The Scariest Places on Earth

Jordan Hobbs | November 5, 2018

5. Island of the Dolls – Mexico City, Mexico

Imagine vacationing on an island with hundreds of dolls covered in cobwebs and hanging from trees. Well, that’s exactly what tourists do at the Island of the Dolls in Mexico City.

More than 50 years ago, Julian Santana Barrera came across a drowned girl and her baby doll floating in a nearby canal. He took the doll back to his isolated island. Soon after, he reported hearing footsteps and a young girl crying.

Barrera was convinced the girl was haunting him. He hung hundreds of dolls throughout the property to appease her spirit. But the hauntings never stopped, leading him to believe the dolls were now possessed too.

In 2001, Barrera drowned in the same canal where he had found the little girl.

Today, you can access the island by boat. The journey includes a tour of the island, which houses a small museum with old newspaper clippings about Barrera and his experiences. Many people say they’ve seen the dolls gesturing and blinking at tourists. You’ll definitely want to leave the kids home with a babysitter.

J. Smith Photography / Getty Images

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