35 Mysterious Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Still Visit

22. Ross Island, Andaman Islands, India: The Ghost of British Colonialism

Just a short ferry ride from Port Blair lies Ross Island, a haunting relic of British imperial ambition in the Indian Ocean. Once the opulent administrative hub of the Andaman Islands during colonial rule, Ross Island was established as a penal colony following the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. British officers built a self-contained township that boasted lush gardens, grand mansions, a church, swimming pool, bakery, and even a ballroom—all amidst the tropical surroundings. It was a bizarre contrast: colonial luxury nestled beside the brutal prison system of nearby Cellular Jail. However, a series of devastating earthquakes in 1941 weakened the island's infrastructure, and during World War II, Japanese forces occupied and further dismantled the settlement. The British never returned. Today, Ross Island is engulfed by thick banyan roots that snake through crumbling colonial ruins, as nature quietly reclaims the remnants of empire. The eerily beautiful fusion of history and jungle serves as a powerful visual metaphor for the rise and fall of colonial dominance.