The creepiest Asian destinations for those who dare
We scoured the internet and word-of-mouth pertaining spooky Asian destinations for the travellers with guts of steel. If you think you are conditioned enough to withstand the creepy and mental-challenging onslaught of these five destinations, do pay them a real visit to verify your spiritual mettle.
Aokigahara Forest, Japan
Located at the base of Mount Fuji, Aokigahara stretches over 35-square-kilometres. It has a silent ambience that is attributed to the wind-blocking density of trees and the absence of almost all forms of wildlife. What makes Aokigahara forest a really creepy place is its numerous mythologies of demonic activity as well as its popularity as a place for carrying out suicide – etching the forest with the moniker 'Suicide Forest'. Signboards have been placed throughout the forest urging the suicidal to seek help and reconsider their actions, and annual body searches are still being conducted by the authorities and volunteers to unearth bodies since 1970.
Siriraj Medical Museum, Thailand
Nicknamed the 'Museum of Death', Siriraj Medical Museum is open to the public and is dubbed as a fundamental and valuable resource to both medical professionals and the public themselves. Despite its noble existence, its large collection of exhibits from preserved babies to mummified cadavers of serial killers are possibly one of the country's most stomach-churning sights you can ever encounter.
Kabayan Mummy Caves, Philippines
The Kabayan Mummies, also known as the Fire Mummies of the Philippines are a group of mummies found along the mountainous slopes of the Kabayan town in the northern part of the country. They were reportedly made from 2000BC until the 1500s. It is declared as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world due to thieving activities. In the effort to introduce the mummies to Filipinos and tourists, the local authorities from surrounding municipalities collaborated in cultural awareness campaign as well as constructing facilities in order to control visitation and prevent harmful intrusions.
Penang War Museum, Malaysia
National Geographic listed the Penang War Museum as one of Asia's top 10 haunted sites and it is of no surprise given its history as a brutal prisoner of war camp as well as execution grounds of the captives after the Japanese invasion in 1941. Visitors of this museum have reported the sensation of cold air, sudden chills up the spine, and nauseating feelings while walking through the eerie tunneling corridors of the vicinity.
