s top 10 eerie locations.
7. Screaming tunnel (Canada):
The “Screaming Tunnel,” which was 16 feet high and 125 feet long, was built beneath the Grand Truck Railroad in the early 1900s. Its primary function was to drain water from farm fields, but farmers also used it to transport livestock and merchandise. Why is this century-old tunnel considered amongst the world’s most haunted roads? What exactly is the Screaming Tunnel story? Nobody knows where the legend came from or what actually occured in the tunnel, but there are a few local legends that discuss the strange screams.
- As per one legend, a nearby farm caught fire, a girl yelled and ran away from the farm, her clothes fully ablaze. She tried to extinguish her apparel by running through the tunnel, but collapsed in the middle before she could get help and died on the tunnel floor
- One version when her father lost custodial rights of his daughter, he became enraged and dragged his daughter all the way to the tunnel. The enraged father then set fire to the young girl, leaving her to die in the tunnel.
- Another story goes a young girl was raped inside the tunnel and her body was set ablaze to conceal the evidence.
According to all of these legends, if you light a match in the centre of a pitch-black tunnel at night, the fire will go out and you’ll hear a girl screaming.
8.Tak Tak school (Hong Kong):
Tak Tak School in Yuen Long is one of National Geographic’s top ten haunted places in Asia. The school’s village has a history of misery; According to legend, locals were massacred and buried by British intelligence after refusing to give over their land. Also, it has been claimed that a numerous individuals were slaughtered and that their bodies were buried on the hill near the school during the Japanese occupation.
Just before the school’s closure in 1998, its school mistress allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in the girl’s restroom while wearing a red dress. Following that, witnesses claimed to have seen a red-clothed spirit strolling the grounds. In 2001, a group of students was investigating the school when one of the girls claimed to see a woman dressed in red. As they raced towards the station, one of them began strangling herself, biting and scratching friends who tried to intervene.
Some claim that Tak Tak School’s former principal haunts the place, while others say that the school was utilised as a mass burial.
9.Mukesh mills (Mumbai):
A place with a terrible past is Mukesh Mills. East India Company established the mill in the 1870s. The sole mill in South Bombay, which is situated on the Arabian Sea shore in the Colaba area. As a result, it possessed a vast private port where boats unloaded cotton bundles and stacked finished yard products. Then, a fire broke out entirely. The mill has been abandoned ever since and never undergone renovations.
Mukesh Mills may be a well-known filming location for directors. Until several years back, the location was lost and unrecognized until a film director became captivated by it and decided to make a horror film there. The cast and crew gathered around it and decided to film in the area, but they soon encountered paranormal activity on the site. The mills region often experiences strange phenomena such as haunting figures, spooky sounds, ethereal footsteps, and a feelings of being watched.
One of the most well-known horror stories about this ancient mill involves an actress who began acting oddly and ordered the team members to leave the location immediately in a male voice. Everyone thought she was haunted by a bad spirit and the entire crew members departed the site as soon as they could, deciding never to return to the mills.
Another story is, the watchman reported hearing some sweet music coming from inside the mills as he was closing the gates. He felt odd because he knew there was no scheduled shooting that day and no one was at the mill at that time. He stated that he had seen someone smoking there. However, his fear did not allow him to step inside, and he was unable to confirm the entire incident.
Another haunting story is, a 10 year old girl on the set started acting strangely during filming and started to roll on the ground with her hands twisted backwards as if she were possessed. Everyone in the room, including the children, became terrified. They began to cry and shout in terror, and the shoot was cancelled. Later, the child’s father said that as soon as they left the mill’s premises, the daughter returned to normal and began acting as if nothing had happened.
It is thought that the spirit of a man who is restless haunts Mukesh Mill who formerly worked in the mill and died tragically while working, and hence is continually roaming around in this deserted location.
10.Neulbom garden restaurant (South Korea):
What thoughts do you have? If I told you that a popular site has become eerie and that terrible events occured in the past can shake your heart, would you believe me? Let us investigate the full tale of these terrifying happenings that happened in the Neulbom Garden in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea.
According to the story, the restaurant used to be a lucrative business owned by a family who had a physically disabled daughter. One day, the daughter died in a car accident close to the eatery. In his despair, her father committed death by hanging himself. Her mother, who was also in shock, died soon after. Although the man’s body departed, it is thought that his soul remained on the land and became a poltergeist.
Soon after, another man bought the restaurant to start a new business, but the malicious spirit of the original owner drove him mentally ill. On top of that, odd events continued.
One day in the restaurant, a customer ordered food from a female waiter. They waited patiently, but the dinner never arrived, so they summoned a male member of the staff. “Some while ago, a lady staff taken the order, however the food has not arrived.” The male staff said, perplexed, “we don’t have any female employees here.”
At other times, the staff forgot to take customer’s side dishes. When the crew realised they were supposed to carry the side dishes to the customers’ table, they rushed over only to discover that the side dishes had magically arrived on their table.
And sometimes after a busy night, the employees would go home without cleaning the rest of the tables but when they arrived at work next morning, the area was gleaming clean. Customers are said to be spanked from behind if they fiddle with their meals or leave any on the floor.
After a string of similar incidents, customers began to avoid the restaurant, and it was forced to close its doors. Neulbom Garden was afterward claimed to have been purchased by a priest in order for it to remain peaceful. The structure has just undergone renovations as a gathering place for ghost enthusiasts! Even though it is no longer in operation, those who live nearby can still hear dishes being washed and doors being slammed.
These are the top 10 haunted places, if you wish to explore any of them, take necessary precaution and avoid visiting at night. Don’t forget to comment if you’ve ever gone through anything spooky.