Hottest Tour Places In Winter

Who doesn't long for an intense dose of heat and sunshine at this time of year? To satisfy those cravings, we have come up with 10 holiday spots where the weather in February is near perfect - in other words, sunny, with temperatures in the mid- to high 20sC, and little likelihood of rain.

Rather than pick 10 destinations that are simply somewhere to flop on the beach, we have chosen places to suit more discerning winter-sun seekers. So while Anguilla is a classic beach lover's paradise, Dominica is for nature lovers, Cuba is for adventurous culture seekers, Egypt is for classical culture lovers and Baja California is for desert fans and sport fishermen.

The best of the Maldives is arguably under water and the best of Miami Beach is definitely after dark. Thailand offers beaches and the Bangkok buzz, South Africa adds terrific wildlife - and wine - and in Dubai, holidaymakers tend to spend more time in air-conditioned malls than they do on the sands fringing the Arabian Gulf.

Package prices are per person based on two sharing a standard room in early February, including an economy return flight from London and, unless stated otherwise, are for a week.

1. Anguilla

Why go?
Because this flat and scrubby little island boasts some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean - long curvaceous stretches of dazzlingly white, sink-as-you-step, talcum-powder sands. And, although you won't have them entirely to yourself, they will be far from crowded: Anguilla is a very exclusive place to holiday. The island has many gourmet restaurants (rustic-chic Scilly Cay, which serves barbecued lobster on its own minuscule island, is the most fun); several of the region's best upmarket hotels (Cap Juluca, strung along a mile of sublime beach, is particularly good); and some of the most luxurious villas imaginable (locally, dubbed "supervillas"). Bear in mind, however, that aside from beaches, food and good snorkelling and diving, Anguilla offers few distractions.
Getting there
Fly to Antigua, then take a 45-minute local flight on to Anguilla. With a good connection, total travelling time is about 11 hours.
Packages
£2,825 b & b at Cap Juluca, or £1,405 room only at Ku, Cap Juluca's much more affordable sister hotel, which has spacious, minimalist suites on Shoal Bay East, the island's most popular beach. Prices through Caribtours (020 7751 0660, www.caribtours.co.uk).
More information
www.anguilla-vacation.com.

2. Dominica

Why go?
To experience the Caribbean's natural landscapes at their most dramatic. Rent a Jeep, put on your walking boots and you will discover a towering interior covered in dense rainforest, thundering waterfalls and hidden, boiling lakes. Guides will take you to spots where you can view rare wild parrots and agouti (giant rodents), but you can also rely on visits from hummingbirds at the island's eco-friendly guesthouses. Dominica does have some spectacular beaches on its north coast, but they are likely to be a long drive from where you will be staying. The beaches and the island's welcoming Caribs - the Caribbean's last remaining indigenous tribe, with its own protected territory - appeared in the recent Pirates of the Caribbean films. This year should be a good one to visit Dominica, as the island is celebrating 30 years of independence from Britain, with events, such as a national hike, running throughout the year. However, Dominica isn't green for nothing - even in the dry winter season, expect some rain most days.
Getting there
Fly to one of the main Caribbean islands, such as Antigua, then take an inter-island flight on to Dominica. With a good connection, total travelling time is about 11 hours.
Packages
Caribbean Islands Club (020 8232 9781, www.carib-club.com) has several of the island's most enticing guesthouses on its books, such as Papillote and Exotica Cottages (£1,321 b & b).
More information
www.discoverdominica.com.

3. Cuba

Why go?
It's the Caribbean at its most fascinating - an unlikely mixture of arcane Communist ways, decrepit vintage Cadillacs, faded Spanish colonial architecture, fantastic music everywhere you go and the world's best cigars. Don't hole up in a resort: they are bland and isolated, and you can find better beach hotels elsewhere. Visiting Cuba should be an adventure. With a week to spare, spend a few days in Havana. Stay in one of the renovated mansions in the old part of the city, which is gradually being restored to its former magnificence; hang out in classic bars once frequented by Hemingway; and, for a night out, take in a top salsa or jazz band.
After a few days, rent a car and head west down to Vinales valley, Cuba's most beautiful corner, where striking limestone outcrops rise out of tobacco-growing fields, then continue on to Trinidad, the island's showpiece colonial town.
Getting there
Virgin flies from Gatwick to Havana twice a week, taking just under 10 hours.
Packages
Trips Worldwide (0117 311 4400, www.tripsworldwide.co.uk) specialises in tailor-made fly-drive tours to Cuba: splitting time between Havana, Vinales and Trinidad. A 10-day trip in February, staying in mid-range characterful hotels mostly on a b & b basis, costs about £1,400, including car hire.
More information
www.cubatravel.cu

4. The Maldives

Why go?
For Robinson Crusoe escapism, but with 21st-century comforts. Almost all the 90 or so hotels in the Indian Ocean archipelago occupy their own mini tropical island, ringed by sandy beaches and a milky blue lagoon. Moreover, the diving and snorkelling are fantastic - it can feel like swimming in a giant, natural aquarium. Choose a hotel on one of the bigger islands, where you're less likely to go stir crazy. One of the largest is Soneva Fushi, which offers casual-chic, eco-friendly luxury, outstanding food (much of the fruit and veg comes from the hotel's own organic garden) and a new astronomical observatory (free for guests to use).
If you're after somewhere cheaper, the three-/four-star Meerufenfushi, which is encircled by a mile of stunning beaches and has room for a football pitch (weekly matches between staff and guests) and even a golf driving range, is a good bet, as long as you go for a superior room or better.
Getting there
The only way to fly non-stop both ways is on charter flights (flying time around 11 hours). Alternatively, fly scheduled - Emirates, for example, has flights via Dubai with good connection times.
Packages
From £2,154 room only at Soneva Fushi flying scheduled, and £1,070 full board in a superior room at Meerufenfushi flying charter - prices through Kuoni (01306 747008, www.kuoni.co.uk).
More information
www.visitmaldives.com.

5. Miami

Why go?
The South Beach part of Miami Beach is a compact, walkable adult playground, filled with gorgeous art deco hotels, fashionable restaurants, hip bars and cool nightclubs. In short, it's party central - and as such, the length of the flight aside, is perfect for a decadent long weekend.
Sip cocktails in the see-and-be-seen bars of hotels such as the Shore Club, the Delano and the Standard. Refer to www.cooljunkie.com/miami for the hottest clubs - they can be pretty snooty, so ask your hotel concierge to put you on guest lists. During the daytime, skip the beach, which has all the charm of a sand-covered motorway. Instead, café and gallery hop along pedestrian Lincoln Road Mall, or learn about South Beach's art deco architecture on informative walking tours conducted by the Miami Design Preservation League. Next weekend brings the large-scale annual Art Deco Weekend bash, with concerts, street theatre and parades on Ocean Drive of everything from vintage cars to dogs and their owners.
Getting there
Fly to Miami from Heathrow with British Airways, Virgin or American Airlines - flight time is around nine hours.
Packages
For four nights, £769 room only at the swanky Shore Club, or £569 b & b at the Park Central, an affordable, small-scale classic art deco property on Ocean Drive - prices through Trailfinders (0845 050 5871, www.trailfinders.com).
More information
www.gmcvb.com.

6. Dubai

Why go?
For the top-notch upmarket resort hotels; for the shopping - the city has more than 40 malls; for the buzzing nightlife and first-rate restaurants - Gordon Ramsay's refined Verre tops the bill; and for the weather, which is normally as good as it gets for a winter-sun destination - in the mid- to high 20sC, sunny, with just the very occasional shower.
If the heat gets too much, head for the slopes and snow park of Ski Dubai, in the Mall of the Emirates.
The only blot (or blots) on the landscape is the ubiquitous building work, so choose your hotel carefully. Telegraph Travel readers' favourite resort hotel last year was the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach, which is one of the best in Dubai for families. Another option is the Madinat Jumeirah, a mock-ancient Arabian city threaded by waterways, with dozens of cafés and restaurants and its own souk. Neither complex is affected by nearby building work (though the Palm project is visible in the distance).
Getting there
There are 140 direct flights a week from Britain to Dubai, including some from a number of regional airports. The newest service is with Silverjet (0844 855 0111, www.flysilverjet.com), the estimable business-class-only airline (from £1,099 return). Flying time is around seven hours.
Packages
Through Seasons in Style (01244 202000, www.seasonsinstyle.com), £1,935 b & b at the Jumeirah Beach, or £2,155 b & b at Dar Al Masyaf, the most appealing of the hotels in the Madinat Jumeirah.
More information
www.dubaitourism.ae.

7. Baja California

Why go?
Baja California (Lower California) is that long, narrow arm of Mexico that dangles southwards from the United States border between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California for about 775 miles. On the Pacific coast there are excellent long, wide beaches in the far north while the calm, clement inland Sea of Cortez laps some beautiful bays in the southern reaches. A highway runs from end to end, which makes for a great driving holiday - you can explore the whole length easily in 10 days.

Away from the beaches there are stunning deserts, colonial towns (Loreto and La Paz are lovely), world-class diving and sport fishing, vineyards - and little traffic.
Islands in the Sea of Cortez have empty, white-sand beaches as well as impressive marine life (turtles, dolphins, seals). Down in Los Cabos, the upmarket resorts of the south, you can take a gentle voyage on a beautiful Turkish-style gulet. There is sunshine all year at this latitude, but winter is more pleasant and the Cortez, while still warm, is not bath-water sickly.
In central Baja, between February and early April, you can see grey whales that have migrated here from the Arctic; they bask in the shallow, protected waters and calve off Ojo de Liebre, southwest of the town of Guerrero Negro and in Bahía Magdalena.
There is great snack food all over, and top-notch modern Mexican cuisine in Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, Mulejé, Punta Chivato, Ensenada and Tijuana.
Getting there
Fly to Mexico City and on to Tijuana, Guerrero Negro or Los Cabos. With good connections, total travelling time is about 13 hours.
Packages
Exsus Travel (020 7292 5060 www.exsus.com) can organise a 10-day adventure whale-watching trip to Baja California, including all flights, stopover in Mexico City, surfing lessons in Todos los Santos, sea kayaking and arm's-length encounters with grey whales in Magdalena Bay. From £2,995 per person.
More information
www.discoverbajacalifornia.com; www.visitmexico.com/wb/Visitmexico/Visi_Baja_California_Sur

8. Thailand

Why go?
With its palm-fringed beauty, golden-templed spirituality, colourful cuisine - and wonderful white-sand beaches - Thailand is a firm favourite of the winter sun-seeking fraternity. February and March are two of the best months of the year in which to visit, particularly the resorts along the Andaman coast. Temperatures are warm (without being uncomfortably hot) and sunny weather is pretty much guaranteed.
Head for the island of Phuket or resorts such as Ko Lanta, Krabi, Phi Phi and Khao Lak. In addition to larger luxury hotels, there's a growing number of reasonably priced boutique-style properties.
Farther north, the weather is bright and crisp in Chiang Mai and the "golden triangle" close to Chiang Rai: perfect for elephant-trekking, walking in the hills, dipping a toe into Laos and Burma or simply indulging in some invigorating massage therapy.
Getting there
The following airlines all offer direct services to Bangkok (approx 12 hours): Thai Airways International (0870 60 60 911, www.thaiairways.com), Eva Air (020 7380 8300, www.evaair.com), British Airways (0870 850 9 850, www.ba.com) and Qantas (0845 7 747 767, www.qantas.com).
Packages
Tropical Locations (0845 277 3310, www.tropical-locations.com) offers an 11-night trip including stays in Bangkok, the Golden Triangle, Chiang Mai and Phuket, all international and internal flights, transfers, breakfasts and some sightseeing, from £1,895 per person; and a 13-night package, with three nights in Bangkok and 10 nights on Krabi, from £1,345 per person. Prices are valid for travel between January and March. Kuoni (01306 747001, www.kuoniworldclass.co.uk) offers a seven-night trip to the Evason Hua Hin & Six Senses Spa at Hua Hin, room only, including flights, from £1,299 per person; and a six-night stay on Phi Phi (with an extra night on Phuket), from £1,433 per person.
More information
www.tourismthailand.org

9. Egypt

Why go?
Seeing Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs at London's O2 might give you a glimpse of ancient Egyptian culture, but nothing can compare with learning about the bewitching world of hieroglyphics and jackal-headed gods among the tombs and desert sands of Egypt itself. Luxor, with winter temperatures in the mid-20s, is slightly warmer than Cairo and the best base for exploring the Valleys of the Kings and Queens and the great temple at Karnak, or for joining a cruise down the Nile to Aswan and Abu Simbel. Both the Old Winter Palace and Maritime Jolie Ville hotels in Luxor have lovely gardens for R&R after sightseeing. Or spend a few days on the beach at a Red Sea resort such as Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada where there is superb snorkelling and diving - though it can be windy in February and March. The Egyptian pound is linked to the US dollar, so your money goes a long way.
Getting there
There are numerous charter flights direct to Luxor and Red Sea resorts; GB Airways (www.gbairways.com) to Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada; daily scheduled flights to Cairo with British Airways (www.britishairways.com) and Egypt Air (www.egyptair.com), with onward connections.
Packages
A two-week trip, with a Nile cruise and a week's b & b at the Maritime Jolie Ville hotel in Luxor costs from £889 per person, including a return flight and all meals and sightseeing on the cruise. £1,999 buys you a Nile cruise on a luxury boutique ship, three nights' b & b in Cairo and four nights' b & b at a five-star Red Sea hotel - return flight included. Both through Discover Egypt (0844 880 0462, www.discoveregypt.co.uk).
More information
www.egypt.travel

10. South Africa

Why go?
For its exhilarating blend of marvellous scenery, multicultural cities and vast game parks beset by the Big Five, all seasoned with some of the best food and wine in the southern hemisphere. Start in Cape Town, a 12-hour flight from Britain but with just two hours' time difference. January and February, the hottest months, are when the city moves outdoors. Nose around the shops on Long and Kloof Streets, zip up Table Mountain for startling views over the Cape, and join the beautiful people for a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc at Camps Bay. Sober up with a dose of Apartheid history on Robben Island, or head inland for more spectacular wines and Michelin-starred meals surrounded by the rugged peaks of the Winelands.
More fabulous beaches stretch along the Garden Route, while the best wildlife viewing is in Kruger Park, where private lodges provide the ultimate secluded bush experience, again with superb food and, yes, wine. The jagged Drakensberg mountains provide excellent hiking, while the languid wetlands of St Lucia are a sultry draw for bird- and hippo-watchers. Oh, and don't forget the wine.
Getting there
Virgin Atlantic (0870 380 2007, www.virgin-atlantic.com), British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com) and South African Airways (0870 747 1111, www.flysaa.com) have direct flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Packages
Rainbow Tours (020 7226 1004, www.rainbowtours.co.uk) offers a two-week self-drive tour taking in Cape Town, the Winelands, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route, plus three nights in Sabi Sands Wildlife Reserve, bordering Kruger Park, for £2,345 per person b & b, based on two sharing, including all flights, car hire and, in Sabi Sands, all meals and game-viewing activities.
More information
www.southafrica.net

Top 10 American road trips

Here are 10 great one-day continental U.S. driving adventures -- selected for scenery, cultural attractions and geographical diversity -- to unleash your inner Kerouac.

1.Massachusetts, Cape Cod
"If you're linear in your thinking," says Fodor's senior editor Paul Eisenberg, who worked on the Great American Drives series, "you're probably going to do best with something along a coast." His favorite is Cape Cod's eastern shore, from Bourne to Orleans. These 40 miles along the Old King's Highway (state Route 6A) are sprinkled with beaches, inns and museums. Plus, Eisenberg adds, "I like knowing I don't have to sweat the directions going back."

2.Vermont, Stowe to Smugglers' Notch
Autumn's hottest show? The deciduous trees of Vermont. For front-row seats, head south from Stowe along state Route 100, treating your sweet tooth at the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury and your eyes to 100 miles of blazing fall foliage, much of it within Green Mountain National Forest. As a finale, the Smugglers' Notch mountain pass features 1,000-foot cliffs and, if you're lucky, peregrine falcons. Leaf hotline: (800) VERMONT.

3.Tennessee, Johnson City to Gatlinburg
So dang gorgeous, these 90 miles of rural Tennessee might inspire you to grab a banjo and strum an Appalachian love song. Take U.S. Route 11E toward Davy Crockett's birthplace (Everyone: "Born on a mountaintop..."). At Greenville, where two homes of Andrew Johnson anchor a presidential historic site, veer onto U.S. Route 321, skirting the majestic Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Next day, depending on your preference, visit the park or, for mountains of a different kind, nearby Dollywood.

4.Florida, Overseas Highway
Only car-crazy America would link a 105-mile long chain of islands -- from Key Largo, just south of Miami, west to Key West -- with a highway, U.S. Route 1. "You're on either a bridge or a causeway, surrounded by shimmering water," says Janet Groene, author of Great Eastern RV Trips. "It's a lovely, lovely drive." Two tips: Crowds are smaller during spring and early summer, and catch the sunset at Key West's Mallory Square Dock.

5.South Dakota, Pierre to Mount Rushmore
Mythic Mount Rushmore does not disappoint, even after driving more than 200 miles across jaw-droppingly cool scenery. From Pierre, follow U.S. Route 83 across the Missouri River and striking grasslands to Interstate 90, going west. The good stuff isn't visible from the interstate, so be sure to turn off at Murdo for buffalo burgers, Badlands National Park for dusty canyons and Rapid City for dead presidents carved into the Black Hills.

6.Texas, El Paso to Marathon
Plenty of trucker hats in these parts, atop both legitimate truckers and Brooklyn hipsters. Artsy types are flocking to the remote West Texas town of Marfa, home to the Chinati Foundation's minimalist art collection. Head east from El Paso along Interstate 10 (and the U.S.-Mexico border), turning south at Van Horn onto U.S. Route 90 -- about 230 miles total. When you tire of Chinati's aluminum boxes and fluorescent light bulbs, focus on the desert landscapes of Big Bend National Park, an hour from Marathon.

7.Montana, Great Falls to Missoula
"History-themed tours are always good," Groene says. "You could build a whole trip around Civil War sites or black history sites." Or you could honor the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's (and Sacagawea's) expedition with a drive through Montana's Bitterroot Range. Fine-tune your route at the excellent Great Falls interpretive center, heading east on whatever roads visit the sites that interest you most. (Estimate 150 miles.) As you cross the Continental Divide, note the lack of a Northwest Passage for boats.

8.Washington, Everett to Ellensburg
From the shores of Puget Sound, take U.S. Route 2 east and upward into the Cascade Mountains. Looming to your right is 10,541-foot-high Glacier Peak. At only 135 miles, albeit twisty ones, your journey allows time to explore one of the frequent hiking trails and the faux (but fun) Bavarian charms of Leavenworth, after which you'll head south on U.S. Route 97. End point Ellensburg is a cool college town of pretty streets and renowned rock climbing.

9.San Francisco, Scenic Drive
At only 49 miles, San Francisco's official self-guided driving tour is one of this list's shortest trips. Given the beautiful city's heinous traffic, however, it could take the longest. Begin anywhere you see one of the Scenic Drive signs with the big seagull, and follow the looping route counterclockwise to Mission Dolores, Coit Tower and other postcard-pretty highlights. Just spend rush hour at a café.

10.California, Monterey to Morro Bay
Like you needed reminding that state Route 1 along California's central coast ranks as one of America's -- heck, the planet's -- best road trips. South of Monterey begins 125 miles of windy highway within incredible scenery, most amazing at Big Sur, where the Santa Lucia Range slopes steeply into the Pacific. By the time you hit San Simeon, the Hearst Castle's architectural wonders will barely register against what Mother Nature just showed you.

THE TOP TEN MOST HAUNTED, SCARIEST PLACES IN THE WORLD

No. 1: Catacombs, Paris, France.

Is this a real Paris Catacomb Ghost Photo asks Harold Grant Ghost Picture from his recent trip to Paris 2008.

Long ago, as the city of Paris grew, it became necessary to provide more space for the living. To do so, engineers and planners decided to move the mass of humanity least likely to protest: in this case, the dead. Millions of Parisian dead were quietly disinterred in one of the largest engineering feats in history and their remains were deposited along the walls of the chilly, dank passageways lying beneath the City of Light. They lie there to this day, in the eternal darkness, an Empire of the Dead.

The Paris Catacombs are infamous and much has been written about their history and purpose. A million visitors a year are said to walk the dank corridors and to stare at the bones and gaze fixedly into the empty eye-sockets of the long dead. Many of these same visitors, and some of their guides, have encountered more than just the silence in the catacombs: they have had encounters with ghostly inhabitants that roam the empty passageways and mutely follow the tour groups around.
Ghost Photos and erie feelings or often reported through out the internet from the many visitors to the locations. Ghost are often said to be felt more the witnessed eye to eye. Many have reported to us that they have been grabbed or have felt ghost touching them even grabbing their hands and clothes.

A Real Paris Catacomb Ghost Photo sent to us by Brian Lundsguard

Several report seeing a group of shadows in one area of the catacombs; as the living walk along, the dead follow in complete silence. To some the experience is completely overwhelming and tours have been cut short by the growing sense of unease. Photos have revealed orbs and ghostly apparitions, and EVP's have been recorded throughout the vaults. And many, many ghost photos happen all the time.

The catacombs were first cleared in Roman times, with succeeding generations of Gauls and Frenchmen perfecting the Roman engineering. Now the catacombs are a veritable rabbit’s warren, and though many boldly enter without a guide, to do so puts one at risk of being lost there forever. There have been many reports of rash individuals who wandered into the catacombs for a laugh and who have never been seen again.

Ghost Photo of Paris Catacombs sent to us by Linda Graham

This, and many chilling tales of experiences in this Empire of the Dead, put the Paris Catacombs on our list of most haunted places.

No. 2: Haunted New Orleans, Louisiana

Haunted New Orleans is by far considered by locals, visitors and paranormal investigators world wide as actually the most haunted and No. # 1 Haunted City in all the United States. With all the past and present spiritual activity taking place in this central plot The haunted French Quarter - transcendent, dark, and in between two worlds - most who witness this City for all it's worth of supernatural origins.

With 200 years of ghostly legends involving Voodoo curses, Spanish moss draped oak encircled duels, cold-blooded murders, Stories of Revolutionary War Pirates and Civil War soldiers, and Jazz. New Orleans has earned a serious reputation as one of Haunted New Orleans Tours most haunted cities. Locals say that the concentration of extremes leaves the city open to ghosts within the homes and businesses of Central New Orleans.

" The most popular tourist site to have your possible brush with the supernatural. But there is more to Haunted New Orleans then just the supernatural Locales. It's an experience you will never forget!"
Haunted New Orleans Voted Haunted New Orleans the best Haunted City in the United States for 2004 -2009.

South Louisiana possesses the Crown Jewel of all Haunted Cities - New Orleans.

Long before the docks of haunted New York City became crowded with European refugees, the port of New Orleans was already melting everything in its wondrous Creole pot. Among the earliest settled cities of the New World, New Orleans' place at the bend of the mighty Mississippi River more than guaranteed it a unique and interesting life. Held by French and Spanish, threatened by the British, and governed by Abraham Lincoln's Army of the Republic during the Civil War, this venerable "Old Lady" has seen generations come and go with grace and quiet charm.

One could spend an entire lifetime in the Crescent City - so-called because of its auspicious placement at the river's turn - and still not know all there is to know of her, nor ever, it has been said, get enough of her. Characterized as an almost living being, the City itself has been suspected of casting a spell over all who come to her, assuring that all who visit will eventually come back.

This magic translates into the architecture and, indeed, the very air of this infamous city; like a chameleon, she can change in a moment and become anything desired. In Congo Square one-time slaves beat the rhythm of the Old Lady's heart to an African frenzy under the watchful tutelage of Marie Laveau, the greatest Voodoo Queen to ever live; the well-to-do built mansions Uptown, while the immigrants and natives packed into the ramshackle row houses of the burgeoning French Quarter, where the true soul of this old city is really to be found. Jean Lafitte and his pirates plotted in a blacksmith shop that is still preserved amid the neon and decadence of Bourbon Street; blocks away the memories of the great priest Pere Antoine seem to resonant still from the walls of the St. Louis Cathedral; and all around the seething, humid air seems filled with memory and thoughts of days gone by.

MARIE LAVEAU VOODOO QUEEN PAGES MARIE LAVEAU VOODOO QUEEN MARIE LAVEAU VOODOO RITUAL2006 A MIDSUMMER CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF MADAME MARIE LAVEAU A HAUNTED NEW ORLEANS TOURS EXCLUSIVE!! (Here for more) XXX MARKS THE SPOT: DEDICATION OR DESECRATION? CALLING ON THE QUEEN OF THE CITY OF THE DEAD, (Here for more) MARIE LAVEAUS' HOUSE OF VOODOO NEW ORLEANS

In Haunted New Orleans the theorem works opposites and the supernatural easily becomes the natural. It is a city to be savored, like fine wine or a choice cut of meat, slowly, with relish and delight, and so strong is its hold that even the dead have a hard time leaving it behind.

With New Orleans graveyard, Haunted Houses, Buildings and battlefields. New Orleans is said to be haunted by the ghost of the world famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau. Her spirit has been reported inside of the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, walking between the tombs wearing a red and white seven knotted turban , and mumbling a New Orleans Santeria Voodoo curse to trespassers. Her Voodoo curse is loud and even heard by passerby's on nearby Rampart Street. Locals say this has started in recent years for she is alarmed by the many vandals and state of the cemetery. Voudon Believers and Tourist and locals still come to her tomb every day and leave many, many Voodoo offerings (candles, flowers, the monkey and the cock statue, Mardi Gras beads, Gris Gris bags, Voodoo dolls and food in hopes of being blessed by her supernatural powers from beyond the grave. Many make a wish at her tomb marking three X's. while others say they have her Ghost on film emerging undead from her tomb. They say her soul appears here as a shiny black Voodoo cat with read eyes. If you see it run!

Other well known ghost haunt New Orleans, as do haunted legends like that of the Laularie House. Delphine LaLaurie and her third husband, Leonard LaLaurie, took up residence in the house at 1140 Royal Street sometime in the 1830's.

MORE ON THE LALAURIE HOUSE Lalaurie Mansion New Stories About Madame Delphine Lalaurie's Ghost And Her Real Haunted New Orleans Mansion Madame Delphine LaLaurie Crucible of Horror on Royal Street Paranormal Photos of the Lalaurie House

There are reported incidents of people seeing, feeling and hearing the ghosts of tormented slaves in the LaLaurie home, and there are even reports of the Madame herself being seen there. The docile house servants who entreated the assistance of outsiders when the house was about to burn to the ground are said to often return to their task - running and slamming doors and shouts are heard repeatedly. Nor are the spirits of the restless dead quiet: the reports of moans and weeping outnumber all others, and there are several who have seen the ghostly faces of the dead peering from the upper windows and the chamber of horrors that became the crucible of their miserable lives. New Orleans is one of the oldest and most multi-faceted cities in the United States, and there are other tales, similar to those of the LaLaurie home that, sadly, have made their way into our history. But the gruesome horror of this particular event was so ghastly that it stains the city's memory to this very day.
Ghost cats and dogs are said to prowl the New Orleans Haunted cemeteries daily. Very near the great walls of oven tombs. None of these ghost animals have ever shown signs of meanness. Several Tour guides say these are the animals of an 1800's cemetery keepers guard dogs and pets. Orbs, ghost photos, EVP"S, strange phenomena, Voodoo rituals, witchcraft, and Haunted Mardi Gras Parades. Haunted hotels abound Footsteps are heard stomping up and down halls and stairways at night. Doorknobs to your hotel room turn, Closet doors open and close, and a rush of air follows as if someone is walking through. Haunting's to many to mention here, all happen in this New Orleans, the number one most Haunted City in America. Whether you come for Haunted New Orleans haunted history, enchanting shops, night life or just a getaway,, let your next destination be Haunted New Orleans, Louisiana!

 

The history of modern day Haunted New Orleans would not be complete without mention of the most traumatic event in the city's history -- the Great Storm of 2005. Devastated by hurricane Katrina August 29th, 2005 the worst hurricane this century to hit the Gulf coast. New Orleans remains the most haunted city of all times. Making a tremendous comeback for 2010 Mardi Gras Season this is what New Orleans is all about... and the many, many

FRENCH QUARTER PHANTOMS THE NUMBER 1# BEST MOST HAUNTED GHOST TOUR IN NEW ORLEANS... AND VOTED AS ONE OF THE BEST GHOST TOURS IN AMERICA FOR 2010- 2011 by the many millions of visitors to HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS hauntedamericatours.com

And Please accept no imitations!

No. 3: Aokigahara Forest, Japan

Aokigahara (青木ヶ原?), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai), is a forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The caverns found in this forest are rocky and ice-covered annually. It has been claimed by local residents and visitors that the woods are host to a great amount of paranormal phenomena. It is an old ancient forest reportedly haunted by many urban historical legends of strange beasts, monsters, ghosts, and goblins, which add to its serious and sinister reputation.

The forest floor consists primarily of volcanic rock and is difficult to penetrate with hand tools such as picks or shovels. There are also a variety of unofficial trails that are used semi-regularly for the annual "body hunt" done by local volunteers, who mark their search areas with plastic tape. The plastic tape is never removed, so a great deal of it litters the first kilometer of the forest, past the designated trails leading to and from known tourist attractions such as the Ice Cave and Wind Cave. After the first kilometer into Aokigahara towards Mount Fuji, the forest is in a much more pristine state, with little to no litter and few obvious signs of human contact. On some occasions human remains can be found in the distant reaches of the forest, but these are usually several years old and consist of scattered bones and incomplete skeletons, suggesting the presence of scavenging animals.
Ghost encouters of the wandering dead are said to be often encountered more then just frequently as well as many ghost photos and EVP's.
A very popular myth states that the magnetic iron deposits underground cause compasses to malfunction and travelers to get lost in the forest. However this myth is largely false. Japan's Self Defence Force and the US Military regularly run training practices through portions of the forest, during which military grade lensatic compasses have been verified to function properly. Vehicles, GPS equipment, and other electronic devices function properly.
It is also a popular place for suicides, reportedly the world’s third most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge , and (before the installation of the Luminous Veil) Toronto's Bloor Street Viaduct, due in some part to the novel Kuroi Jukai (黒い樹海, lit. Black Sea of Trees?), which ends with the lovers of the novel committing suicide in the forest. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides, with approximately 30 suicides counted yearly. In 2002, 78 bodies were found within the forest, replacing the previous record of 73 in 1998. The high rate of suicide has led officials to place signs in the forest, urging those who have gone there to commit suicide to seek help and not kill themselves. The annual search, consisting of a small army of police, volunteers and attendant journalists, began in 1970.
Typically most suicides are men, with over 71% of suicides in 2007 being male. The rate among the over-60 population is also high, but people in their thirties are most likely to commit suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people under 30.
The most frequent location for all in japan are often suicides is in Aokigahara, In the period leading up to 1988, about 30 suicides occurred there every year. In 1999, 74 occurred, the record until 2002 when 78 suicides were found. The area is patrolled by police looking for suicides, and that same year 83 people intending suicide were found and taken into protective custody.
Railroad tracks are also a common place for suicide, and the Chūō Rapid Line is particularly known for a high number.
Aside from those intending to die there, the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility has attracted thrill seekers. Many of these hikers mark their routes by leaving colored plastic tapes behind, causing concerns from prefectural officials for the ecosystem of the forest.
In 2004, a movie about the forest was released, called Jyukai — The Sea of Trees Behind Mt. Fuji (樹の海, lit. Sea of Trees?), by the director Takimoto Tomoyuki. It told the story of four people who decided to end their lives in the forest of Aokigahara. While scouting for shooting locations, Takimoto told reporters that he found a wallet containing 370,000 yen (roughly $3,760 USD), giving rise to the popular rumor that Aokigahara is a treasure trove for scavengers. Others have claimed to have found credit cards, rail passes, and driver's licenses.
CNN article about the forest
Suicide in Japan is considered to be a major problem nationally.Causes of suicide include unemployment (due to the economic recession in the 1990s), depression, and social pressures. Japan has one of the world's highest suicide rates, especially amongst industrialized nations, and the Japanese government says the rate for 2006 is ninth highest in the world. In 2007, the number of suicides exceeded 30,000 for the tenth straight year. - Since 2008, the economic situation worsened in Japan due to the global financial crisis, and this has pushed the suicide rate in Japan even higher. The industries are becoming smaller which is causing higher unemployment. This in turn leads to the Japanese husbands being at home much more and this is causing domestic problems because it has been the traditional role of the Japanese women to be in the home. This situation has been the cause of some marriage breakdown, even divorce. Being unable to cope with these stresses, the Japanese men have turned to suicide.
The rapid increase in suicides since the 1990s has raised concerns, with 1998 having a 34.7% increase over the previous year.
Also, suicide of the youth in Japan is becoming more serious in recent years. The financial crisis has impacted also on the Japanese youth, and they see that there are few possibilities of work. A number of youth in Japan cannot see any improvement for themselves in the near future and because of this they are turning to suicide.
Common methods of suicide are jumping in front of trains, leaping off high places, hanging, or overdosing on medication. Rail companies will charge the families of those who commit suicide a fee depending on the severity of disrupted traffic.
A newer method, gaining in popularity partly to publicity from Internet suicide websites, is to use household products to make the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide. In 2007, only 29 suicides used this gas, but in a span from January to September 2008, 867 suicides resulted from gas poisoning.

No. 4: Underground Vaults, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Far below the busy streets of modern Edinburgh lies a dark, forgotten corner of history. Discovered in the mid-1980’s, the Edinburgh Vaults had been abandoned for nearly two hundred years. Lying beneath the South Bridge, a major Edinburgh passage, the rooms were used as cellars, workshops and even as residences by the businesses that plied their trade on the busy bridge above. Abandoned soon after they were built due to excessive water and moisture, the vaults remain, unaltered, never illuminated by the light of day.
This location is said to be very haunted. Many visitors have been attacked by the unseen and left with bruises, cuts, and scratches. Others have been knocked unconscious and overcome by debilitating nausea and vomiting.

A reported as real UnderGround Edinburgh ghost Photo Sent to us by Shana Chrystal Ferino

The South Bridge has stood since 1785 and it was around this time that the huge supporting arches were first divided for use by nearby businesses. The vaults were once bustling with life, the vast overflow of an ever-growing city.

When the vaults became mostly abandoned because of the unwholesome atmosphere they were still used sporadically by the poor and homeless of Edinburgh society. As with any great concentration of unhealthy people, there were outbreaks of plague and other devastating illnesses; many of the people who took refuge in the vaults ultimately died there. There is evidence that at least some of these people may have met untimely ends because it was here in the Edinburgh Vaults that the nefarious pair, Burke and Hare, plied their trade of providing cadavers to the nearby teaching hospitals of Infirmary Street.

Underground Scotland Ghost Photo Sent to us by Gaylen Tamber

Paranormal investigations have been conducted in the vaults practically since their discovery and to date the location has not failed to provide a wealth of disturbing and unexplainable activity. Recently visited by the crew from England’s “Most Haunted,” the vaults maintained their reputation as the spookiest place in Edinburgh – no member of the team would voluntarily return there.

No. 5: Coliseum, Rome, Italy.

At the height of Rome’s power the Coliseum represented everything that was Imperial to the citizens of Rome. Gladiators would fight to the death here for the amusement of Caesar and the mobs; thousands of prisoners of war and victims of religious persecution met their end in the jaws of lions and tigers in the sandy arena of the Coliseum; and even those animals were decimated, for in its time the Coliseum consumed tens of thousands of animals, some reportedly driven into extinction by the Roman lust for blood and gore.

The workings of the Coliseum, the place where the real grit of life took place, were in the vaults beneath the sandy floor. Now long ago exposed by the ravages of time, there is still a pervasive feeling of awe associated with the lingering presence of a power so mighty it once encompassed the entire known world.


In the pits beneath the Coliseum, gladiators waited to fight, prisoners waited to die, and average Romans placed bets on the outcomes of myriad competitions. Such a fabric of life can’t help but wrap itself around the pillars and posts that make up the foundation of this ancient charnel house, and it is no surprise that many reports of ghostly activity have been associated with the Coliseum over the years.

Tour guides and visitors alike have reported cold spots, being touched or pushed, hearing indiscernible words whispered into their ears; security guards with the unenviable task of securing the ancient edifice have reported hearing the sounds of swords clashing, of weeping in the more remote areas, and, oddly enough most disconcerting, the sound of ghostly animal noises such as the roars of lions and elephants. Ghostly citizens have been seen among the seats of the Coliseum, and the sight of a Roman soldier standing guard, silhouetted against the night sky, is a common one.


With such ancient history and such a legacy of death and bloodshed, there is little wonder why the Roman Coliseum is one of the most haunted places in the world.


No. 6: Walachia, Transylvania, Land of Dracul, Romania.


“Beyond the green swelling hills of the Mittel Land rose mighty slopes of forest up to the lofty steeps of the Carpathians themselves. Right and left of us they towered, with the afternoon sun falling full upon them and bringing out all the glorious colours of this beautiful range, deep blue and purple in the shadows of the peaks, green and brown where grass and rock mingled, and an endless perspective of jagged rock and pointed crags, till these were themselves lost in the distance, where the snowy peaks rose grandly . . .

“Just then a heavy cloud passed across the face of the moon, so that we were again in darkness . . . This was all so strange and uncanny that a dreadful fear came upon me, and I was afraid to speak or move. The time seemed interminable, as we swept on our way, now in almost complete darkness, for the rolling clouds obscured the moon.

“We kept on ascending, with occasional periods of quick descent, but in the main always ascending. Suddenly, I became conscious of the fact that the driver was in the act of pulling up the horses in the courtyard of a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no ray of light, and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the sky.”

-- “Dracula” by Bram Stoker.

“Perhaps the only place I felt Dracula’s presence was on a long, curving road that twists over the Transylvanian Alps. The area is so remote and impenetrable that no major road crossed this often stormy mountain pass until 1974. As my car climbed into the mist, traffic disappeared, and the radio stopped working. The road passes a dam and a hydroelectric plant guarded by a handful of soldiers standing alone in the gloom. And at the bottom of the road are the ruins of a castle.


Dracula’s castle.


Really.


Dracula created this fortress as a refuge. When the Turkish army surrounded him, he is said to have escaped through a tunnel and disappeared into the mountains.


His young son was strapped to the side of his horse but slipped off and was left for dead. His wife didn’t even try to flee. She threw herself to death from a tower window.

I stepped out of the car to take a look. But it was night now, and the climb to the castle would be difficult. I looked up at the dark mountains and started to shiver, glad to have a car to spirit me away.”

--Larry Bleiburg, The Dallas Morning News, January 2, 2005


We think that’s enough said!




No. 7: Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, Oswiecim, Poland.



Auschwitz death camp was in operation from May 1940 until its liberation by Soviet forces in January 1945. It is estimated that 2.1 to 2.5 million people were killed in the gas chambers during that time, of whom 2 million were Jews and the remainder were Poles, Gypsies and Soviet POWs. But this estimate is considered by historians to be strictly a minimum, because the total number of deaths at Auschwitz and its sister camp Birkenau can never really be known.

It is clear that Auschwitz-Birkenau was considered by the Germans to be one of their most efficient extermination centers as early as 1941 when the mortuary crematorium at the Auschwitz main camp was adapted as a gas chamber. Additional huts, called “bunkers,” were added around January 1942 and were especially active in the autumn of 1944 when extra capacity was needed for the systematic murder of Hungarian Jews and the liquidation of the ghettos. Between January 1942 and March 1943 over 175,000 Jews were gassed to death here, their bodies burned in open pits nearby.


By early 1943 it was clear that Hitler’s SS were using Auschwitz as a mass-murder factory. Twin pairs of state of the art gas chambers using Zyklon-B gas were opened in March and April 1943. The capacity of these crematoria was 4,420 persons. Once inside the chambers it took about 20 minutes for the gas to kill this number of people. The killings took place in the underground chambers and the bodies were carried to five crematoria ovens on an electrically operated lift. Before cremation, gold teeth, jewelry, and other valuables were removed from the corpses. Captured Jews, known as “sonderkommandos” were forced to work the crematoria under SS supervision.


Anyone who has visited Auschwitz-Birkenau is struck by the overwhelming sense of melancholy and foreboding; visitors have been known to break down in tears for no apparent reason and many have to abandon their tour groups without ever completing the tour. Visitors are struck not only by the horrific memory of the place, but also by the effect it has on the present day: birds still refuse to sing in the trees surrounding the death camps and there is little evidence of a thriving natural environment anywhere nearby. The silence, as they saw, is deafening, even after all these years.


People have reported cold spots and areas of intense emotional concentration. Recent reports have come in that while touring the camp some have been touched or even grabbed by unseen hands. One visitor report that someone or something tugged on her clothes and she heard a voice whispering to her but could not make out anything but one or two words. " Please and leave"!
As of date no paranormal group or investigator has released their findings of the most haunted place on earth to the public. But often tales of this the Most Haunted Hot Spot in the world has many haunted secrets yet to reveal.
Photographs over the years have revealed the presence of spirit manifestations in the form of misty apparitions, shadows, light anomalies and orbs. Given its history and the imprint of horror it leaves on the modern mind, Auschwitz-Birkenau is the most haunted place on earth.


No. 8: Whitechapel/Spittalfields, London East End, London, England.

The Whitechapel / Spittalfields area of East London has been actively settled since Roman times. Many of the historic buildings are built on the remains of old Roman settlements. Throughout the Dark and Middle Ages, the East End was a burgeoning commerce area, mostly inhabited by Anglos and Jewish moneylenders. In Elizabethan times the East End looked and smelled like something right out of one of Shakespeare’s history plays, and, in fact, the character of Falstaff (Henry V) is said to have been based on an innkeeper from the notorious East End. It was a place of soldiers and prostitutes, brawls and bawdy houses.


The coming of high Victorian morals did nothing to dull this seedy reputation and the Whitechapel / Spittalfields area, while known to humanitarians for its extreme poverty, was also known to all as the home of thieves, prostitutes, and the most derelict of English society.


In 1888 the Whitechapel area of London was the scene of some of the most brutal murders ever recorded: the famous Jack the Ripper crimes. Yet the murders – and the identity of Jack – remain unsolved, even today. Many assert that the killer was a doctor or was somehow connected to the medical profession; others believe the killer to have been Queen Victoria’s grandson, Prince Albert Victor, though nothing substantial has ever arisen to support the theory.

Five women, all of them poor prostitutes, were slaughtered by the mysterious Jack in the span of just four months, known collectively as “The Autumn of Terror.” Four of the women – Mary Nicholls, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes – were found in various streets and alleys throughout Whitechapel horribly disfigured and mutilated. The fifth – Mary Kelly – was the only victim murdered in an interior location; as such she was the most horribly mutilated, the death scene like something from a slaughterhouse.


Jack the Ripper enjoyed a brief career as London’s most infamous serial murder and the fact that he was never caught still adds to the mystery surrounding him. Nevertheless, it is thought that his horrible mutilation of Mary Kelly was his last act of violence and there is no evidence that Jack, whoever he may have been, killed again after November 1888.


Today visitors to London’s East End can walk the streets that Jack prowled and visit pubs and other locations he may have haunted in life – and death. Walking tours of the area are very popular and although Jack’s legacy is certainly the most enduring, other ghosts that haunt the East End are those of Jack’s victims, in various stages of mutilation; a ghostly band of Roman soldiers; a murderous sea captain’s ghost that haunts a local pub; and a mysterious black carriage drawn by ghastly white horses that approaches without a sound and disappears right before your eyes. These and other haunts, combined with the long haunted history of the East End make it one of the must visit ghostly locations in the world.



No. 9: Unit 731 Experimentation Camp, Harbin, Manchuria, China.


“It is called the Asian Auschwitz and, in terms of inhumanity and horror, it certainly warrants this description. Yet there remains a fundamental difference with the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis against Jews: While Germany has shown deep contrition and remorse, the leaders the country that spawned the evil of Unit 731 still struggle to come to grips with what occurred . . . In the end at least 3,000 prisoners, mainly Chinese, were killed directly, with a further 250,000 Chinese left to die through the biological warfare experiments.”



In the gruesome world of Unit 731 the unthinkable was done on a daily basis. Prisoners, mostly taken in Japan’s conquest of Manchuria at the beginning of WWII, were subjected to unimaginable horrors. They were infected with diseases such as anthrax, cholera and even bubonic plague. To gauge the effect of these diseases on their subjects – whom they dehumanized by calling them “logs” – live, un-anesthetized vivisection was performed. In many cases the subjects would regain consciousness while the dissection was taking place.

Whole towns and villages were decimated by the ghoulish doctors and researchers of Unit 731 and the effects of their horrible crimes still resonate there to this day.

Parts of the Unit 731 complex still remain – there are buildings where frostbite experiments were performed, courtyards and open areas where prisoners were subjected to live bombs detonated at close range to enable researchers to evaluate the effect of explosives of the sort that Japanese soldiers were encountering in the fields. Other buildings where live human vivisections took place overlook the prisoner holding area and the long-unused railway station where the “logs” were offloaded for their horrible fate.


The Chinese government sanctioned the Unit and the surrounding area as a learning center for future generations of Chinese, and just recently visitors from the West have been allowed access to the killing fields at Harbin. But for many years there have been reports of paranormal activity associated with the old charnel houses: ghost lights and apparitions are frequently seen, including a ghostly figure that walks the empty precincts surrounding the frostbite units. Ghostly voices have been heard and anomalies frequently appear in photographs taken in the area. Recently, during the filming of a BBC television documentary, the English film crew experienced unexplainable problems with their lights and batteries – often a sure sign of ghostly activity. Many speculate that as the story of Unit 731 is more widely told, the ghosts of those tragically tormented and murdered there are becoming more and more active, and more anxious for justice than ever before.

No. 10: Haunted Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The most deadly battle of the Civil War took place in 1863 in the tiny Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg. Union soldiers were low on ammunition and losing the fight, nearly capitulating them to the advancing Confederate army. Then, as they used up the last of their gunpowder, a ghostly George Washington on a white stallion appeared before them, urging them on to victory — an event that ultimately turned the tide of the war. That's the way the legend tells it anyway, and to this day, the people who live in and around Gettysburg maintain that George Washington's ghost rides regally across that same battlefield every summer. Of all the forlorn, countless souls awash in time, none reach out to us more than those of the dead at Gettysburg . . . Their presence on earth was silenced forever by death. Or maybe not." -- Mark Nesbitt.

Terrifying visions and horrible scenes of the atrocities of a Civil War. Battlefields, houses, lonely roads and shallow entrenchments all still bear the tell-tale marks of three days of gore and terror that seared themselves into the collective memory of America.

"Gettysburg" This one word can conjure up all these Haunted images and chills.

But the horrible days of the Battle of Gettysburg are not just distant memory in this haunted Pennsylvania town. It is as if the soldiers who fought and died here, and the people whose lives were touched by this great catastrophe, cannot help but continue to remind us of what sacrifices were made here, of what was won and lost on the sprawling hills of Gettysburg.

It is said that Gettysburg is very likely the most haunted destination, "acre for acre," in all of America. The dead do not rest easy in Gettysburg, and they are not hesitant to remind the living that they refuse to be forgotten.