[Philkotse collection] 7 scariest driving locations in the Philippines

While we’re sure that whoever’s reading this is a car enthusiast, we’re also quite certain that a number of our readers are also the adventurous kind. But even among such daring souls, there are a few we know of who are braver (or nuttier, depending on who you ask) than most, and these are the people who tend to be interested in all things paranormal. Woooo.

So for the gearheads out there who fancy ghosts and ghouls at the same time, here’s a list of the scariest driving locations in the Philippines.

1. Balete Drive, Quezon City

Known as the most accessible haunted road as it's located smack in the middle of Metro Manila, Balete Drive is steeped in legend even before it was a paved thoriughfare.

In olden times, this road was lined with humungous balete trees on both sides. You know, the tree said to be home to a number of supernatural entities from Filipino folklore such as the kapre and tikbalang. Some accounts even tell of a particularly massive one in the middle of the road that seemed to dare or taunt travelers. 

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1. Balete Drive, Quezon City

Known as the most accessible haunted road as it's located smack in the middle of Metro Manila, Balete Drive is steeped in legend even before it was a paved thoriughfare.

In olden times, this road was lined with humungous balete trees on both sides. You know, the tree said to be home to a number of supernatural entities from Filipino folklore such as the kapre and tikbalang. Some accounts even tell of a particularly massive one in the middle of the road that seemed to dare or taunt travelers. 

Even today, some taxi drivers say that this road still gives them the creeps.

In the 1950s, rumors began to circulate about a female apparition (white lady) that haunted Balete Drive, supposedly the vengeful spirit of a teenage woman who was run over, killed and was buried under a balete tree in the area. Taxi drivers passing along the road at night are especially spooked by this story. Why cabbies in particular? According to an urban legend, the unfortunate girl allegedly died in the hands of a taxi driver.

There are several other variations of this story, some more gruesome than others. But what’s less terrifying though is that back in 2005, chairman Regina Celeste San Miguel of Barangay Mariana in Quezon City suggested that Balete Drive bank on its notoriety to boost tourism, by making it available for Halloween parties.

>>> Check out: 8 haunted places in the Philippines that you don't want to drive through.

2. Loakan Road, Baguio City

Being a major road in Baguio, the picturesque Loakan Road is already a tourist destination in itself, especially for people who drive for fun. It's fairly twisty in some spots and as we’ve said, the grounds flanking the length of the road is a pleasant-looking wooded area.

Yes there are fun twisties likes this one on Loakan. Just remember to "Loakan" listen before overtaking on these roads though.

Like Balete Drive however, Loakan is also home to a female ghost which, according to many stories, likes to hail cabs and hop on board only to disappear. Maybe she didn’t bring enough ghost bucks?

Kidding aside, the ghost is said to be the spirit of a girl who was abused and murdered at Loakan Road, and like many of the ghosts on this list, is searching for those who wronged her to avenge her death.

3. Concha Cruz Drive, Las Piñas City

In the 80s up to the early 90s, Concha Cruz Drive was popular for illegal drag races; think US Highway 27, only shorter and narrower. But you know what Highway 27 doesn’t have? A ghost car! Awesome, right? Wrong!

According to rumors, a black sedan (likely modified with a supercharger and powered by the souls of the dead) will occasionally appear to challenge young drag racers. At the end of the run, the racers would supposedly find two dead bodies inside the mysterious black car. Death by whiplash, maybe?

Older residents of the area say that these are the ghosts of people who died in a drag race gone wrong. But just because you died from car crash doesn’t mean you get to ruin everyone else’s fun. Again, we kid. 

Concha Cruz isn't that eerie at daytime, but wait until the sun goes down. [Source: Google Maps]

>>> Continue horror series: Story of a haunted 1964 Dodge 330 that killed at least 14 people in the US.

4. Siquijor

Ah, Siquijor, that small Visayan island that you can explore in a day time with a relaxed bike ride. It’s also home to a lot of dive resorts and pretty beaches, making it a prime destination for a good summer times.

One other thing that Siquijor’s known for, though, is that the island is home to a number of sorcerers; no, we don't mean like Gandalf or Harry Potter. It’s those wacky but certainly scary “mangkukulams” (witches) and all their accoutrements. If we're being honest here, it’s actually those accessories that we’re worried about, as these powerful witches are said to have control over what Visayans call a “sigbin”,  a dark, powerful creature that looks like a cross between a kangaroo and a rabbit. It might sound cute, but the sigbin possesses a number of incredible powers like unnaturally high intellect and shape-shifting. Think of a malevolent Pokemon spawned from a demon.

The roads in Siquijor can be a bit tight in some places, and that's scary too.

In contrast to the previaling belief that the island is home to these mangkukulams and their nasty pets, Siquijor's residents are warm and friendly. There are also no congestion on the roads, although the tight corners make them scary in their own right. 

So if you find yourself motorcycling around Siquijor, just be polite to any old people who'll approach you as you mumble incantations in Latin. 

>>> You might not know: Top 5 most accident-prone roads and highways in Metro Manila

5. UP Diliman campus

Known today among Filipino car enthusiasts as the go-to location for car reviews, UP Diliman is a heavily wooded area that looks peaceful, with over 500 acacia and fire trees lining the famed Academic Oval. They might look majestic during the day, but when night falls, the shadows they throw project an atmosphere not unlike Sleepy Hollow itself; good thing there are street lights around the Oval's perimeter for motorists, joggers and cyclists alike. Even then, there are some secluded corners of UP that aren't as well-lighted, and that you might hesitate to be in when dusk falls.   

They're majestic during the day, but those trees will look like they're about to grab you at night.

But there’s another thing about UP that gives it a spot on this list; the many creepy stories of supernatural stuff, notably from the student dormitories and the UP Child Development Center with the ghost who likes cupboards just a little too much, as well as the female ghost in Vinzon's Hall who can’t catch her breath. 

You can easily access UP so if you’ve got the balls, try to drive there at night. It doesn’t even need to be at an overly late hour; just after the sun’s gone down, because that’s where the fun begins. But you know what’s the scariest thing in UP is? The road humps, man! Those things are HUUUUGEE!

>>> Read more:

• Top 10 car accidents which have never been unraveled (Part I).
• Top 10 car accidents which have never been unraveled (Part II).

6. Palm Drive, Davao City

Based on stories gathered from the locals, Palm Drive in Davao City is home to a ghost lady dressed in brown (that's one ghost who doesn't like white), who’s been seen standing and praying on the yard or on the side of the road. She’s said to be the ghost of a househelp who was killed during a robbery at one of the houses there.

Palm Drive brown lady is like this one on the picture, clad in brown

7. Ahas Street, Davao City

Named after the slithering reptiles frequently found here, Ahas Street in Davao City also has supernatural, undead residents in the form of several ghosts. Not just regular ghosts, but very angry ones. Why? Well, according to local lore, Ahas Street was a dumping ground for victims of summary executions or salvagings during the 80s. The road, currently found in the middle of Juna Subdivision, is desolate with no houses around, which probably explains why bodies were left there. Whether the absence of residents there is due to the snakes or the ghosts, we'll leave it up to you to decide.