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Written by Matin Firas Harahap
Edited by Candice Neo

Superstition is a part of the daily chitchat of Indonesians, even in the metropolis of Jakarta. Every Thursday night, local television stations fill their airwaves with tales of horror. From movies to supernatural game shows, ghost stories simply fascinate the people of Indonesia.

Also read: 5 real haunted places in Bali you may not want to visit

7 strangely abandoned places in Bali that will give you chills

Not surprisingly, the supernatural industry has become a source of income for many. Shamanist services and supernatural tours raking in millions have appealed to the hearts of all segments of society.

This Halloween, our team of experts have brought together the most chilling stories that will have you sleeping with the lights on…

(Note: This article contains graphic images.)

1) A Thousand Doors, a Thousand Horror Stories: Lawang Sewu, Semarang

Widely said to be Indonesia’s most haunted place, the Lawang Sewu is notorious for being featured in the final episode of a local paranormal TV series, where an apparition was caught on video. A few days later, rumours spread online that one of the participants had died mysteriously.

Lawang Sewu, Semarang

Photo via estergita

Sitting right in the heart of Semarang, the Lawang Sewu marked the Dutch’s success in Indonesia. Rich in colonial era atmosphere, the building itself is a majestic piece of architecture and a modern marvel at that time. Underground tunnels that were made to cool the building also served as passageways connecting it to the Governor’s residence and harbours.

Lawang Sewu, Semarang

Photo via jesenwiranata, virtuatravelr, ryo wibowo

During the Japanese Occupation, the Lawang Sewu was used as their headquarters in Semarang. The underground tunnels of Building B served as prisons where inmates were brutally tortured, and their decapitated heads were piled in a corner of the basement.

Lawang Sewu, Semarang

Photo via wisatanesia

Climb up a few set of stairs and you may get goosebumps. The ghost of a girl who committed suicide to escape torture is said to be roaming the tower, often with feet floating off the ground!

Lawang Sewu, Semarang

Photo via pulsk-wikimedia

Lawang Sewu

Location: Komplek Tugu Muda, Jalan Pemuda, Semarang, Jawa Tengah 13220. Coordinates here.
Opening Hours: 06:00-18:00
Entrance Fee: 10,000 IDR (0.74 USD) + 20,000 IDR (2.22 USD) for basement tour


2) An Other-worldly Commute: Bintaro Railway and Manggarai Station

Widely condemned as the nation’s most devastating railway accident, two trains collided head-on on Monday morning, 19th October 1987, in Bintaro, South Jakarta due to an internal miscommunication.

More than 100 lives were lost, some were thrown out on impact, while others bled to death as they were crushed in between pieces of metal. It was a gruesome scene, and it took almost two days to completely evacuate the bodies.

Train Tragedy in Bintaro, 1987

Photo via dudy sudibyo, wikimedia

Since then, the number of accidents on the exact stretch of railway has oddly increased, especially on Mondays. Increasingly widespread were stories of drivers who did not notice warning signs of an oncoming train in time. There was also a spike in the number of pedestrians who walked onto the railway tracks, right in front of a speeding train, and they were believed to be possessed by the Deaf Spirit or Hantu Budek.

The most recent major accident took place in late 2013, when an oil tanker was struck by a train, causing a huge explosion killing seven people. Regarded as Tragedi Bintaro II, the accident reminded the public of the railway’s dark past.

Tragedi Bintaro II, 2013

Photo via dian-triyuli-handoko-tempo

The story doesn’t end there – for decades, the wrecks from railway accidents around Jakarta are brought to a ‘train graveyard’ at Manggarai Station where they are put to rest. Unfortunately, although the trains have stopped operating, the same can’t be said for souls attached to them. Besides the apparitions reported on this site alone, trains have also been seen to be travelling way past operational hours with no one on board.

Photo via badilscom

One of the most bizarre stories is that of a college student who saw what looked like victims inside the train he was on late one night. Surprisingly his legs became sore when he reached his destination. He talked about what happened with the security guards duty, only to find out that there was no train all along and he had run the whole way.

Tragedi Bintaro

Location: Jl. Bintaro Permai IV
Accident 1 Coordinates: -6.261386, 106.761100
Accident 2 Coordinates: -6.256767, 106.762985

Stasiun Manggarai

Location: Manggarai, Tebet, South Jakarta City 12850. Coordinates here.

3) Don’t Forget to Honk when passing by, Jakarta

There is one thing Jl. Casablanca is known for – inhumane levels of traffic, all day, every day. As the main access road connecting the suburbs to the city, the number of drivers and their dodgy road ethics will surely haunt you in your sleep.

Casablanca Underpass

Photo via Matin (TripCanvas)

The traffic is so bad that passing by Jl. Casablanca every day, we often forget the road’s sinister secret. Although the eight-kilometre stretch consists mainly of straight roads, it is a surprising fact that an accident occurs here every other week, and even the newly built flyover has already claimed a number of lives.

Casablanca Underpass

Tracing back to its origins, when Jl. Casablanca was built in the 80s, an underpass had cut right through the Menteng Pulo cemetery. The mishandling of corpses while relocating them is said to have upset the spirits, including a particular Lady in Red.

Casablanca Underpass Lady in Red Ghost

Photo via jurukunci

A few years later, an elderly man was found hanging by the neck at the end of the underpass.

Casablanca Underpass Ghost Caught on Camera

Photo via andi-irawan-youtube

And so they say, always remember to honk three times as you enter the tunnel or you might be given an unpleasant welcome!

Casablanca Underpass Nearby Graveyard

Photo via chandrawitts, nurimanwidianto

Casablanca Underpass

Location: Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio, Casablanca, South Jakarta. Coordinates here.
Streetview here.

4) Go on a Supernatural Shopping Spree at Mall Klender, Jakarta

The sudden collapse of Indonesia’s economy in the late 90s had stirred up violence within the people, resulting in looting, mass murders and rape.

On May 15, 1998, an army of looters seized the Yogyakarta Department Store.

As shopkeepers and visitors scrambled for safety, a fire was deliberately started and soon engulfed the four-storey building. More than 300 people were trapped. Afraid of being harmed if they escaped the building, they remained inside to meet their fiery death.

Mall Klender Tragedy

The scars of what is now referred to as Mei Kelabu (‘Grey May’ in English) remains in the hearts of the affected, no matter how hard they try to forget. One of the darker moments in Indonesia’s history, the incident shook the nation as well as the international community.

Mall Klender Victims

Although the departmental store was rebuilt as the Klender Mall in the year 2000, it is still difficult for the locals to let go of the traumatic memories that linger here. Eight ghosts are said to haunt the area, including phantom bus passengers who usually hitch a ride at night, only to disappear a few hundred metres later.

Elevators in Mall Klender

Photo via segiempat

A phone booth that was part of the original building is also never removed as it is believed it would upset the spirits attached to it.

Mall Klender

Location: Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Duren Sawit Kota Jakarta Timur 13470. Coordinates here.

5) The Epicentre of the ‘Bogor Triangle’: Mount Salak

Out of the many places in Indonesia that claim to be haunted, Mount Salak has swallowed the greatest number of victims to date, including seven unexplained air crashes in the past decade that involved planes which suddenly lost contact with control towers.

Mount Salak

Photo via sonofmountmalang

Although not as tall as most mountains in Java, conquering Mount Salak is considered to be a daunting task, even to experienced hikers. Besides its deadly trails, lakes and poisonous gas claim the lives of unlucky hikers every year. Many of those who survive tell horrific tales walking around in circles for hours when they lost their way in its dense forests.

Mount Salak

Photo via fineartamerica, neil wade

The most recent air crash on Mount Salak took place on May 9th, 2012, when a Russian Superjet on a test run supposedly flew right into the face of a cliff after losing radio contact, killing everyone on board.

Mount Salak Plane Crash

Photo via wirasatria, inilah.com

But more peculiarly, the search and rescue team all reported of having the exact same dream about a mysterious woman who led them into a house full of beautiful women. The same team also reported to have heard a woman crying for help, but she was never found. The cries oddly came from a different area than that of the crash.

Mount Salak

Location: Mt Salak, Pasawahan, Cicurug, Sukabumi 43359. Coordinates here.

 

6) Never Wear Green in the South Sea: Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi

A tale of jealousy within the Royal family of 16th Century Kingdom of Mataram has brought about the death of a Queen who gave her life to the open sea, and a legend that lives on.

Just a few hours from the bustling city of Jakarta lie the beautiful beaches of South Sukabumi, with Pelabuhan Ratu right in the center of it. It’s a coastal town where beach villas scatter all over white sandy beaches, with the curl of the waves just right to satisfy any surfer.

South Sukabumi Beach

Don’t get too carried away though – quite a handful of holidaymakers have never resurfaced after taking a dip in the ocean. Most of the victims were men, suspected of wearing green attributes while swimming, and stories spread that the Nyi Roro Kidul (Queen of the Southern Sea of Java) took their lives as wearing her colours upset her.

Never Wear Green in the South Sea

Photo via estergita

Different from most urban legends in Indonesia, Nyi Roro Kidul’s presence is revered by many, including President Soekarno himself.

In fact, Room 308 of the Samudra Beach Hotel has been reserved for her visit. Available for meditation purposes, the room is beautifully designed with green and golden threads (colours she loved), doused in the smell of jasmine and incense.

Room 308 of the Samudra Beach Hotel

Photo via afif farhan, basuki abdullah, sutami kejuangan

But are you brave enough to have a date with the Queen of the South?

Pelabuhan Ratu

Getting There: From Jakarta, head towards Ciawi/Sukabumi by going on Tol Jagorawi. Continue straight until reaching Pasar Cibadak, after passing through the market, turn right and continue straight towards Pelabuhan Ratu. Coordinates here.

7) A House of Satanic Worship? Octopus House, Bandung

The public’s question has been answered – in 2013, a local news channel was set to debunk the ongoing rumours of a ‘Satanist Church’ in Bandung. The unmissable sculpture of a giant octopus sitting on the roof of the house had sparked up much curiosity online in the past.

Octopus House, Bandung

A group of journalists’ attempt to uncover its mystery found that the ‘octopus house’ is encircled by a series of houses, and the only way inside is through House Number 6 (and for some reason, there are three places where the number ‘6’ is displayed on the front of the house). The investigation ended when a loud quarrel broke out between the journalists and the caretakers of the house.

A person claiming to be a former member of the ‘satanic church’ reported to the authorities that the house is used for cult-related sex rituals. Several investigations later, no evidence supporting the allegation was found.

 Octopus House, Bandung

The owner of the house, Frans Halimawan, appeared on a news broadcast and expressed his fury with the false accusations. As an art devotee, he explained how every piece of the house symbolizes his life journey, including his struggles as well as his beliefs, and that these rumours have offended him deeply.

Believe it or not, decide for yourself!

Rumah Gurita

Location: Jl. Cipedes Selatan No. 6, Sukajadi, Bandung, West Java. Coordinates here.
Getting There: From Jl. Djunjunan (Pasteur), enter Jl. Cipedes Selatan just before Hotel Grand Aquila, continue straight and turn right at the end.

8) A Pit of Despair and Bloodied Injustice: Lubang Buaya, Jakarta

A monument built to commemorate Indonesia’s bloody history, the Lubang Buaya (or Crocodile’s Pit in English) is the site of the brutal murder of seven Army Generals by the Communist Party in 1965. It marked a major turning point in Indonesia’s governance as the event led to President Soekarno’s coup, and a military overtake of the country.

25 years later, a museum was opened to educate the public about the events that took place in Lubang Buaya. Wax life-sized dioramas re-enact how the Generals were dragged out of their homes and slaughtered.

Lubang Buaya Monument, Jakarta

Photo via diorama, benazia, syafira-aries

In the middle of the monument sits a small well, which was where the mutilated bodies of the seven Generals were thrown into.

The tragedy sparked much controversy, from banned propaganda films that used to be mandatory in schools, to the CIA’s involvement that led to the obscured truth of what really happened.

Lubang Buaya Monument, Jakarta

Photo via agan harahap-blogspot

That may be the reason why the cries of Lubang Buaya’s restless souls can still be heard from inside the well, to the footsteps that echo the hallways at night. In fact, it’s said that some of the clothes on display still reek of blood!

Monumen Pancasila Sakti

Location: Jl. Raya Pondok Gede, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 13810
Opening Hours: 09:00-16:00
Entrance Fee: 5,000 IDR (0.37 USD)
Phone: (021) 8400423

9) Get Closer to Death at Trunyan, Bali

Do you dare to visit the Village of the Dead?

Trunyan village is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

On the shores of Lake Batur in the Kintamini area, the people of Trunyan (unlike the other Balinese communities) neither cremate nor bury their dead.

Trunyan, the Village of Dead

Photo via beautifulbali

Instead, their bodies are left to rot in bamboo cages under the watchful eye of a fragrant tree that (thankfully) masks the smell of decay.

Trunyan, the Village of Dead

Photo via yusuf ijsseldijk, flickr

Once the flesh has decomposed completely, the bones of the corpses are stacked neatly on the platform that leads to the Trunyan temple of death, unfortunately off limits to the public as of now.

Trunyan, the Village of Dead

Photo via ruriiyy

This portion on Trunyan Village is written by Oceana Setaysha.

Trunyan

Location: Jl. Trunyan, Kintamani, Bangli, Bali 80652. Coordinates here.
Getting There: You can get to Trunyan island via boat from the jetty at Lake Batur. Getting to Lake Batur takes around two hours drive to the northeast of Denpasar along the main road to Buleleng and through Bangli Regency. The boat ride takes around half an hour across the calm waters and you will have to pay an entrance fee of Rp. 12,000 (approximately USD $0.80) to enter the island.
Entrance fee: Rp. 10,000 (approximately USD $0.66) for cemetery and Rp. 30,000 (approximately USD $2) for government tax

10) Enter the Void of a Volcanic Kingdom: Mount Merapi, Yogyakarta

In the same way that Yogyakarta is governed by the Keraton, Mount Merapi is also believed to be a Kingdom of its own – a kingdom unseen to human eyes!

Mount Merapi Ghost Town

Photo via ulet ifansasti, gettyimages

Predicted to erupt every two to five years, Mount Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the world today. Sitting at almost 3000 metres above the sea, it is a compound of breathtaking sights of nature, where thousands flock to each year from all over the world.

Mount Merapi

Photo via kalibiru triptrus

Beyond what our eyes can see, the residents of the surrounding area believe that Mount Merapi is a Kingdom of spirits who govern the mountains, from fertilizing the land, its weather, and ultimately, its eruptions.

Instead of fearing these spirits, locals residence honor their presence by keeping its environment protected and respecting their space. One place that has become a favourite to those willing to experience the supernatural first-hand is the Pasar Bubrah. Sitting right below the summit, this area is often used as camping grounds by hikers hoping to catch the sunrise. But just as they are about to doze off, the hustle and bustle of what sounds like a market fills the air, accompanied by a band of gamelans. And the strong winds that plow through at night ensures that campers think twice before leaving their tents.

Mount Merapi Campers

Photo via yuliaslovic

Other mysterious hotspots on Mount Merapi includes a bunker where two guards were baked to death during an eruption.

Mount Merapi Bunker

Photo via jaredbrett

The crater of Mount Merapi is also believed to be a gateway into their kingdom, with no way out!

Mount Merapi

Location: Mt Merapi, Suroteleng, Selo, Boyolali Regency 57363. Coordinates here.

11) Hotel for Ghosts? Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel, Bali

Up in the mountains of Bali on the way to the iconic Bedugul Lake, something is stirring in the fog. It’s a ghost story some two decades in the making, and it’s soaked in skin-crawling horrors.

Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel (Ghost Palace), Bali

Photo via piet mulder, triplike1do

Some say the Ghost Palace Hotel (also known as PI Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel & Resort), a construction perched on a hillside, was built by Tommy Suharto. Others say it was a crooked developer who tried to curse his rivals out of the way.

Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel (Ghost Palace), Bali

Photo via lifeintravels.ru

If you’re brave enough to explore this place, you’ll likely see the wandering spirits of victims, either laborers crushed in their rush to complete the construction, or competitors cursed to horrible deaths.

Bedugul Taman Rekreasi Hotel (Ghost Palace), Bali

Photo via piet mulder

This hotel may never have been opened to the public, but who knows if it already has a full house every night?

This portion on Bedugul Hotel is written by Oceana Setaysha.

Bedugul Taman Hotel

Location: Batunya, Baturiti, Tabanan Regency, Bali 82191. Coordinates here.

12) Bloodied War-torn Memories in an Old School: Tugu Complex, Malang

Lodged in the city centre of Malang, a piece of history that was once the pride of the city underwent an unexpected turn of events during the final moments of World War II, leaving behind bitter memories and unanswered questions.

Tugu Complex, Malang

All three schools in the vicinity were used as concentration camps by the Japanese troops, who made a system of crawl-spaces connecting them to a train station and the governor’s office. Legends say that two high schoolers’ attempt to explore the tunnels ended gruesomely, after one student rushed back screaming, too traumatized to speak. The other student was found two weeks later in a train station, in a disturbed state.

Another oddity that remains unanswered is what appears to be ‘blood stains’ on the floor tiles in several buildings, mostly found randomly splattered on the floors of SMA 1, 3, and 4. What is even more ambiguous is that every attempt to get rid of them (either by replacing the tiles or by laying another layer on top of it) is proven to be unsuccessful, sometimes with workers falling ill shortly after the job.

Blood Stains in Tugu Complex

Photo via odith, hoosierparanormal.com

The Tugu Hall is believed to be the most sinister building in the complex. Although the blood stains have been concealed after the installation of wooden floorboards (with layers of sand underneath for some reason), the hall is restricted to visitors at night, just in case the headless ghosts of soldiers decided to appear.

Tugu Complex, Malang

Location: Jl. Tugu, Kidul Dalem, Klojen, Kota Malang, Jawa Timur 65111. Coordinates here.

Special Mention: The Land of the Living Dead: Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi

‘The Walking Dead’ does not refer to a television show in Tana Toraja. Instead, it is an annual ceremony of bringing the dead back to life.

As one of the most complex burial rituals in the world, death is actually celebrated by the Torajans. The more extravagant the funeral, the better. In order to achieve this, families would take months and even years to save up for a funeral, keeping their dead preserved in their homes, feeding, bathing and even occasionally taking them for a stroll outside.

Toraja Funeral Ceremony

Photo via laurenthetravelingteacher

A person is declared dead only after the ceremony has begun. Dozens of buffaloes and swine are sacrificed to feed the village to fuel an 11-day funeral of music and dancing.

Next, a parade takes the deceased towards a cliff where their coffins are placed on. For babies who died before teething, holes are carved out of a special tree to be their final resting place.

In another part of the tradition, which had been outlawed in recent years, family members would wash and change the clothes of the dead every year in a ceremony called the Ma’Nene.

Toraja Corpse on the Ceremony

Photo via findlaydonnan

But it doesn’t end there. The corpses are then taken to the place where they died and are walked back to the cliffs!

To replace this obscure tradition, wooden life-sized effigies are now placed on the cliffs, fully clothed and jeweled. The Torajans believe that these sculptures will provide the dead with a body to watch over them eternally.

Toraja Effigies

Photo via mundooz.com

Tana Toraja

Location: Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi. Coordinates here.

Do you know of any other haunted places in Indonesia? We’d love to be creeped out this Halloween!

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Travel Writer

Currently studying mechanical engineering in Universitas Indonesia. Interested in traveling and music. One of my life’s goals would be to cross off as many destinations as possible on my list of places to visit, becoming an engineer is how I plan to achieve that.