Belief in spirits and the afterlife is ingrained into the Vietnamese culture, Vietnam, therefore, abounds in infamous stories of ghosts and haunted places that are not for the faint of heart. Ready to pluck up your courage and explore the story behind the most haunted places in Vietnam below!
The Haunted Bulgaria ex-Embassy – The Creepy Crates of Hanoi
The old and desolate ex-embassy at Kim Ma Street
This grand building, which is among the top popular haunted places in Vietnam, was constructed to be an embassy in Hanoi but somehow abandoned since the 1990s. Until now, people walking by the building claim to usually hear some weird noises like scary footsteps, echoes of doors being opened and closed. Some even witness things being moved around.
The terrifying stories revolving around the building started from the locals’ belief that the builder did not pay tribute to the spirits that the spirits would ever leave people be. Others also may blame it on the bad Feng Shui of construction. Besides, in 2009, a murder happened right in front of the building.
The darkness and coldness of the building can be easily captured just from the outside
Address: 300 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
How to Visit & What to Expect:
The building is now under the control of local authorities, therefore, no one could get in without permission. But only by standing outside could you genuinely feed the darkness surrounding for years.
Prenn Pass Abandoned Villas – Da Lat Most Infamous Ghost Villas
If going through the Prenn Pass, catch a chance to discover the notorious ghost villas
The two old, abandoned French buildings are one of the most infamous haunted places in Vietnam that travelers never miss out on their Da Lat bucket list. Those villas may seem intact from the outside, but the inside is empty with no doors and no furniture.
You can easily spot the villas peeking from behind the trees
There are many mysterious graves on the premises waiting for you to enjoy while exploring inside the villas. Although most of them have been decoded, as they have been only built by a guard as a scheme to get some cash, the villas remain to be one of the most well-known haunted places around Vietnam.
Address: 32 – 34 Ba Thang Hai Street, Ward 3, Da Lat (Prenn Pass)
How to Visit:
You can drop by and spend some time visiting the villas when riding along Prenn pass, or you can choose to go with a Da Lat tour that includes the activities of exploring haunted buildings.
What to Expect:
Asides from the scary traveling experiences, you can gain insights into the French colonial architecture reflected by these long-established villas, which have been appreciated as one of the most significant antique Western-style in Vietnam.
When to Visit:
You may not want to visit the villas after sundown. It is not only more dangerous to ride alone in Prenn Pass to reach the place, but the dim lights also cause extreme difficulties moving around the house.
The scary space inside the haunted villas absolutely can deter you from visiting it after the sunset
Con Dao Prison
The dark ambiance covers all the Con Dao Prison
Built by the French colonists in the middle 80s, Con Dao prison is one of the most worth-visiting tourist spots, especially those looking for history lessons about the wars in Vietnam, or the haunted places in Vietnam. Many Vietnamese well-known political leaders were detained here like Phan Chau Trinh, Ton Duc Thang, Vo Thi Sau, and etc.
During the war, with more than 20,000 people imprisoned and murdered here in 100 years of operation, Con Dao was also known as ‘The Devil Island’ and turned into a haunted destination with thousands of graves having no name.
Address: Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Con Dao Island, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province
Entry ticket price: ~ VND 60,000
Opening time: 7 AM – 5 PM every day
How to Visit:
To pay a visit to Con Dao prison, you must reach the island first. There are two available options, one is traveling by plane and another is by boat. You can then traverse to the prison yourself by motorbike or taxi. Look for tickets from Ho Chi Minh to Con Dao below:
What to Expect:
As Con Dao Prison has been renovated into a historical tourist attraction, you can have a guide to introduce you to many historical milestones and sites here. The creepy ghost stories, as well as haunting facts, will come to light throughout your visit.
Despite being renewed, the prison still brings a sense of evil and immorality that has become indispensable from years of war
Find out more about Con Dao travel guide
Advice on Visiting Haunted Places in Vietnam
Don’t Touch on Things or Make Loud Noise at The Haunts
For hundreds of years, locals hold a belief that when touching a thing or making some loud noises at haunted places, you are disturbing and awaking that have been asleep for a long time. To avoid bad luck, it is better to move around carefully and keep your voice down.
Don’t Take Photos at The Haunted Places in Vietnam
According to the folk beliefs of Vietnamese, taking photos at such long-standing buildings may make you become cursed, or you may capture some ‘ghosts photos’.
Concluding Thoughts on Haunted Places in Vietnam
The ghost-haunted stories behind the places are still a big question to the locals and even scientific explanation. Are they real or just products of human imagination? The only answer is that reality would lie in the mind of the believer. Believe it or not, haunted places in Vietnam still mysteriously attract thousands of visitors. And if you plan to be one of them, don’t forget to comment down below and share your unique experience.
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