Photo Journal: The Haunted Pod Village of San-zhi
Nestled along a short stretch of coastline in Northern Taiwan lies a strange complex known as The San-Zhi Pod Village. This abandoned futuristic luxury vacation spot remains a complete mystery to locals and tourists alike. There are several stories surrounding the circumstances that led up to its abandonment, but no one seems to know exactly why or how the site fell into such a state of disrepair.
The wacky looking space village is located in San-zhi, on the outskirts of Taipei in Northern Taiwan. It was originally constructed for wealthy urbanites looking to escape the city on weekends.
The most popular story of its eventual decline claim a number of mysterious accidents ending in numerous deaths led to the halt of all construction. Locals believe the area to be haunted.
I heard about this incredible site from my friend, Craig Ferguson, who did a photo series last May.
And of course, in true globetrotting form, we added it to our ever-growing list of weekend motorcycle adventures.
As we sped down Highway 2 towards San-zhi last month, I thought it would be difficult to find, but the area kind of jumps out at you. If you miss seeing the giant candy-colored Smartie-like pods looming in the background, you won’t miss the massive broken-backed dragon that seems to hover over the boarded up entrance.
We entered through a broken window and made our way through the complex and out into the main courtyard. It was eerily quiet. It was so quiet, we could hear the crashing of the waves at the waterfront and the grass blowing. The pods were in various states of disrepair. Some had their entire roofs ripped off, others had collapsed in on themselves. It was obvious that people had been living in some of them. The sheer amount of destruction was mind-blowing.
If I were a real ghost I’d like to live here…
Great shots, Carrie. I would go to Taiwan just to visit this place.
Mark,
Me too. John and I thought it would be a really neat place to live. We could totally imagine ourselves there, especially with the scenery. It’s incredible. I can’t believe that no one has done anything with the site since.
Yep Steve. It’s one of our favorite places to go in Taiwan. We drive along that highway quite a bit. Last weekend, we were on our way to Yehliu and we stopped in San-zhi for another look around.
Cool photos. Much better than the ones I took. The first time I was the, the big blue waterslide was still in place, although a bit broken, and you could walk up it if you were careful. The 2nd time I was there, it had fallen down.
The place looks like something out of a movie! I suppose it is because of the local superstition that the pod village wasn’t rebuilt. It reminds me a bit of the ‘abandoned fairground’ concept (but less spooky due to the absense of potential clown-ghosts).
I’ve been meaning to go there for awhile! Thanks for the great pics to tide me over in the meantime!
Hi Craig,
That’s quite a compliment. Thanks very much. I was chatting to a fellow photography buff earlier today about the pod village and he said quite a bit of it had changed since his last visit as well. At least with the pod village, you know it’s never going to be the same, which makes for interesting photo opportunities each time you return. Last weekend we stopped by and a group of kids were filming a home movie there.
Kim,
It’s quite surreal. I would love to know more about the architect who designed it, but finding accurate information has eluded me thus far.
Hi Todd,
Thanks and congratulations again! If you’re doing the deed in December then we’ll move on over and make it a month to remember!
Awesome photos, Carrie.
Thanks for posting them.
You know, I drove past that place a few times in tw and was always creeped out by it. I can’t find it right now, but I remember some photog artist shot models in that park that were both cool and kinda creepy. The first time I drove by, I thought how often in Asia (esp in China) lots of people can build things, but maintenance is a whole different factor altogether.
Nice shots.
Supersitition being what it is in Chinese culture would explain a lot. And poor workmanship is another factor I am sure. I love the concept and the view from your other photos were fantastic. Your photos keep making me want to go back to my birthplace.
S,
I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for dropping by again. I’m always happy to hear from you!
Arex,
I gotta say, I love Twitter folk! Thanks for coming back for another visit. Your comments are greatly appreciated! If you head down Highway #2 towards San-zhi, you won’t miss it. The first set of pods are built right beside the highway. I completely agree with your last comment.
I lived in China for three years and the one thing that constantly amazed me was how fast buildings went up. They always looked great from the outside, but after a year or two they start crumbling apart.
Mia,
Nice…I drove by this place back in April 1995…never forgot it. Surprised to see it still standing….
What an eerie place! You got me hooked, Carrie, from the pics to the storytelling. Great entry!
Jason and BL,
Thanks for stopping by.
It’s an ideal scenery to film a horror
Personally I’m not a supporter such a futurist shapes. Hoever this place looks very amazing. I like this sculpture of dragon. Nice shots Carrie.
What an eerie yet intriguing place…It reminds me of the kind of places Miyazaki likes to imagine for his films. Thanks for the lovely pics! They do look just like (old) candy…
PS: You’ve been tagged!
Hi K.
It would make a cool horror film. I agree. I never get tired of walking around the area. I’m glad that it’s still left alone though. It adds to the mystique.
Lalla Lydia,
I haven’t heard from you in awhile. I hope things are going well for you in your part of the world. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Double thanks for the tag!
:O
Fantastic. Completely surreal.
I cycle by this place all the time. This, for my money, is one of the best cycling routes around Taipei and I often escape along this highway on my own. According to locals, the pods are haunted. They say that if you photograph them, ghosts will appear in the shots, shimmering in the glass.
Thanks Fili. When you get your camera, you’ll have to make sure you make a stop here!
Hi Patrick,
I envy you that route. It’s our favorite route for riding on as well, but we don’t get to do it as often as we’d like. I like your comment about ghosts shimmering in the glass, although despite the hundreds of photos I took that day, the only ghost that kept appearing was John, who has a nasty habit of stepping in to photos when you least want him to.