Nightmares Manila offers spine-chilling Halloween thrills in Parañaque

MANILA — As Undas approaches, some Filipinos are preparing to visit cemeteries to remember their departed loved ones, while others are seeking a different kind of thrill this Halloween season—one filled with eerie encounters, sudden scares, and plenty of screams.

In Parañaque City, Nightmares Manila is drawing horror enthusiasts with three haunted houses—House of Darkness, Haunted School House, and Freakshow—and four escape rooms, offering visitors an opportunity to test their courage.

Among those who braved the attractions were former Pinoy Big Brother housemates and Kapamilya artists Dylan Yturralde and Ashton Salvador.

For Yturralde, who was experiencing the attraction for the first time, the intensity was hard to miss.

“It’s my first time, grabe yung gulat na nararamdaman ko. Sobrang intense,” he said.

The actor also recalled his experience inside the Pinoy Big Brother house, saying that the most frightening moment was not necessarily one of Big Brother’s challenges.

“Utos ni Kuya [Pinoy Big Brother], wala naman siyang nakakatakot na utos. Siguro yung pinakanakakatakot ay yung nagpapaalam na siya sa akin,” Yturralde said.

Salvador, meanwhile, was curious to see whether the attraction had changed since his last visit two years ago.

“Ang tagal na nung last ko, huli eh two years ago, so hindi ko alam kung nag-iba ba,” he said.

The haunted houses admit visitors by batches or groups to avoid overcrowding and also building anticipation as guests prepare to face the frightening surprises waiting inside.

Groups of friends and classmates are taking on the challenge, proving that the desire for a little Halloween fright knows no age limit.

Julie Ong, 60 years old, visited with her friends and high school classmates, to experience the attraction together, traveling all the way from Quezon City.

“I’m with my friends, and classmates and we are now in our 60s and so we want to experience this Nightmares,” Ong said.

“First time namin dito, horror fan kami. Let’s see what we have here,” she added.

Mike Bustamante and his high school friends from Dasmariñas, Cavite, also joined the crowd. But unlike visitors who knew exactly what awaited them, Bustamante said he had agreed to the trip without knowing their destination.

When asked what he expected from the experience, he had a simple answer: “Matakot.”

“Actually wala, kasi nung sinabi na pupunta kami dito [Parañaque], hindi ko alam na dito kami, umoo lang ako tapos nandito,” he said.

Bustamante even joked that the frightening experience might put their long-standing friendship to the test.

“High school friends, pero parang ngayon, na matatapos [ang friendship],” he said.

According to Tac Santiago, team leader of Nightmares Manila, the attraction features three haunted houses and four escape rooms. This year, visitors can also experience additional elements, including mazes and animatronics.

“Sa Nightmares Manila meron kaming tatlong haunted houses po, yung po yung House of Darkness, Haunted School House, at Freakshow at meron kaming apat na escape room,” Santiago said.

Ticket prices vary depending on the attraction and day of the week.

House of Darkness costs P699 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and P799 from Fridays to Sundays. Haunted School House tickets are priced at P599 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and P699 from Fridays to Sundays.

Escape room rates start at P400 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and P500 from Fridays to Sundays.

Santiago said the attraction welcomes visitors of different ages but cautioned people with heart conditions or asthma, as well as pregnant women, against participating.

Nightmares Manila is open daily from 4 p.m. to midnight until November 2.