You Should Keep Away From These Places
Island living sounds amazing! From stunning oceans to cocktails in the sand, millions of people every year fly to sun-soaked isles in search of a little solace. But not every place is tan lines and pina coladas—some places are best known for their ghosts and terrifying history.
1. Isla de las Muñecas, Mexico
The only thing creepier than an island of dolls is all the lore surrounding it. Don Julian Santana Barrera discovered a young girl washed up on the island one day—a doll soon following—and for nearly 50 years strung up any doll he could find to appease her spirit. The place is now overrun with massive spiders and filthy plastic faces gawking at passersby.
2. Gruinard Island, Scotland
When something’s dubbed “Anthrax Island,” you know there’s danger afoot. For years, the island was subjected to military experiments that affected local wildlife, potential visitors, and the island itself. The area was thankfully decontaminated in 1990, but that hasn’t convinced everyone to revisit its sparse remains.
Kevin Walsh from Oxford, England on Wikimedia
3. Ilha da Queimada Grande, Brazil
Even if you aren’t squeamish about snakes, no one wants to visit an island overrun with them. It’s a good thing too because this Brazilian landscape is closed to the public—both for the people’s safety and the highly venomous snake population. (We can’t imagine you’d want to dine with thousands of dangerous reptiles anyway.)
4. K'gari, Australia
From potential drownings to roaming dingoes, this Australian island isn’t as picturesque as it seems. It was once called Fraser Island, and a name change finally acknowledging the Butchulla people hasn’t eradicated the danger. Riptides and wildlife can make this a pretty scary safe for unsuspecting tourists.
5. Hashima Island, Japan
Hashima Island is a testament to the horrors of war and nature’s unsuspecting beauty. What was once a forced labor camp in WWII became an abandoned ghost town with overgrown greenery—one people couldn’t visit for several years. Today’s visitors have had access since 2009, but some restrictions remain in place.
6. Isle of Wight, England
Believers might want to steer clear of England’s Isle of Wight, a notoriously haunted spot rife with ghost stories. Of course, you could always brave the supposed paranormal activity to visit an island where Karl Marx, Charles Dickens, and John Keats once lived.
7. Gaiola Island, Italy
Italy’s known for its breathtaking architecture and mouthwatering food—but such a historic place is also home to abandoned areas like Gaiola Island, a cursed isle of local legend that no one dares go near. Though it’s closed to the public, the abandoned island still calls out to plenty of tourists from that pristine water.
Gianfranco Vitolo on Wikimedia
8. McNabs Island, Canada
If you have access to a private boat, you can venture to this abandoned island on the coast of Nova Scotia. You might want to reconsider, however, as some locals believe it to be haunted. Should you explore the island, you’ll find all kinds of ancient artillery and time-weathered tombstones.
Films Oiseau de nuit on Wikimedia
9. Poveglia, Italy
Much like Gaiola, Poveglia is an Italian island best admired from afar. It’s not open to the public, which is probably for the best given its terrifying lore. Between 1793 to 1814, the island was used to quarantine patients with the plague. In 1922, its buildings were converted to asylums. As you can imagine, plenty of legends surround the isle and none of them warrant a warm welcome.
10. Chacachacare, Trinidad and Tobago
Chacachacare carries a haunting tale. It’s said that a nun took her life on the isle and now stalks the land, scaring away tourists and locals alike. You’re more than welcome to see for yourself—if you enjoy 45-minute boat rides and screaming apparitions.
11. Isla del Coco, Costa Rica
Tourists every year flock to Costa Rica for their chance to swim with sharks. If that isn’t your cup of tea, you’d do well to avoid Isla del Coco; divers’ photos often show the horror of great white sharks lurking just beneath the water. (Yes, it looks exactly like the Jaws poster.)
12. Daksa, Croatia
It’s never good when an island’s called the Island of Ghosts. However, some tourists brave the journey to Croatia to step foot on the isle, home of the 1944 Daksa massacre. Dozens of bodies were discovered in mass graves, and many today believe the site of so much pain to be haunted.
13. Norfolk Island, Australia
It’s been called one of the most haunted places in the world—Norfolk Island looks idyllic on the surface but its historic cemetery has kept more than enough people away. Filled with prisoners, soldiers, and even novelists, history buffs will likely get a kick out of walking through time, but it might not be for everyone.
Bob Hall from Christchurch, New Zealand on Wikimedia
14. King Island, USA
King Island was once a thriving spot for hundreds of Inupiat (who called themselves Asiuluk). Life was perfectly fine until the 1900s when schools on the island were closed and its people forced into mainland Alaska, and by 1970 the isle was all but abandoned. Tourists need a pass to see it today.
15. Komodo Island, Indonesia
Don’t assume those adorable, bumbling reptiles are friendly. Komodo dragons are not only more powerful than they seem, but they’re also venomous—and both are reason enough to avoid Indonesia’s island. Tour guides might help you navigate, but that doesn’t make your visit any less nerve-wracking.
16. Skellig Michael, Ireland
While this Irish isle isn’t infested with ghosts, it’s still scary for an entirely different reason. Treacherous terrain makes it an ill-fit for anyone elderly or wary of heights. It’s listed as one of the most dangerous tourist spots in the world and some travelers have even lost their lives.
17. Alcatraz, USA
You’ve undoubtedly heard about Alcatraz by now—and why people hesitate to visit. This former maximum security prison has its fair share of ghost stories, many of which shooed away any potential tourists. You can still visit today, but it’s a somber journey through history.
Frank Schulenburg on Wikimedia
18. Whakaari / White Island, New Zealand
White Island isn’t home to the supernatural so much as it is volcanic activity. In 2019, an active volcano erupted and claimed 22 lives, making this island incredibly dangerous for tourists. The tragedy barred further access from visitors and remains abandoned due to its risk.
19. Deadman’s Island, Canada
Commonly called Deadman’s Island, this abandoned place resides in Vancouver and isn’t open to the public. However, that hasn’t stopped locals from spreading the word about ghost sightings and creepy lore—some of which are centuries old.
20. North Sentinel Island, India
Even if you could visit this heavily forested island, you couldn’t. Believe it or not, it’s actually illegal to visit this spot, namely due to the Sentinelese people who live there. Anyone who’s gotten close in recent years is often chased away, and in 2006 two fisherman from Myanmar lost their lives after they took emergency leave on the island.
