1. The Island of the Dolls – Xochimilco, Mexico
Locals won’t even say the name of this place after dark. Deep in the canals of Xochimilco sits a tiny island covered in hundreds of decaying, sun-bleached dolls hanging from trees and nailed to fences. The legend says a man named Don Julián Santana began hanging them after finding a young girl who had drowned nearby. He claimed the dolls helped appease her spirit, but visitors say the dolls whisper, move their eyes, and even giggle at night shares TheTravel.
Some believe Don Julián became possessed by the spirits and was eventually found drowned in the same spot as the girl. People who visit often leave quickly, saying the air feels heavy and that they feel watched. The dolls, with their missing limbs and cracked faces, make the entire place feel frozen in a nightmare. Most locals won’t even pass by the canal, let alone say its name adds the Sun.
2. Aokigahara Forest – Japan
Also known as the “Sea of Trees,” this forest sits at the base of Mount Fuji and is so notorious that even seasoned hikers avoid it. It’s beautiful on the surface, but the silence inside is unsettling—no birds, no wind, just an eerie, suffocating stillness. Aokigahara is sadly known for being a place where many people have taken their lives, and signs pleading for visitors to reconsider are posted at the entrance says HowStuffWorks.
Locals say the spirits of those lost wander the woods, calling out to others. There are tales of compasses going haywire, and visitors feeling physically pulled off the path. Some even report seeing ghostly figures watching them from behind the trees. Most Japanese people refuse to talk about the forest, believing that even saying its name invites misfortune adds Yahoo.
3. Hoia Baciu Forest – Romania
This Romanian forest is often called the “Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania,” and for good reason. People report losing time, hearing giggles from nowhere, and seeing strange lights float between the trees. One of the creepiest things? There’s a perfectly circular clearing in the middle of the forest where nothing grows—no plants, no animals, just bare earth.
Locals whisper that the forest is cursed and haunted by those who vanished within it. It’s also rumored to be a hotspot for UFOs, and more than one person has run out screaming after feeling like they were being followed. Despite its beautiful appearance, most Romanians avoid it completely. They won’t utter its name after dark, believing it draws the forest’s attention.
4. Bhangarh Fort – India
If you ask anyone in Rajasthan about the old fort nestled at the foot of the Aravalli hills, they’ll probably lower their voice—or just change the subject. The ruins of Bhangarh are considered one of the most haunted places in India. According to legend, a sorcerer fell in love with the princess and tried to curse her when she rejected him. After his death, the entire village was said to be doomed.
People say screams echo from the ruins at night, and locals insist no one stays there after sunset. In fact, the Indian government has even placed signs outside warning people not to enter after dark. Those who have tried report dizziness, lost memories, and strange shadows. Even speaking its name is thought to bring bad luck.
5. Poveglia Island – Italy
Just off the coast of Venice lies Poveglia, a small island with a massive, chilling history. It was once used as a quarantine zone for plague victims, and later, a mental asylum. Thousands of people died there, and some believe their souls never left. It’s said the soil is still mixed with human ash from mass burials.
There are stories of doctors who went mad, tortured patients, and ultimately died under mysterious circumstances. Fishermen won’t cast their nets near it, afraid of what they might pull up. The crumbling buildings still stand, filled with eerie silence and rotting furniture. Most Venetians won’t even speak its name—it’s just “that island.”
6. Eastern State Penitentiary – Pennsylvania, USA
This massive prison in Philadelphia was once known for its harsh solitary confinement practices. Even Charles Dickens visited and called it “hell on Earth.” Over the years, countless inmates suffered within its stone walls, and many are believed to have never left. Visitors today report hearing footsteps, whispers, and even cries from the empty cells.
Some former guards say they saw shadows flit across the yard or felt cold hands on their shoulders. Paranormal investigators have captured growls, moans, and ghostly figures on camera. The place has such a haunted reputation that many locals simply call it “the Pen” and refuse to say its full name. They believe even acknowledging it invites the spirits back.
7. LaLaurie Mansion – New Orleans, USA
The LaLaurie Mansion is so infamous that locals in New Orleans often just call it “that house on Royal Street.” In the 1830s, socialite Madame Delphine LaLaurie was discovered to have tortured and mutilated slaves in secret chambers. When a fire broke out, the horrific truth was exposed, and she fled the city in disgrace.
Ever since, people say the building has been cursed. Tenants have reported ghostly screams, shadow figures, and overwhelming feelings of dread. Some even say the house is a portal to something darker. Many locals refuse to say the name, believing the evil inside is still listening.
8. Old Changi Hospital – Singapore
Once used during World War II as both a military hospital and a torture camp by the Japanese, this abandoned building is now considered one of the most haunted places in Singapore. Locals avoid it at all costs, and many won’t even refer to it by name. Inside, the peeling walls and rusted equipment feel frozen in time.
Visitors report hearing screams, seeing headless spirits, and feeling violently ill while inside. Some say ghosts of former prisoners roam the halls, reliving their final moments. Despite numerous plans to redevelop it, the building still stands, quietly collecting dust and stories. It’s so feared that taxi drivers have been known to refuse rides there.
9. Castle of Good Hope – Cape Town, South Africa
This old Dutch colonial fort has a long and bloody history. Built in the 1600s, it once housed prisoners in brutal conditions and witnessed countless executions. Over the centuries, tales of hauntings began to spread—ghosts of soldiers, prisoners, and even a large black dog that vanishes when approached.
Guards have quit after hearing disembodied footsteps, screams, and cries in the dungeons. There’s even a bell in the tower that rings on its own, despite being physically disconnected. Many locals won’t even talk about the place, let alone call it by name. It’s just “that old fort,” and most avoid it entirely after dark.
10. Myrtles Plantation – Louisiana, USA
This plantation is beautiful at first glance, but the stories tied to it are anything but charming. It’s rumored to be built on a Native American burial ground and was the site of multiple violent deaths. The most famous ghost is that of Chloe, a former enslaved woman said to have been hanged after poisoning the family.
Visitors have captured images of ghostly children, mysterious handprints, and glowing orbs. Even the staff say they hear footsteps on empty stairs and voices in locked rooms. The house is so steeped in ghost stories that locals call it “the haunted house” instead of its real name. No one wants to bring its energy into their own home.
11. Humberstone – Chile
Once a thriving saltpeter mining town, Humberstone was abandoned in the 1960s—but many say not everyone left. The desert wind howls through rusting machinery and hollowed-out homes, and visitors report feeling followed. Some say they’ve seen apparitions of miners still at work, or children playing in the empty schoolhouse.
There’s a deep unease that settles over the whole place, one that makes your skin crawl. Paranormal researchers have claimed the entire town is a hotbed of spiritual activity. Locals nearby won’t say the name out loud—they refer to it only as “the ghost town.” Few dare to go near it after dark.
12. Leap Castle – Ireland
This crumbling fortress is one of Ireland’s oldest castles, and one of its most haunted. Built in the 13th century, it has seen betrayal, murder, and even occult rituals. The most terrifying legend centers on the “Elemental,” a dark spirit with a rotting stench and glowing eyes that’s said to live in the castle’s ruins.
Visitors have fainted after seeing it, and some claim to have felt icy fingers on their necks. There’s also the Bloody Chapel, where a priest was murdered during mass. The castle has so many ghosts that even paranormal experts struggle to keep track. Most locals simply call it “that place”—and leave it at that.
13. Pine Barrens – New Jersey, USA
This stretch of forest in southern New Jersey looks peaceful, but ask anyone from the area and they’ll tell you—don’t say its name out loud. The legend of the Jersey Devil, a winged creature with hooves and a scream that chills your bones, has haunted this region for over 250 years. People say it still flies through the woods at night.
But the Pine Barrens have more than just one ghost story. There are tales of ghost towns swallowed by the forest, phantom lights, and strange music that plays from nowhere. Hunters and hikers often get lost, even with maps. Locals prefer to keep their distance and call it “the Pines,” never daring to use the full name after dark.