Misnebalam: Haunted Ghost Town Outside Merida, Mexico

 The Ghost Town of Misnebalam

Just outside the popular Mexican town of Merida, lies the ruins of a community whose mysterious disappearance gave birth to a multitude of ghost stories.  Misnebalam was once a thriving Hacienda farm, ran on the land of a wealthy man named Don Fidencio G. Márquez. This farm gave life to its community, allowing Misnebalam to prosper and grow to house almost 200 inhabitants. The rumors as to what caused Misnebalam to go from thriving town to ghost town are quite sinister.

It is hard not to think of death as you approach Misnebalam. Driving down a winding, overgrown dirt road, with vultures circling the hot sky above is a less than welcoming entry. The town itself still has many structures standing including houses, a church and even a dried-out swimming pool. Everything is crumbling, beaten down by the harsh climate and years of neglect, especially from vandals. Now home to an abundance of lizards, no other life remains at Misnebalam, but there may be souls of the former living trapped here… 

Misnebalam: A Haunted Ghost Town

While abandonment of buildings in Mexico is common, a whole town left in ruins under the particular circumstances Misnebalam was left, is not.  Urban legends exist which explain ghosts as the main driving factor that caused Misnebalam’s residents to flee, leaving their homes and livelihoods behind. Many still believe that the ghost town of Misnebalam is haunted, but by what or who?

The most prevailing ghost story linked to Misnebalam is a tragic one. Juliancito, a young 9-year-old boy, son to one of the farm workers, lived in this small rural community sometime in the 1920s. One day Juliancito was playing with a ball of yarn around the town, before being abducted and raped by one of the other workers in the community. Unable to process this traumatic event in his young mind, he became distraught. Sadly, Juliancito then took his own life by hanging himself from a tree somewhere in town. His young, lost spirit is rumored to still remain within the town he once lived. His ghost is indeed one of the most active at Misnebalam, being reportedly sighted by many and even caught on camera.

Another ghost said to frequent Misnebalam is that of the former land owner, Don Márquez. It is told that Don has haunted the town ever since his untimely death in 1921. In October of this year, Don drove from his home, down a road towards Misnebalam with his son and one of his staff. During this trip, his car was intercepted by unknown men who assassinated Don in front of his passengers. Since this day, Don’s ghost has been sighted throughout the town he once held dominion over.

The spirit of a priest also remains within the ghost town of Misnebalam. He is usually sighted within the crumbling, roofless church. Adorned in a long flowing black robe, his spirit most commonly is seen ascending to the top of what is left of the church. There, he opens and extends his arms, as if to reach out to and welcome visitors.

More ghostly phenomena have been documented within Misnebalm, which includes disembodied voices, other unexplainable noises and the appearance of light anomalies and orbs. Many also tell of lights continuing to turn on within abandoned houses at night, despite their being a lack of electricity, light bulbs and wiring remaining.

Visiting Misnebalam Ghost Town

 The haunted Misnebalam ghost town is an unofficial attraction to locals and tourists passing through the nearby town of Merida. Many brave souls have journeyed to this destination including urban explorers, paranormal investigators and those just curious about the town’s strange history.

Misnebalam can be found just outside of Merida in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It is about a 20-minute drive from there, straight down the Mérida-Progreso Highway. If visiting be prepared to drive down a gravel road with many large pot holes. I also recommend wearing closed in footwear and bringing lots of water.

If you enjoyed this article and are looking for other spooky places to visit in Mexico, check out this list of the most haunted places in Mexico City.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo