{"id":27147,"date":"2016-10-25T12:06:09","date_gmt":"2016-10-25T12:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=27147"},"modified":"2026-09-17T00:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T00:43:45","slug":"best-abandoned-places-urbexing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/best-abandoned-places-urbexing\/","title":{"rendered":"12 abandoned places that are just the right amount of scary"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is urbexing? It’s a kind of photography that involves sneaking around an abandoned amusement park or exploring the dilapidated charm of an abandoned hotel with some mates to get cool and eerie photographs.\u00a0 If that sounds like your kind of thing, here is a list of the best abandoned places around the world for urbexing that are just the right amount of scary…<\/p>\n

1. H\u1ed3 Thu\u1ef7 Ti\u00ean \u2013 Hu\u00e9, Vietnam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"urbexing<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7@teejayhughes<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This abandoned theme park in Vietnam is one of the coolest places you\u2019ll ever visit. Climb inside the crumpling dragon, crawl up the twisting, now waterless slides, and navigate your way through the woods to find the swampy swimming pools. This magnificent water-wonderland\u00a0was never completed due to financial issues, but it\u2019s reached cult status amongst urbexers in Southeast Asia. A word of warning though: although the local government recently removed the resident alligators, it\u2019s probably still a good idea to be alert and stay out of the water.
\nTo get here, simply type “H\u1ed3 Thu\u1ef7 Ti\u00ean\u201d\u00a0into Google Maps and ride your motorbike up to the entrance \u2013 it\u2019s about 15 minutes from the town of Hu\u00e9. If you get lost, just ask the locals \u2013 everyone in town knows the place.<\/p>\n

2. Teufelsberg \u2013 Berlin, Germany<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7@emma.v.martell<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Built by the US to spy on East Germany during the Cold War, this abandoned listening station is perched on a hill of WW2 rubble that buries a Nazi military school. Aside from all the history, you\u2019ll find some great graffiti, a swing inside one of the giant golf ball domes, amazing accoustics and panoramic views across the forest towards Berlin.
\nIt\u2019s fast and easy to get here from the centre \u2013 just hop on the S-Bahn to Grunewald and walk through the forest in the general direction of Devil\u2019s Lake (\u201cTeufelsee\u201d). After about 20 minutes, you\u2019ll spot the domes above the trees, and then you\u2019ll need to walk round the perimeter until you find a hole in the fence to squeeze through. Don\u2019t bother paying for the official tour: if you get caught, just act dumb and pretend you don\u2019t speak German. You\u2019ll probably be escorted off the property and they might try to make you delete your pictures, so always carry a spare SD card!
\nWhere to stay in Berlin: <\/strong>Circus Hostel<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

3. Train graveyard \u2013 Uyuni, Bolivia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"urbexing<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7@latinoamericaneando<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Not far from the famous Salar de Uyuni salt flats, this collection of old trains rusting under the Bolivian sun has got to be one of the most photogenic abandoned places on earth. The mass train graveyard, known as Cementerio de Trenes, is about a 15 minute drive from the town of Uyuni and although it\u2019s become quite popular with travellers to the area, it\u2019s still well worth a visit.<\/p>\n

4. Dreamland \u2013 Nara, Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7Time Travel Turtle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Dreamland\u2019s crumbling fairy-tale castle and skeletal remains of the helter skelter will make all your urbexing dreams come true. This massive abandoned theme park near Nara is Japan\u2019s answer to Disneyland, and it\u2019s one of the best preserved abandoned theme parks in the world, since the owners didn\u2019t sell any of the rides off after closure. There\u2019s so much to see you\u2019ll need a couple of hours minimum.
\nIf you\u2019re thinking of going, make sure you read Time Travel Turtle\u2019s excellent blogpost<\/a> beforehand about how to get in and the best time to visit in order to avoid getting caught and fined by the security.
\nWhere to stay in Nara: <\/strong>Guest House Tamura<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

5. Abandoned plane wreckage \u2013 S\u00f3lheimasandur Beach, Iceland<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0\"urbexing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7Chris Johnston<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The surreal black sand of S\u00f3lheimasandur Beach, and Northern lights in the sky above, make the skeletal remains of the US plane that crash landed here all the more stunning.
\nThis spot is a little bit more difficult to reach than other attractions in Iceland, as you can\u2019t drive all the way there, bad weather sometimes blocks access completely and you won\u2019t see any signposts from the road. But this means if you do manage to get there, you\u2019ll likely have the whole place to yourself. It\u2019s about an hour\u2019s walk from the nearest car park, and the easiest way to find it is by typing the following coordinates into Google maps: 63.459523,-19.364618.
\nWhere to stay in Iceland: <\/strong>Kex Hostel<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

6. Spreepark \u2013 Berlin, Germany<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"urbexing<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7 @dgandrews86<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Berlin is without a doubt the best city in Europe for urbexers \u2013 so much history, and so many amazing abandoned spots that are easy to get to on public transport. This GDR-era amusement park known as \u201cSpreepark\u201d features fallen dinosaur statues, a Ferris wheel that creeks in the wind, and a roller coaster tunnel in the shape of a psychedelic cat.
\nTo get there just hop on the S-Bahn to Treptow and walk along the river into the Pl\u00e4nterwald forest until you get to the fence. Plans for developing the site are gathering steam, so make sure you get there before it\u2019s too late. This has also resulted in heightened security \u2013 it\u2019s a little harder to scale the fence and there are more guards\/dogs than there used to be. However as with Teufelsberg, there\u2019s not an awful lot they can do if they catch you \u2013 just have a story ready and try to back up your pictures to a spare dropbox or SD card to avoid losing them all.
\nWhere to stay in Berlin:<\/strong> Wallyard Concept Hostel<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

7. <\/em>Maunsell Sea Forts \u2013 Red Sands, UK<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"urbexing<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7Steve Cadman<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A number of sea forts were built during WW2 to defend Britain\u2019s coast, including these futuristic forts located at Red Sands in the mouth of the Thames Estuary. They\u2019ve been officially abandoned since the \u201850s, but you can still visit by boat \u2013 the easiest and safest way is to hop on one of the regular tours that run from nearby Whitstable.<\/p>\n

8. Soviet statue graveyard \u2013 Tallinn, Estonia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"urbexing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7\u00a0Time Travel Turtle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the newly independent Estonian capital had a fair bit of Soviet clutter they needed to get rid of fast. Many of the statues were dumped on a forgotten plot of land on the outskirts of the city, where they remain today \u2013 including this giant Lenin head. Hidden away on a plot of land behind the Museum of Estonian History (though this is pure coincidence; the statues are not part of the exhibits) this impromptu Soviet statue graveyard is one of the lesser known abandoned places on this list but definitely worth a visit if you\u2019re in Tallinn. Check out Time Travel Turtle\u2019s blogpost<\/a> for more info.
\nWhere to stay:<\/strong> Tallinn Backpackers<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

9. Gavea Tourist Hotel \u2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7@victoraroundtheworld<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Just outside Rio de Janeiro, this magnificent hotel has lain abandoned for over 44 years. Local street artists have continued to add to the building\u2019s charm, and it was once one of the best urbexing spots in South America. Alas due to safety concerns, it\u2019s now difficult and dangerous to get inside the building itself, though you can still get close enough to admire from the outside. Just don\u2019t think too much about The Shining.
\nWhere to stay in Rio:<\/strong> Books Hostel<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

10. Former Communist Party Headquarters \u2013 Buzludzha, Bulgaria<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7Stanislav Traykov<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Shaped like a flying saucer, this brutalist beauty was built to commemorate the birthplace of communist Bulgaria in the Central Balkans of Bulgaria. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the building was forgotten and left to decay, but has a cult following amongst adventurous travellers to the area. As with all of the abandoned places on this list, make sure you take the necessary precautions and always go with other people.<\/p>\n

11. Abandoned mining town \u2013 Sewell, Chile<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7Time Travel Turtle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Built for the workers and families of the world\u2019s largest copper mine, the town of Sewell was once home to over 15,000 people. But in the \u201870s, the residents were relocated to fancy new homes further down the hill, and the town has lain abandoned ever since. The ghost town is now a UNESCO world heritage site, thanks to its cultural and historical importance, and the only way to visit is with an authorised guide. If you\u2019re thinking of going make sure you take a look at Time Travel Turtle\u2019s excellent blogpost<\/a> about his trip here.<\/p>\n

12. Detroit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\ud83d\udcf7Multi.lectical<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Last but not least: the poster city for urban decay. In its heyday, Detroit was a wealthy car manufacturing city with a population of nearly two million. However, due to globalisation and the decline of the US manufacturing industries, the city fell on hard times, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2013. It\u2019s now arguably the best city in the world for urbexers, with a treasure trove of amazing abandoned buildings. Highlights include the imposing Michigan Central Station, the delicately beautiful United Artists Theatre and aptly named Vanity Ballroom.
\nWhere to stay in Detroit:<\/strong> Hostel Detroit<\/a><\/em>
\nWhat to read next?<\/b><\/p>\n