Exploring the Philippines: Intramuros Ghost Walk

One of the great things about going on holiday in the Philippines is that no matter how many times I visit, I always manage to find something new to discover. The Philippines is formed of over 7,000 islands and is rich in beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and cities that never sleep. In fact, there is probably something for everyone in the Philippines.

But what else can you expect to find in this diverse country?

Just in time for this year’s Halloween festivities, I thought I would share my spooky adventure with the Intramuros Ghost Walk tour. The tour was developed by founder and paranormal investigator, Jade Martin.

Take a walk on the spooky side

This unique tour is the first of its kind and was set up to both promote the rich history and culture of this district, whilst educating those unfamiliar with the paranormal. It also contributes part of it’s proceeds to Tribu Ni Bro, a charity that supports the indigenous children across the Philippines.

I actually found out about the tour from my cousin who suggested we check it out during my visit. I’m slightly obsessed with the paranormal and love horror films and generally being scared! So this was perfect for me.

I got in contact with Jade through the tour’s facebook page. She responded shortly after and was super friendly, and within a few hours we were booked. A word of warning for those expecting an easy ride – The Intramuros Ghost Walk, as the name suggests, is a walking tour. So be prepared to walk for a good 3 hours. Jade was also our tour guide for the night and we met just outside the Intramuros wall. There were 12 of us in total and despite the heavy rain we were not deterred. And luckily, the skies felt sorry for us and stopped raining for most of the tour.

She kicked off the tour with a brief introduction to the overall area and what we could expect to see (or in most cases, not see). If you’re expecting to be chased around by ghosts, then I’m sorry to disappoint but this is not the case – nor is it the point! Jade was very accommodating and gave us ample time to explore the more paranormal sites. Giving us an opportunity to test our third eye and take photos whilst learning more about the heritage of Intramuros.

An alternative history lesson

Intramuros, in latin translates to ‘within the walls’. Named mainly due to it’s 3-mile-long wall surrounding the town, built by the Spanish to protect it from attack. A lot of damage was caused during the Second World War although there is still ongoing restoration of some of these historic sites. This is where you’ll get to explore and learn first-hand about the history of Manila’s oldest district through Jade’s unique storytelling.

The terrifying tunnel

One of the more memorable moments, was when she took us to a secluded tunnel. Note, there are a lot of tunnels in the area due to the surrounding wall. Most of which are now used as market stall space during the day. However one was hidden away and had been abandoned for many years.

This particular tunnel was said to be the location where a nun was repeatedly abused and attacked by Japanese soldiers. She was later gruesomely murdered at this very spot. Some prior guests had reported seeing her silhouette so Jade suggested we turn off all lights and mobile devices and call out to the spirit to see if we could get a response.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see anything. However I can honestly say I had the eeriest feeling whilst stood there. And when there were no lights, I could still see an outline of what looked like a shadow – this totally freaked me out! Jade then said that we were actually being followed by a kapre (which is a tree giant in Filipino culture). We also called out for this to step out into the light but he must have been scared by our screams.

The spooky verdict?

There were many other frights and experiences throughout the night. At one point my Aunt even began crying hysterically after seeing several nuns staring back at her in the shadows. She also saw an elderly lady dressed in old Filipino dress before disappearing into thin air.

The usual tour rate is only 250PHP per head and I highly recommend it to thrill lovers and explorers! You’ll learn about the history in an alternative exciting way. I don’t want to give too much away as I do hope if you get a chance to visit it yourself.

Find out more about the tour by visiting the Intramuros Ghost Walk Facebook page, you can also learn more about Tribu Ni Bro here.

Want to hear more or plan on visiting yourself? Leave me a comment below or tweet me at @arcasela x