It’s that time of year again, when ghosts, ghouls and goblins come out to play. If you’re looking to book a trip to a terrifying destination, or just want to feel some serious Day of the Dead vibes, you’ve come to the right place.
From the Island of Dolls to the Door to Hell, here are the 10 most spine-chilling places on the planet. Buckle up, and grab your holy water.
1. The Island of Dolls (La Isla de las Muñecas), Mexico
If dolls give you the heebie-jeebies, this island in Xochimilco, Mexico, is what nightmares are made of. Located among the canals south of Mexico City, this island is strung with hundreds of decaying dolls hung by a man named Don Julian Santana.
Legend has it that Julian placed these dolls around the island to appease the spirit of a girl who drowned nearby. Today, the dolls hang from trees, roofs, and wires, staring out with blank, haunting eyes that are definitely NOT following you… or are they?
Fear Factor: ????
2. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine
One of the most infamous ghost towns in the world, Chernobyl is chilling not only for its desolate landscapes but also for the lingering radiation. Since the 1986 explosion, this area has remained off-limits—except to daring tourists who brave the ruins of Pripyat, an abandoned city frozen in time.
Schools, homes, and amusement parks remain in eerie disrepair, while the real horror of toxic radiation? That’s invisible… but everywhere.
Fear Factor: ?????
3. The Stanley Hotel, Colorado, USA
What’s a creepy travel list without a haunted hotel?
Welcome to the Stanley Hotel, a place so eerie it inspired Stephen King’s The Shining. This stunning hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, is as spooky as it is scenic.
Guests and staff have reported ghostly piano music, flickering lights, and the mischievous spirit of former owner Lord Dunraven, who supposedly watches guests from Room 407.
Got chills yet?
Fear Factor: ????
4. The Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo, Italy
The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, redefine “resting in peace.” Here, more than 8,000 bodies are mummified and displayed, dressed in their best clothes, and posed as though waiting for tea time.
The most famous resident is a two-year-old girl named Rosalia Lombardo, known as “Sleeping Beauty” for her unnervingly well-preserved appearance. Her life-like, open-eyed gaze follows visitors around. Coincidence, or just Italian hospitality from beyond the grave?
Fear Factor: ?????
5. The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
No, we’re not being dramatic; the “Door to Hell” is an actual place!
The Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan, aka the Door to Hell, has been burning non-stop since 1971, when scientists accidentally ignited the gas fumes while drilling.
The eerie flames and scorched ground make it look like a portal to the underworld. Standing near it feels like you’re at the edge of Hades. Bring s’more…or maybe not.
Fear Factor: ????
6. The Hanging Coffins of Sagada, Philippines
In Sagada, an indigenous Filipino tribe practices an ancient tradition that involves hanging coffins on cliffsides. The idea? Elevate your ancestors to bring them closer to heaven.
Today, some of these coffins have been hanging for centuries. As you gaze up at these makeshift tombs, you’ll probably wonder what happens if one falls – and why a bird just flew out of that one.
Fear Factor: ???
7. Snake Island (Ilha da Queimada Grande), Brazil
If you’re an ophidiophobe, you’ll want to sit down for this one.
Snake Island is home to thousands of deadly golden lancehead vipers. In fact, there are so many that every square foot of the island could host one!
Forbidden to the general public for obvious reasons, Snake Island is literally crawling with venomous snakes—and not much else. *Hiss-terical*.
Fear Factor: ?????
8. Domuntung Caves, Borneo
The Domuntung Caves of Borneo, Malaysia, are a mysterious network of caverns famous for ancient burial sites, eerie rock formations, and local legends of ghosts.
They’re also infamous for the tens of thousands of bats, rats, cockroaches, and other creepy-crawlies that call the place home. Used as burial grounds for centuries, the caves are filled with coffins and bones, with many artifacts dating to the Bronze Age.
The eerie silence, the constant threat of critters, the shadows playing tricks, and the ghostly tales locals often tell make this cave a mind-spinning claustrophobic experience that sticks with you long after you’re out.
Fear Factor: ????
9. Death Road (North Yungas Road), Bolivia
If you’re an adrenaline junkie who isn’t afraid of ghosts, or cliffs, or plunging into a ravine, Bolivia’s Death Road is calling your name.
Known as one of the world’s most dangerous roads, North Yungas is a notorious cliffside path with harrowing drops, thick fog, and the occasional ghost sighting. Rumor has it the souls of accident victims haunt the route, and strange phenomena—like sudden temperature drops—keep drivers on their toes, and their brakes.
Fear Factor: ????
10. Bran Castle, Romania
Last, but not least, we have Bran Castle in Transylvania, often associated with Vlad the Impaler and, of course, Dracula. Though history disputes whether Vlad actually lived here, the castle’s gothic architecture and the Dracula legend make it spooky enough for the title.
Walk through dim corridors, and you’ll almost hear the distant *swoosh* of a cape—or the quiet flapping of a bat—following you from room to room.
Fear Factor: ???
And there you have it—the 10 creepiest places on Earth. Ready to brave any of these for Halloween 2025? God speed, and remember to enjoy the journey.
