A Traveler's Guide to Dark Tourism


Exploring the World's Dark & Unusual Travel Destinations

UTA Flight 772 Crash Site & Memorial: Sahara Desert

In the middle of the Sahara desert is a sight you’d be forgiven for thinking was a strange mirage. A hazy outline of an airplane pointing north towards Paris. It is very real, however, visible via Google Earth and those … Read More

Roopkund Skeleton Lake [Dark Tourism in India]

One for the bucket list for intrepid dark tourists has to be Roopkund Lake, otherwise known as Skeleton Lake in India. Situated in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, getting there is no easy task. Not only do you need to be physically … Read More

Nelson Ghost Town – Eldorado Canyon & Techatticup Mine

Popular with tourists, photographers, and the occasional filmmaker, Nelson Ghost Town in Nevada is a very interesting site to visit. It also has a rather nefarious past. The Spaniards originally called the place Eldorado. They first discovered gold there in … Read More

Museum of Underground Prisoners

The Museum of Underground Prisoners [Trips to Jerusalem]

If you are in Jerusalem and are looking for an insight into how the British treated Arab and Jewish prisoners during the occupation of Palestine in the first half of the 20th Century, the Museum of Underground Prisoners is definitely … Read More

The Skull Tower, Niš [Dark Tourism in Serbia]

No prizes guessing what’s on offer at this particular dark tourist site. Three hours drive from Belgrade, in the small Serbian town of Niš is a grisly historical monument that serves to remind us of the barbaric nature of empire. … Read More

novaya zemlya test site

Novaya Zemlya Nuclear Test Site [Dark Tourism Russia]

Visiting the site of the world’s largest nuclear bomb detonation is clearly a destination for a dark tourist. However, only the really committed need apply. The little known Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya isn’t the easiest place to get to. … Read More

Oradour-sur-Glane: A Nazi Massacre Frozen in Time

The village of Oradour-sur-Glane has stood in ruins since 1944. It is a very powerful dark tourist destination. On 10 June 1944, the village, that was in the heart of Nazi-occupied France, was destroyed by a German Waffen-SS company. In … Read More

Famagusta Varosha Ghost Resort

Varosha, Famagusta: The Abandoned Beach Resort

The abandoned beach resort Varosha is a very strange place. Where else can tourists sip cocktails beside the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, while gazing towards a fenced-off, forbidden ghost town, where entry is illegal and could result in being … Read More

Hallstatt Charnel House

The Hallstatt Beinhaus: An Austrian House of Bones

As far as towns go, it doesn’t get much more charming than Hallstatt in Austria. Tucked away at the edge of a forested mountain in the Austrian Alps, complete with the crystal blue waters of Hallstatt lake, it’s a destination … Read More

Lake_Nyos_dark tourism africa

Visiting Deadly Lake Nyos [Dark Tourism in Africa]

Visiting the most deadly lake in the world is on my bucket list of dark tourist destinations. There is a clear winner here too. Lake Nyos in North West Cameroon managed to kill over 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock in … Read More

Musee Fragonard featured

Musée Fragonard d’Alfort [Dark Tourism in Paris]

A dark tourist in Paris will usually check out the Catacombs. They are undoubtedly a popular site on the itinerary. However, if you ask me, the Musee Fragonard d’Alfort is a must-see trip for those that like their macabre to … Read More

Third_Tunnel_of_Aggression

The Third Tunnel of Aggression [DMZ, Dark Tourism Korea]

The demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea needs no introduction to the average dark tourist. It is one for the sinister travel bucket list. This 160-mile-long (257 km), 2.5-mile-wide (4 km) strip of land between the two Koreas, … Read More

The Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon [Dark Tourism in France]

The Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon [Dark Tourism in France]

For anyone up for a macabre photo opportunity that wouldn’t offend, (see my point on taking selfies at Dark Tourist destinations to understand more on that); the statue of René de Chalon’s rotting corpse at the Saint-Étienne church, in Bar-le-Duc is … Read More

inside Houska Castle

Inside Houska Castle (Built to Close a Gate to Hell)

Unraveling the truth from the myth of Houska Castle isn’t easy. What we do know is that the castle was built in the second half of the 13th century. However, the reason is unclear and in some ways depends on … Read More

Dargavs Village – Inside the City of the Dead

Dargavs Village, also known as the City of the Dead is one of many mysterious dark tourist sites you can visit in Russia. It’s location, tucked away among the ridges of the Caucasus mountains, mean that only the most committed … Read More

Presidential_national funeral museum

National Museum of Funeral History: A Day Out in Houston

If you’re in the Houston area and you fancy an alternative dark tourist experience, you should definitely head to the National Museum of Funeral History. Enter with the right state of mind, and you will leave feeling optimistic about life: … Read More

Exploring the Drakelow Tunnels – All You Need to Know

The largest underground complex of tunnels in the UK is actually open to the public. Beneath Kingsford Country Park, the Drakelow Tunnels are a former “Top Secret”, underground military center, spanning over 3.5 miles. If you happen to be anywhere … Read More