TOP 10 MOST HAUNTED ISLANDS!

10- Hart Island

New York, USA

Hart Island A.K.A. "The Island of The Dead" is run by the NYS Department of Corrections and unless you are a convict, you wont be allowed to set a foot on it. Even the press is not allowed access except for a few guided tours granted over the years. Family members of those buried in the cemetery are now allowed a supervised visit...inside a small gazebo near the dock, and that's if they meet the strict requirements necessary. Oh, and trespassing is punishable by up to two years in prison! That obviously doesn't help dissipate the many mysteries surrounding this tiny island famous for hosting one of the world's largest mass grave.

Burials on Hart Island began during the American Civil War. It served as a POW camp for four months in 1865 during which 3,413 captured Confederate soldiers were housed on the island, 235 of them died in the camp. The island then served as a quarantine station when yellow fever hit New York in 1870. A women's insane asylum was build in 1885, which is still standing today. The island then housed a reformatory for delinquent boys. During WW II, the Island was turned over to the Navy to be used as a disciplinary barracks for Navy, Coast Guard and Marine personnel, with as many as 2,800 servicemen in custody. At various times, the Department of Corrections has used the island for a prison. A tubercularium and a drug rehabilitation facility have also operated on the island.

Not a happy place it was but what I mentionned above is nothing compared to what Hart Island has mainly been used for since the late 1800's. "The Island of The Dead" as it is often called has been used primarily over the years as a dumping ground for those not lucky enough to have a proper burial. Astonishingly, over 850,000 people have been buried in mass graves on this tiny island and the counter hasn't stopped. The vast majority of people buried there - dumped in trenches by inmates - died alone, abandoned or unclaimed by relatives or friends. Some were homeless, mentally ill, alcoholic or just too poor to be buried anywhere else. Many were children and in a lot of cases, orphans. No ceremonies, just disposed, without much decency or dignity. There's no doubt that this island houses many restless souls too bitter or angry to move on. With such a dark and gloomy history, it is no wonder many believe this island to be extremely haunted. Unfortunately, for 99.999% of us, we'll never be able to set a foot on the island to really find out - unless you become a Rikers Island inmates! It is them who bury the bodies on Hart Island - they are the only ones allowed there.

Here's what an ex-prisoner, who worked on Hart island, had to say about his time there and the subject of ghosts: ▼

"I was a prisoner for rikers island in the year of 2007 and worked for corrections as a digger at harts island and never seen any bodys surface on shore but it is haunted did it for about 5 months one crazy experience "

- LINK

In 2003, another page was added to Hart Island's grim history when 4 teens who decided to go explore the island died. Their boat sank just before arriving - one of the four bodies washed up on the island.

If you are interested in seeing great photos of "The Island of The Dead", check out this page: http://gothamist.com/2008/09/02/going_to_the_heart_of_hart_island.php#photo-1

9- Star Island

New Hampshire, USA

Star Island is one of the Isles of Shoals, once the busiest commercial port on the Atlantic ocean. Located in New Hampshire 7 miles off the coast, it was settled in the early 1600's by fishermen. Star Island's history is quite remarkable, from pirates to buried treasures, it is perhaps not surprising that many claim this tiny island to be haunted.

Sarah O'connor, the island's curator, was interviewed on a TAPS episode and she described in details the different hauntings her and others have witnessed in the various buildings of the island.

She started with 'Cottage E', a fishermen's home from the early 1700's. At the time of the revolutionary war, a couple living in that house had a young child who fell off a cliff on the edge of the island and tragically died. Now, many people staying in that house have reported being pushed down the stairs while feeling small hands on their ankles and back as they fall. Another house she mentioned was the 'Vaughn Cottage' which is now home of the island's museum. The curator herself has an office there and she mentioned often hearing people playing downstairs and also people walking above her in the attic. She also talked about a locked vault that will sometimes open and close by itself. Another haunted building mentionned is the 'Doctor's cottage'. 40 years ago, the doctor and his wife made a suicide pack using a cocktail of pills. The next morning, he was dead but she woke up. Justina Maji, an employee, claim to have seen the figure of a man walk right through the room and then right through the wall. She also said that her friend who stayed in the same room a few years ago described seeing the same thing. Then you have the oldest building on the island, the 'Oceanic hotel'. Former employee, Jennifer Cook, said that one night she woke up abruptly to the sound of multiple doors opening and slamming shut. The 4th floor is said to be the most haunted part of the hotel and guests and employees often report hearing heavy furniture being dragged on the floor above, which is the attic.

Amongst the other places said to be haunted on Star Island, the chapel is definitely worth a visit as it has been the source of many ghostly sighthings. Many have reported hearing singing and seeing people inside the chapel through the windows but when they go inside, they realize that no one is there. Another frequent sighting has been the one of 3 young sisters who died from Scarlett Fever in 1863 within a few weeks of each others. People have reported seeing them playing near their graves. Ghost ships have been seen as well and perhaps the creepiest sighting of all, a black dog with red eyes that vanishes when you get close to it.

8- Isla de Las Munecas

Xochimilco, Mexico

Isla de Las Munecas a.k.a. "The Island Of The Dolls" is situated in Xochimilco, Mexico, in the heart of the old Aztec canals. In the 1950's, a man named Don Julian Santana Barrera made the small island is home. Soon after he arrived he reported hearing the voice of a little girl who is said to have previously drowned there while playing with her 2 friends. It is after that frightful experience that Don Julian began bringing dolls to his island, hanging them in every trees he could find in a effort to appease the ghost of the young girl and possibly even, some ancient evil spirits wandering the canal. The locals claim that over time, the dolls became charged with the girl's paranormal energy and many who have passed by the island at night have seen the dolls move and whisper.

In 2001, the caretaker of the island, Don Julian, was found dead, face down in the water, at the same spot the little girl drowned. Locals claim that his spirit now too haunts the place. A local paranormal investigator, Don Medez, who was interviewed on the 'Destination Truth' TV show, said that Don Julian kept saying to his nephew that he heard voices and singing coming from the water, calling to him, but he was too frighten to go. His nephew, Anastasio Valasquez, who has taken over and is now in charge of the island, said to the cameras of 'Destination Truth' that, in broad daylight, he has seen the head of dolls turn and move up, then move back down. Also according to Anastasio, it is prudent to bring a doll if you visit to appease the spirits of the island. As soon as a doll is brought to the island, he says, it will connect with the hundreds of others. The 'Destination Truth' crew didn't want to take any chance and followed that recommendation when they investigated Isla de Las Munecas for the night. The highlight of their investigation was of course when they captured on camera the eye of a doll opening by itself, just as they were asking for it. Another dramatic moment was when one of the crew member spent some time in the old shack and heard loud dragging noises on the roof.

This island is without a doubt one of the creepiest place on earth and Don Julian should be remembered for his incredible bravery!

Below is Destination Truth host Josh Gates witnessing the doll opening its left eye as he asks for it.

7- Deadman's Island

British Columbia, Canada

Deadman's Island is located in the Vancouver Harbor in British Columbia, Canada. Discovered in 1862 by John Morton, the island was the tree-burial ground of the indigenous Squamish. Morton discovered hundreds of red cedar boxes hanging from the top of the trees and one that had fallen down, broken with a skeleton inside. The island was considered a "dead ground" by the natives where bloody battles took place between rival tribes in which over 200 warriors were killed. Many women, children and elders who were hostages by the Southern Salish tribe were also slaughtered during the wars. Settlers continued to use the island as a cemetery and between 1888 and 1892 it became a quarantine site for victims of a smallpox epidemic and a burial ground for those who did not survive. In 1942, the federal government gave the island to the navy and a year later, it became and is still the site of the HMCS Discovery, a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. With such a gruesome history, Deadman's Island is unsurprisingly considered very haunted with its first documented haunting dating back to 1909.

Hauntings on Deadman's Island date back to the early part of the century. The first documented "haunting" was reported in 1909 during a logging dispute. Police who occupied the island one night to keep loggers at bay claimed to have heard the rattling of dead men's bones and shrieking skeletons that threatened to haunt anyone who cut down the island's trees.

- Source , Originaly appeared in The Vancouver Courier (10-30-3)

Nowadays, those who report paranormal activities on the islands are mostly navy reservists since the island is off-limits to the public.

Hamilton isn't the only member of the Deadman's Island naval reserve division with unsettling stories about the island. Many reservists have heard voices, footsteps and other sounds of activity, only to discover they have no apparent source. According to current reservists, at least one member of the division claims to have seen an apparition, while another said she felt a hand on her shoulder while working alone in the brick building, known as Building No. 1, where most of the unexplained experiences have occurred.

- Source , Originaly appeared in The Vancouver Courier (10-30-3)

Posted on the milnet.ca's forum, a reservist that worked on the island corroborates what others have claimed to experience and confirms that indeed many strange occurences happens in building 1.

...as one of those who has heard things in building 1 which cannot be explained all I can tell you is I finished what I had to do and left fast (99% of all reports are from building 1 which is the red brick main building)...

- LINK

6- Corregidor Island

Manila Bay, Philippines

Corregidor Island is located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the Philippines. The Spanish first occupied the island in 1570 up until 1898 when it was captured by the Americans during the Spanish-American War. Serving as a first line of defense and a prison during the Spanish occupation, the island was then fortified by the Americans and became a military stronghold during WWII. In 1941, after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they attacked Corregidor. On May 6th 1942, the overwhelmed Americans capitulated to the Japanese. About 900 Japanese and 800 Americans/Filipinos died during what is called the 'Battle of Corregidor'. Following their defeat, over 3,000 Filipino and American soldiers were held hostage, starved and tortured. But in 1945, the Americans returned and attempted to retake the island. During this bloody war called the 'Battle for the Recapture of Corregidor', over 1,000 American and filipino soldiers died while a staggering 6,650 Japanese soldiers also lost their lives. It is estimated that over 3,000 Japanese soldiers actually died by committing suicide, preferring that option to surrendering. This was one of the largest mass suicide in history. ▼

Many Japanese, estimated in the thousands, sealed themselves in the numerous subterranean passages of the island. In compliance with the philosophy of Bushido, the defenders, hiding in caves and tunnels like the ones at Malinta Hill, preferred to commit suicide rather than surrender. Corregidor reverberated with many underground explosions for days afterward.

- LINK

Malinta Tunnel, which is where the bulk of the suicides happened is now opened to the public and for those brave enough, there's even a ghost tour offered at night where armed with only a flashlight and hopefully a camera, you can try to capture the ghosts roaming in this tunnel complex. While the Malinta Tunnel is known as the most haunted spot of the island, the hospital ruins and the old bunkers are also believed to be pretty active.

Here's below a picture taken in the Malinta Tunnel complex clearly showing a creepy (goat?) head of some sort perhaps looking at the girl on the right. ▼

The photo above was slightly enhanced by increasing its contrast and brightness. You can see the original image along with the story HERE (click on the small image to see the full-size version). I have run many tests, tried different blending methods and this doesn't appear to be a Photoshop job. The head is not transparent in any way and its resolution seems to be on par with the rest of the photo.

And if the island's history wasn't gruesome enough for you, know that in 1968, between 28 and 60 Moro Muslim recruits, some even say over 200, were killed by the Philippines' Army when they tried to escape their covert training.

5- Alcatraz Island

California, USA

Alcatraz is an island located in the San Francisco Bay and also the site of the world famous Alcatraz prison. The island was first documented by a Spaniard named Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775 but the site was well known by the Natives for thousands of years. Because of its location, the island was actually used by the Natives as a place of isolation for tribal members who had violated tribal law. It is even said that Native Americans avoided the island believing it was inhabited by evil spirits.

As early as 1861, Alcatraz was used to house Civil War prisoners and remained a military prison until 1933. In 1934 Alcatraz became a maximum security federal prison where the worst troublemakers from other federal prisons were sent to. During its 29 years of operation, the prison housed famous criminals such as Al Capone, LA kingpin Mikey Cohen , George "Machine Gun" Kelly , "Birdman" Robert Stroud and James "Whitey" Bulger. Life was hard at Alcatraz, even the feared Al Capone was once viciously attacked in the shower room. Brutal attacks were not uncommon, even torture, at the hands of the guards, is said to have occurred at the prison.

Many died on Alcatraz. According to Alcatrazhistory.com, there were 8 people murdered by fellow inmates. 5 men committed suicide, and 15 died from natural illnesses. 7 inmates were shot and killed trying to escape and of the 7 more who DID escape the prison, 2 drowned while 5 were presumed to have drown. At least 2 guards were killed by inmates and a total of 45 Civil War soldiers are said to have also died on the island. And finally, in 1970, a 13 year old girl tragically died at the prison, falling down a stairwell during a protest by Native Americans.

The prison has been opened to the public for many years now and many visitors have left the island thinking it was haunted. Various groups and TV shows investigating the paranormal have come to the island over the years to look for ghosts and gather witness accounts. TV show 'Place Of Mystery' did just that when they interviewed Lori Brosnan, a Park ranger that has been stationed on Alcatraz for over 15 years. Lori explained how she heard cell doors mysteriously opening and shutting while alone at night. She believes that this was paranormal in nature since the devices operating the cell doors are locked and only her had the key. On the same show, they interviewed award-winning broadcaster Ted Wygant, an institution in San-Francisco radio and, prior to his experience on the island, a self-proclaimed skeptic. In 1982, Wygant invited psychic Jeanne Borgen to spend the night on Alcatraz with him in the hope of finding a ghost or two - for a Halloween special. They were accompanied by park rangers and a camera crew. At around 3am, they decided to go investigate the utility corridor, the same place where in 1946 three inmates and two guards were killed during Alcatraz's most famous and bloodiest escape attempt. Wygant proceeded to call out for the names of the dead inmates - admitting feeling a bit foolish at the time. It is at that moment that Wygant claims to have been suddenly possessed by an overwhelming feeling of rage and anger, describing it as a feeling of evil and felt the urged to shoot someone with a gun. Jeanne, the psychic, described seeing Wygant's face change while he was screaming profanities and at that point, Jeanne herself started to feel angry and was overwhelmed by a sudden urge to kill Ted.

Some of the more haunted spots on Alcatraz are said to be the Warden's House, the hospital, the laundry room, the utility corridor, cell blocks A, B, and C, while the most active location appears to be cell block D, an area referred to as "The Hole". The rumor has it that cell 14D is where an inmate screamed in terror for an entire night while shouting for help, claiming an evil entity with glowing eyes was strangling him. The next morning, when the guard went to check on him, he was lying dead on the floor with choke marks on his neck -- or so the story goes...

4- Norfolk Island

Territory of Norfolk Island, Australia

Norfolk Island is a small island situated in the Pacific Ocean and part of Australia's external territories. It is located 877 miles east of the mainland. Because of its remote location, it was used by the British Government, starting in 1824, as a dumping site for the worst most violent criminals. Thousands of convicts ended up on the tiny island which was described back then as "hell on earth". Because of its reputation, the island quickly became Britain's most notorious penal colonies. Torture, lashings, murders, rapes were not uncommon on an island where guards were known to be particularly vicious. With such a violent past, it is no surprise that today the island is seen by some as one of the world's most haunted islands.

An Australian documentary series called 'THE EXTRAORDINARY' did a piece on Norfolk Island in the mid-90s and interviewed many of its residents on the subject of ghosts and hauntings. A lady who has lived on the island for 50 years mentions that at least 50% of the population, which was a little above 2,000 at the time, have seen or heard a ghost. Even its most famous resident, the internationally acclaimed author Colleen McCullough has had multiple encounters with ghosts - in her own house. After earning a living as a journalist, Colleen spent nearly 10 years of her life working as a research associate and teacher in the Department of Neurology at the Yale Medical School. Maybe it speaks to the level of paranormal activity on the island when a self-described skeptic like Colleen McCullough, who is by the way a member of the prestigious 'New York Academy of Sciences' and a fellow of the 'American Association for the Advancement of Science', changes her mind and becomes a believer of the paranormal.

Watch below the Norfolk Island episode from 'THE EXTRAORDINARY' tv show:

3- Isle of Wight

England

The Isle of Wight, which is off the south coast of England, is renowned for its ghosts and is, without a doubt, Britain's most haunted island. Many point to 'ley lines' going through the island as a reason for its high levels of paranormal activity. Earth energy is said to travel in geometric patterns through what is called 'ley lines' or 'energy lines'. Master druids knew the importance of Earth's energy and ley lines as they would build their sacred sites on 'energy vortexes' or 'power points' which is where the leys intersect. Pyramids, standing stones, stone circles, burial mounds, ancient religious sites, etc.. were built on those high energy points all across the world. The amplified energy of those points is believed to magnify the power of their sacred rituals which are meant to produce supernatural results. Later on, masons, initiated into the secret mysteries, build their own structures such as temples and churches along the leylines' vortexes discovered by the druids. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Druids, Pagans (who also believe in ley lines) and Masons have been a big part of the history of the Isle of Wight - even today, they reside there in high concentration.

Ley lines have long been believed to also be 'spirit lines' along which spirits travel. Spirits/ghosts feed on energy and the leys surely provides tons of it. With all this supernatural energy running across the island it is no wonder the Isle of Wight is sometimes referred to as 'The Ghost Island'.

Hundreds of restless spirits haunt the Isle of Wight hotels, hospitals, castles, manor houses, inns, shops and offices, while the spirits of smugglers and shipwrecked seamen walk the lonely beaches. Undead soldiers haunt old fortresses; a police station which is haunted, courthouse, lighthouse, library and council offices, and a phantom convict who is still serving an 'afterlife' sentence in Parkhurst prison.

- Source

Some of the Island's many believed haunted spots are:
Arreton Manor
Billingham Manor
Bouldnor - Off coast
Capricorn Club
Carisbrooke Castle
Battery Road
Sir Max Aitken Museum, The Prospect
Tree in Northwood Park
Shooters Hill
Yorkies Cafe
Knighton Gorges
Dunnose Point - Off coast
Vittlefields crossroads
Ventnor Botanic Gardens
Clifford Street
Nodes Point - Holiday Park
Solent Inn, Monkton Steer
Vectis Monster

Two of the most haunted locations on the island are Ventnor Botanic Gardens and Knighton Gorges. Many tuberculosis sufferers died at the Old Royal National Hospital which stood where the botanic garden is now and their ghosts are often seen while their ghostly weeping and groaning are often heard. The island most haunted spot is said to be Knighton Gorges, Newchurch. The manor house on the site has been demolished in 1821 but there have been accounts of people who witnessed the house reappearing on New Year's Eves along with supernatural stone creatures on top of the remaining gateposts.

The 'Most Haunted' TV show visited the island in 2005 to investigate Appuldurcombe House and Arreton Manor.

2- Okinawa Island

Japan

Many residents of Okinawa claim their island is VERY haunted. Based on its history, I find it plausible.

Roughly 400 miles south of the rest of Japan, Okinawa was the site of massive bloodshed during the last few months of World War II. Invaded by the Americans, in a bid to take control of what would then become a launch pad for aerial attacks on Japan's mainland, the ensuing 82-day-long battle ended up costing the lives of over 12,500 Americans and 95,000 Japanese soldiers - which doesn't even include the thousands more that died in caves sealed by the U.S. combat engineers. When you add to those numbers an estimated 100,000-150,000 Okinawan civilians who also perished during the short bloody battle, you get numbers rivalling the number of deaths from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombing, combined! But not all Japanese were killed by Americans. Because of fears of being tortured by the Americans or avoid dishonor, thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians avoided capture by committing suicide. On June 4th 1945, the Americans launched an amphibious attack on the Oroku Peninsula and on June 13th, 4,000 Japanese sailors committed suicide within the tunnels of their underground Naval headquarters. This event alone ranks as one of the largest mass suicide in history. With this amount of violent deaths and suffering it is no wonder that Okinawa is believed to be one of the most haunted spots in the world, let alone islands.

Today, even if over 65 years has passed since the Battle Of Okinawa, the U.S. military has still a significant presence on the island with 20 % of its area occupied by 32 US military bases. Nearly 20,000 US military men and women are stationed on Okinawa. Since I can't decipher Japanese yet, the bulk of the paranormal accounts experienced on the island have been reported by military personnel and their families. Here are below some of the most notable haunted spots.

Building 2283

Behind the United Service Organization on Kadena Air Base, a small house stands with a very dark history. Rumored to have been built on top of an ancient Okinawan burial chamber, the house was the scene in the early 1970's of a horrific family tragedy. A military man is said to have killed his entire family, then himself. It is said that a few years later, a similar tragedy repeated itself. The next family inhabiting the house reported experiencing strange phenomenons, shortly after, the man of the house stabbed and killed is entire family. The small house was then converted into a storage shed but the paranormal reputation of building 2283 only grew. Passers-by have reported hearing children voices, cries, laughs and even seeing a strange glow coming from the house. After the USO stopped using the small building for storage purposes, plans to tear the building down were suspended, for many years, after contractors working on the project suffered injuries and experienced hallucinations after entering the house. It appears that building 2283 was demolished in 2009 but even to this day, paranormal activity is being reported at the location were the house stood. Here's what a military wife living in Okinawa has to say about current phenomenons linked to building 2283.

One of the most disturbing things to me was that the child care center is right next to it and teachers complain all the time (to this day) of children on the playground throwing toys over the fence because "the little kids on the other side ask them to". None of the teachers have ever been able to see the children they are talking about.

- Source

Building 404

Situated on Kadena Air Force Base, it was once a morgue during WWII, now it hosts the Public Affairs office. Dragging sounds, objects moving and dark figures have been seen or heard.

The Bazely Towers

Again located on Kadena Air Force Base, the Bazely towers are also known to be haunted. Residents have reported lights and appliances turning on and off and a dark entity is said to terrorize some residents.

Hospital Hill

Fearing being tortured by the Americans, 17 Japanese nurses committed suicide using grenades in a cave at the top of what is called 'Hospital Hill'. The cave is accessible to the public and you can still see burn marks on the cave walls.

The Haunted Hotel

Possibly the most known and popular haunted spot in Okinawa is the 'Haunted Hotel' in Nakagusuku. In the early 70's, an Okinawan businessman was warned by local villagers that the land onto which he was planning to build a hotel was considered sacred ground. Mere 50 yards from the Nakagusuku castle ruins. Ignoring their pleas, the businessman went ahead with the construction. As the hotel was being built, several workers died accidentally and not long after, the entire project was abandoned after workers simply refused to continue their work. The businessman went bankrupt but his hotel remains...empty, unfinished, abandoned and haunted! A monk is said to be living in the ruins of the hotel where he has built an alter dedicated to the spirits.

Many curious thrill seekers have visited the abandoned 'Haunted Hotel' and it appears that a significant number of them did experienced strange occurrences. It is at night however that the most impressive paranormal phenomenons have been witnessed. He are below a few experiences told by those who have been brave enough to venture into the hotel at night!

...we were walking and on the top floor of the look out we saw a girl on the ledge, after a few seconds of yelling to see if she was a real person she jumped, we never saw a body afterword and its close to 100 ft, so she couldn’t have survived, ...

- Source , Poster 'juice' In the comment section.

... I have also ran into the rumored shrine…there are monks there…there has to be if i ran into the shrine that they maintain. it consists of many steps that have two letter markings on them. ...

... the first time we were there, me and my buddy were being followed by something that sounded like if you were to drop a ball bearing on a concrete floor and it bounced. the second time… me and another friend were being followed by another noise. we even heard it crashing though the trees. this one had me in a much bigger state of concern. ...

- Source , Poster 'Unknown' In the comment section.

The Haunted Hill

This is a hill that both the US military and the Japanese government tried to flatten but never could. The US wanted to flatten it to expend their military base and later on, the Japanese wanted to flatten it to develop a residential and commercial area. But multiple fatal accidents along the way affected their plans and when the Japanese workers uncovered a tomb buried in the hill, a decision was made to stop everything. A shrine, which Japanese call a Torii gate, now sits at the top of the hill. It represents a gate between our world and the spirit world. If you visit, it it recommended you bring food for the spirits or they'll get angry!

Suicide Cliffs

Thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians committed suicide by fear of getting caught, tortured and killed. They were actually encouraged to do so by generals and told that this was the honorable thing to do instead of surrendering. Many choose to commit suicide by jumping off the cliffs, into the ocean. While this happened all over the island - where the cliffs were high enough - it is around Itoman, the site of some of the bloodiest battles during WWII, that "ghost jumpers" have been reported the most. People have also reported seeing ghostly faces in the ocean waves.

Futenma Park

Near the Futenma air station marine base, there is a park many believe to be one of the most haunted spot in Okinawa. Soon after entering the park, ruins from WWII can be seen and right in the middle of one of the stone walls still standing is a wooden door with a mysterious reputation. It is said that if you knock on the door, 2 boys that died there during WWII will appear. Here's how a military man describes his experience at this park.

... It was about 1030 pm. A buddy of mine approached the door and knocked on it. Nothing. He then pounded on it. I then saw what appeared to look like a red L.E.D. coming down the slope through the jungle towards the door. Needless to say, I shat myself, and pointed it out to my friends. They shat themselves. We began to apologize to whatever or whoever and hightailed it home. All of us lived in the barracks VERY close to this park on the other side of the fenceline. One of the people that was with us was convinced something had followed her home. She said that her vaccuum turned itself on (unplugged) and began moving around the room. She was so upset, that she a Chaplain come and exorcize her barracks room. ...

- Source , Poster 'acidcrash'

This is just a sample of the many haunted spots in Okinawa. A word of caution now for those thinking of renting or buying a place in Okinawa - bring a trusted local with you! Okinawans very much believe in ghosts and wont go near a haunted house or apartment. That's why shrewd Okinawan renters and real estate agents have been known - this has been reported many times by Americans living there - to pull fast ones on unsuspecting Americans by renting or selling them haunted places! You've been warned!

1- Poveglia Island

Essex, England, Italy

Poveglia, situated in Venice’s Lagoon, is often described has one of the most haunted spot on earth and according to many, is likely to be the world's most haunted island!

For such a small island, Poveglia has had a VERY tumultuous history. Its first residents arrived in 421 AD after trying to escape the barbaric invasions of Venice and around the 9th century, the tiny island became densely populated and grew in importance. It later became the turf on which many wars were fought against the barbarians and while most were won, Poveglia's residents had to be permanently displaced in 1379 by the Venician government so it could fortify and use the island to counter the attacks of the Genoans.

When the bubonic plague hit Venice in 1348, Lazzarettos (quarantine centers) were established on many small islands including Poveglia to try to contain the pandemic. The Black Death revisited Venice in 1462, 1485, 1506, 1575-1577, and 1629-1631. The 1629-1631 outbreak ended up being the deadliest with an estimated 80,000 deaths in just seventeen months. The islands surrounding Venice were becoming dump sites where victims were thrown into grave pits. Those who simply displayed symptoms didn't have much more luck as they were dragged on Poveglia and forced to wait for their death - some were even burned alive. Aside from Poveglia, two other islands were used for quarantine purposes and dumping sites - Lazzaretto Vecchio and Lazzaretto Nuovo. While those 2 islands were extensively explored and researched by archaeologists, Poveglia is still to this day shrouded in mystery, remaining largely unexplored, seemingly abandoned while the grave pits are still unmarked.

Up until the beginning of the 20th century, Poveglia was used on and off as a quarantine station and in 1922, the existing buildings were converted into a hospital for the mentally ill of Venice. The legend has it that a doctor working at the asylum committed all kinds of atrocities against his patients before going "mad" and falling to his death from the bell tower. It is said that he survived the fall, but was strangled by a ghostly mist.

The GHOST ADVENTURES tv show visited Poveglia in 2009 and during their investigation host Zak Bagan was famously attacked/possessed by a seemingly dark and violent entity. The attack still remains one of the show's most compelling paranormal moment captured on tape as Zak is seen vigorously fighting off the attack. On the episode, local historian Federico Moro said that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE died or were buried on the small island over the many centuries. No wonder Poveglia is referred to as the Island Of Death!

The island is presently owned by the Italian government and since it is closed to locals and tourists, few stories of local ghost hunters have surfaced on the web but here's a very interesting report from a local girl named Mattia. ▼

Yep, so my name is Mattia, I live in a town near Venice (Marghera) and I had heard the legend of the island of Poveglia, in which they were transported all the bite caused by the Black Death .. I heard that they also brought people simply suspected of having contracted the virus, even if sometimes it was not. years later the legend speaks of strange phenomena that occur on that island.. for this, me and some friends we went by boat to visit this island.. outset, we have found remains of human skeletons in the open air.. we stayed there till late at night, and for all the duration of the "trip" I guess i was constantly observed .. sometimes we felt stifled cries, and we saw the bells of the tower move.. for these very reasons, scared, we were not there long, but one day I would like to come back to understand more about what happens there ..

- Source

Even if it is illegal to land on Poveglia, certain urban explorers didn't seem to mind as they took some extraordinary photos of this sinister island. You can check out those pictures here:
http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/tags/poveglia/50/250/recent

Honorable Mentions:

Ellis Island, NY, USA

Ellis Island was a US immigration processing center from 1892 until 1954. Also known as "Tears Island", 12 millions immigrants were processed there while 2% were rejected, mainly for health reasons. Over 3,000 of those rejected died on the island - many in the hospital, many more committed suicide. Many people have reported ghostly activities there, including National Park Service employees. Here's the experience of one of them:

Technician Martha Blitzer heard voices and smelled burning candles coming from the Great Hall. The room was empty. She has heard children crying for their mothers when no human ones were present.

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Click HERE to see photos of Ellis Island’s Abandoned Hospital.

Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA

Mackinac Island, located in Lake Huron and part of the state of Michigan, was considered a sacred place by the natives who believed it to be home to the "Great Spirit". The island was also used as a burial ground for thousands of indians. Not too long after the British build Fort Mackinac during the American Revolutionary War, two fierce battles were fought on the island during the War of 1812. Nowadays, the island is a premier summer retreat and hot spot for tourists. The most haunted spots on the island are said to be the Island House Hotel, The Grand Hotel, the Woods Restaurant, Fort Mackinac and Marquette Park but there's many more.

Here's an interesting story about the Island House Hotel and room 400:

In room 400, a housekeeping employee said she set a cleaning bucket on the bed in the bedroom. When she did that, the door closed and the shower turned on. She thought it was a maintenance employee, and entered the bathroom.

"She opened the door and the water just stopped," said Dave Mackin. "She heard a noise behind her and her bucket flew off the bed, out the door and into the hall."

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