There’s something about islands that make them the perfect setting for ghost stories and tales of haunted places. Maybe it’s the isolation, the rugged terrain, or the often tragic histories that many islands have.
Whatever the reason, some islands are known for their histories, myths, and legends that have made these islands infamous for their paranormal activity persisting for centuries.
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So, whether you’re a believer in the supernatural or fascinated by the darker side of history, read on to discover the haunted secrets of some of the world’s top 10 most haunted islands.
10. Tasmania Island, Australia
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Located in Australia, this island’s dark history is enough to make one’s skin crawl. Once a brutal 19th-century British penal colony, the island is now steeped in creepy lore and tales of hauntings.
One of the most haunted sites on the island is the Port Arthur Historic Site, where visitors can hunt for apparitions in the prison cells and autopsy room. Over a period of 47 years, 1,000 inmates lost their lives at this site, leaving behind a legacy of pain and suffering.
Today, the site offers nighttime ghost tours that are full of frightful details, making it a must-visit for thrill-seekers and ghost enthusiasts alike. Beyond the Port Arthur Historic Site, the island boasts several other haunted locations.
In Hobart’s Battery Point, visitors can wander the historic streets where ghosts are said to roam. Meanwhile, in Launceston, dark alleyways are said to be home to restless spirits, waiting to be discovered by brave explorers.
9. Jamaica, Caribbean
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Jamaica is home to many ghost stories, but perhaps none more famous than the legend of Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall, a legend so notorious that a Montego Bay golf course and a Johnny Cash song from 1973 are named after her.
This early 19th-century plantation owner is said to have been a cruel and sadistic individual who tortured her slaves and murdered her three husbands.
Visitors to the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay can take part in nighttime ghost tours, where they can hear the chilling tale of Annie Palmer and search for any signs of her ghostly presence.
While the veracity of the legend is up for debate, there have been many reports of creepy occurrences within the mansion, including strange noises and unexplained sightings.
8. Santa Catalina, California
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Reputed as being one of the most haunted islands in the world, it is located 20 miles from the coast of Los Angeles and is believed to be a haven for ghosts. It is even suggested that the island serves as an energy portal that attracts spirits to it.
The iconic Art Deco-style Catalina Casino, a popular tourist attraction, is a reported haunted site on the island. According to legend, a worker who lost his life during the construction of the casino still lingers in the men’s restroom.
Additionally, an elderly woman dressed in a white robe has been seen in the mezzanine-level women’s restroom. The ghost of western author Zane Grey has also been spotted walking the streets of Avalon.
Another well-known ghost on Catalina Island is the spirit of the late actress, Natalie Wood. The actress drowned just offshore of the island, and it is believed that her ghost roams a beach in Two Harbors.
7. Bermuda Island
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The allure of Bermuda is undeniable, but some say it’s more than just the turquoise waters and pink sand beaches that make it captivating. St. George, a town with a rich history spanning over 400 years, is at the epicenter of the island’s supernatural activity.
Visitors and locals alike have reported sightings of ghosts, including the last woman to be tried for witchcraft in Bermuda and Captain George Dew, who reportedly plays a harpsichord at the Old Rectory B&B.
Beyond St. George, other reports of paranormal activity are scattered throughout the island’s 21-square-mile area. One of the most famous is the ghost of Hugh Gray, a hotelier who mysteriously died in 1920.
His apparition is said to wander the pink-sand beaches of Bermuda’s western end, making his presence known to those who cross his path. Laura Cox is another notorious spirit who is said to angrily haunt the Orange Valley Road house where she died in 1861.
6. Sicily, Italy
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The thought of encountering a ghost may be frightening enough, but how about stumbling upon the decomposing corpses of actual people? This is the spine-chilling reality that awaits visitors to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily.
Dubbed “the place where the living meets the dead,” the catacombs feature passageways adorned with skulls, bones, and 45 well-preserved mummified bodies.
Among them lies the serene, lifelike figure of Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl who passed away in 1920 but appears to be merely sleeping due to the impeccable embalming process.
While Rosalia may rest peacefully in her glass coffin, visitors are sure to be haunted by the eerie sight for some time to come.
5. Oahu, Hawaii
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The name Night Marchers alone is enough to make one afraid in Hawaii. According to legend, they are the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors who roam the streets carrying torches.
It is said that one should never look at them. If that isn’t enough to scare you, there’s also the Choking Ghost of Waikiki who is believed to attack people in their sleep.
With all these spooky stories, it might seem like Oahu has a sinister side. Even the Hilton Hawaiian Village is rumored to be haunted by a young woman in a red dress.
4. Key West, Florida
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In Key West, tourism that caters to the love of all things eerie and spooky is thriving. The city is home to numerous ghost tours, each one recounting tales that are equal parts chilling and gruesome.
However, visitors can encounter the unsettling doll named Robert, which dates back to the turn of the 19th century, displayed in Fort East Martello.
Captain Tony’s Saloon, which occupies a building that was once used as a morgue sits adjacent to a hanging tree, where a woman in a blue dress is rumored to appear.
Even Earnest Hemingway’s famous home in Key West is believed to be haunted, with sightings of the author himself, his second wife Pauline, and a black-and-white cat guarding the estate’s feline cemetery.
3. Isle of Skye, Scotland
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Skye is a Scottish island known for its rugged landscape and captivating beauty. However, it is also renowned for its haunted sites and ghostly tales that have persisted for centuries.
One such site is Dunvegan Castle, a majestic fortress that has stood for over 800 years. Local lore suggests that friendly ghosts with a love for music inhabit the castle.
Consequently, visitors have reported hearing music being played in a room with no visible musical instruments and bagpipes being played in the south tower by unseen hands.
These friendly apparitions are believed to be the spirits of former castle residents who still take pleasure in their musical pursuits. Another haunted site on Skye is the ruins of Duntulm Castle.
Once a grand residence for the Clan Donald, it is now in ruins but said to be home to several restless spirits. The most famous of these is the ghost of Hugh MacDonald, who died from starvation in the castle’s dungeon.
His anguished cries are said to still echo through the stone walls, haunting visitors. Additionally, the spirit of a housemaid who accidentally dropped a clan chief’s son out of a window is believed to continue to weep and moan in anguish, still wracked with guilt.
2. Drake’s Island, Devon
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Located just 600 yards from the city of Plymouth, the island was used as early as 1135 when a chapel was built on it and was later used to defend England from French and Spanish invaders in the 16th century.
It has been closed to the public since 1989. For the first time in 30 years, the island was open to the public in 2020 when Morgan Phillips bought the island in 2019 for £6m and has worked on securing consent for a 43-bed hotel.
The island has been put up for sale with 18th-century cannons still in position, a private beach, fortifications, and barracks included in the sale. The islands are believed to be haunted with reportedly 15 resident ghosts – all former military men.
The current owner Morgan Phillips said in an interview, “People claim that the spirits are of the British Soldiers. They stay here to protect us from any outside force. They did this job when they were alive and they are still doing their duty.”
1. Poveglia Island, Italy
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Poveglia Island has a dark history and is considered as one of the most haunted islands in the world. It was a quarantine station for the bubonic plague in the 1700s and a mental hospital in the early 20th century.
The area was then transformed into a mental hospital in 1922 where a doctor used to experiment on his patients with crude lobotomies.
Many died and were buried in mass graves on the island, with over 160,000 bodies believed to be buried there. Visitors can’t go on the island but can take a boat ride while hearing tales of its past.
However, the island’s eerie reputation comes from the many souls who suffered and died there, with visitors reporting ghostly apparitions, strange sounds, and an eerie presence.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer in the paranormal, these ghostly tales of haunted islands are sure to leave you with a chill down your spine. So which one of these haunted islands you would love to explore?
