A Look at the Super Creepy ‘Island of the Dolls’ in Mexico

When Don Julián Santana found the body of a drowned girl near an island south of Mexico City in 1950, the event started what would become an obsession for the man. Shortly after the discovery of the girl, a doll floated to the island which he hung in a tree in an attempt to put the girl’s soul to rest. After the first doll, he would find other dolls in trash heaps and hang them up around the small island as well. Eventually he would trade for dolls to continue the collection. It is now known as La Isla de las Muñecas, or Island of the Dolls, and it may be the creepiest place you’ll ever see.

Santana passed away in 2001 and the care of the island is now in the hands of his cousin Anastasio. It’s run as a tourist attraction, but it’s not a friendly place. Vocativ reports that Anastasio claims you don’t want to be there at night. He says, “The spirit of the little girl is still here. It’s important not to remove the dolls.” He also claims the dolls come to life at night, saying, “They will move their heads and whisper to each other. It’s very spooky, but I have gotten used to it.”

Dolls creep me out to start with, so I’ll just stay at home and take his word for it.

Find out more about the island and see photos of the decaying dolls in the video below: