Tourist destinations around the world have specific stories to tell. Some are heritage cites that stand as significant landmarks in history. There are others that are known for their scenic beauty. These are the common factors that intrigue and attract tourists. But there are a few destinations that are famous for all the weird reasons you can imagine. Some of them have creepy stories behind them and others are known for their peculiar appearance. Here is a list of six such destinations around the world that are popular for some unconventional reasons.
1. Isla de las Muñecas:
This is the kind of destination that will make even grownups wake up with nightmares days after returning from the spot. Also called Island of Dolls, Isla de las Muñecas is located in Mexico. The whole area consists of old, creepy dolls hanging from trees. Dolls in several stages of mutilation can be found propped against tree branches. Anyone who loves a thrilling detour from the conventional scenic island destination would find this island with its eerie ambiance to be a great spot to visit.
Story behind it
You might have heard about haunted houses but this is a whole island that is believed to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl. Don Julian Santana Barrera moved to this deserted island leaving his family behind. Reportedly, he found the body of a young girl who had drowned in the canals that surround the island. There was also an old doll that belonged to the girl that floated along with her body. He hung the doll in one of the trees in memory of the girl.
It is said that he soon started experiencing strange encounters due to the spirit of the dead girl. He then picked dolls from trash and ones that he found washed away in the canals. He started hanging them in random spots on the island as a step to please the dead girl’s spirit. It is believed that soon the spirit of the girl haunted the dolls and they started moving their eyes or limbs at night.
What makes this whole story even spookier is that the body of Julian was found five decades later, floating in the same spot where the girl had drowned. The dolls have since then been hanging in that island untouched. Hundreds of tourists visit this place today to experience the thrill the strange story behind the dolls gives.
How to get there
You can take the ferry route from Embarcadero Cuemanco to Isla de las Muñecas through local ferries. Other than a tiny bar, the island is pretty deserted but you would find it teeming with eager tourists, especially during the weekends. The beautiful canals that surround this island and the island tour can all be completed in 4 hours approximately.
2. Dead Vlei
If you ever doubted the strange sense of beauty that dry and dead trees possess, visit this place. Dooi Vlei, popularly called Dead Vlei, is a piece of dry deserted land located in Sossusvlei, Namibia. This salt pan is dotted by dead trees scorched to their bare branches, yet standing steady for years. As simple as it sounds, this place has been a very popular one, especially among photographers looking for offbeat sceneries to capture.
Story behind it
This region was cut off from natural water sources, the nearby rivers almost 9 centuries ago. This caused the vegetation in the area to quickly dry up. Having withstood years of blazing heat and sandstorms, the blackened trees stand today as an indication of how time changes the aesthetics of any place on earth.
How to get there
A good 4×4 drive should easily get you to the car park that is closest to Dead Vlei. A 15-minutes-walk through the dunes from there would take you to the salt pan. Hours close to dawn and sunset make the place look extra magical.
3. Karni Mata Temple
This Hindu temple dedicated to the Goddess named Karni Mata is located in a small town called Deshnoke in Bikaner, India. While the elegant architecture of the temple is an aesthetic appeal, it is famous for a totally different reason, unlike anything you have ever heard before. This temple houses over 25,000 rats and it is this whopping population of rodents that made this temple particularly popular.
Story behind it
There is a legend that talks about Karni Mata having fought with Yama, the God of Death, to bring her son Laxman back to life after he was drowned to death. It is believed that Yama then granted a wish. According to this wish, all of Karni Mata’s male children reincarnated as rats. The whole rat population in this temple is therefore believed to be the descendants of these children of Karni Mata and these rates are treated with great respect.
How to get there
Once you reach the town of Bikaner in Rajasthan, India, you would be able to reach this temple by bus roughly in one and a half hours. There are also cabs available from the nearby towns to this temple.
4. Bubblegum Alley
If finding a blob of chewing gum in odd spots in public places would irk you, then imagine walking through walls filled with gum! Located in the San Luis Obispo region of California, this gum wall has now become a weird yet popular tourist attraction.
Story behind it
There are two main stories cited behind the origin of this gum wall of California. One story has it that after a graduation event of San Luis Obispo High School post the World War II period, the tradition of leaving behind gum on the walls began. There is another story that talks about clashes between California Polytechnic State University and San Luis Obispo High School sparked the trend of sticking gum. However the trend started, today this 70-feet long alley with its 15-feet high walls is covered in gums of all colors and shapes.
How to get there
While traveling from Broad Street to Garden Street, you might find this alley half through the drive. It makes a great pitstop for some weird yet memorable photographs.
5. Akodessawa Fetish Market
This place will scare even the skeptics who do not believe in voodoo magic! Marche des Feticheurs, popularly called Akodessawa Fetish Market, is located in Lome District in Togo, Africa. For people who love to collect curios and black magic related fetishes and more, this place is a treasure trove.
Story behind it
Voodoo practitioners all over the continent religiously visit this place to find all the different kinds of charms they might use in their practice. It is seen as a one-stop-shop for talismans, skulls, dead birds, and a variety of other ingredients used in Voodoo rituals.
How to get there
There are taxi cabs that can get you to this place, which is around 4km away from the center. For photography enthusiasts as well as for collectors of voodoo trinkets, this place is hard to miss.
6. Darvaza gas crater
For those times when you are looking for a risky adventure, a visit to this crate of fire is just what you need. Darvaza gas crater, also called Door To Hell, is located in Turkmenistan. The never-ending fire in this crater has made it a popular tourist destination today. It is a natural gas crater that is over 98-feet deep and 226-feet in diameter. Night and day, the crate with its never-ending flames is a unique sight.
Story behind it
In 1971, a group of Soviet engineers set up their equipment to drill and evaluate the site for the quality of oil underground. However, the site gave in, collapsing the whole unit and it was later identified that below the spot was a natural gas pocket. To prevent the gas from causing problems to the nearby residential areas, it was set on fire. What was expected to burn for weeks, continued to burn for years. The fire has stayed lit for close to four decades now.
How to get there
To witness this scene that looks like its straight out of a science fiction movie, buses plying across Darvaza village would be your easiest option. Taking a car detour from the highway you will find this crater located around 7 km away from the highway. There are taxis in the village that you can use for the commute. If you are up for an adventurous walk, you can also hike through the rugged terrains to reach this one-of-a-kind travel destination.
In conclusion
If you are an avid traveler always on the lookout for some adventure, then these are some destinations that you must add to your travel bucket list. Instead of going ahead with the much-visited famous monuments and museums, you stand to make incredible memories when you visit such out-of-the-ordinary locations.
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