Halloween, prime time for dark tourists (Part 1)

Dark tourism is the name given to visiting any kind of place that owes its notoriety to death, disaster or atrocity. It could be the site of a natural disaster, or somewhere genocide, assassination, incarceration, ethnic cleansing or war occurred. For those who love to experience the adrenaline rush or the excitement of being somewhere they shouldn’t be, Halloween is the best time for such a person to go on an adventure. These are the best places to visit for a spine-chilling Halloween.

SPIKE ISLAND

WHERE IS IT: Cobh, Cork, Ireland.

WHY VISIT HERE: Imagine visiting an island that was once a monastery, then a prison, then a fort. Now imagine setting sail across icy waters in the pitch black for an after-dark tour of “Irelands Hell”. Walkthrough the unsettling corridors where inmates were once tortured and even murdered. This is known to be one of the most haunted places in Ireland.
Website: https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/after-dark-tours/

DARVAZA GAS CRATER

WHERE IS IT: DARVAZA, TURKMENISTAN.

WHY VISIT HERE: Who doesn’t want to visit the “Gateway to Hell” on Halloween? In this eerie and remote part of the world, you can find this phenomenon that has been puzzling geologists for decades. It was set on fire to prevent the spread of methane gas, and it is thought to have been burning continuously since 1971. This fierce glow is a fascinating and chilling spectacle.
Website: https://www.advantour.com/turkmenistan/darvaza-gas-crater/tours.htm

AOKIGAHARA FOREST

WHERE IS IT: Narusawa, Japan.

WHY VISIT HERE: Also known as the sea of trees, this is the gem for dark tourists, albeit having a sad and tragic background story. There are many reports of people hearing screams, seeing ghosts, and getting lost in the extensive amount of trees. All you need to do is take a look at one photo of this place to see how frightening it is. To be honest, I wouldn’t be found within 300 km of this place for Halloween.
Website: https://www.viator.com/en-IE/Tokyo-attractions/Aokigahara-Forest/d334-a17428

CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANET

WHERE IS IT: Chernobyl, Ukraine.

WHY VISIT HERE: This site is home to one of the world’s worst disasters. Not only did it suffer through the tragedy, but it was also subject to negligence and cover-ups from the Soviet Union. Visiting here might not be the scariest place to experience but taking a trip here in the dark cold nights with a cold easterly breeze blowing in only adds to the daunting atmosphere here.
Website: https://www.chernobyl-tour.com/tours_to_chernobyl_nuclear_power_plant_en.html

SALEM

WHERE IS IT: Massachsettes, Boston, United States.

WHY VISIT HERE: You can’t talk about places to visit during Halloween without mentioning Salem. Another tragic occurrence is what put this town on the map. In 1692 many locals were executed during the witch trials for allegedly practicing witchcraft. Today you can visit the city and experience the carnival atmosphere with creepy street performers and an excellent costume parade.
Website: https://www.hauntedhappenings.org/

JACK THE RIPPER TOUR

WHERE IS IT?: London, United Kingdom.

WHY VISIT HERE: Travel back in time and uncover the gruesome tales of one of the world’s most infamous serial killers. You will step foot into Londons Victorine times in Londons East-end and visit the murder sites where the Canonical Five victims lost their lives. This tour does operate throughout the year but visiting in the cold dark Autumn months is sure to raise the hairs on your arms.
Website: https://thejacktherippertour.com/