Argentina has always been an amazing country to get to know and see. One of the many places to visit is the small lakeside town of Epecuen, a 550 kilometer-drive from Buenos Aires. It used to be a small tourist resort, bringing in over 20,000 visitors each season. The lake is well-known for having 10 times more salt than the ocean, thus making the water buoyant. Visitors from Buenos Aires used to come to the lake and enjoy floating in the water.
Then on November 10, 1985 an extremely strong rainstorm came after many wet winters and the lake overflowed. The water busted through a retaining wall and flooded the streets and within a couple of days, homes were completely covered in saltwater. The people saved all they could from their houses and fled as fast as possible. Many residents went to another nearby lakeside town called, Carhue, and built spas and new hotels there.
As for Epecuen, tourism had not been the same for the past quarter of a century. However about a year ago, new hope for the old, tourist resort came again as the water receded, revealing a spooky ghost town. Old beds, appliances, cars, and staircases that lead to nowhere are attracting a new crowd. The town looks like a scene from an end of the world movie. Tourists are now coming back to this once popular resort, but now for a whole different reason. Travelers who love mysterious, ghostly landscapes are appreciating the spooky charm of Epecuen and restoring this little city´s fame again.
