Skip to main content

MEMBER LOGIN

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design

FOLLOW US

LOGIN

NEWSLETTER

More In City Guides

This Five-Star Vermont Resort Doesn’t Have a Dinner Menu–Here's Why That's Amazing

The property also has its own ski mountain, a Japanese-style bath house, and private cottage

These Luxury Hotels Are Bringing Fresh Design to Japan’s Heritage Buildings
Vacation in a Modernly Decorated, Centuries-Old Chateau in Burgundy
Employees of the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Share Their Favorite Stories From Over the Decades

More In Travel

  • Hotels
  • Travel Guides
  • Restaurants

Louis Vuitton's Objets Nomades Debuts First American Designer at Design Miami

Andrew Kudless and his Swell Wave Shelf will be featured in the annual de

GANNI’s Founders on Why They Don’t Want You to Call Their Brand "Sustainable"
Rent The Runway's Closet Concierge Is Going to Fix Your Travel Wardrobe Woes
The Most Stylish Men at the Fashion Awards 2019 in London

More In Fashion

  • Style
  • Shopping

New Study Finds the Luxury Cars Most Referenced in Today's Music

The study analyzed lyrics from the top 100 Billboard Hotlist artists of 2018.

Behind the Scenes of "Ford v Ferrari"
The Museum of Modern Art Broadens Its Horizons
Architect Francis Kéré Brings Stunning Low-Tech Buildings to the US

More In Art + Culture

  • Books
  • Philanthropy
  • Film

Tommy Hilfiger Is Selling Off Personal Home Decor Pieces

The famed fashion designer and his wife are selling personal items from both their Connecticut ma

The Best Luxe Winter Home Décor
6 of the Best Home Goods Shops in Mexico City
A Fresh Take on Classic Dior Homeware

More In Home + Design

  • Art + Design
  • Architecture
LOGIN
NEWSLETTER
  • City Guides
  • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Travel Guides
  • Fashion
    • Style
    • Shopping
  • Art + Culture
    • Books
    • Film
    • Philanthropy
  • Home + Design
    • Art + Design
    • Architecture
  • MEMBER LOGIN
  • JOIN OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
  • Contact Advertise Sitemap
Home / Travel
Travel

Scout Mythical Creatures at These Magic-Filled Destinations

By Maya Kachroo-Levine on November 14, 2019

Fantastic beasts and where to find them—when traveling around the world.

© Dieter Meyrl/Getty Images

SHARE:

When you’re enthralled by mythical creatures and spirits, traveling to a destination that merges reality and fantasy has a distinct appeal. Destinations around the globe offer elements of the fantastical and allow travelers to delve into the unknown. Whether you’re scouring Scotland for the Loch Ness Monster, searching for Iceland’s huldufólk (or “secret people” like elves, trolls, and fairies), or following in the footsteps of esteemed, healing witches, there is magic to be found both in the country and abroad. That said, these are the most fantastical places on earth, where you just might encounter magic in real life.

 
Juan Vte. Muñoz/Getty Images

Scotland

The Scottish Highlands are perhaps the best known mythical area thanks, of course, to the Loch Ness Monster—or, “Nessie” as some affectionately call her. Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster is, according to numerous eyewitness accounts, long, thin, and green with four legs, a tail, and a head like a snake. You can find her in Loch Ness, one of the deepest bodies of water in the United Kingdom at 800 feet, which is southwest of Inverness. In addition to looking for Nessie in the Loch Ness waters, you can tour the Loch Ness Center and Exhibition in Drumnadrochit.

FEBRUARY/Getty Images

Iceland

Iceland is the land of the huldufólk. The most striking thing about the huldufólk narrative—huldufólk being elves, trolls, and fairies thought to reside in Iceland—is genuine belief the country has in their magic. Some Iceland residents believe more in their spirits, while many others think that huldufólk, often called “secret people” are 100% real. Iceland goes to great lengths to protect sites that might be inhabited by the secret people. The long-standing belief in huldufólk stems from Viking culture, who brought Scandinavian stories of trolls, elves, fairies, and the like over when they settled in Iceland.

Lindrik/Getty Images

Nepal

Nepal is of course home to the one and only Abominable Snowman—i.e., the Yeti. Kathmandu lays claim to some of the most talked about Abominable Snowman sightings. Nepalese locals and travelers who come for climbing expeditions believe strongly in the Yeti’s existence in the Himalayas; they often refer to him as a “man bear,” which is descriptive imagery that speaks for itself. The Yeti seems to come with more credence (or mythical clout, at least) than most of the planet’s legendary fantastical beings because several noted explorers claim to have encountered him—including Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Everest.

Jorgen Larsson/Getty Images

Sweden

According to Swedish legend, there’s a Scandinavian destination called Blåkulla where witches once met up with the devil. Swedes believe Blå Jungfrun Island is Blåkulla IRL—the actual location the legend referred to. Unsure of what mythical beings might live there, whether witches or creatures of sorts, Swedes would deposit offerings to the fantastical inhabitants of the island. Blå Jungfrun Island is now a national park where visitors can feel the spirits’ presence while poking around the caves and stone passageways. Fight the urge to take an island artifact home with you—it’s supposed to be very bad luck.

Chris Steer/Getty Images

Ireland

The Irish are all too familiar with the fairy forts sprinkled throughout the country—there are approximately 60,000. The scale of these forts varies depending on the locale—there’s one nestled within Dublin Castle, while a cluster of fairy forts sit in Brigit’s Celtic Garden in County Galway. In County Limerick, Terra Nova Fairy Garden has a castle and a garden where visitors can acquaint themselves with the culture surrounding Irish mythical beings. Fairy forts, often called ringforts, are considered quite sacred in Ireland—they’ve preserved Ireland’s magical roots for centuries.

Oscar Gutierrez/Getty Images

Puerto Rico

El Chupacabra is a fantastical Latin American beast that ventured onto the mythic scene in 1995 after several farm animals in Puerto Rico had a very unfortunate encounter with a supposed five-foot hairless beast with fangs and red eyes. That creature became known as El Chupacabra, and while some scientists insist it was a coyote struggling with illness, the folklore that’s taken over insists it was an elusive beast that now roams Latin America. El Chupacabra supposedly emits unsettling shrieks—so keep your ears open on your next Puerto Rican getaway.

Philip Gould/Getty Images

New Orleans, Louisiana

There are few cities in the world more magical than New Orleans. And while NOLA is typically regarded as a “haunted” destination revered by ghost busters, there are many more fantastical sides to the city. The magical roots originally come from religious influence—Roman Catholic and West African spirituality merge to give life to Voodoo practices. Unlike in the case of Nessie or the huldufólk, there is not one specific manifestation of the city’s mysticism—there’s an ever-present aura instead. Travelers looking for a taste of NOLA’s mystical spirit can visit esteem Voodoo healer Marie Laveau’s grave at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and spend time in Congo Square, where people once gathered for spiritual ceremonies.

Kristian Bell/Getty Images

Australia

In the land down under, the Bunyip is rumored to dwell in creeks and small bodies of water, and reported sightings date back to the mid 1800s. The Bunyip is said to have enormous, orange-colored eyes and menacing tusks. The creature is part of Aboriginal mythology and supposedly kills its victims (usually women and children) by hugging them to death, despite having deadly talons and the ability to hypnotize people. A roving beast, the Bunyip has been spotted in New South Wales, Southern Australia, and Victoria.

Explore More in Travel

tout-img

This Five-Star Vermont Resort Doesn’t Have a Dinner Menu–Here's Why That's Amazing

tout-img

This New Indoor Ski Slope Means You Can Find Fresh Powder All Year Long Just Outside of NYC

tout-img

Make Your Next Instagram Travel Post Anything But Basic


Marketing Events & Promotions

Become a DEPARTURES VIP

Join our Weekly Newsletter

Privacy Statement
Join our Weekly Newsletter
Departures Logo Created with Sketch.
  • City Guides
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Art + Culture
  • Home + Design
FOLLOW US
Other Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group websites: 
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Food & Wine
  • Wallpaper
Related Websites for DEPARTURES International Editions:
  • DEPARTURES-International.com
Learn more about the American Express Platinum Card® benefits

View Terms of Service  and  Privacy Statement.   Ad Choices EU Data Subject Requests All users of our online services subject to Privacy Statement and agree to be bound by Terms of Service. Please review.

© 2019 American Express Company. All rights reserved. Departures® is published by Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group, a subsidiary of Meredith Corporation. Departures is a trademark of
American Express Marketing & Development Corp. and is used under limited license. Meredith Corporation Travel & Leisure Group is not affiliated with American Express Company or its subsidiaries.

  • RSS
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Promotions
  • Site Map

Member Login

The current issue of DEPARTURES is available exclusively to American Express Platinum Card® Members.

Cancel