Destination Truth

Coiba Island, fifteen miles off the coast of Panama, was once the site of the infamously brutal Coiba penitentiary. Locals claim that the site of the prison is still haunted, which inspires Josh to investigate. In Argentina, a huge beast known as the Ucumar is said to lurk in the Andes and feed on livestock. This “Argentinean Bigfoot,” is described as having razor-sharp claws, thick fur and powerful legs. A recent uptick in sightings prompts Josh to look into it.

In the very first live broadcast of Destination Truth, Josh Gates and his Truth Team set out to find the “Irish angel of death,” better known as the banshee. Ireland was a fitting location for this Saint Patrick’s Day broadcast—especially since the banshee is so widely feared there—and Duckett’s Grove Castle is said to the largest hotbed of banshee activity in the area. Leave it to Josh to jump right into the heart of it.

Could Madagascar be the home to the beast known as the Fangalabolo, a bat-like creature with a monkey face? It's certainly possible since 90% of the species found on Madagascar are not found anywhere else in the world. Recent sightings of the Fangalabolo inspire Josh Gates to investigate. Zombie-like ghosts called Taotaomona are said to be roaming the island of Guam. Once revered by the Chamorus tribe of Gaum, these apparitions are thought to be the spirits of their ancestors. Recent reports, however, imply that the Taotaomona are becoming aggressive and attacking people.

On the Micronesian island of Pohnpei, there are 1,000 year-old ruins that locals claim are haunted. This area, called Nan Madol, was actually brought to the attention of Destination Truth by an avid viewer who was visiting an area near Nan Madol when the tour guide suddenly refused to go any closer. A little research by the team revealed that there are centuries-old stories about floating lights and moving shadows at the site. If you're visiting northern Morocco, you just might hear someone talking about Aisha Kandisha, "the devil temptress." Although her name doesn't sound particularly threatening, this beautiful, nocturnal succubus is said to have been luring local men to their death for years. That is, of course, after she drives them mad with lust.

In the East African country of Kenya, the local Maasai tribe claims a massive volcanic crater is haunted by the 60,000 warriors who where killed there during a bloody civil war in the 1800s. Battle cries, shadows, and strange noises are all reported to emanate from the center of what's called the Menengai Crater. Could Madagascar be the home to a small but dangerous creature called the Kalanoro? That idea might not be too far fetched since this island off the coast of Africa is the home to several animals that are not found anywhere else in the world. Stories of the mischievous Kalanoro date back 2,000 years, but recent sightings imply the dangerous, two-foot tall, humanoid monster may be back.

Up in the icy mountains of Siberia in southern Russia, there have been a rash of recent sightings of a beast known as the Siberian Snowman. Similar in description to Bigfoot, this nine foot tall creature may, in fact, be related to a nearby archeological find that recently uncovered a new human ancestor. Could there be a few of these pre-humans lurking in the mountains?

If you're a scuba diver, you've probably heard of the Truk Lagoon. Located halfway between the Philippines and Hawaii near the Chuuk Islands, this lagoon offers some of the best wreck diving in the world. Once the site of a decisive battle between Japan and United States during World War II, there are numerous ships, planes, tanks, and submarines that have been resting here since they were shot down nearly 70 years ago. Now, divers and locals claim that the ghosts of these soldiers haunt the waters around the wreckage. In northern Japan, you'll find many children's lunchboxes decorated with a cute, green reptile on the side. That animal, called a Kappa, was once feared as an evil cross between a demon and a turtle before it became something of a national mascot. Recently, however, a new spate of ominous sightings has given rise to rumors that the Kappa has returned and is responsible for missing livestock and even children.

Near Haboro, a coal-mining town on an island in northern Japan, thousands of miners died while working under sub-standard conditions. Some were prisoners of war who were worked to death, while others were buried alive. In the forty years since these mines were closed, nearby residents have reported strange paranormal activity leading them to think the area is haunted. In Tanzania, a mysterious beast is said to be roaming through the flat lands of the Serengeti. Known as the Mngwa ("ming-wah"), this saber-toothed feline is reported to be larger than a lion, measuring a frightening eight feet long and weighing more than four hundred pounds. And, yes, it eats humans.

By day, the 800-year-old temple known as Angkor Wat is one of Cambodia's most treasured national landmarks and tourist attractions but, by night, could it be ground zero for the region's angriest spirits? That's certainly the belief of many visitors to Angkor, a sprawling forty square mile complex of stone palaces, shrines, and ruins. In the center of this compound sits Angkor Wat, a 12th century structure originally designed as a Hindu temple, which now holds the distinction of being the largest religious building in the world. Equally impressive is the massive, 600-foot wide moat that separates Angkor from the mainland. Might this moat be an ancient attempt to keep the bad spirits away from the local people? Sounds like a case for Team Truth. A 36-year-old fisherman just vanished in Canada's Okanagan Lake. Even worse, this is but one in a string of disappearances reported to have occurred in the same area of this body of water. The local rumor mill has it that all of these disappearances are the deadly handiwork of the Ogopogo, a huge amphibious beast, which has been documented in the annals of Canadian history for the past 1,000 years. The epicenter of Ogopogo sightings is the ominously named Rattlesnake Island, a small rock outcropping in the lake. Someone has to get to the bottom of this.

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii in Naples, Italy was a beautiful, thriving place with just one problem: it was built at the base of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano. Eventually, Vesuvius erupted, killing many of the Pompeii residents instantly and covering the entire town with a massive layer of ash. It was a full 1,000 years before Pompeii was finally unearthed, revealing a city frozen during its most catastrophic moment. Since then, tourists, night watchmen, and local residents have all reported significant paranormal activity at the site. Could the souls of all those Pompeii residents still be haunting the ground they perished on? Legend has it that in the forests of western Kenya there lives a ferocious animal that feeds on human brains. Named for the nearby Nandi tribe, which claims to have hunted the animal, the story of the vicious Nandi Bear has existed in African folklore for more than one hundred years. Recently, there seems to been a new rash of Nandi Bear sightings in Kenya's Rift Valley. The question is: are the villagers seeing the mysterious Nandi Bear, or something else?

The Great Wall of China. Legend says it's one of the few man-made structures visible from space. Stretching for 4,000 miles across the north of China, it's estimated that more than a million soldiers died building and defending the wall. Fifty miles north of Beijing lies "The Wild Wall," a portion of the Wall that has more than a few dark corners. Locals report strange apparitions as well as the sounds of marching footsteps on the wind. In Kirvat Yam, Israel, there is a very large check for a million dollars waiting for photographic proof, proof of a mermaid. Dozens of locals have reported something that scared them at close range. A creature with a body covered in scales, the lower half ending in a fluked tail that splashed in the waves at sunset. The accounts detail a humanoid torso, with limbs and webbed appendages. The creature has an anthropomorphic face, wide-set eyes, and razor sharp teeth. Even though sightings of a humanoid sea creature date back 3,000 years, Greek Sirens these creatures are most certainly not.

Josh and team go ghost hunting in the ruins of Masada, Israel; a place where nearly 1,000 Jews committed mass-suicide to prevent capture by the Romans. The evidence is later analyzed by Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters. Next Josh journeys to Doolin, Ireland on the hunt for Leprechauns.

In the mid-season finale, Josh and the team travel to the kingdom of Bhutan, one of the world's most isolated nations. There, they hope to track down the Yeti monster, human in stature and beast-like in behavior. After a laborious trip from Los Angeles the team finally arrives in the land of peace and love. They speak to locals and quickly learn that the Bhutanese believe in the creature so fiercely they've created a Yeti Conservation Center in the southern city of Sakteng. One woman had bones passed on to her as an heirloom, which she believes are skeleton remains from a Yeti. So, Josh takes photographs that will be analyzed when the group returns to the States.

Romania, home to rolling green hills, unparalleled architecture and the notorious werewolf. The legend of the half man, half beast monster has existed for centuries and while most scoff at the notion that the mythic figure is a reality, others swear it's real. Recently, villagers in the small Romanian town of Brad, unearthed a human corpse, removed its heart and drank the blood as part of an archaic ritual to ward off werewolves. Tasty. Next, Atacama Desert, Chile. The Atacama Desert is 50 times drier than California's Death Valley making it virtually impossible for life forms to survive there. Yet people say they've seen a dinosaur like beast keeping pace with their cars. And if this is true, this pre-historic relic from the past may not be extinct after all.

The team heads to the Incan ruins in the mountains of Peru to research claims that they are haunted. Alaskan locals claim their community is being terrorized by a giant, winged bird.

Robb Demarest and Dustin Pari help the team search in Peru for a gremlin-like creature. Also, the team plots a course to travel through the Bermuda Triangle.

Sixty percent of Americans believe in extra terrestrial life forms and one fourth of the general population thinks that aliens have visited the planet. Spurred by this information and a recent influx of reports made by Chilean locals about aliens, Josh and the team embark upon their first ET investigation. Next, a man made international news with his personal footage of an unidentified animal that appeared to be over 40 feet long, floating in Turkish waters. Locals in the city of Van, a far eastern Turkish location, also claimed to have seen the mysterious beast. The story of the Lake Monster has became such a hot topic of discussion that they've built a statue of the monster and formed their own search teams to look for it. Not wanting to miss out on the excitement, Josh and the crew trek 17 hours to join the mission.

Josh and the crew head to the Ukraine and the site of the Chernobyl disaster where ghosts are said to be seen wandering around there. Also, a dog like creature is searched for in Cairo.

An investigation is held at night of King Tutankhamen's tomb. Next, the team searches the Everglades where the "Swamp Ape" is suppose to lurk.

Josh ventures to a Mexican island to investigate a haunting attributed to a drowned girl and the evidence is later analyzed by TAPS members Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango of Ghost Hunters. Next, he goes in search of the lusca, a giant octopus rumored to lurk the waters off Andros Island in the Bahamas.

Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson from Ghost Hunters examine the evidence which Josh Gates found at Romania's Hoia-Baciu Forest. Also, a the guys head to Mexico's Yucatan state for evidence for the myth of the Alux.

In the most remote corner of Indonesia is a mysterious cave that is both revered and reviled by local villagers. In one of the two entrances, villagers make offerings to the protective spirits that reside within and are alternately terrified of approaching the other opening. In Australia, an Aboriginal story tells of a creature called the Burrunjor. It walks on two legs and has two small forearms. This creature is said to be dangerous and is about 25 feet long.

Orang Pendek, which means "short person", is the most common name given to an unconfirmed animal that reportedly inhabits remote, mountainous forests on the island of Sumatra. Then on to the hunt for a huge worm said to reside in the remote Lake Lagarfljot in Iceland. The Worm Monster has been spotted consistently since 1345, and is one of the oldest lake monsters ever (more or less) recorded. It is presumed to be longer than a football field, and has been seen coiled near the shore by countless eyewitnesses.

Australia — Queensland: The Yowie In the Australian wilderness, a so-far unidentified something creeps around. This creature, the Yowie, resembles the Himalayan Yeti and the North American Bigfoot. Like its overseas mythical cousins, this bizarre hybrid is said to be supremely elusive and a mix of human and ape. But the Yowie is a nocturnal scavenger. Having previously gotten some evidence of Bigfoot, Josh hopes for a similar breakthrough. Malaysia: Mosque Haunting An abandoned mosque in the jungles on the Malaysian peninsula is reported to be home of an evil spirit. Villagers in the region, including a powerful imam, won't even approach the mosque after sundown. Josh and his team travel to Kuala Lumpur to investigate this haunted ruin.

Josh and his crew investigate reports of giant anacondas in the Brazilian jungles.

Josh investigates a flying dinosaur, which is claimed to have harassed African locals. Elsewhere, Josh visits the rainforests of Brazil to investigate sightings of a sloth monster.

A sea monster in Halong Bay, Vietnam and bat-like creature in East Africa are investigated.

Josh and the crew investigate a manlike creature that is terrorising Cambodian villages. Elsewhere, Zambian fishermen claim that they are being stalked by a dinosaur.

A Mongolian sand worm and haunted ruins in East Africa are investigated.

Josh visits Nepal with his crew to investigate the Yeti myth.

Josh joins a team of paranormal investigators in Thailand's Khon Kaen province to hunt ghosts reported by villagers, and later he hunts for the Phaya Naga, a nāga-like serpent lurking in the Mekong River near the Laos border.

In Papua New Guinea, Josh hunts for a mermaid-like sea creature called Ri. In the next part, he searches for a dinosaur-like beast that lurks in the jungles near the village of Tinganavudu.