In childhood, many dreamed of finding themselves on a mysterious island with many treasures and tropical fruits. However, things are far from simple with mysterious atolls. For example, one of them has about 5 snakes per square meter - and he is perhaps even the cutest.
We have collected 12 truly strange islands surrounded by age-old secrets. And at the end of the article you will find a bonus that shows how amazing the inhabitants of the islands are.
1. Palmyra Atoll
The atoll is located south of Hawaii and is owned by the United States. The place is said to be "possessed by demons." Over the centuries, the island has gained notoriety due to the many shipwrecks near its shores. One of the incidents served as the source of rumors about a hidden treasure that is cursed with the souls of deceased sailors.
In addition to shipwrecks, this place is rich in rumors and missing ships. In 1855, one ship reported a collision with a reef, but the rescuers who arrived at the scene did not find either the ship or people.
During World War II, this island was used as a beachhead. The soldiers who worked there are said to have been subject to panic attacks of unknown origin, several of which ended in suicide.
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2. Snake Island
This attractive island near Brazil doesn't just have a lot of snakes - there are a lot of them. So much so that except for them (and rare birds), no one can live there. The species inhabiting the island is officially recognized as the most poisonous - from one bite, complete destruction of tissues begins. Excursions are even rarely visited there - only Nat Geo expeditions for the purpose of studying and filming.
Recently, however, there are several unfortunate people who have become victims of this island. The fisherman, who did not know about the danger, landed on the shore. When he was discovered, he was lying in a pool of blood, covered in snake bites. And the family who decided to move to this island, also not knowing about all its vicissitudes. According to rumors, they ran out of the house when snakes filled the entire room, crawling through the windows. And in fact they were found all over the island in pieces.
3. Island "If you go - you won't come back"
In the Kazakh language, the island is called Barsa-Kelmes, which literally means "If you go, you won't come back." Its name originates from ancient legends, which tell about fugitives who stayed on the island for about a year, and sometimes returned home after decades. In addition, entire groups of people disappeared on the island - the Kazakhs blamed this on a flying lizard that came from prehistoric times.
The island was officially opened in the middle of the 19th century. In the XX century, there was a hunting farm on its territory. However, pretty soon the island was declared a nature reserve, which became one of the most closed in the USSR.
After the shallowing of the Aral Sea, the island is officially a natural boundary.
4. Miyakejima Island
You can only be on it with a gas mask at hand, so that in case of danger you can immediately put it on. There is an active volcano on Miyakejima. However, the great danger is not eruptions, but poisonous gas that seeps from the bowels of the earth. In 1962, after a particularly violent eruption, all residents were evacuated, but already in 2000 they wished to return to their homeland - now about 2,415 people live there.
5. Poveglia Island
The history of this island in Venice can amaze at least by the logic of its use by people. During the black plague epidemic, the island was the last refuge for about 160 thousand patients, its soil is 50% of the ashes of burnt corpses.
In the 1920s, the Italian government opened a hospital for the mentally ill on the island. Patients endlessly complained of headaches and that the island was full of spirits that died in terrible agony. In addition, the head physician is said to have performed horrific experiments on patients. It is unclear what was the ultimate cause, however, he lost his mind and committed suicide by jumping from the island's bell tower. Then the hospital was closed.
At the moment, the island is empty - there are many photos of abandoned hospital rooms and the same bell tower on the network.
6. Island of the lost dolls
Quite a famous island among lovers of specific sensations. On this island lived a hermit named Julian Santana Barrera. Legend has it that one day a girl drowned near the shore near his house, and from that time on, many broken and discarded dolls began to be nailed to the island. The hermit considered that this was a sign, and began to dress them up and hang them on the trees, thus protecting himself from evil and trying to appease the girl's spirit.
He collected his eerie collection for about 50 years, after which he was found drowned in the same place as the girl.
7. Bouvet Island
Perhaps this island is the most isolated point on earth. There is no other land around 3,146,000 square miles (slightly less than Europe).
Despite this, a rather interesting story is associated with the island. The island was discovered in 1739 and forgotten for almost 60 years. After this time, an expedition arrived on the island and found a strange find - an abandoned ship lay stern in the water on the island. It did not find any serious malfunctions, no name, or other identification marks. Oars lay 10 meters from the ship. They thought, of course, about the shipwreck, but they did not find any human remains or housing near the ship.
In addition, in 1979 there were 2 nuclear explosions on the island, in which no country is recognized.
8. Henderson Island
Now this island is known only for the incredible amount of garbage off its coast. However, it also has a more beautiful, mysterious side.
One of the brightest mysteries of the island is a cave with a spring, in which human skeletons were discovered. There were found petroglyphs on the surrounding rocks, earth ovens, stone tools and other crafts. Nobody knows where these people came from and what culture they were. According to archaeological data, the island was inhabited in the XII-XV centuries.
It is unclear where this miniature culture came from and where it disappeared. The mystery is complemented by the fact that fresh water on the island is catastrophically scarce, and the skeletons in the caves are stacked incredibly neatly.
9. North Brother Island
The history of this island mirrors to some extent its Venetian counterpart.
1904 year
2006 year
At the end of the 19th century, a hospital was opened on the island, which specialized in the treatment of smallpox and the isolation of patients. In 1904, off the coast of North Brother, the steamship General Slokam was wrecked, as a result of which more than a thousand people died.
After 40 years, a drug rehabilitation clinic was opened on the island, but it became famous for corruption and brutality of the staff. In addition, the percentage of patients who started using drugs more violently after being in the clinic was very high. Therefore, in 1963 it was closed.
As of 2017, the island is uninhabited: the clinic has been destroyed, its territory is overgrown with forest.
10. Island Por-Bazhyn
Por-Bazhyn (which means “clay house” in Tuvan) is a historical monument built on a small island in the middle of Lake Tere-Khol in the Republic of Tyva.
The most relevant at the moment is the version that the building was a summer residence for recreation.
In addition, the researchers were able to establish that the lake around the island disappeared several times - due to the overlap of underground sources. It is likely that the fortress was built at such a time, as evidenced by the roads at the bottom of the reservoir.
However, neither the exact reason for the destruction of the building, nor the exact historical persons who used it have been established.
11. Roanoke Island
This island became famous for the disappeared colony of settlers on it. In 1587, Governor John White left over 100 men and women on it while he sailed to England to deliver the necessary supplies. However, there was a war in the country and he was able to return only after 3 years.
This is what Roanoke looks like in 2016
Before his departure, the colonists promised that if they were forced to leave the island, they would leave a sign in a conspicuous place. Upon arrival, John White found the word "CROATON" carved on a tree by the gate, and on the other, by the road leading to the pier, there were only three letters - "CRO", which in all probability was an abbreviation of the same word. Croaton is the name of a neighboring Indian tribe, but they were not found there. In addition, Croaton is an Indian god, which translates as "Reaper of Souls", perhaps the colonists fell victim to the rite of this deity.
This episode became the basis for some literary works: theories were put forward that "croaton" is an incurable virus.
12. Island of Gozo in Malta
One of the most mysterious places on earth are the oldest buildings in Malta. Temples, catacombs, observatories are 1,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids. Most likely, the buildings had a cultural purpose. As in Egypt, moving boulders weighing several tons is challenging even for the current state of the art. It remains unclear how these structures were built, and who built them, and why this civilization left its lands.
In addition, the entire island is riddled with large ruts, similar to a network of rails or roads, but not a single wheel - wood or other material - was found.