As the mist settles over the rolling hills of Baguio City, whispers echo through the streets. For centuries, this enchanting mountain retreat has been steeped in legends and lore of supernatural encounters. From abandoned hotels to haunted forests, Baguio City holds within its borders a collection of chilling tales that will send shivers down your spine. Join us as we delve into the depths of darkness and reveal the 10 most haunted places in Baguio City. Brace yourself, as these stories will leave you questioning what lurks beyond the veil of reality.
Haunted Baguio City, Philippines
1. Teacher’s Camp
Teacher’s Camp is a historical landmark located in Baguio City, Philippines. It holds significant importance in the city’s history and has become the subject of numerous haunted stories and urban legends over the years.
Teacher’s Camp was originally established during the American colonial period in the Philippines, around the early 1900s. It was intended as a training facility and retreat center for American teachers who were working in the country. During World War II, Japanese soldiers used this as a hospital but killings may have also taken place at the site.
Over the years, Teacher’s Camp expanded and underwent various changes, becoming not only a training center but also a recreational spot for both local and foreign visitors. It is nestled amidst a serene pine forest, offering a cool and tranquil environment, which adds to its charm.
Teacher’s Camp’s serene setting and age-old buildings have contributed to the growth of eerie tales and ghost stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Teacher’s Camp is rumored to be haunted by several eerie apparitions, including a white lady, a headless priest, and a woman drenched in blood. Visitors have reported experiencing unexplained sounds at night, such as the haunting noise of something dragging its chain-bound feet across the floor, even when they are the sole occupants of the building.
2. Laperal White House
In the early 1900s, the Laperal White House belonged to Don and Dona Roberto and Victorina Laperal, who used it as their summer residence. The couple had six children, and the family employed a nanny to look after the younger kids. Tragically, a series of deaths struck the family, beginning with the nanny who supposedly took her own life in the attic, followed by the father’s demise on the steps of the house. Each family member met a similar fate, and none were spared from the mysterious occurrences.
During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the Philippines, and the Laperal White House became a place of refuge for civilians seeking safety. However, some locals claim that it was also used as a temporary headquarters for Japanese military officials, and it witnessed several atrocities during this time.
Over the years, the Laperal White House has gained a reputation as one of the most haunted places in Baguio City. Frequent passers-by have reported sightings of a “white lady” standing on the third front porch step of the mansion. Guards, caretakers, and paranormal investigators have attested to hearing footsteps emanating from within the premises.
Today the Laperal White House has transformed over time. Once serving as a museum, it has now been converted into a restaurant called Joseph’s, owned by the elder brother of ABS-CBN News broadcast journalist, Bernadette Sembrano.
3. Old Diplomat Hotel
Originally built in the early 1900s as a vacation house for Dominican friars, the Diplomat Hotel was later turned into a retreat and seminary in the 1930s. The Dominicans expanded the structure and transformed it into a grand hotel in the 1970s, naming it the Diplomat Hotel.
During World War II, the hotel’s history took a dark turn when it was occupied by Japanese forces. Many locals sought refuge in the hotel during this time, but it soon became a target for bombings due to its strategic location on top of Dominican Hill. Tragically, a number of people lost their lives during the bombings.
The Diplomat Hotel is widely considered one of the most haunted places in Baguio City. Numerous eerie tales and ghostly encounters have been reported by visitors and locals alike.
The hotel’s brutal World War II history has led paranormal believers to consider it a “ghost magnet” and believe it to be haunted. Reports of phantom Japanese soldiers, headless nuns, disembodied crying voices, moans, screams, and apparitions captured in photographs on the property have added to its eerie reputation. The hotel’s haunting stories have gained attention, and it has been featured on several television programs, including Magandang Gabi, Bayan’s 2004 Halloween Special, AHA!, and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’s 2016 Halloween Special.
4. Casa Vallejo
Casa Vallejo is one of Baguio City’s oldest structures, dating back to 1909. It was originally built as a dormitory for employees of the nearby American Governor’s Summer Residence during the American colonial period. Later, it became a boarding house, and eventually, in 1991, it was transformed into a hotel.
The hotel retains much of its old-world charm and architectural features, making it a unique destination for history enthusiasts and travelers seeking a glimpse of Baguio’s past.
Throughout the years, many guests have come and gone, but some spirits seem to have made Casa Vallejo their permanent residence, never checking out. Seances and ghost experts have verified the presence of three mainstay ghosts – two ladies and one man. Tales circulate about hearing showers in empty bathrooms and hotel staff briefly encountering ghosts in the hallways, leaving them questioning if it was merely a trick of their eyes.
5. Camp John Hay – Murder Woods
Originally constructed as a military base for American soldiers in the Philippines, Camp John Hay served as a rest and recreation facility for military personnel and their families. Today, it has transformed into a popular tourist destination featuring parks, privately-run hotels, a golf course, duty-free shops, and restaurants.
However, the haunting history of Camp John Hay during the war lingers. It was bombed by the Japanese and used as an internment camp for American detainees, where numerous horrifying acts and deaths occurred, giving rise to eerie stories of strange occurrences within its boundaries.
One notorious area within the camp is known as Murder Woods, a dense forest where both American and Japanese soldiers executed their prisoners without proper burials. Many tales have surfaced of people entering the forest and vanishing without a trace. Some even claim to have captured images of ghosts and mythical creatures like duwende (dwarves or goblins) on their cameras.
A chilling story revolves around three friends who were enjoying the nightlife at Camp John Hay. One of them, heavily intoxicated, wandered into Murder Woods while his friends watched in alarm. Despite their attempts to reach him, he remained unresponsive. The authorities were called to search for him, but he was never found. To this day, his two friends maintain that they witnessed him entering the forest, only to vanish mysteriously.
The unsettling history and tales surrounding Camp John Hay, particularly Murder Woods, serve as a stark reminder that this place demands caution and respect from those daring enough to visit.
6. Camp John Hay – Secret Cemetery
Camp John Hay’s reputation as one of the scariest places to visit in Baguio City is rooted in its rich history. According to urban legends, a particular area within the camp was once a burial site for native tribes residing in the region.
When the Americans arrived and transformed Baguio into its current form, the natives were forcefully displaced from their ancestral lands. Subsequently, the area was turned into a military base, leading to the construction over the native burial sites.
While it may sound like the plot of a Poltergeist movie, there are possibilities that this historical account holds truth. The local government’s track record of neglecting maintenance, especially in sites of historical importance, has raised concerns.
In 2014, a US Navy veteran expressed disappointment at the Camp John Hay administration for allowing cows to roam and “desecrate” the WWII cemeteries where nearly 500 war veterans are laid to rest. The veteran lamented that if only those buried there could speak, they would convey their distress.
One enigmatic spot within Camp John Hay is the Secret Cemetery, discreetly concealed near some lodge accommodations. The exact location is not widely known, adding to its intrigue.
For those adventurous enough to explore, the camp’s hidden history and ghostly legends promise an unforgettable experience.
7. Japanese Tunnel
In the 1940s, during World War II, the Japanese reportedly constructed an extensive network of tunnel complexes beneath Baguio City, intending to use them as emergency escape routes from their enemies.
Today, the entrance to these tunnels can be found within Baguio Botanical Garden. It is rumored that the infamous Yamashita Treasure may have been stored here, but no concrete scientific evidence supports the existence of such treasure.
Despite the lack of proof, these tales have earned Baguio’s Japanese Tunnels a reputation as one of the scariest places in the city.
Located inside Baguio Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tunnels are open for free daily from 6 AM to 6 PM. However, like other haunted places in Baguio, these tunnels are believed to be haunted for good reasons.
Historically, the Japanese used the tunnel system to store ammunition and weapons, later employing it as an escape route. When the Americans discovered the tunnels, they bombed the entrances, leaving numerous Japanese soldiers trapped inside to meet a tragic fate.
Legend has it that the souls of these soldiers still reside within the tunnels. Since the reopening of the tunnels, people have claimed to witness headless ghosts, hear strange voices, and experience eerie noises echoing from within.
A chilling horror story unfolds when a couple playfully explores the tunnels. As they walk, the man feels a tap on his back, but when he turns around, no one is there. Another tap follows, more forceful this time, making the couple suspect a prankster nearby. Intrigued, they venture deeper into the tunnels, where they encounter a shadowy figure. When they shine their phone’s light on the figure, they are shocked to see a man dressed in an old soldier’s uniform, with a bayonet still impaled in his bleeding chest.
These chilling tales and experiences contribute to the unsettling aura surrounding Baguio’s Japanese Tunnels, making them a spine-chilling destination for those seeking ghostly encounters.
8. Loakan Road
Loakan Road is a lengthy thoroughfare connecting Scout Barrio Barangay to the Philippine Military Academy area in Baguio. It offers a tranquil view of the mountains and the remaining forested areas. This road conceals a supernatural secret.
Loakan Road is renowned for supernatural occurrence—the presence of the white lady. She is said to appear in private cars and taxis, requesting to be taken to the city. According to local legend, she is the spirit of a woman who fell victim to a rape-slay incident, with her body abandoned by the roadside.
Apart from the white lady, another supernatural phenomenon once haunted Loakan Road—the existence of a pine tree in the middle of the road that inflicted illness upon those attempting to cut it.
However, the tree met its end in 2001 and was subsequently removed the following year.
9. Philippine Military Academy (PMA)
The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) originated on October 25, 1898, with the establishment of the Academia Militar in Malolos, Bulacan, by a decree issued by General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the young Philippine Republic. Graduates were granted regular commissions in the armed forces.
Within the vast 373-hectare Philippine Military Academy campus in Baguio, tales of at least one resident supernatural being circulate among the trainees.
Incidents of objects falling and doors unexpectedly shutting are considered common occurrences at the academy. However, what truly sends chills down the spines of military trainees is the apparition of a faceless ghost cadet, frequently seen making rounds at nighttime. On some occasions, cadets claim to hear the eerie sound of a ghost platoon marching during the night.
Aside from military-related spirits, non-military ghosts are also rumored to haunt the academy, including a headless priest.
Paranormal activity appears to be more active at the academy during the nighttime, but it remains open to visitors only during the day.
10. South Drive Former Hyatt Hotel Area
During the 1980s and 1990s, Baguio City thrived as a vibrant tourism destination. Hyatt Hotel was a popular choice for seminars and family vacations, contributing not only to the city’s economy but also providing employment opportunities. However, everything changed on July 16, 1990, at 4:26 PM, when a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Baguio, bringing the city to its knees and claiming numerous lives. Hyatt Hotel was not spared, succumbing to the force of the earth’s upheaval, resulting in the tragic loss of hundreds of lives, leaving the site haunted by the restless spirits of those who perished.
Taxi drivers and motorists in Baguio are familiar with a chilling experience at the site of the former Hyatt Hotel. When approaching the zebra path near the waiting shed across the locked gate of the former hotel, drivers often honk their horns, especially at night. This area once served as the common crossing and waiting spot for hotel employees, and it is said that the spirits of those who perished still traverse this street. One eerie night, a driver forgot to honk his horn, and his vehicle’s motor suddenly died without explanation. As he checked the engine, he caught sight of what seemed to be a person floating in the air while crossing the street, right where Hyatt Hotel once stood.
Thank you for joining us on this gripping exploration of the 10 Most Haunted Places in Baguio City. We hope that you found this article both entertaining and informative. But our journey does not end here. To fully immerse yourself in the chilling tales of these haunted spots, we urge you to check out our video on YouTube.
