The Philippines has become the latest destination for a dark travel experience, with tourists flocking to see a unique burial site on a cliff face.
The people of Luzon Island have been burying their deceased along the Cliffs of Sagada for over 2000 years, and now hundreds of coffins can be seen jutting out from the rocks and caves.
Locals are said to carrying out the ritual so that their loved one’s souls rest closer to heaven, while others believe the bodies are being protected from earthquakes and floods.
The coffins are carved by the elderly before they die, or if they are too ill or weak, their closest relative must complete it for them.
The corpses are then smoked to preserve them, and then pushed into the tight spaces of the coffins. Bones are said to be cracked and broken in the process.
Despite unattended tourists being unwelcome in the area, due to some taking bones as souvenirs, guided tours have become accepted by locals.
The Cliffs of Sagada joins a list of dark travel experiences such as Auschwitz and New York’s Ground Zero and Gallipoli.
