For those who love the spine-chilling stories of haunted places, this list may give you inspiration for your next travel plan. Ghostly encounters, historical events, and eerie legends: these destinations have it all. From ancient palaces to dense forests, let’s explore the tales of the most chilling locations around the world.
5. The Stanley Hotel: Estes Park, Colorado
Known to have inspired Stephen King’s ‘The Shining,’ The Stanley Hotel has a past with spectral encounters. Guests and staff have reported uncanny experiences, like the ghost maid from Room 217, who is rumored to tidy up guests’ belongings when they aren’t looking.
Built in 1909 by Freelan Oscar Stanley and his wife Flora, the hotel’s late-night visitors have reported hearing the gentle piano tunes played by Flora and spotting Stanley guiding lost children to their rooms.
4. Castle of Good Hope: Cape Town, South Africa
Originally constructed as a replenishment hub for the Dutch East India Company ships, The Castle of Good Hope’s history took a darker turn when it became a prison with its own torture chamber. As if the tales of hangings weren’t spine-tingling enough, the castle reportedly has its own set of ghostly residents. Among them is Lady Anne Barnard, known to have entertained some visitors, and a tall figure seen near the ramparts. An eerie twist is the mysterious ringing of the sealed bell tower, which many a visitor heard.
3. The Forbidden City: Beijing, China
At the heart of Beijing lies an imperial palace known as the Forbidden City. Although the palace draws tourists for its architectural design and historical importance, whispers from the 1940s tell of a sobbing woman dressed in white roaming its halls.
2. Aokigahara Forest, Japan
At the base of Mount Fuji is a forest named Aokigahara, more known as the ‘Suicide Forest.‘ This woodland, with over 500 reported suicides since the 1950s, has been the subject of many narratives trying to uncover its mysteries. Some point to the large underground iron deposits as the cause, disorienting visitors with their magnetic pull, while others draw connections to Japanese mythology, hinting at the presence of evil spirits and demons.
1. Isla de las Munecas (Island of the Dolls), Mexico
Isla de las Munecas, translating to the Island of the Dolls, welcomes you with trees adorned with dolls. Legend speaks of a young girl found drowned under mysterious circumstances. The island’s caretaker, Don Julian Santana Barrera, discovered a doll near the site, which he hung on a tree as a mark of respect. Haunted by the spirit of the girl, Barrera continued to hang more dolls. Whispered conversations between the dolls have been reported.