Getaways for Halloween celebrations

Want to experience Halloween, which falls on October 31, in its true sense? You can pack your bags and head to Mexico or London to get some dose of spookiness, says an expert.

Amit Agarwal, Senior Marketing Manager - India and Southeast Asia, online accommodation booking website Hotels.com, lists some cities around the world to go for Halloween celebrations.

* Mexico: The small island of Janitzio holds elaborate Day of the Dead rituals. There are processions and music, folk dances are performed and families gather at the cemetery to spend the night chanting and singing. Perhaps, the most impressive sight is the fishermen in their rowboats with torches lighting up the lake.

* Ireland: In Ireland, Halloween is known as Samhain Night. It is linked to the dead revisiting the mortal world, large communal bonfires and associated lore. The largest organised Halloween celebration in Ireland is the Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival in Derry City, from October 25 to November 2.

* US: Salem, Massachusetts, the town famed for witch hunting, fear of the evil eye and general sin phobia hosts a Halloween party to die for. The town celebrates Salem's festival of the dead. The Salem Witches' Ball is a highlight of the festival.

Another place to go to is Anoka, Minnesota. The town celebrates the holiday with a large civic parade and several other city-wide events. Or Los Angeles, the entertainment capital is crawling with Halloween events and festivities like Adults Only Halloween Party and the Day of the Dead Celebration.

* London: London Ghost Walk - Visit graveyards and famous murder sites on an after-dark ghost walk with the author of Haunted London, Richard Jones. Or the London Dungeons - The London Dungeons is a great Halloween visit, with their dedicated programme and 'Master of Tricks' entertainer all geared up to deliver frights and mischief.

* Hong Kong: You may visit the two theme parks -- Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park -- to enjoy the atmosphere and the excitement in a wide range of haunted houses. For party lovers, Lan Kwai Fong is the must-go destination, which famously throws Halloween parties every year.

--IANS

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