Uncovering Ancient Legends: Places with legendary monsters

Travelers don't really need to be cryptozoologist to search for creatures whose existence hasn't yet been proven. All they need to do is to grab a good map, have a sense of adventure as well as their handy camera to catch supernatural spooks while travelling to the world's most dramatic landscapes.

While travelers visit different parts of the world, they might not literally catch a glimpse of the Yeti,Chupacabra or other legendary monsters. Yet they will discover something even more incredible with some of the world's most dramatic landscapes found in places where these supernatural creatures are said to be found.

The Yeti or the Snowman, is part ape and part man, and it's believed to be found in the snowy Himalayan Mountains. But according to NBC News, geneticists reported that RNA extracted from hair samples attributed to the Himalayan Yeti monster were actually more similar to the an extinct breed of polar bears. These geneticist even suggested there might be a soon to be discovered bear species roaming in the remote Himalayan snows.

Many people believe that the best bet for Yeti-spotting is among the thousands of glaciers found at higher elevations in Nepal. The Himalayas make up the 75% of Nepal, which also packed with culture because of its temples and monasteries preserved as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest have created legends of the Sasquatch, with most referring to a dark-haired, ape- like wild man. They often call this Bigfoot, which is generally believed to stand up to nine feet tall and weigh several hundred pounds.

It is believed that the highest number of the creature sightings are in Washington, Oregon, California and British Columbia. Washington even holds a music festival named after the Sasquatch, which happens annually at the highly picturesque Gorge Amphitheatre. Large swaths of forested mountains, starting at Mount Shasta in the south to Whistler Mountain in the north, are said to be ideal Sasquatch territory.

Another supernatural being known is the Loch Ness Monster or Nessie. The Loch Ness monster was first spotted in 565 C.E., as an Irish priest reportedly saw the brontosaurus-like sea creature. Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands is 700 feet deep, more than 20 miles long, and around a mile wide, making it the largest lake in Scotland by volume.

Neighboring Inverness and the surrounding areas are home to historic battlefields, whiskey distilleries and several castles, including Urquhart Castle on the northwestern shore of Loch Ness. But as reported by CNN, the famous Nessie might just be a catfish. Steve Feltham, who searched for the Loch Ness Monster for 24 years, had recently concluded that the legendary creature people have reported seeing might have been a Wels catfish.

Moreover, numerous authors have taken artistic liberties with vampires in recent years, with the gold standard for this creature of the night remains as Count Dracula. According to Romanian legend, people need to set a boy dressed in white atop a white horse in a graveyard at midday. And whichever grave the horse stops at is a recognized as a vampire. People can also simply visit the Transylvania region in Romania, known for medieval towns and inspiring vampire lore. Bran Castle is also perhaps the most famous for playing home to Dracula in Bram Stocker's novel of the same name.

The Latin American legend of a bloodsucking mashup of a vampire and lizard is even spookier as claimed by travelers. They are said to be attacking animals, especially the goats. The Chupacabra first burst on the scene in the 1990s, when animals around Puerto Rico were found dead from puncture wounds in the neck.

And to track down a Chupacabra, locals believe that one should head to an area densely populated with fauna, which is the El Yunque National Forest. However, Ancient Origins suggests that there are skeptics who argue that these attacks are from ordinary animals like wild dogs or coyotes. They claim that these animals go for a victim's neck, and their teeth leave wounds resembling vampire bite marks.

Meanwhile, there are still many places yet covered by the mysterious legends of unexplanable creatures. And a lot of travelers are now getting interested in the exploration of these supernatural sightings all around the world. They claim that not only that they have to visit spooky places, they can also experience the stunning views of each of the destinations of these monsters.