Happy Halloween! This haunted holiday has a long history that is believed to date back to Celtic harvest festivals before it was picked up by the Christian Church, which considers it the prelude to All Saints’ Day on November 1. Though the reasoning varies, some cultures participate in rituals to either appease or scare away the spirits of the departed on this day, while others see it as pure fun. Here in the U.S., many dress up in costumes, seek out scare-inducing activities, and take children trick-or-treating, which essentially is just asking neighbors for candy.
Among the most popular traditions during this spooky season is visiting haunted houses. If you have yet to do anything hair-raising for Halloween, explore these frightening spots around the world that are recommended by your fellow Local Guides on Google Earth Voyager. Below are a few of our favorites.
Fuji-Q Highland (Fujiyoshida, Japan)
Part of a theme park near the base of Mount Fuji, the Haunted Hospital is one of the most popular attractions. Expect gory scenes of surgery and experiments gone wrong as well as frights that engage all five senses.
Local Guides say:
“Make sure you drop by here during your time in Japan if you’re down for thrilling attractions. The extremely fast roller coasters and masterly crafted haunted house are world-class.” -Local Guide Tyler Chan
Lost Souls Alley (Krakow, Poland)
Based on popular horror films, you’ll need to solve a series of puzzles to make your way through this haunted house in what amounts to a terrifying game.
Local Guides say:
“Absolutely brilliant! I’d watched videos on YouTube and saw how scared people were. I didn’t think I would be but I was terrified” -Local Guide Michael Price
Taman Festival Bali, Padang Galak (Denpasar, Indonesia)
While it’s not officially a haunted attraction, this abandoned theme park draws in plenty of tourists hoping to find out for themselves whether the rumors of cannibal crocodiles and a bat-filled theater are true.
Local Guides say:
“This is an abandoned theme park which was turned into [a] tourist attraction. Yes, you can feel the spooky vibes around here. This place is quite big, you could spend an hour to walking around. Many cool spots to take a picture.” -Local Guide Anchu Mansyur
See the rest on Google Earth Voyager!
Do you celebrate Halloween? What’s the scariest place you’ve ever been to? Tell us in the comments below!