May 9, 2024 | Sarah Ng

Photos Of The World's Most Haunted Islands


Haunted Islands

All over the world, there are islands with creepy backstories. From ghost sightings to gruesome urban legends, these islands are not for the faint of heart.

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The Island Of The Dolls

Visually speaking, the Island of the Dolls might be the most haunting island on this list. Hundreds of dolls can be seen on this island, strung up in trees and buildings. Located south of Mexico City, the island's history is even more disturbing.

Creepy old dollsCassielMx, Shutterstock

The Island Of The Dolls

You see, as the story goes, the island's caretaker, Don Julian Santan Barrera, found a drowned girl in the canals. Not long after that, he also discovered a doll, which he assumed belonged to her. To honor this girls memory, Barrera strung the doll up in a tree. But he didn't stop there.

image of Creepy old dollsCassielMx, Shutterstock

The Island Of The Dolls

Barrera continued to hang dolls to keep the girl's spirit at bay—and by the looks of it, this practice became an obsession of sorts. The dolls are everywhere now, and the island has become a tourist attraction.

Island of Dollsmarketa1982, Shutterstock

The Island Of The Dolls

Those who have visited the island have claimed to see supernatural things, like the dolls' parts moving on their own: their heads, arms, and eyes.

Creepy old dolls in the abandoned IslandCassielMx, Shutterstock

Gunkanjima Island

Gunkanjima Island is also called Battleship Island because of its unsettling appearance. It looks like a hulking, concrete ship—and its backstory is downright chilling.

image of Gunkanjima islandleverzena, Shutterstock

Gunkanjima Island

Though the island has a long history, its most tragic chapter occurred during WWII. The Empire of Japan controlled thousands of Korean and Chinese laborers who lived on Gunkanjima Island.

abandoned island in HashimaGrassflowerhead, Shutterstock

Gunkanjima Island

Reportedly, from 1910 to 1945, around 60,000 workers had no choice but to work in the island's coal mine. As rumor has it, the ghosts of these poor souls never left the island.

Ruins of buildings in an abandoned islandpanparinda, Shutterstock

Poveglia Island

Between Venice and Lido, one can find Poveglia Island. The island dates back to 421 when the locals had no choice but move there due to invaders. For years, the island remained quite safe... Then in 1348, the bubonic plague changed everything.

The spire bell tower of San Vitaletedlum, Flickr

Poveglia Island

The bubonic plague disrupted life on Poveglia. It was mostly abandoned, becoming a place to send the sick. Thousands of souls met their ends on the island. But that wasn't the end of its dark story.

image of poveglia islanddalbera, Wikimedia Commons

Poveglia Island

In the 19th century, the island experienced another dismal chapter: A mental institution was built. According to the story, one of the doctors threw himself off the bell tower. His ghost is said to still linger. Residents have even claimed to hear the tower's bell ringing.

Poveglia islandLuca.favorido, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Daksa Island

In 1944, the SS had finally been beaten. The Croatian locals wanted to get rid of any of the Fuhrer's sympathizers. This is where Daksa Island comes in to play.

One of the Thousand Islands of the Adriatic Sea, DaksaIntiaz Rahim, Flickr

Daksa Island

Reportedly, though 300 men were taken in, 53 of them were sent to Daksa Island to meet their bloody ends. They weren't even given a trial. This would later be called the Daksa Massacre. 

Daksa Island LighthouseIntiaz Rahim, Flickr

Daksa Island

The island became a mysterious site for over five decades. It wasn't until 2009, that someone discovered a mass grave. Since then, authorities have found more bodies on the island, which were likely SS men.

Today, the island is known as the "Island of Ghosts" and is said to be haunted. 

image of Daksa IslandPeter Hilton, Flickr

Chiloé Island

Found off the coast of Chile, Chiloé Island is not a center for tourism. This might have to do with it drizzly weather, but it could also be boiled down to its dark history—and the claims that the island is haunted.

image of chiloé islandLeonora (Ellie) Enking, Flickr

Chiloé Island

As the legend goes, before the Spanish ruled the island, a coven of warlocks wreaked havoc on the locals. This coven was known as the "Brujos." In the 1880s, details about Brujos of Chiloé began to bubble of the surface as witch hunts became frequent.

A View of the Village with its ShipyardMaxMaximovPhotography, Shutterstock

Chiloé Island

The Brujos completely turned their back on Catholicism. In fact, they were its antithesis; they welcomed the devil into their lives. They even had a brutal de-baptism ritual. 

image of CastroErlantz P.R, Shutterstock

Chiloé Island

Perhaps one of the most chilling aspects of the Chilote folklore is the monster known as the imbuncheThese monsters are said to guard the entrance of the warlocks' cave.

Stilt houses in Castro, Chiloé IslandBernd Zillich, Shutterstock

Chiloé Island

De-baptized via black magic, the imbunche is a human baby transformed into a blue hideous monster. The most nasty detail? These monsters supposedly fed on human remains taken from nearby cemeteries.

image of Chiloé Islandfelipe arriagada, Shutterstock

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island is one of the most popular creepy tourist attractions in America. Located in San Francisco, it has a long and unsettling history.

prison island of AlcatrazAerial Film Studio, Shutterstock

Alcatraz Island

Even before it became the site of the famous prison, Native Americans also treated the island like a punishment for those who broke tribal rules. They believed that the island was home to evil spirits. 

image of Alcatraz prison from abovekropic1, Shutterstock

Alcatraz Island

It wasn't until 1934 that the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary opened. It closed almost thirty years later in 1963 and is a museum today. However, employees, inmates, and visitors have made some wild claims.

close up image of alcatraz prisonJon Chica, Shutterstock

Alcatraz Island

Countless supernatural tales have come out of Alcatraz Island. People have sighted ghostly apparitions, heard banging doors, and heard spine-tingling screaming that can't be accounted for.

A look inside the prison cells of AlcatrazSquare Box Photos, Shutterstock

Alcatraz Island

There were also guards who described some kind of ghostly being that had glowing eyes; they referred to it as "The Thing."

image of prison in AlcatrazJoshua Edward Quillo, Shutterstock

The Isle of Skye

Located in Scotland, the Isle of Skye has a reputation for the supernatural. Its said to be haunted thanks to the number of ghostly spirits that haunt the site of Dunvegan Castle.

Isle of Skye in ScotlandMichael Freienstein, Pexels

The Isle of Skye

Reportedly, there are musical ghosts afoot on the Isle of Skye. At Dunvegan Castle, music can be heard coming from a room void of musical instruments. The empty south tower also presents a similar phenomenon, as bagpipes can be heard emanating from it.

castle on the Isle of SkyeNataliya Hora, Shutterstock

The Isle of Skye

Dunvegan Castle is associated with very unique ghosts—four of them, to be exact. One is said to be the ghost of Hugh MacDonald, a victim of the dungeons. But that isn't the most horrifying story.

Dunvegan castle, ScottlandJaroslav Moravcik, Shutterstock

The Isle of Skye

Perhaps most tragically, one of the ghosts is said to be the castle's housemaid—a woman who made a terrible mistake. She accidentally dropped the son of the clan chief...out a window. Chillingly, some say that they can still hear her desperate screams.

Front entrance of Dunvegan CastleJose Arcos Aguilar, Shutterstock

The Isle Of Wight

Located in England, many consider the Isle of Wight to be one of the most ghostly places around. Michael Morey is its most famous ghost. In 1737, Morey took his grandson's life and paid a terrible price.

Isle Of Wightwww.terraprints.com, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

The Isle Of Wight

Michael Morey faced capital punishment for his evil deed. After his passing, his remains were left at Gallows Hill. It's said that his spirit never left and continues to haunt the area, his ghost still holding an ax. But he's not the only ghost.

Cottages In Godshill, Isle Of WightChristine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

The Isle Of Wight

The Isle of Wight is also home to the Old Royal National Hospital. Many patients there suffered with tuberculosis and didn't make it. Visitors have claimed to see these patients' ghosts in attitudes of distress.

Additionally, near the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, visitors have claimed to see the ghosts of animals and nurses. 

Isle of Wight, EnglandRobert Harding Video, Shutterstock

The Isle Of Wight

There is also a ghost of a girl at the Priory Bay Hotel. In the hallways, guests have heard her grieving spirit crying out, "What have you done with my dog?"

The tower of All Saints Churchchrisdorney, Shutterstock

Ocracoke Island

In North Carolina, Ocracoke Island's most famous legend has everything to do with the renowned pirate, Blackbeard.

Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke IslandChansak Joe, Shutterstock

Ocracoke Island

Orcracoke Island was a major destination for Blackbeard as he often held parties and meetings there. However, following one of these parties, the pirate lost his life just off the island's coast.

Ocracoke island lighthouseWatts, Flickr

Ocracoke Island

People believe that Blackbeard's ghost still haunt Springer's Point every night. But Blackbeard isn't the only ghost running around Ocracoke Island.

Ocracoke Village, Ocracoke IslandMalachi Jacobs, Shutterstock

Ocracoke Island

Enter: Mrs. Godfrey. Mrs. Godfrey is the ghost that supposedly haunts room 23 at the Island Inn. Guests have claimed to see her ghost, sometimes even seated on their bed. She's also known to go through visitors' makeup bags.

view of Ocracoke LighthouseChansak Joe, Shutterstock


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