The crystal waters of Babinda Creek, south of Cairns in Far North Queensland, flow from the state’s highest mountain Mt Bartle Frere down through the steamy rainforest to the Great Barrier Reef Coast. On their way, the waters flow into a waterhole known as Babinda Boulders, an idyllic setting and favourite tourist attraction. The innocuous sounding Babinda Boulders, however, is better known by another name … the much more sinister-sounding Devil’s Pool. And for very good reason too.

Devil’s Pool is a natural pool created by surrounding boulders and a waterfall that feeds it, and as beautiful as it is, people say it’s cursed. According to legend, Oolana, an Aboriginal woman, drowned herself in the pool after being separated from her true love. Still searching for him today, she lures young men to their death in the green waters. Sixteen young men have died there in the past 50 years.

Louisiana is no stranger to spooky stories, and Manchac Swamp is one with its roots anchored in the past. Not only is Manchac allegedly haunted, it’s also rumored to be home to the Rougarou, the Cajun werewolf. However, according to the legend, if you're visiting the swamp, the werewolf if the least of your worries... According to local legend, Julia Brown, a practicing voodoo priestess, used to sit on her front porch near the Machac Swamp and sing, “One day I’m gonna die, and I’m gonna take all of you with me,”. That curse turned out to be true: On the day of Brown’s funeral in 1915, a category 4 hurricane tore through the area, causing hundreds of drowning deaths. These days, people say that Brown can be heard cackling on the shores of the swamp. Spooky, right?

One of the most discussed haunted waters would be the Atlantic Ocean’s Bermuda Triangle (bounded by Bermuda, Miami, and Puerto Rico). Countless airplanes and ships who have dared to enter the 500,000-square-mile perimeter in perfectly good weather and not the slightest hint of engine malfunction—only to disappear! I also known as the “Devil’s Triangle.”

Many residents have heard the story of the Lady of White Rock Lake. Legend has it that a couple in the 1940s picked up a soaking woman wearing white near the lake. After describing a boating accident, she asked to be taken to an address on Gaston Avenue, but when the car arrived at the house, only a wet spot remained in the back seat where the woman had been. The driver went to knock on the door, and the man who answered said that he had a daughter who drowned in the lake two years before. Other versions of the legend exist, some with the woman committing suicide, others with her knocking on the doors of houses near the lake, all of which provide great fodder for a spooky drive around the lake at night. The legend has been reported since 1964, but the Texas Folk Lore Society first referenced it in 1943.

A short trip from Venice, the beautiful island of Poveglia has scars from being a quarantine zone for people suffering from the plague. In addition, the island was used in the early 20th century as an insane asylum. Ghost hunters claim this spot is a hotbed of paranormal activity. Today the whole island is abandoned, and it’s believed that many locals dare not step foot on the island for fear of being cursed. Fisherman also refuse to fish in the area for fear of dragging up human remains. The ghosts of the patients and victims of disease are said to haunt the island and its buildings. Voices and screams are often heard, with EVP’s often captured. Dark fleeting shadows are often witnessed, and possessions have been reported. As soon as people step foot on the island they begin to feel an oppressive evil feeling, often departing in absolute terror.

A popular destination for tourists in Singapore, this beach is actually considered one of the most haunted places in Asia. During World War II thousands of people died in this area and it's said that at night you can hear their screams. People have even had run-ins with headless apparitions that materialize and appear to walk over the surface of the water.

Tennessee’s Red River is known as being a hangout for the legendary Bell Witch, who reportedly terrorized the Bell family by setting demons on them and taunting them by singing songs late into the night. Tales of the witch’s terror even intrigued President Andrew Jackson, who charged a unit of soldiers with the task of finding her. These days, visitors report hearing voices, the sounds of children and even figures lurking in the trees. Whether or not such apparitions are enough to keep anglers from checking out the catfish action on the river is another story.

Would you dare to paddle in any of these haunted bodies of water?