5 Islands You Can’t or Shouldn’t Visit

Mar 9

We all know the world is an interesting place but it can also be a dangerous one, here are five islands that scream “STAY AWAY”:

Ilha de Queimada Grande, Brazil AKA Snake Island

We’ve written about Snake Island before and this is one island you definitely can’t visit. Sure you can put in a request to the Brazilian government but don’t even think about it unless you’re planning to bring a doctor along with you.

But why do you need a doctor to visit snake island? And why do I keep calling it snake island? That’s because it contains one of the most venomous snakes in the world, a more poisonous version of pit vipers called Golden Lanceheads.

And if that’s not enough to make you cancel your request to visit, you should know the island is only 110 acres in size and contains probably about 2.5 million snakes. This means if you stand anywhere on that island and outstretch your arms, you’ll be touching about 5 snakes.

Some of you might be saying, ‘that’s okay, I like snakes.’ But you know what you definitely don’t like? Poison, so stay away!

2. Gruinard Island, Scotland AKA Anthrax Island

Here’s an island you probably shouldn’t visit despite the British government stating it has been decontaminated and ruled safe since 1990. ‘Decontaminated from what?’ Is the question you should be asking. Shockingly the answer is anthrax spores.

Back in 1942 with World War II raging and the entire world suffering casualties many countries devised unthinkable plans that they believed would help end the war. Luckily many of these plans weren’t put into place either because they didn’t work or because the war ended before they could be enacted.

In the latter category falls “Operation Vegetarian” which involved the British military dropping anthrax-infected linseed cakes (cow cakes) in fields where German cattle would graze thereby infecting them.

The infected cattle would die causing a food shortage in Germany but not before some cattle were processed and eaten, infecting and killing thousands of Germans. This would then cause distrust in the eating of meat further diminishing food supplies and morale.

Before the plan was put into place it was tested on the small 520-acre Gruinard Island with 60 sheep. It was considered a success as all the sheep died within several days. The tests contaminated the island with anthrax spores that were said to be lethal in the environment for decades, access to the island or going anywhere near the island was prohibited.

In 1986 a decontamination process began, concluding in 1990. The island was sold back to its original owners and since then it has been considered safe but you won’t find many people going or willing to take you there.

3. North and South Brother Island, NYC, New York

Located on the East River between the Bronx and Rikers Island, you’ll find two small islands North and South Brother Island.

The smaller 6-acre South Brother Island was originally used as a dump but that ended in the late 19th century after several wealthy New Yorkers sued to stop dumping due to the foul smell. Something that I guess no one saw coming when they decided to stack literal shit on South Brother Island.

For the next century, the island was owned by several people but nothing permanent was ever built on the land. It eventually ended up in the hands of the Park Department where, today, it’s essentially off limits to the public as it’s now a bird sanctuary.

A little further north you’ll find another bird sanctuary called North Brother Island and this island has a far more interesting history.

North Brother Island was the home of the Riverside Hospital back in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Originally a smallpox hospital that served as a quarantine location, it later expanded to include those with tuberculosis, polio, and typhoid.

One of its more famous residents was Mary Mallon, AKA Typhoid Mary who eventually died there in 1938.

After World War II the island was used as housing for World War II vets and later contained a facility for teenage heroin addicts but none of these lasted too long. Since the mid-1960’s no one could really figure out a solid plan for using the island leading to the buildings becoming dangerous from disrepair.

Eventually, it was determined fixing up the island would cost too much and no plans have been made since.

Unsurprisingly with all the death said to have occurred on and near the island many people say it’s haunted. But the reason you can’t visit the island without permission from the city isn’t because of ghosts, it's simply because it’s too dangerous with all the dilapidated buildings.

But probably ghosts too.

4. Poveglia Island, Venice, Italy

This island is definitely haunted… or so they say. Why? Well, back in the late 18th century the island was used to quarantine those infected with the plague. The numbers of those who died are anywhere between 100 thousand and 150 thousand, and guess where they’re buried?

Hint: It’s several plague pits on the island and no one is quite sure where they all are.

A hundred years later in 1922, according to legends, a mental asylum opened on the island. The legend says a horrific doctor tortured and killed the patients there because he was bored. Some say he performed lobotomies that resulted in dozens of deaths, others say he experimented on patients.

Eventually, the doctor killed himself by jumping off the roof of the bell tower. Although some say he was thrown off by someone or something. There were also rumors he complained about disembodied voices and seeing ghosts before his death.

The mental asylum later closed but its buildings were converted into a nursing homes where more died of old age and other illnesses. In 1968 the buildings were closed and the island was abandoned several years later.

Since then the island has been plagued with rumors of hauntings but, at the same time, many have tried to find uses for it with the owner of the island changing hands several times.

In 2015 a private group purchased the island in hopes of building a public park, a restaurant, and a marina among other things. No construction has started as of yet.

5. Isla de la Muñecas, Xochimilco, Mexico (Island of the Dolls)

Haunted doll island Mexico — This will never not be creepy

Known as the Isla de la Munecas, this island is located just south of Mexico City in Mexico. Although you’re not forbidden from going, many of the boats that offer tours of the canals and islands don’t go there.

This is one of those islands you shouldn’t go to since it’s reportedly haunted by a bunch of dolls that come to life at night. I don’t know about you but dolls can be pretty creepy especially when they pop up in weird places. So it’s pretty terrifying that on every tree at the Isla de la Munecas you’ll find the remnants of dolls staring into your soul.

According to legend, the dolls were originally placed there by the island’s only resident, Don Julian Santana Barrera, as a way to appease the spirit of a young girl who died nearby. Unfortunately for Barrera and in a huge ‘what the fuck’ twist, the dolls only brought more spirits to the island who began inhabiting the dolls and bringing them to life.

You can read the full legend by clicking our related article link below or, you can not click and avoid nightmares about dolls tonight.