12 Islands With Cursed or Haunted Reputations
Some real islands across the world are feared or avoided because of their dark histories, tragic events, and haunted reputations.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 4 min read
Many islands hold disturbing pasts filled with plague, war, exile, and death. Over time, these stories became local legends that shaped how people view them. Though some are beautiful to look at, their haunted reputations remind us of the pain and mystery buried in their past.
1. Poveglia Island, Italy
Wikimedia Commons
Poveglia lies between Venice and Lido in the Venetian Lagoon. It was once a quarantine site for victims of the bubonic plague in the 18th century. Later, it became a mental hospital where many patients reportedly died under poor conditions. The island is now abandoned and considered one of the most haunted places in Italy.
2. Hashima Island, Japan
Jakub Hałun on Wikimedia Commons
Hashima, known as Battleship Island, was once a thriving coal-mining town. Thousands of workers lived there in crowded concrete buildings until the mine closed in 1974. Many laborers died from accidents and harsh working conditions, including prisoners during World War II. The decaying buildings and tragic past have given it an eerie reputation.
3. Isla de las Muñecas, Mexico
Px-lga on Wikimedia Commons
The Island of the Dolls sits in the canals south of Mexico City. A man once hung dolls around the island after finding the body of a drowned girl nearby. Over time, hundreds of dolls were added, many of them decaying and headless. Locals believe the dolls are possessed by spirits and say the island feels unsettlingly alive.
4. Hart Island, USA
Doc Searls on Wikimedia Commons
Hart Island, located near the Bronx in New York City, has served as a mass burial ground since the 1800s. Over a million unclaimed or unidentified people are buried there. Workers have reported strange sounds, cold spots, and ghostly figures. The island remains off-limits to the public except for supervised visits.
5. Daksa Island, Croatia
Dennis G. Jarvis on Wikimedia Commons
Daksa, a small island near Dubrovnik, witnessed a tragic event after World War II. In 1944, political prisoners were executed there without trial. Their remains were found decades later in mass graves. Locals say the island is cursed and that the victims’ souls have never found peace.
6. Palmyra Atoll, Pacific Ocean
USFWS Pacific on Wikimedia Commons
Palmyra Atoll is a remote coral island in the Pacific. During World War II, it served as a U.S. military base. In the 1970s, a murder involving a sailing couple took place there, leading to years of unsettling rumors. Many sailors avoid it, saying bad luck follows those who stay too long.
7. Gaiola Island, Italy
Gianfranco Vitolo on Wikimedia Commons
Gaiola Island, near Naples, is known for its beauty and misfortune. Several of its past owners died mysteriously or suffered great loss after buying property there. Locals call it “The Cursed Island” because of this pattern of tragedy. Today, few people are willing to live or invest near it.
8. Deadman’s Island, Canada
Usgnus on Wikimedia Commons
Deadman’s Island, located in Vancouver’s harbor, was once a burial site for soldiers, sailors, and prisoners. Many were buried in unmarked graves. Residents have claimed to hear cries and see figures along the shore. The island’s use as a naval base has not erased its haunted reputation.
9. Ross Island, India
Vyacheslav Argenberg on Wikimedia Commons
Ross Island was once the administrative center for British officials in the Andaman Islands. During the colonial period, it held prisoners and workers under strict control. After earthquakes and war, the island was abandoned. Overgrown ruins and old churches now stand among the forest, creating a ghostly atmosphere.
10. Poveira Island, Portugal
Diego Delso on Wikimedia Commons
Fishermen near the Portuguese coast long avoided Poveira Island. Legends say spirits of drowned sailors haunt its shores. Strange lights and sounds are said to appear at night, warning boats to stay away. Even today, few people dare to visit after dark.
11. Roanoke Island, USA
Ken Lund on Wikimedia Commons
Roanoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina, is tied to one of America’s oldest mysteries. In the 1500s, an entire colony vanished without explanation. When rescuers arrived, only the word “Croatoan” was carved into a tree. The disappearance has led to stories of curses and restless spirits.
12. Hirta (St. Kilda), Scotland
M J Richardson on Wikimedia Commons
Hirta, part of the St. Kilda archipelago, was home to a small population for centuries. Harsh living conditions forced the last residents to leave in 1930. The abandoned stone homes and empty fields give the island a lonely, haunted feeling. Visitors often describe a deep silence that feels almost alive.