1. Aokigahara Forest

This forest thrives on Mount Fuji; located in Japan. The entire range of forest sits on hardened lava which was a result of the last major eruption of the Mt Fuji that dates back to 864 CE.

The Aokigahara Forest is also commonly known as the Sea of trees or infamously the suicide forest. The forest spans over an area of 30 square kilometers and has the historical reputation of being the home to ghosts of the dead. There is a grim folklore about how during the famine, to reduce the number of mouths to feed, the oldest family member was led to the forest to die off dehydration, starvation, and exposure.

Further, some believe that the ghosts of people who die like this haunt the place the most. The geography of the place is such that it provides visitors extreme solitude from the busy city life and time. Additionally, it has been a spot where numerous people have committed suicide. It is apparently the most preferred and popular location site for suicide in Japan. Due to this, forest officials and journalists carry out annual searches for bodies.

2.  Epping Forest

 Epping Forest is a dense forest located in Essex, East of England. The entire 5,900 acres of forest land is managed by the City of London Corporation. The vastness of the forest has made it a popular hideout for criminals and people indulging in illegal activities.  Numerous bodies have been found in the woods since the 1960s, and it is not surprising to know that the forest has developed a reputation for being a place where spirit presence could be felt. Trees in this forest haven’t been cut for close to 2 centuries, and that has resulted in them having a bulbous structure which adds on to the creepiness. Edward Buxton, a conservationist, played a pivotal role in saving the forest for public use and even when the distance of writing a book on the forest which was published in the year 1884.

3. Elfin Forest

California not only houses Silicon Valley but is also home to a lot of natural attractions. The Elfin Forest is a small residential community located in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Legend has it that it was once occupied by occult gypsies and ancestors of the Northern Diegueno Indians lived in the Harmony Grove area. Some of the gypsies were slaughtered by the nearby town folks. And mythology suggests that the gypsies cursed the forest as well as the surrounding land. There have been reporting of ghostly apparitions, and that has obviously restricted people from the area. It is believed that the forest is a cornucopia of artifacts and efforts have been put by conservation groups to preserve rock carvings and metates. This would eventually give some insight into the existence of the ancestors from Northern Diegueno Indians. 

4.  Pembrey Woods, UK

Dense forests are usually a breeding ground for paranormal activity, but the rumors spread would be intense if the forest has been in existence before Christ. Pembrey is one such forest and the stories that surround this place are endless. Located in the village of Whales, UK, the woods has garnered a lot of attention for the sightings by multiple people, especially the ones that go camping here. There have been reporting of camper’s gear being moved around and cooking material being tossed far away from where the camp was pitched by spirits from different eras. There is a folklore where the ships were deceived into anchoring at Pembrey as a safe spot. But due to rugged conditions, the ships would get stuck, the survivors would be murdered and the ship would be eventually ransacked. The apparitions mostly belong to the people who were brutally murdered.

5.  Dow Hill Forest India

Kurseong is a picturesque hill station located in West Bengal, India.  Dow Hill is a part of the Kurseong series of hills and is famous for being the most mysterious place in India and is a breeding ground for tons of paranormal activities. The portion of the Dow hill that stands out the most is the small stretch of road between the forest office and the Dow hill road. Here is where the woodcutters have witnessed a young headless boy roaming around. The list of encounters are endless and there have been instances of people going crazy after experiencing the forest.