Mexico is Home to the Island of the [Creepy] Dolls

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The Isla de las Munecas, or Island of the Dolls will send chills down your spine. Legend has it the island came to be after a girl drowned due to “mysterious circumstances.” Now, her spirit and more haunt the eerie island through these disturbing dolls. Witnesses claim to have heard the possessed dolls whispering to one another, and that they have even “lured [visitors] to come down to the island.”

About 17 miles from Mexico City, the Island of the Dolls can be reached only by boat via the Xochimilco canals. The duration of the ferry ride ranges from two hours to six hours. This distance from the mainland begs the question: Who is hanging these former children’s toys and adult collectibles? Decapitating some of them at that.

The tale says Don Julian Santana Barrera (photo 16), caretaker of the “floating garden,” found the dead girl in the canal decades ago, then found a doll floating nearby and hung it in honor of her. Julian claimed to be haunted by the girl’s spirit, and continued to hang more and more dolls to pay his respects. However, the horrifying spirits did not let up, “After 50 years of collecting dolls and hanging them on the island, Julian was found dead, drowned in the same spot where the girl did,” according to the island’s website.

Today, visitors braving the myth bring with them dolls to hang, joining the plastic residents already occupying the dark island.