Taman Festival

Eerie and overrun with lush greenery, this abandoned theme park in Bali is an urban explorer’s dream. Colorful graffiti adorns the walls of its crumbling buildings. Most of the park has succumbed to nature’s mercy and is slowly being swallowed by the jungle.

It isn’t known for certain as to why this grand theme park was deserted by the owners before it ever even opened. Some reports say the owners abandoned ship after fearing it would become unprofitable following the 2002 Bali terrorist attacks. Others say lightning struck its laser machines, which were meant to illuminate the night sky as part of the park’s star attraction.

Never fated to fill its grounds with throngs of tourists, it has now become a home for graffiti artists and budding photographers. Wander among the pathways that meander through the eight-hectare site (beware of the broken glass), and you’ll find an olympic-sized swimming pool, a cinema, a wedding chapel, and many restaurants, all reclaimed by nature.

It’s a haunting experience. Vines and weeds twist sinisterly around the decrepit structures, while miniature jungles overtake others. Bats, enormous spiders, and a host of other insects hide in the dark corners of the dust-coated buildings. Keep an eye out for the empty crocodile pit—its former residents were left to roam the park after it was abandoned and supposedly lurk just out of sight. Rumors abound that these reptilian residents have been know to snack on humans.