Go to Hell: A Traveler's Guide to Earth's Most Otherworldly Destinations

by Erika Engelhaupt

You can go to hell and back with the help of this one-of-a-kind illustrated travel guide to real-life underworld destinations around the globe. Full of intrigue, lore, and plenty of brimstone and fire, each of the 54 destinations—from Antarctica's Blood Falls to a tropical hell on Grand Cayman island—will be worth adding to your devilish bucket list.

The world over, humans have been fascinated by hell in some form or another for thousands of years and across cultures. Now, with this illustrated collection, you can add hell to your travel bucket list with more than 50 one-of-a-kind underworld destinations, from ghost towns where Halloween is always in season, to ancient caves long viewed as entrances to Hades, to volcanoes that brim with fire and legend.

Don’t be scared: along with the fascinating history of each location, star author Erika Engelhaupt also offers practical tips to make the most of your visit to the underbelly of the world. These hellish destinations include:

Ireland's “Hell Caves,” where Halloween was born
The Gates of Hell crater in Turkmenistan, burning for more than 50 years
Hell, Michigan, where you can serve as the mayor of Hell for a day
Turkey's Pluto’s Gate, an ancient Greco-Roman temple guarding a toxic cave
China's Fengdu City of Ghosts, where tourists pre-game the afterlife in a town devoted to the underworld
The Maya Cenotes throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, long considered portals to hell
And so many more!
Ever wish you could send a postcard from hell? Now you can.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History, Science, Horror, Mythology, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

I'm a freelance science writer and former online science editor at National Geographic. My writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers including National Geographic, NPR, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics, Science News, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Boulder Daily Camera, and more.

I love talking with readers! Find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/erika-engelhaupt

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published August 13, 2024.

A fun, illustrated travel guide from National Geographic to fifty-four “hellish” destinations around the world, places with some connection to some society’s vision of the underworld…places like Pluto’s Gate in Turkey, the town of Hell, Michigan, the “roadside attraction” Haw Pav Villa in Singapore and Fengdu Ghost City in China.

What a fun, delightful idea for a book! I would have loved to have been the researcher for this as she got to visit a number of these places. The photography is absolutely beautiful, as you would expect. Also, there’s a man named George Kourouris who is interviewed several times who is clearly an insane person - as far as I can tell his primary job may be to lower himself into lava holes and the like..

My only quibble, while I understand why the author organized the sites as she did it makes the book a little repetitive…all the volcanic sites are together, etc. It would have provided more variety for the reader had they been scattered throughout the book rather than being one after the other. I really liked the “Before You Go” section (which explains exactly how one gets to the location, what big cities are nearby, what permits are needed) and wish it had been included for all the attractions. This was well done!

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did like this book but a lot of these places didn't have a real connection to Hell in either location or legend. I'm also not sure how other religions may feel to find their underworld beliefs connected to Hell which is obviously a negative thing to many. I guess when I read the claim on the back about these diabolical places and the list of non-diabolical places I should haven't expected much. Even the the Hell on Earth landscapes were mainly just volcanos and hot springs which gets repetitive after awhile. I would love to see a book like this done a bit better with a bit more research and more locations.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems only fitting that the first travel book I'd read cover to cover is titled GO TO HELL. As a long time lover of all things devilish and macabre, I really enjoyed Erika Engelhaupt's book. There's a destination for everyone all over the globe, as well as a healthy mix of natural phenomena and man made attractions. This travel guide is perfect for anyone seeking a new adventure down a more hellish path.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and National Geographic for the ARC !!

[Valarie - WoodsyBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love coffee table books that you know people are going to actually pick up and read when they come over!

Go To Hell is witty and hilarious while simultaneously an incredibly informative book on "hellish places" detailing everything from mythological versions of hell, the hottest places on Earth, fabled gateways to hell in real life places, and the history behind various versions of hell in different cultures around the globe.

It was such a fun read and I was so happy to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Since I read an advance copy the photos were printed in black and white, shrunk down to fit a paperback size instead of the coffee table hardcover, and a few details (the map and index) were excluded, but based on what I received I can tell it's going to be gorgeous when it's all put together!

I just love when a book makes learning fun! Plus, my home state is mentioned and I've actually been to a few hellish places mentioned, like Yellowstone National Park and some of the Cenotes in the Yucatan.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't thank GR enough for sending me an advance copy of this. It's so amazing to have such a wonderful service. I absolutely loved the author's first book and this one was just as incredible. The only negative thing I can say is that, being an advance copy it wasn't in color (so I had to keep looking things up) and was missing an index. But that hardly detracts from how much I enjoyed it and how grateful I am to GR. Now, I really need to start traveling now. Highly recommend to travelers and students of mythology, history, and anthropology. 10/10

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid world traveler, I am always looking for somewhere interesting or beautiful to explore. Thus, when I find a book that shows me new and interesting places I'm usually in!

This is where "Go To Hell" comes in. The Hell the author speaks of is not just a Christian one, but rather, the concept of either hellish places or sites associated with the Underworld throughout the world. The book is broken into three sections:
(1) Portals to the Underworld
(2) Hells on Earth
(3) Otherworldly Destinations

The first section focuses on places that have a connection to hell in different cultures. Examples include The Acheron River in Greece and Pluto's Gate in Turkey. The second looks at natural phenomena that remind people of hell from volcanoes to natural fissures. The final part is a look at Otherworldly Locations such as the Cave of the Crystals in Mexico or Gomantong Caves of Malaysia.

All the individual entries have descriptions, a brief history or background that explains its importance, and even useful tips for anyone who wants to visit. After reading this book I found that I've been to several of these places including:
The Seven Gates of Guinee in New Orleans
Hell's Gate in California
Hell in Michigan
Yellowstone National Park in Montana

So a fun little addition to my library of odd books. Interesting subject that gives me some food for thought and I enjoyed this book, but wish it had more pictures.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Go to Hell.

This was a twofer - great title and great topic!

The author does a great job researching an unique travel guide to the most 'hellish' places on earth, both local and the exotic.

There are 54 destinations to choose from, from Hell, Michigan to Hell, Grand Cayman Island, but don't stop there!

There are plenty of locations to add to your bucket list, and it makes for a great icebreaker at parties.

"I'm going on vacation."

"Great! Where?"

"Hell!"

I loved learning about the various cultures and rituals where each hell is from.

There are caves and volcanoes, ghost towns and isolated islands, and pretty much a hell for any kind of person.

But it was also wonderful to read that some of these hellish places can also be quite beautiful, too.

[Michelle Graf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and National Geographic for the ARC.

I thought the writing sounded familiar, and it was! I didn't realize that Erika wrote Gory Details, which I read about two years ago. This is just as enjoyable in a morbid sort of way. It covers a wide variety of cultures and beliefs, as well as any sort of permits needed to visit some of these places. The pictures chosen are gorgeous, and it makes me really sad that I'm too broke to leave the states and see them in person.

[Martina Commisso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it's mostly a brief glimpse into hellish or even just spooky places, it doesn't take itself too seriously. It was a pleasant introduction to many places I'd never heard of and I often found myself looking further into the places alongside my reading of the novel.

This was a lot of fun. Would be great as a coffee table book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read! It serves as a great resource for learning about myths about hell/death from various religions and cultures. I appreciated the emphasis on pre Christian beliefs and distinguishing between original myths and the changes made by missionaries to adapt it to their world view. It’s a very thorough and comprehensive look at the topic so I’d recommend for anyone interested in learning more about hell myths/history even if they don’t travel. Now, I have to admit: I wish there were more pictures. I have no problem with all the descriptions and details, but wish there was more imagery. Some pages described a whole landmark without showing it, instead showing a statue for instance related to the myth. Cool, but if you’re encouraging travel somewhere, it’s best to show them what it looks like. There were also a few minor errors but I believe that’s just because it’s an early release copy so I have faith they will be fixed. All in all, very informative and detailed - but could be improved by more pictures! —— thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with this book I kept having to stop to add places to my bucket list or tell my partner about places that I want to go and the history behind them. I love how thorough this book is too, not only explaining the place but its cultural and historical significance. Then also going on to explain how and if you can visit these places and what you will need to do to experience them. I cannot wait to have a copy of this for my house so that my family and I can start out journey of seeing some of these amazing places.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a travel book unlike any other I've read! The photos are great! This is very informative and I learned a lot while reading this. The locations are all well researched and intriguing to read about. There are locations from all over the world in different countries featured in this book which I loved. I would highly recommend this! Special Thank You to Erika Engelhaupt,National Geographic and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mai H.]

Halloween TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and National Geographic

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing book full of unusual travel destinations. Some very dangerous indeed! It consists of three sections: [1] Portals to the Underworld; [2] Hells on Earth; and, [3] Otherworldly Destinations. This review is based on an Advance Reader's Edition received through goodreads.com.

In this edition the photos were black and white so it was rather difficult to really know the quality of those images. I thought that overall the book was somewhat light on the number of pictures. It would have been nice if each destination had an inset map so I did not have to use an atlas continuously to tell exactly where the venue was located. Specific travel information was always quite limited. More traveller oriented data should have been included. I am not sure that the title was a good choice. If the reader desires to actually visit one or more of the sites covered, considerable independent research and advance planning will be required.

Finally, it was really not clear, at least to me, which locations were or were not visited by the author and research team.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

With an attention-grabbing title, Engelhaupt writes a half-travelogue, half-history of places around the world associated with Hell. From tours of underworld caverns to volcanic escapades, from locations with religious connections to towns and locations that playfully incorporate "Hell" into their citizens daily lives, this book is a great starting point for those seeking a new time of vacation experience. Engelhaupt's approach to each location provides information on visiting the locations as well as why the location is featured in the book. There are a few supernatural locations mentioned, and there are locations that feature animals commonly associated with dark forces. The photographs in most of the entries add a good visualization of each location. The map section--not availabe in the ARC format--will be a good guide for those who wish to see multiple locations in one trip.

Armchair travelers and those seeking new adventures will greatly appreciate this book. It's a unique book with a catchy title and great examples of fascinating aspects of Earth and nature.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go To Hell by Erica Engelhaupt, In the book we learn about different cultures versions of hell and there’s even pictures. This book had a plethora of stories in it it was not only informative entertaining educational but all also interesting. From Ireland to Africa to South America in Mexico everyone has a version of hell and the author did a brilliant job telling us all about it. I am blind and I can honestly say this is the first book that I read where I wished I could see the pictures but alas I could not instill absolutely loved this fun and informative read. #NationalGeographic, #NetGalley, #GoToHell, #ErikaEngelhaupt,

[Martin Maenza · Rating 3 out of 5]

National Geographic provided an early galley for review.

When I first heard the title of this book, I was hooked. Very novel indeed.

The subject matter is also a lot of fun. Broken down into three sections (Portals to the Underworld, Hells on Earth, and Otherworldly Destinations), Engelhaupt presents a variety of fascinating and fun locations for travelers to investigate. I like the inclusion of detailed lore, tips for your trips, and the full-color pictures. All together, they add up to a great sampling of memorable locations. While I might never make it to many of them, having this kind of information can be inspiring for an amateur writer like me (to add just the right flavor to a story).

[Rachael Fryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

She does it again! Englehaupt has an outstanding ability to take science- based topics and present them in informative yet totally approachable and exciting ways. I was blown away by Gory Details and Go to Hell will be another I will be recommending as I begin impatiently waiting for the next book by my newest auto-buy author!

In Go To Hell, we venture across the globe to find places associated with concept of Hell through folklore, physical features, unlivable conditions, and otherworldly attractions. While I enjoyed reading about each one of these places and their connection to the concept of Hell, I can safely say that not all the locations are made it on my personal destination bucklist as many were truly -well- hellish!

[Jame_EReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rare book is definitely an interesting one. I took it as a travel guide book rather than a reference book about hell. Some of the places noted probably don’t have connections to hell but overall one fascinating book with facts and information. There are some fascinating artifacts related or behind the horror stories that we often heard , saw and watched on TV. Even my middle graders were curious and flipped through the pages a couple of times. Absolutely tantalizing.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up in the travel section of the library lol

After reading, I’d like to visit!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find history incredibly fascinating, so when the opportunity to read a book about the history and lore surrounding some truly eerie places popped up, I knew I had to read it! In ‘Go to Hell,’ Erika Engelhaupt brings us along as she discusses 50+ hellish locations. She dives into the lore and myths surrounding each location, and the visuals presented alongside add an extra layer of intrigue. I frequently pulled up additional images of the places she talks about because I was so curious to see more! In the introductory section, Engelhaupt calls these places “awesomely awful,” and I found that to be the perfect description.

Going into this, I thought I would know many – if not most – of the places Engelhaupt would take us to; however, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had prior knowledge of very few of them! I found the discussions dealing with the different religious beliefs of the various cultures to be especially interesting. I was also surprised by the fact that some of the spots are right in the center of (or very nearby) popular tourist spots. The writing was never dry or boring, and I never caught my eyes trying to skip paragraphs just to get through the book. I honestly enjoyed Engelhaupt’s research so much that, before finishing this one, I added her other book, ‘Gory Details,’ to my TBR.

If you are interested in world travel and otherworldly locations, or you just like interesting books with lots of pictures, please check this one out!

[Jesse Carrasco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read for spooky season. "Go to Hell" is an actual travel guide for someone who would be interested in visiting some of the most hellish places on the planet (think lakes of boiling water, caves with beautiful crystals but temperatures that could kill you in minutes, land where just about every animal can kill you with one bite, etc.). Each place is given 2-5 pages of a quick explanation, how it fits into the local lore of Hell, and what you can expect if you visited. The first part of the book focused on more ancient places and how that particular cave, lake, etc. was believe to be a portal to Hell, the 2nd part covered some of the most dangerous places on the planet, and the 3rd part focused on some of the most unusual places across the globe. Overall, I thought this was ok. It was interesting at first but then I felt it became very repetitive (especially since a lot of the volcanoes were placed together), but I did appreciate the "Before You Go" section that provides travelers information about what they need to be aware of if they wanted to visit a particular destination. This travel guide is not for everyone (as I think only the most adventurous travellers would want to visit some of these locations) but it can still be an interesting read for some.

Thanks to Edelweiss for providing me with a free eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Skyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Erika Engelhaupt, National Geographic, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to say that this type of travel-esqueNational Geographic book is not my usual genre. And I am just so glad I took a chance to expand my horizons.

With a name like Go To Hell I was expecting something a bit more gimmicky, however, I was pleasantly surprised to read the well-informed knowledge filled between the pages. Through a blend of mythology, science, and world history, Engelhaupt successfully paints more than several pictures of the places deemed entrances to Hell, is inspired by Hell, or other Otherworldly destinations adjacent to Hell. She is extremely well versed in the subject content matter and so much fun information is packed into this relatively short and small package. Overall this was a fun read that I will definitely purchase for myself once published so I can hope to visit some of the places mentioned in the future.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review will be out in August. Very interesting read about myths and legends. Covers a lot of different religions.

[Travelmaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interested in a hell-ish vacation? Lava lakes, bat caves, crystalized skeletons? This book provides historical and cultural background to make your plans.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and unique travel book that subsequently acts and functions as a kind of geographical history of the idea of hell.
One thing that I found interesting is that the first quarter to half of the book, which begins with the earliest histories and the places that define them (or hold their stories still in their continued persisting to this day) is far more interesting than the latter, which shifts into a more modernist take on the desitinations. And I don't just say that as an opinion. I think its objetively true. It's striking how objectively true it appears actually. By the time we are in the final quarter, the book has so obviously lost the power of its language that the way it tries to shoehorn places into this idea of hell feels sometimes eye rolling and superficial. I mean, its still kind of fun to read of the places, but its so clearly working from a reductionist worldview at this point that you can feel the loss of meaning that comes from leaving the richness of the language and the traditions behind.

Kind of a veritable microcosm of the meaning crisis facing the West in its shift away from religion towards a muted scientific exercise. The scientific revolution and the worldview that emerged from it reads like the latter half of this book- cold data without any cohesive meaning making story. What's funny is how you can feel the author holding himself back in the first half, always qualifying the descriptives and the history. The nature of the second half betrays this eagerness.

And to be clear, what frames the first half of the book is a world in which spirit, God, the supernatural is very much real and true. That's what gives the places he is highlighting their significance and permanence. Hell isn't a static or singular idea, it is a complex idea that weaves its way through different cultural contexts, taking on different conceptions of evil and good. And yet there is a singular conviction that holds the language together- that the world is shaped by the spirit. To turn the page into the latter sections is to encounter a world devoid of the spirit. hence a world that has no use for the language of hell at all. And not only no use, but no way to utilize it. It becomes an exercise of a travel writer trying to slyly force an incohrent allegory/metaphor into an otherwise static descriptive of volcanos and caves (but mostly volcanos).

Just something I both noted and felt as I was reading it, and that I found intriguing and interesting. Its fascinating to consider that the places in the first half, places that are born from the old world, are places framed by tradition and importance, while the places he is talking about in the latter half will never have that relevance. Which is just to say, the reason why this book exists and can be written is because once upon a time the world was enchanted enough to understand its more than just its scientific data. That the engagement with such places are a witness to our experience of the world, not just to its material function.

[Nannette Demmler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read, although it did get a bit bogged down in the middle with a lot of descriptions of different volcanoes. I had no idea that there were so many places associated with hell or were considered to be entrances to the underworld. I will probably never get to visit many of these places, but it was interesting learning about them.

The book is split into three parts: Portals to the Underworld, Hells on Earth and Otherworldly Destinations. Each of these sections talks briefly about a place, most of them something naturally occuring, shows a picture or two and then at the end of the chapter, a brief description on what you need to know before you visit the site. Many of the pictures showed the actual place being talked about, but there were a couple of places that were not pictured which was a bit disappointing.

I found the first section, Portals to the Underworld to be the most interesting of the three. It was the longest section and seemed to fit the best with the theme of the book. There are places all over the world where legends and myths have grown around certain natural occurrences that are considered to be entrances to the area’s religions and concepts of the underworld. Although these seemed to be more centered around greek and roman myths there were other areas mentioned. There are other places around the world and even a couple in the US that I was not aware of. All were very interesting and sounded like cool places to visit.

The middle section of the book, Hells on Earth, became a little tedious, as most of these were about volcanoes around the world, both active and currently inactive ones. But there were other places mentioned too that were very interesting. I have been to the ones in the US in Death Valley and Yellowstone Park. But the next time I find myself in Michigan, I must visit Hell and maybe even be mayor for a day there! Many of the other places mentioned here sounded very dangerous and I appreciated that the author emphasized this. There are even a few places that will kill you within minutes if you step inside of them. It was kind of scary stuff.

The last section, while interesting, didn’t seem to have much to do with Hell or the underworld, but the places mentioned sounded very cool. I especially would like to see those caves in New Zealand where there are glowworms that hang from threads and illuminate the surroundings. That sounded very cool. There are lots of otherworldly places in the world and it would be wonderful to visit, but just learning about them here was satisfying. Again more pictures of these places would have been nice.

A lovely look at some interesting places here on earth that are associated with the various versions of the Underworld. The text is interesting and written in a very accessible way. The only fault would be the sparsity of pictures. It would have been a more interesting read with the pictures helping to visualize the places talked about. While not a true travel guide to these places, it makes for an interesting read for those of us wanting to learn about these places from the comfort of our homes.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tour Guide to the great beyond…

Go to Hell: A Traveler's Guide to Earth's Most Otherworldly Destinations by Erika Engelhaupt is a very interesting look at places connected to the overworld via lore, name, or just its physical description.

Covering nearly every major country in the world, this book is broken up into three primary sections. Each location also includes comments on whether the locations is open to the public or only accessible under certain conditionss.

The first covers those places with legendary links to the afterlife, Hell, purgatory, or whatever post-life location you prefer. Some are gateways travelled by heroes of the past, some are castles build on alleged gates to hell, and some are simply linked to a tale or two that is still told today.

The second section is more literal…drawing on places like the Hell, Death, or the afterlife in the name. If there’s local lore connected to it, then the author helpfully provides it, but most just happen to have catchy names.

Last is the more surreal…or even alien…as it covers places on earth that learn like they belong on another planet or dimension. Like the second chapter, most are just practical places with little myth or legend connected to them…but they are still really cool.

Each section has helpful photos of the locations and sometimes art and maps related to them.

Worth checking out if you plane a road trip or to travel abroad and want to go somewhere…dangerous…

[Katelin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, especially for those who love learning about interesting places from the comfort of their own home, or different depictions of various underworlds! Engelhaupt's Go to Hell: a Traveler's Guide to Earth's Most Otherworldly Destinations was an entertaining read, finding a perfect balance of factual and fun. The wide variety of cultures and places gives the reader a solid world tour, and I liked how Engelhaupt categorized them into three sections.

My only nitpicks would be, for one, showing more pictures--sometimes descriptions can only do so much!--and the second being how there were so many volcanoes at some points. She kept it fresh with the diverse cultural and historical backgrounds, but it would have been nice to see if other places could have also been included. The fact that some places describe the underworld differently, like being frozen or fields, would have been a nice, occasional palette cleanser between the brimstone and fire. Regardless, I'm going to recommend this book to all my fact-loving friends!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go to Hell is informatively written in a very personal way. It was perfectly suited for this book. The photos in this book are GORGEOUS! (Colorful, vivid, interesting!) This is probably the best non-fiction book that I've read this year.

Bracken Caves in Texas are now on my bucket list. The flowing sulfur blue flames that flow on Kawah ijen look amazing. Love the picture of the Sifaka lemurs on the Grand Tsingy rock formations. Devil's Bath in New Zealand looks intriguing. Again and again I was fascinated by each location.

I highly recommend Go to Hell. Definitely more than 5 stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher National Geographic and author Erika Engelhaupt for the opportunity to read the advance review copy of Go to Hell in exchange for an honest review. 288 (full color) pages, release date is (Tuesday) August 13, 2024. (Release dates seem to fall on Tuesdays, but it seems that they might have waited for Friday Sept 13, 2024. Just saying.)