As Halloween draws near, the air grows cooler, and the nights lengthen – it’s the ideal time to snuggle up with a captivating book and delve into some hair-raising stories before bedtime. And in the Philippines, a land of enchanting myths and haunted places, you’ll find no shortage of spine-tingling tales to keep you on the edge of your seat. Here are a few that truly sent shivers down my spine!

Ghostly Getaways: 15 Haunted Places in the Philippines That’ll Send Shivers Down Your Spine!

Balete Drive, Quezon City

One of the most haunted places in the Philippines, Balete Drive in Quezon City bears a dark and enduring legacy. Locals share a sinister tale, one etched in the collective consciousness. A woman, an innocent soul, was subjected to a brutal crime, her body discarded on the very road that would become infamous. A cab driver, his identity lost to time, stands accused in this chilling narrative. But justice remains elusive, a cold trail that winds through the shadows of the city.

Yet, when the moon takes its throne in the ink-black sky, a more sinister legend awakens. Cab drivers whisper of the “white lady,” a spectral figure draped in ghostly pallor, beckoning with spectral, fear-stricken hands. Her eyes, frozen in an eternal gaze of anguish and sorrow, bear witness to a truth lost to the ages. Is she a specter born of collective dread, a twisted hoax, or a tormented soul seeking justice? Balete Drive, with its secrets, its ghosts, and its foreboding silence, is a road of unrelenting mystery—a place of unsettling truth that cab drivers avoid at all costs when the moon casts its eerie glow.

Fort Santiago

Fort Santiago, one of the eeriest haunted places in the Philippines, wears a chilling cloak of history. Built in 1593 by Spanish navigator and governor Miguel López de Legazpi, this fortress became a harrowing witness to the horrors of World War II, specifically during the infamous Battle of Manila. Japanese soldiers, consumed by fury, unleashed unspeakable atrocities upon the city’s residents, using Filipino women and children as human shields. The result was a staggering loss of life, with approximately 100,000 citizens meeting their gruesome end.

The dark shadow of that history looms over Fort Santiago, and as night descends, the spirits of soldiers are said to still roam its hallowed grounds. Visitors have reported spine-tingling encounters, from apparitions of the long-lost civilians to sudden, unexplained drops in temperature. Eerie disembodied voices, haunting cries, and even ghostly touches by unseen forces have left a haunting imprint on the fortress, making Fort Santiago a place where the past refuses to rest in peace.

Prior to the pandemic, there were even ‘ghost tours’.

Manila Film Center

Once intended to be the “Cannes of Asia,” this Manila building has transformed into one of the spookiest tales among haunted places in the Philippines. The horrifying backstory goes back 39 years when the site was a hive of construction activity. The cause of the tragedy? None other than Imelda Marcos, the former first lady, driven to erect the building in haste for the upcoming International Film Festival. The project was on a relentless clock, with construction workers toiling day and night.

On that fateful day, November 17, 1981, disaster struck as an entire floor crumbled, the cement not having had enough time to set. The chilling twist to the tale is that it’s reported she ordered the deceased workers to be entombed beneath an extra layer of cement, ensuring the construction’s unhindered progress over their resting places. Now, the site is not only a physical structure but a place where strange sounds and voices have been allegedly heard, leaving behind an unsettling aura that refuses to fade into the past.

Ozone Disco

One of the most haunted places in the Philippines, the Ozone Disco in Quezon City holds a grim chapter. It was March 18, 1996, when a devastating fire engulfed this old discotheque. The tragedy claimed the lives of over a hundred people, most of them bright young students, on the cusp of graduation. These partygoers met a horrific end, trapped and suffocating as the flames raged, fueled by a defective club emergency exit.

For awhile, the Ozone Disco stands closed and abandoned, a silent witness to that fateful night. Yet, as darkness falls, eerie reports of paranormal activity have swirled. Witnesses claim to have seen faint disco lights flickering, heard ghostly echoes of past parties, and encountered shadows that seem to rekindle the vibrant spirits of clubbers who once danced late into the night. It’s a haunting reminder of the tragic blaze, making Ozone Disco not just a place of past revelry but a location where the spirits of the departed continue to groove in the ethereal twilight.

UPDATE: Over two decades later, the site of the former disco on Timog Avenue, Quezon City, has been transformed into a branch of GoodAh!!!, a food chain co-owned by Boy Abunda.

Benavides Park, University of Santo Tomas

When you delve into the ghostly lore of educational institutions in the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), with its centuries-old history and past as an internment camp, takes the cake for chilling tales. During my Masters’ stint at UST, I was inundated with a treasure trove of eerie stories from both the faculty and fellow students. Picture this: a headless priest, doomed to wander the campus in search of his lost head, wailing specters that pierce the silence, white lady apparitions that send shivers down your spine, ghostly soldiers still standing guard in the afterlife, and a piano that tinkles away all by itself.

But the two that really stole the show were the Dominican Habit-clad man, who would mysteriously vanish while wandering around Benavides Park, also fondly known as Lovers’ Lane, under the moon’s eerie glow. And then there’s the haunting tale of a girl who, they say, tragically ended her life by hanging herself in one of the Main Building’s restrooms. These stories are the stuff of legend, adding to the haunted legacy of UST, firmly establishing it among the most spine-chilling haunted places in the Philippines.

The Diplomat Hotel, Baguio City

Nestled within the ghostly roster of haunted places in the Philippines, the Dominican Hill Retreat House has a chilling history. Established in 1913, it was a sanctuary for Dominican Priests and Filipinos during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines from 1942 to 1945. But the serenity of this retreat house was shattered when the notorious Japanese secret police, the Kempeitai, seized the property in 1945. Here, tales of torment, torture, and murder of the residents unfurled in the dark corners of the building. When liberation came, the Americans bombarded the retreat house, and the remaining Japanese police officers chose a haunting exit, taking their own lives.

Today, the retreat house holds secrets that refuse to rest. Visitors recount spine-chilling encounters with headless apparitions and ghostly children that frolic around the fountain area under the moon’s watchful eye. The night air carries with it the echoes of screams, cries, and other bizarre and desperate noises that linger as a haunting testament to the horrors that transpired within these walls. The Dominican Hill Retreat House stands as a grim reminder of a past that forever haunts its present.

Laperal White House, Baguio City

In the eerie lineup of haunted places in the Philippines, the Laperal White House stands as a grim reminder of a dark past. Constructed and owned by Don Roberto Laperal in the 1930s, this stately mansion once served as a serene vacation home for his family. However, during the harrowing days of World War II, it fell under the ominous shadow of Japanese forces who commandeered it as a temporary garrison.

During their occupation, the reports paint a haunting picture of brutality and terror. The forces are said to have assaulted women, subjected suspected spies working for the US and its allies to unspeakable torture, and committed murders that would leave a lasting scar on the mansion’s history.

Long-time caretakers of the house bear witness to the lingering legacy of this dark chapter. Apparitions, especially a woman in white and a spectral little girl, have been reported coming and going from the mansion. Their ethereal presence, a stark contrast to the grim history of the house, adds to its haunting reputation as one of the most chilling haunted places in the Philippines.

In 2013, the Laperal White House underwent a transformation, becoming a museum showcasing local bamboo and wood art pieces, though it eventually closed its doors to the public. However, on December 26, 2022, a new chapter began as Joseph’s restaurant opened its doors at the historic Laperal White House. Helmed by the same chef behind renowned establishments like Comida y Vino in Tagaytay Highlands and Concha’s Garden Cafe in Tagaytay, Silang, Cavite, and Quezon City, Metro Manila, Joseph’s brings a fresh culinary experience to this iconic location.

Bahay Na Pula, Bulacan

In the roster of haunted places in the Philippines, the Red House, or Bahay na Pula in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, bears a harrowing history. It once served as a base for Japanese soldiers during the dark days of World War II. The tales that emerged from this place are nothing short of chilling. It’s said that Japanese forces not only starved Filipino rebels within these walls but went further, committing heinous acts by taking local women and subjecting them to assaults.

Today, the Red House stands in eerie abandonment, but the horrors of the past refuse to be forgotten. Nearby residents have shared spine-tingling stories of hearing screams and cries for help, as well as witnessing ghostly apparitions of soldiers haunting the vicinity. The echoes of a dark chapter linger, making the Red House a place where history and horror intersect, forever marking it as one of the most haunting locations in the Philippines.

Kalayaan Hall, University of the Philippines Diliman

Amid the tales of haunted places in the Philippines, a chilling story from the Kalayaan Residence Hall stands out. As my brother regaled during his first year, a haunting incident unfolded. A freshman, on her way to a routine PE class, found herself in a dreadful situation, sexually assaulted and murdered in a grassy area near the Department of Military Science and Tactics. The discovery of her lifeless body, a day later, sent shivers through the campus.

But the inexplicable twist in this tale lies in the bizarre encounter of the Kalayaan Resident Assistant. On her way to her room, she spotted the ill-fated student trailing water in the corridor and reprimanded her. The RA’s frustration grew when the girl continued to walk, seemingly ignoring her. An eerie feeling compelled the RA to follow her to her room, but the chill settled deeper when the door opened to reveal an empty room, devoid of life. It’s a story that lingers among the many haunted tales of the Philippines, adding to the enigmatic aura of the Kalayaan Residence Hall.

Clark Air Base Hospital in Angeles, Pampanga

Among the storied haunted places in the Philippines, the Clark Air Base Hospital has a history steeped in both healing and the supernatural. Constructed in December 1964, this hospital was a vital lifeline for the care of US military troops, not only in the Philippines but also across Southeast Asia during the tumultuous last months of World War II and the relentless demands of the Vietnam War.

What sets this place apart is the eerie aura that lingered even during its operational days. Nursing staff and employees recounted mysterious occurrences, like doors opening and closing of their own accord, and the uncanny sight of figures standing nearby, only to vanish into thin air in the blink of an eye.

The haunting echoes of the past extend to the eerie cries of unseen infants, the anguished screams that pierce the stillness, and the numerous stories of ghostly apparitions. These spectral soldiers, forever scarred by battle wounds, are said to walk or float through the building, a testament to the enduring legacy of the Clark Air Base Hospital’s supernatural history in the heart of the Philippines.

Herrera Mansion, Tiaong, Quezon

The Herrara Mansion in Tiaong, Quezon, weaves a spine-tingling narrative. This venerable house, a creation of the celebrated architect Tomás Mapa in the late 1920s, carries a legacy of the supernatural. Local residents tell tales of an elderly couple who appear to wander the estate’s grounds, a spectral echo of days long past. And there’s more; the eerie sight of headless soldiers marching to and fro, moving with a purpose that eludes the living, captures the imagination.

Visitors who dare to enter the mansion have their own hair-raising stories to share. The unmistakable sound of chains being dragged across the floors has been reported, lending an unsettling atmosphere to this historic dwelling making it one of the most haunted places in the Philippines. The Herrara Mansion is more than a relic of the past; it’s a place where the boundaries between the living and the spectral realm blur, reminding us that the paranormal often intertwines with history in the most unsettling ways.

Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor

The Malinta Tunnel holds a grim tale of history and the supernatural. Constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers on Corregidor Island over a decade beginning in 1922, this tunnel complex became a crucible of horrors during World War II.

In 1945, Japanese soldiers met a nightmarish end within the tunnel when the entrance was blocked by gunfire. Rather than surrender, many of them chose to commit suicide by intentionally detonating explosives, leaving an estimated 3,000 soldiers to perish in the darkness.

The dark legacy of the Malinta Tunnel continues to cast a shadow today, as eerie stories of hauntings emerge. Locals recount unsettling encounters with spectral figures, some dressed in the uniform of soldiers. Even more haunting are the reports of voices, distant yet unmistakable, echoing through the tunnels. These phantom cries, filled with terror and anguish, suggest that the past endures in a spectral form within the confines of the Malinta Tunnel, a place where history and the supernatural entwine in the most chilling way hence it is one of the most haunted places in the Philippines.

Teacher’s Camp, Baguio City

The Baguio Teachers Camp harbors a curious history. Built on December 11, 1908, it became more than just an educational retreat during the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945. In those dark years, it transformed into a makeshift hospital for occupying soldiers. The war left its scars, and the camp was destroyed, but it was not destined to remain in ruins. In 1947, it was lovingly repaired and reopened, yet the echoes of the past linger.

Among the camp’s many spaces, the Albert Hall, often used for dining, holds a ghostly reputation. It’s said that a White Lady, an otherworldly apparition, has been spotted wandering the hall’s foyer. There’s also the eerie tale of a phantom chain, its unsettling sound echoing as if being dragged by an invisible presence. The Baguio Teachers Camp’s charm, it seems, extends beyond the living, reminding us that history and the supernatural are entwined in fascinating and enigmatic ways thus earning it’s spot as one of the most haunted places in the Philippines.

Balay Negrense, Negros Occidental

Balay Negrense, also known as the Victor Gaston Ancestral Home, stands as a remarkable chapter. This stately mansion, located in Silay City, Negros Occidental, has been transformed into a museum, offering a captivating glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of a late-19th century sugar baron in the province. Built in 1897, it was once the beloved residence of Gaston, his wife, and their twelve children, living a life of undeniable comfort and grandeur.

Yet, the history of Balay Negrense holds more than just relics of the past. Considered as one of the most haunted places in the Philippines, visitors have recounted eerie encounters within its hallowed halls. The sensation of being watched, or the disconcerting feeling of someone following them as they explored the property, has sent shivers down the spines of those who ventured inside. Some even claim to have witnessed surreal spectacles, describing people dressed in old-fashioned clothing, as if they were reliving grand parties in the mansion’s ballroom. Balay Negrense, with its rich history and spectral whispers, adds to the allure of haunted places in the Philippines, where the past and the present dance in an enigmatic harmony.

Baker Hall, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna

Among the many tales of haunted places in the Philippines, one place stands out in the heart of UP Los Baños. Constructed over a decade, from 1927 to 1938, it bears a history that chills the bones. This building once served as an internment camp during World War II, a dark chapter when Japanese soldiers turned it into a place of torment, torture, and murder for prisoners of war and innocent civilians.

As the night blankets the area, eerie stories unfold. The walls seem to whisper with cries and screams, tales of the anguish that once filled these halls. Some have even claimed to have witnessed an otherworldly platoon of soldiers, marching in an ethereal procession, their spectral presence a haunting reminder of the past. The building within UP Los Baños echoes with the harrowing remnants of history, firmly earning its place among the most chilling haunted places in the Philippines.

Got goosebumps yet?

This concludes the top 15 most haunted places in the Philippines. What are some of your city or country’s most popular haunted locations? Please share it with us in the comments!