Looking for a Frightfully Interesting Adventure?

With Halloween fast approaching you may be thinking of taking a spooky-themed break. Or maybe you simply like what is known as ‘dark tourism’ and enjoy exploring sites that are associated with death, tragedy and of course history? If so and you’re looking for a slightly different holiday have you considered visiting one (or more) of the world’s scariest destinations? There are a number of places across the world that fit the bill, each with their own morbid backstory. Some more famous (or should we say infamous) than others. Here are 10 of which that can offer you a frightfully interesting adventure.

Chernobyl, Ukraine

The first on the list is one that has been brought to a whole new generation’s attention because of the recent TV show with the same name – Chernobyl. On 26th April 1986, a nuclear disaster happened at the site and resulted in 100,000 employees and local residents to abandon the site. The disaster initially claimed the lives of 31 people. However, it is estimated that an additional 4000 people 4,000 may die as a result of radiation exposure.

Travel to Ukraine has recently become a lot easier, especially from the UK as a number of budget airlines now fly there regularly. Plus accommodation in Ukraine, even the capital Kyiv is extremely reasonable. You can take a guided tour of the site which has been deemed safe to visit and has been open to tourists since 2011. It is a bleak yet fascinating experience, especially for those who actually remember the disaster happening, as we do.

Hashima Island, Japan

If you watched the Netflix documentary Dark Tourist you may be familiar with Hashima Island (more commonly known as Gunkanjima – ‘battleship island’ because of its shape), which is an abandoned island off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan. The island was known for its undersea coal mines and as a forced labour site prior to and during World War II. It also featured in the James Bond film “Skyfall”.

During the 1960s coal mines across Japan started to close down, this included the ones under Hashima Island. Therefore all the 5000 people who lived there were removed from the island which was then left to decay. Today 95% of the island is classed as unsafe. You can visit the ghost island of Hashima Island, but only as part of an organised tour. Tours run to the island regularly throughout the day, with the boat ride taking 30 minutes from the mainland.

The Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

Located in northern Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses (Kryžių kalnas) can be found 12km north of the city of Šiauliai. Over the years it has become a place that signifies the peaceful endurance of Lithuanian Catholicism, although its origins are unknown. It’s home to over (an estimated) 100,000 crosses (as at 2006). Together with statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries.

If you are staying in Vilnius, the easiest way to visit the Hill of Crosses is to take an organised tour which takes the pressure off organising your own transport or navigating the public transport system. Tours include hotel pick up, round-trip transport, a guided walking tour and free time to explore at your leisure. You can even visit the Hill of Crosses from Riga over the border in Latvia.

Bran Castle, Romania

What list would be complete without including ‘Dracula’s Castle’ – Bran Castle. It is a national monument and landmark in Romania, located in Transylvania. It is a popular tourist attraction with people from across the world flocking to see the castle which is now a museum. Because of its association with Dracula, anyone who has an interest in The Count needs to place a visit to Bran Castle on their bucket list. Especially at Halloween.

If you are staying in Romania’s capital, Bucharest, you can catch a train to Brasov which takes approximately 3.5 hours followed by a 30-minute bus ride from Brasov to the castle or you could take an organised tour which includes hotel pick up and round-trip transport. Transylvania is also home to a number of other castles which are also well worth a visit.

Akershus Fortress, Oslo, Norway

Located in the heart of Oslo you can find the historic Akershus Fortress, which overlooks the city. The fortress which was built in the 1290s under King Håkon V has a very checkered history. The medieval castle was originally built to protect the city from invaders and provide it with a royal residence. Over the years it has also been a military base and is now a museum. The most interesting period and the dark days of the fortress were during World War II.

Although many have tried over the years, the Akershus Fortress has never been besieged by an enemy. However, during World War II it surrendered to Germany in 1940 prior to an attack on Norway. It was then used as a place to execute people by the Germans and following the War, Norweigian traitors who had been convicted of war crimes were also executed there. Today, guided walking tours of Oslo and the fortress are available during the summer months and it is also used for a number of public events and concerts.

Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic

Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The Sedlec Ossuary is a Roman Catholic chapel. It can be found under the Cemetery Church of All Saints located in a suburb of Kutná Hora in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most visited attractions in the country, with approximately 200,000 people visiting this unique site every year and there are many organised day trips from the country’s capital, Prague.

But what makes this chapel so different to all the others that can be found across the Czech Republic? All the bones! In fact, the Sedlec Ossuary is often known as “the Bone Church`’. This is because even though the chapel from the outside is nothing to write home about inside it is a whole different story. Inside the chapel is decorated with over 40,000 human skeletons. The macabre chandelier of bones which contains at least one of every human bone hanging in the centre of the chapel certainly is a sight to see.

The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan

flydime [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Commonly known as the Door (or Gate) To Hell, the Darvaza gas crater can be found deep in the Karakum Desert in Derweze, Turkmenistan, Central Asia. Of course, it is not the door to hell (if you believe in that sort of thing), it is, in fact, a natural gas field that collapsed into a cavern in 1971. As it was leaking methane gas, it was set on fire to burn the gas off. However, over 40 years later, the crater is still burning.

Turkmenistan is still very much off the tourist track and only a few years ago there were plans by the country’s president to ‘fence’ the crater off. However, it seems global travellers of the world are interested in this unique site with many making the journey to Turkmenistan just to see it. If you plan on visiting, watch out for the hoards of camel spiders that are attracted to the burning light of the crater and plunge to their firey deaths!

Hanging Coffins of Sagada, Philippines

Aldrin J. Garces (ag) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Many people head to The Philipennes for sun, sea and relaxation and what not – it’s beautiful. However, if you want to find out more about the culture and history of the Igorot tribe of the Mountain Province then head to Sagada and see the hundreds of coffins hanging (tied or nailed) from the cliffs. The tradition of hanging coffins dates back over 2 millennia.

There are many reasons why it is believed that people chose for their loved ones to be buried high up rather than in the ground. This includes the fear of water getting in their coffins and them rotting very quickly, to avoid head hunters (morbid, right?) or simply because they believed the higher the person was, the higher to heaven they were. You can visit the coffins (obviously it’s important to be respectful) on organised trips. Of course, you can trek out to see them yourselves. However, they can be quite tricky to find if you don’t know where to look.

The Island of the Dolls, Mexico

Esparta Palma [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Located south of Mexico City, you will find the eerie Island of Dolls (“Isla De Las Muñecas”). As we have two daughters, some of their dolls are creepy AF and they are not decaying, missing an eye or two and hanging by the necks on trees like they are here. The Island of the Dolls, located in the channels of Xochimilco, south of Mexico City, is one of the areas most visited tourist attractions, however, it was never intended to be that way.

The Island of the Dolls was originally owned by Don Julián Santana. He began to hang dolls from the trees as protection against evil spirits in the 1950s. This was following his move to the island where he found the body of a young girl floating dead, face down in the water, The island can be accessed by boat (negotiate with the boat’s captain for the best price) and is located around an hour and a half from Embarcadero Cuemanco. But be warned many travellers have reported hearing the dolls whisper warnings to them. 

Capuchin Catacombs, Italy

Gmihail at Serbian Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 rs], via Wikimedia Commons

Located in Palermo, Sicily, the Capuchin Catacombs are a macabre sight indeed, as they are home to 8000 corpses and 1252 mummies. However, it is also a site packed full of history and above all else quite fascinating. The catacombs were originally for friars. However, as the years passed it was seen as a status symbol to be placed there. Therefore if you had a bit of money, you/your family could buy their way in.

The deceased were displayed in order for their loved ones to come and pay their respects to them. It was quite common for bodies to have their clothes changed depending on the fashion of the day. There was obviously a cost associated with this. If the family did not keep up payments, the corpse was removed and placed on a shelf out of sight until payments were reinstated. Entrance is only €3. However, it is important to remember that visitors are not allowed to take photos or touch the exhibits.