Buzz
Islands, renowned for their awe-inspiring beauty, are scattered across the world's oceans. They represent the ideal destinations for those seeking a slice of paradise. Yet, despite their charm, these islands aren't free from bizarre occurrences or unresolved mysteries. The following list highlights 10 islands that continue to perplex with their puzzling secrets.
10. Metal objects in potatoes—Prince Edward Island
In 2016, a strange case of potato tampering in Prince Edward Island led to a police investigation after a family discovered a sewing needle hidden within a batch of potatoes they had peeled and prepared.
This incident followed a series of similar tampering events in 2014, when multiple metal objects, including needles, were found in potatoes from the island. In response, the federal government allocated $1.5 million for metal detection technology, and the provincial government committed an additional $500,000 to train extra personnel to inspect potatoes for foreign contaminants.
The strange incidents on the farms led to losses exceeding $1 million. To this day, no suspects have been named in the potato tampering case, leaving the mystery of who would place metal objects inside potatoes unsolved.
9. Robbery at the former leper colony – Spinalonga
Spinalonga is a deserted island in the Gulf of Elounda, famed for being one of the last active leper colonies in Europe, with the final resident leaving in 1962. Today, it attracts tourists with its historic fortress and serene, shallow beaches.
The island is accessible only by boat, which is exactly how a group of unidentified robbers arrived in 2018. They are believed to have come at night and stolen approximately 50,000 euros from a safe in the guard's room. Investigation revealed that power tools were used to break into the safe. As the island has no electricity or alarm system, and no accommodations, the security guards leave by 6:30 PM every day.
The thieves have yet to be identified.
8. The deserted Ghost Palace Hotel – Bali
The PI Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel and Resort, now widely known as The Ghost Palace Hotel, was constructed in the 1990s but abandoned before it even opened. It now stands silent and forgotten along a mountain ridge, with numerous theories circulating about its eerie past.
One local legend suggests that a real estate developer, consumed by greed, became embroiled in corrupt dealings and eventually ran out of funds. He declared bankruptcy after the hotel allegedly became cursed as a consequence of his wicked actions. A darker, more unsettling theory proposes that the hotel once operated fully, with staff and paying guests, but one fateful night, everyone vanished without a trace, leaving only their restless spirits to haunt the property forever. Another possibility is that the souls of laborers who perished while building the hotel are now believed to be the ghostly figures wandering the hotel.
The true reason for the abandonment of the resort remains a mystery.
7. Time travel or simply a chilling tale? Tenerife
On the island of Tenerife, you'll find Barranco de Badajoz, a ravine that has revealed several Guanche mummies, making it a significant archaeological site. However, its historical importance is overshadowed by the growing number of reports about strange and paranormal events. Some visitors claim that at certain spots in the ravine, time seems to stop when night falls, and watches inexplicably stop working. Others describe seeing unexplained lights darting through the ravine, while some even claim to have witnessed tall, angelic figures dressed in white.
One of the most persistent stories tells of a girl who went to the ravine in search of fruit, only to mysteriously vanish without a trace. Despite extensive search efforts, no clues were found, and the search was eventually called off. Twenty years later, the girl reappeared, appearing unchanged by time. She insisted she had only been gone for a few hours and was stunned to learn that two decades had passed.
These eerie stories have spread globally, and Barranco de Badajoz has become as notorious as the Bridgewater Triangle in Massachusetts for its chilling reputation.
Do visitors truly experience glimpses into other worlds while exploring the ravine? Or are these just unsettling stories crafted to thrill and entertain?
6. The mysterious Lost Nessie – Magnetic Island
In 2013, visitors to Magnetic Island were left stunned when a creature-like object surfaced in the waters off Picnic Bay. Local resident David Herron took a photo of the mysterious figure and remarked that it resembled the legendary Loch Ness monster. He soon dubbed it ‘Lost Nessie.’
The sighting remains unexplained as of 2020, though many speculate that the most likely explanation for the monster-like shape is the remains of a dragon boat that had sunk the week prior during a race. Despite this plausible theory, people were encouraged to come forward with alternative explanations. Without any other theories, some still cling to the belief that Nessie made a trip to warmer waters after finding the Scottish climate too cold.
5. The death of a recluse – Great Barrier Island
On June 30, 1999, the decaying body of 51-year-old Colin Michael Goode was found in his home near Claris on Great Barrier Island. Goode’s right hand was missing, and the remains of his dog were discovered nearby. He had last been seen in April 1999. Known as a cannabis grower, Goode had also been assaulted and robbed of money and cannabis in 1991.
Two rifles were discovered in the bedroom where the grim scene unfolded, but it was quickly determined that Goode had not succumbed to gunshot wounds. In fact, no cause of death could be determined even after thorough and detailed post-mortem examinations. The case grew cold over time and remains unsolved today, with no suspects ever identified or apprehended.
4. The Disappearance from Paradise – Hawaii
Hawaii, often considered a paradise, is steeped in eerie legends, including the terrifying Night Marchers, the ghostly woman in the red dress, and the Choking Ghost of Waikiki. However, it’s the real-life unsolved mysteries that truly send a shiver down the spine. One such mystery is the tragic case of Diane Suzuki.
Diane Suzuki, a 19-year-old dance instructor from Halawa, worked at the Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy and was in a relationship with Lester Gantan. She planned to visit the North Shore of Oahu after work on Saturday, July 6, 1985. Her last class ended at 3:00 PM, and a friend arrived to pick her up at 3:15 PM, but Diane was nowhere to be found. Her car remained parked as she had left it that morning, with her keys and purse inside.
When Diane's parents were informed of her disappearance, they camped outside the academy, hoping their daughter would return. During this time, they saw a man named Dewey Hamasaki, along with his father and sister, carrying a trunk and loading it into a vehicle. Dewey, a photographer at the academy, had previously shown interest in Diane and had been present during her last class. He was questioned, and the marsh area around his home was searched. However, a lack of evidence meant he was never arrested or charged.
Five and a half years after Diane's disappearance, clothing similar to what she had worn that day was found on a pig farm owned by Dewey’s father. Despite this chilling discovery, the suspects—Dewey, his father, and sister—along with around 100 witnesses, were brought before a grand jury. Yet, the court ultimately decided not to press charges. Diane Suzuki’s remains have never been recovered, and her mother passed away in 1997 without ever learning the truth behind her daughter’s disappearance.
3. The Mystery Box – Santa Cruz Island
Dr. Carey Q. Stanton, who never married, left New York City behind and moved to his family’s ranch on Santa Cruz Island in 1957. Known for his eccentricities, he maintained a strict routine when he had visitors, expecting them to follow his schedule as well. Dinner was served promptly at 7:30 PM, followed by coffee and cookies at 8:30 PM, before he retired to bed at 9:00 PM.
Stanton passed away on December 8, 1987, and was buried in the island’s private cemetery. His will left the ranch to the Nature Conservancy, with the organization tasked with overseeing activities on the island.
In April 1990, a metal box was found in a shed on the ranch. Inside were the decayed remains of a human, reduced to a pile of ashes. Alongside the remains were false teeth from the 1950s, a clothing fastener from the 1940s, and a diamond-studded ring dating back to before World War II. Tests on the bone fragments confirmed that the remains belonged to an elderly woman who likely passed away shortly after the war.
Although Stanton was never suspected of being involved in the woman’s death, the mystery of why her remains were stored in a metal box on his ranch persists. Furthermore, the woman's identity has never been determined.
2. The Hobbits – Flores Island
In 2003, fossils of Homo floresiensis were uncovered on Flores Island. These fossils were so tiny that they were nicknamed 'the hobbits' of Flores Island. The discovery sparked immediate debate over whether these remains belonged to an undiscovered branch of early humans or to modern humans affected by disease.
In life, these beings were less than 4 feet tall and had brains one-third the size of modern humans. Despite their small size, they ate meat, traveled vast distances across the ocean to settle on the island, and used handmade stone tools. It's believed that they may have encountered Homo sapiens if they lived as recently as 50,000 years ago, as modern humans are thought to have reached Australia around 65,000 years ago.
The origins of the 'hobbits' remain a mystery, as does their eventual fate. Their place in the evolutionary timeline and the cause of their disappearance are still undetermined.
1. Sea Pants – Baffin Island
In 2017, a photograph of a massive rock formation in Canada's Arctic caught the attention of many due to its striking resemblance to a giant pair of pants. The photo, taken by hunter Max Kalluk, was shot approximately 90 kilometers south of Arctic Bay. The formation can only be accessed by boat during the summer and stands at over 50 meters tall.
The formation, identified as a sea arch, overlooks the waters of Arctic Bay. The local Nunavut community has named it Qarlinngua, which means 'like pants' in Inuktitut. The arch looks so surreal that when the photograph was first shared, many people assumed it had been digitally altered. Four Canadian geologists who analyzed the photo confirmed they had never encountered such a formation in the Arctic before.
However, after an information counselor at the Unikkaarvik Visitor Centre contacted her sources, she confirmed that the arch indeed exists. Some believe the structure to be a sacred monument, and several tourism companies were eager to promote it to their clients.
What remains perplexing, though, is how this remarkable structure stayed hidden for so long, especially after one tourism company claimed to have been taking groups of tourists to the arch for the past three years.
