From a cave filled with millions of cockroaches and evil bats to an island swarming with venomous viper snakes, these are some of the most disturbing and terrifying places on our planet.
It's as though they've come straight out of a horror movie, but believe it or not, they are all real. Funny enough, with how scary this sounds, many people still venture to these places for tourism and sightseeing.
I must admit, even if I were offered all-expense-paid trips to these locations, the African in me would never dream of taking a risk like this. Thanks, but no thanks!
Now, if you happen to be quite brave and adventurous and don't mind experiences like these, I can provide you with a breakdown of what to expect in these places. I wouldn't advise but oh well, let's have at it:
Gomantong caves in Borneo, Malaysia
This might look like an ordinary cave at first, but trust me, it's not. You'll understand why in a second. This 300 feet high cave, is home to over two million bats! As soon as you enter, the bats would start flying toward you, just like in the movies. It's not something you'd want to experience. Let's say you make it past this part of the cave, right on the other side, you'll encounter millions of cockroaches! The mere thought of this makes me shudder. Highly not recommended.
But wait, there's more. Beyond the bats and disgusting roaches, you'll encounter more creepy creatures, from scorpions to hairy spiders, hairy millipedes, and rats! Yes, rats and huge poisonous snakes that feed on those rats. It sounds like a living nightmare, doesn't it? Now tell me, why on earth anybody would willingly want to visit this hellish place? Nah, count me out.
Let me shock you even further. Inside that same cave where bats hang upside down, there are swiftlets, which are small black birds that also like to sleep in caves hanging from the walls during the night.
The interesting part is these swiftlets make nests out of their own hardened saliva. These nests cling to the cave walls, and believe it or not, these nests are edible. How, you ask? Well, people use them in parts of Asia to make bird's nest soup, and they're considered very valuable.
What I cannot really wrap my head around is how someone actually found out that these nests, hidden in one of the most disgusting and cockroach-infested places on earth, were in fact good for food.
Like, did someone just randomly take a nest off the wall and eat it? I just cannot. Nah. I mean, who thinks of that? Why anyone would take a bird's nest and consider it food is beyond me.
The Bermuda Triangle
There have been a thousand and one conspiracy theories about this place, and all for a good reason, because the story behind this place is not so clear.
It's one of those world mysteries that still lacks a real answer. Located between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Florida lies one of nature's greatest mysteries as it's known for making aircraft and ships vanish without a trace. Some people say it's aliens; others believe a mysterious force is at play. Many others have their different theories about this place that makes humans disappear, and a lot more others have even gone on quests to satisfy their curiosity about this mysterious place.
One thing's for certain, though, many have died trying to uncover the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle, but some survived to tell their stories. One man recounted his experience flying from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale Airport when suddenly he encountered the strange force of the Bermuda Triangle. The weather changed dramatically, and he felt like he had travelled through time as he flew through the clouds. Surprisingly, he landed at Fort Lauderdale Airport in just five minutes, a flight that should have taken much longer.
The Bermuda Triangle continues to leave the world with more questions than answers.
The door to hell in Derweze
Welcome to HELL! Ha ha. Just joking. It's not really hell, but it sure looks like it.
This hell-like place is found in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. The Door to Hell is actually a man-made creation, and here's the story behind it: It all started with a scientific expedition gone wrong.
Back in 1971, a group of Soviet scientists was on an oil exploration mission when they accidentally stumbled upon this fiery spot. As they were drilling the ground, it suddenly collapsed, releasing toxic and dangerous gases into the air. Worried about the potential dangers, they decided to light up the crater, hoping it would help get rid of the harmful gas.
Unfortunately, that didn't turn out so well, ever since then, the crater has been burning nonstop for over 50 years! Terrifying.
Snake Island in São Paulo, Brazil
Snake Island actually exists and it's one of the most dangerous places in the world and is home to thousands of these venomous serpents. So potent is their venom that it can melt human flesh. Only very few people in history who encounter this Island ever survived to tell the story.
So how did this crazy island ever happen you ask? The formation of Snake Island occurred approximately 11,000 years ago when rising sea levels separated it from the mainland. In the past, a few humans lived on the island to operate a lighthouse, but this ceased in the 1920s when the lighthouse became automated. Today, the only visitors to Snake Island are members of the Brazilian Navy, who visit every year to check on the lighthouse, and a select few scientists who have permits to study the snakes. Even these scientists are required to take a doctor with them.
Due to its danger, the Brazilian government bans people from visiting Snake Island, although I suppose you can always get on a plane and go visit. I highly doubt you'll make it out alive though.
Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora
The story of this place is simply weird and creepy. The picture you see above is a decoration made entirely of real human bones!
This ossuary, also known as The Bone Church, is a small chapel situated in the Cemetery Church of All Saints. The strange act of decorating with bones began in the early 1300s when Sedlec Monastery brought back holy sand from Jerusalem, also known as the Holy Land. They scattered this sand all over the church, and from that moment, everyone wished to be buried there upon their death.
As more and more people were buried, the cemetery became overcrowded with bodies. To make space for new burials, they had to dig up the old bodies. And what happened to those dug-up bodies? Yep, you guessed it. They were used to decorate the church! The odd masterpiece was created by František Rint, who used over 40,000 human remains.
Which of these places would you love to visit?
Comments