5 Scariest Horror Tales from Vietnam
1. Minh, 32, Hanoi – The Haunted Waterway
Profile: Minh is a civil servant in Hanoi who enjoys exploring the outskirts of the city during weekends. He has always been skeptical of ghost stories but found himself rethinking his beliefs after one unsettling experience along an old waterway.
Story:
I had heard about the legendary haunted waterway near Hanoi from my childhood. Old villagers would tell stories of a woman in white, said to haunt the riverbanks, calling out to unsuspecting travelers. I never took these stories seriously—until the day I decided to visit the waterway with my friends.
We arrived late in the afternoon, just as the sun began to set, casting a reddish glow across the water. The air felt still, and the sounds of nature seemed to disappear. The locals warned us not to go near the water after dark, but being young and foolish, we disregarded their advice.
As we walked along the riverbank, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew colder, and an eerie silence settled over us. The only sound was the faint ripple of the water. Suddenly, one of my friends, Lan, pointed toward the opposite shore. We saw the figure of a woman dressed in white, standing in the water. Her face was obscured by long, dark hair that hung over her face. She appeared to be floating rather than walking.
Lan screamed, and we all turned to run, but as we did, the woman’s voice echoed through the air. “Help me,” she cried. The voice was hauntingly beautiful, yet filled with desperation. My heart pounded as we hurried back to our car, but no matter how fast we ran, the sound of her voice followed us, growing louder with each step.
We reached the car and drove off in a panic, but the image of that woman in the water haunted me for weeks. Later, I learned from the village elder that many years ago, a woman had drowned in that very river, and her spirit now roamed the waterway, seeking help that would never come.
2. Thao, 45, Ho Chi Minh City – The Whispering Ghost
Profile: Thao is a teacher living in Ho Chi Minh City, originally from the Mekong Delta. She is known for her calm and rational demeanor but could never explain the terrifying encounter she had one night in her apartment.
Story:
It was a typical evening in my apartment in Ho Chi Minh City. After a long day at work, I was preparing dinner when I began to hear soft whispers. At first, I thought it was just the wind or maybe the television from the neighboring apartment. But then, the whispers became clearer. They were coming from inside my own apartment.
I froze, trying to convince myself it was my imagination. But then I heard a voice, unmistakable, whispering my name. “Thao,” it called softly, almost pleadingly. I turned around, but the room was empty. I felt a chill run down my spine as the whispers continued, coming from different corners of the room.
I tried to rationalize the situation, thinking it was just a prank or perhaps the air conditioning causing strange noises. But as the night wore on, the whispers grew more insistent. The voice seemed to be saying something I couldn’t quite make out, but it felt as though it was beckoning me closer.
That’s when I saw it—a faint, shadowy figure standing in the doorway of my bedroom. It was the shape of a woman, dressed in old, tattered clothes, her hair falling over her face. She stood there silently, watching me with unblinking eyes. I couldn’t move, paralyzed by fear.
The figure slowly advanced towards me, and the whispers grew louder, more frantic. As it reached out, I screamed and ran out of the apartment. I spent the rest of the night in the building’s lobby, too terrified to go back inside.
The next day, I spoke to a neighbor, an elderly woman who had lived in the building for years. She told me that the apartment I was renting had once been the home of a woman who had died in a tragic accident. Her spirit, according to the woman, would sometimes return to whisper her name to those who lived there.
3. Kien, 28, Da Nang – The Poltergeist in the Old House
Profile: Kien is a photographer in Da Nang, often exploring abandoned houses and historical sites. His encounter took place in a crumbling house near the outskirts of the city that had been abandoned for decades.
Story:
I’ve always been drawn to abandoned places, intrigued by the stories they hold. One evening, I decided to explore an old, dilapidated house on the outskirts of Da Nang. The house had been abandoned for decades, and there were rumors of strange happenings there. As I approached the house, the air grew thick with an unsettling feeling. The windows were shattered, and the door creaked loudly as I pushed it open.
Inside, the house was dark and cold. The walls were covered in old, peeling wallpaper, and dust covered every surface. As I moved through the rooms, snapping photos of the decaying furniture, I began to feel something was off. The air felt charged, as though something—or someone—was watching me.
I was exploring the upstairs when I heard a loud bang from downstairs. At first, I thought it was just the house settling, but then I heard it again, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. I froze. The footsteps grew louder, approaching the stairs. I quickly grabbed my camera and ran down, but there was no one in sight.
Then, the doors in the house started slamming shut on their own, one after another. The temperature dropped drastically, and I could see my breath in the air. I tried to leave, but the front door wouldn’t open. It felt as though the house itself was holding me inside.
In a panic, I ran to a window and tried to break it open. Just as I was about to escape, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. I turned around, but no one was there. The only thing I saw was a shadow darting across the room.
I managed to escape the house and never went back. The next day, I heard from a local that the house had once belonged to a family who had been murdered there. Their spirits, it seemed, were still trapped in the house, tormenting anyone who dared to enter.
4. Lan, 39, Hue – The Cursed Temple
Profile: Lan is a businesswoman from Hue, a city famous for its ancient temples and historical significance. She grew up near a temple that was said to be cursed, but she never believed the rumors—until she experienced it for herself.
Story:
My family’s home was near an old temple on the outskirts of Hue. The temple was centuries old and had an eerie reputation. Locals claimed it was cursed, but I always thought those were just stories to scare people. One day, I decided to visit the temple, curious to see what all the fuss was about.
When I arrived, the temple was silent. The air was thick with an almost palpable tension. I stepped inside, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The temple was beautiful, with ancient carvings and statues, but there was something unsettling about it.
As I walked deeper into the temple, I felt as though I wasn’t alone. I heard whispers from behind me, but when I turned around, no one was there. I continued walking, trying to ignore the feeling of dread building in my chest. That’s when I saw her—an old woman sitting in the corner of the temple, staring at me with empty eyes. Her face was wrinkled, and her mouth was twisted in a grimace.
I tried to approach her, but as I did, the ground beneath me trembled. The walls of the temple seemed to close in on me. The woman stood up and began chanting in an ancient language I couldn’t understand. Her voice echoed through the temple, growing louder with each passing moment.
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming force push me backward. I stumbled, hitting my head against the wall. The next thing I remember, I was lying outside the temple, unable to move. The old woman’s face was the last thing I saw before everything went black.
I never returned to the temple. I later learned from a local historian that the temple had once been the site of dark rituals, and the spirits of those who had been sacrificed still lingered, cursing anyone who dared to enter.
5. Bao, 52, Hai Phong – The Vengeful Spirit
Profile: Bao is a fisherman in Hai Phong, a coastal city known for its maritime traditions. He had always been cautious about the sea, but it wasn’t until one stormy night that he encountered a vengeful spirit.
Story:
I’ve spent my entire life on the water, fishing in the seas around Hai Phong. The sea has always been a part of me, and I’ve always respected it. But one night, I learned to fear it in a way I never had before.
It was a stormy evening, and my crew and I were out at sea, trying to catch fish before the storm hit. The waves were getting rough, and the wind was howling. As we were pulling in our nets, I saw something strange—a figure standing on the water, far in the distance.
I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but the figure slowly started moving towards our boat. It was a man, dressed in old, tattered clothes, with a face that was pale and twisted. His eyes were empty, and his mouth hung open as though he were trying to speak, but no sound came out.
As the figure drew closer, the air grew cold, and the sea around us became unnaturally calm. The man reached out toward our boat, his eyes locking onto mine. In a voice that sounded like it was coming from the depths of the ocean, he whispered, “Leave now, or you will never return.”
The boat rocked violently as the storm intensified, and the figure vanished beneath the water. We immediately turned the boat around and raced back to shore. The storm subsided as soon as we made it to safety, but I’ve never forgotten the look in the man’s eyes.
Later, I learned from the older fishermen that the spirit I saw was that of a fisherman who had drowned during a storm many years ago. He was said to haunt the waters, seeking revenge on anyone who ventured too far out to sea.
