The world’s oceans are full of mysteries; perhaps none can be as compelling as the forgotten islands scattered around them. Their stories are woven from human ambitions, natural catastrophes, and the ceaseless march of time.
Once military bases or deserted settlements, each island stores secrets waiting to be discovered and stories begging to be told.
Hashima Island, Japan
Located just 9 miles from Nagasaki, this concrete jungle once housed thousands of coal miners and their families. The island’s distinctive profile earned it the nickname ‘Battleship Island’ due to its fortress-like appearance.
When petroleum replaced coal in Japan’s industrial sector, the mining operation shut down in 1974, leaving behind a complete city frozen in time.
Holland Island, Maryland, USA
Once a thriving fishing community in the Chesapeake Bay spanning 160 acres and housing 360 residents, this island fell victim to erosion and rising sea levels. The last house standing, a Victorian structure in 1888, finally collapsed into the bay in 2010.
Today, only fragments of the island’s foundations remain visible during low tide.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Klein Curaçao, Caribbean
This small uninhabited island off the coast of Curaçao is a scarred reminder of its industrial past as a phosphate mining site. The pink sand beaches of the island contrast sharply with its abandoned lighthouse and the rusty shipwrecks that dot its coastline.
Despite past attempts at development, the harsh conditions have kept permanent settlement at bay.
Ross Island, India
This colonial ghost town was once the British administrative headquarters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands until 1941; it is now evidence of the empire’s downfall. Enormous banyan trees have spread their roots to envelop the visible rests of buildings, powerfully creating a surreal aesthetic of merging nature and architecture.
The island speaks of the lost imperial greatness reclaimed by the jungle.
Poveglia Island, Italy
Situated in the Venetian Lagoon, this small island has served as a quarantine station, a mental hospital, and a retirement home throughout its dark history. Local legends and mysterious tales surround the abandoned buildings still on its shores.
The island’s isolation and troubled past have kept developers at bay for decades.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
North Brother Island, New York, USA
Located once as the home to Riverside Hospital, this 13-acre island in the East River is now a bird sanctuary, and it has become famous for housing ‘Typhoid Mary.’ Where the crumbling hospital buildings come through the dense vegetation and tell stories of medical isolation and urban abandonment, here stands the stark reminder of New York’s public health history.
Deception Island, Antarctica
This volcanic island in the South Shetland archipelago once hosted several whaling stations and research bases. However, the violent volcanic eruptions of the 1960s forced the evacuation of all scientific stations.
Today, rusted storage tanks and abandoned research equipment are scattered throughout the island’s volcanic landscape.
Spinalonga, Greece
Originally a Venetian fortress, this small island off the coast of Crete became Greece’s last active leper colony until 1957. The abandoned streets and buildings tell stories of isolation and resilience.
The former medical facilities and residential quarters are silent witnesses to a challenging chapter in medical history.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Disney’s Discovery Island, Florida, USA
This 11.5-acre island in Walt Disney World’s Bay Lake was once a thriving zoological park. However, it has been abandoned since 1999. Former animal habitats and nature trails lie hidden beneath years of subtropical growth.
The empty visitor centers and staff areas create an unsettling contrast to the nearby theme park’s bustling atmosphere.
King Island, Alaska, USA
This former Inupiat settlement in the Bering Sea thrived on walrus hunting and ivory carving until the early 1900s. The island’s cliffs still house the remnants of unique houses built on stilts.
The abandoned village offers glimpses into traditional Native Alaskan life and the challenges of Arctic survival.
Fort Carroll Island, Maryland, USA
Built as a hexagonal sea fortress in the Patapsco River near Baltimore, this artificial island was designed by Robert E. Lee before the Civil War. The fort never saw combat and was later used as a lighthouse station before being completely abandoned in the 1920s.
Nature has reclaimed the crumbling fortifications, with trees growing through the old gun emplacements and bird colonies making homes in the weathered walls.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
San Giorgio in Alga, Italy
This small Venetian island once housed a monastery and later served as a military compound. The religious buildings and defensive structures have fallen into dramatic disrepair.
Venice’s rising waters gradually claim more of the island’s remaining structures yearly.
Great Isaac Cay, Bahamas
Home to an automated lighthouse built in 1859, this tiny island carries tales of mysterious disappearances and maritime history. The lighthouse keeper’s quarters and support buildings stand empty against the Caribbean sky.
Local legends speak of supernatural occurrences around the abandoned structures.
McNabs Island, Canada
Located in Halifax Harbor, this former military installation and Victorian-era resort destination now lies largely forgotten. The island’s forest has reclaimed former gun batteries and recreational facilities.
Remnants of summer homes tell stories of Halifax’s wealthy residents seeking refuge from city life.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Inishmurray, Ireland
This remote Irish island’s last inhabitants departed in 1948, leaving behind a medieval monastery and traditional stone cottages. The abandoned buildings preserve glimpses of traditional Irish island life.
Ancient religious structures stand alongside more recent homes, creating a timeline of Irish history.
Dry Tortugas, Florida, USA
While partially maintained as a national park, large sections of this island chain remain abandoned, including former military quarters and support facilities. The massive Fort Jefferson is the largest brick masonry structure in the Americas, and the surrounding buildings tell stories of military life in this remote location.
Hart Island, New York, USA
Serving as New York City’s potter’s field since 1869, this island houses abandoned prison buildings and medical facilities alongside its continuing burial grounds. The former rehabilitation center and missile silo remain frozen in time.
The island’s isolated location in Long Island Sound adds to its atmosphere of abandonment.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Ross Island, Antarctica
Not to be confused with its Indian namesake, this Antarctic island housed early polar explorers, including Scott and Shackleton. The preserved huts contain artifacts from the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, and the harsh climate has helped preserve these historic structures in remarkable condition.
Pedro Keys, Jamaica
These remote Caribbean keys once supported a small fishing community. Now, they stand empty except for an automated lighthouse.
The former settlement’s concrete foundations peek through shifting sand, and salt-weathered ruins tell tales of the challenging lives of Caribbean fishermen.
Bunce Island, Sierra Leone
This former slave trading post in the Sierra Leone River stands as a powerful reminder of the Atlantic slave trade. The abandoned fortress and processing buildings have remained largely unchanged since the 1800s.
The island’s tragic history is preserved in its crumbling structures and overgrown pathways.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Exploring Our Abandoned Past
These forgotten islands serve as time capsules, preserving moments of human history while nature slowly reclaims them. Their stories remind us of the temporary nature of human endeavors and the endless cycle of abandonment and renewal.
Whether claimed by rising seas, economic changes, or human conflict, each island offers unique insights into our collective past.
More from Travel Pug
- 15 Dangerous European Cities to Avoid
- 15 Caribbean Islands Where Tourists Keep Getting Scammed
- The 20 Most Fascinating Abandoned Places: A Journey Through Time and Forgotten Spaces
- 15 Hidden Places in the Smithsonian Museums Locals Love: A Guide to Lesser-Known Treasures
- 16 Hidden Florida Beach Towns That Aren’t Overrun with Tourists
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.