Top Destinations for Otherworldly Experiences

The 12th incarnation of TV’s Dr Who has landed in Australia as part of a whirlwind world tour to promote the iconic show. In addition to Sydney, the Doctor and his trusty assistant Clara Oswald are taking the TARDIS to destinations such as Seoul, New York and Rio. However, there are a number of other destinations where their efforts might be best spent due to uncanny otherworldly occurrences. While there may not be a dalek in sight, travel experts tell their Top Destinations for Otherwordly Experiences.

Among the Seven Wonders of the World, Maccu Picchu is also one of the strangest. The city was built sometime in the mid-15th century and abandoned just over 100 years later due to the fall of the Inca Empire. While many travelers journey to Machu Picchu via trek or train, it is declared a no fly zone and paranormal stories dominate many local family legends. It is considered a site of major religious significance due its location between two sacred peaks, and the city’s perfect alignment to major astronomical events in the Inca Calendar.

The beautiful tiered pagodas of Burma are sacred places of Buddhist worship. Some of them have existed for thousands of years, and tell many tales of spiritual and otherworldly occurrences. One such pagoda is that of Bo Ta Htaung in Yangon. In this particular pagoda there exists a statue of a revered woman, Mya Nan Nwe, which is handcuffed every night between 9pm and 6am. “While a lot of speculation exists, it is not exactly clear why Mya Nan Nwe, is handcuffed each night however popular theory is that she once came to life as a beautiful woman and appeared before a military leader in his sleep. She is now handcuffed as a sign of superstition, to stop her from coming to life again.

Whether you know it as Uluru or Ayers Rock, there’s simply no greater landmark in Australia that’s shrouded in such mystery and intrigue than this ancient monolith. Although it’s widely accepted that this iconic mass has been around for more than 550 million years, there is still much speculation as to how it came to exist. The Anangu people of Uluru have long passed down tales of how this rock was formed, many of which are sacred and can only be told by an Aboriginal elder. Geologists on the other hand, attribute natural erosion and heavy rainfall as the cause for Uluru separating from the nearby rocky ranges. Spirituality and science aside, Uluru attracts thousands of Australian and international visitors each year with many eager to discover this fascinating phenomenon for themselves.

Xi’an is home to China’s mysterious and now infamous Terracotta Warriors, sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Despite being created over 2,000 years ago, it took until 1974 for the first of these armies to be discovered by local farmers. Forty years on and archaeologists are still uncovering new sculptures and secret chambers. The purpose of the lifesize warriors and their horses was to protect the emperor in his afterlife, and with the number of paranormal incidences recorded in the region, it seems the soldiers have taken their job very seriously.

Located 300kms south of Delhi, en route to Jaipur, is Bhangarh Fort. While known for its historical ruins, the village has nationally known as the most haunted place in India. Legend has it that the Hindi deity of Baba Balanath only allowed the construction of Bhangarh under the condition that the city cast no shadows on him. However, when built the palace of Bhangarh was raised to a height that cast a shadow on Baba Balanath’s forbidden retreat causing him to curse Bhangarh for all time. Entry to Bhangarh Fort is prohibited to travelers before sunrise and after sunset which locals says is a rule put in place to protect visitors from ghosts the guard the ruins, including that of Baba Balanath who is said to be buried there.

Much of Samoa’s Savai’i Island is covered in layers of thick lava, the result of six years of eruptions from Mt Matavanu that commenced in 1905. The resulting lava flow has created a thick black blanket that covers a great deal of the west side of the island forming an almost otherworldly landscape. Standing on the lava field gives you a sense of the scale of the eruption as does a visit to the Saleaula Lava Field. Walk through what remains of a church that was engulfed and the grave of a daughter of a High Chief who it was said was so pure that the lava flowed around her grave, leaving it uncovered.

In the heart of Istanbul visit the Hagia Sophia, an imperial mosque and now museum. Dating back to 537 it has served as an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral and seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and from 1204 to 1261 was converted into a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. Dedicated to the Wisdom of God on the northern corner of the museum the ‘sweating column’ which is damp and wet all season is said to cure people suffering from illness including Emperor Justinian who suffered from headaches and signifies the tears of the Virgin Mary.

Whether you believe the tale or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of Scotland’s most revered and globally recognised attractions. It’s been over 80 years since hotel manageress Mrs Aldie Mackay first reported seeing a "whale-like fish" in the waters of the loch. Since then there have been over 1,000 reported sightings in the area. Believed by many to be a hoax to drive tourism, even without Nessie, Loch Ness is a place of great beauty and remarkable intrigue and well worth the visit.

It’s not J.R.R Tolkien’s middle-earth, though the Iron Gate on the River Danube certainly comes close. The spectacularly scenic gorge forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania. Hard to access by land, it’s best appreciated from a river cruise like the River Princess where you can get full scope of the dramatic steep cliffs and their many caves and the striking head of Decebalus that is carved into the rock cliff.

As the ‘Mother City’, and therefore oldest, of South Africa, Cape Town has no shortage of spooky stories relating to its former inhabitants. However the Castle of Good Hope, a star fort built in the 17th century in Cape Town, is said to be the most haunted location in the city. Countless workers and visitors to the Castle of Good Hope, have reported numerous eerie incidences on the grounds. Picking which of the castles lost souls these hauntings can be attributed to has been a difficult task with a cloaked woman, a black dog and a strict Governor all said to roam the grounds. Two years ago an independent film crew spent the night in the castle, capturing audio and footage plus in the case of the producer, a slap to the face by an invisible perpetrator.