If anyone asks for a list of must-visit attractions in Singapore, would Haw Par Villa come into your mind? Chances are you wouldn’t have even thought of recommending Haw Par Villa. Some might not have even been there themselves.
Originally Named Tiger Balm Gardens
Tucked away in Pasir Panjang, with the park located right out of Haw Par Villa station, this imaginative Chinese Folklore Theme Park was envisioned by Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, who were the developers of the famous pain-relieving ointment Tiger Balm back in 1934.
Haw Par Villa first opened its doors to the public in 1937, with the main purpose of educating the younger generation on important lessons in life. After the war, Boon Haw returned to Singapore and began to rebuild the park.
In the 1980s, the Singapore Tourism Board saw an opportunity in this culturally-rich attraction, hence invested and modernized the entire park. Statues were restored, acrobatic displays and puppet shows were organized and held there. The park also required an entrance fee until 1998, when it was made free to the public.
Things to Do in Haw Par Villa
We personally find Haw Par Villa a tad different from the other mainstream attractions in Singapore. But this doesn’t mean that Haw Par Villa isn’t a good place for tourists to visit – in fact, this attraction is a melting pot of folklore, knowledge and horror, which we highly recommend everyone visiting Singapore or are residing in Singapore to visit it for at least once.
The park is currently open till 10 pm daily. Perfect for those who want to experience some Halloween spooks during this period. It’s like a mini Halloween USS park for those who hate massive crowds. The beauty of this whole visit? It’s free.
Learn More About the Journey to The West
In the park, an entire area is dedicated to the famous Journey to the West. There you’ll be able to see some familiar faces such as Sun Wu Kong (Monkey King) and Zhu Ba Jie.
Of Virtue and Vices
There’s also an area that advocates the various proper attitudes one should possess, such as helping the future generation, sharing your wealth and accumulating good deeds to create good karma. Being thrifty and saving up for a rainy day are also important virtues to have.
Find Creepy Looking Statues
We’ve located some of the creepiest looking statues in Haw Par Villa and we think it’ll be fun if you were to go around the park hunting for them.
We went around the park during the day and looking at those statues seriously sent shivers down our spines. Now try spotting those statues at night for the ultimate hell-oween experience.
Enter the 10 Stages of Hell
And the most well-known attraction of Haw Par Villa? The Ten Courts of Hell. It tends to get a little graphic inside here, there’s even a sign to warn parents about some disturbing scenes inside.
Once inside the trail, one can get to experience the different stages of hell – such as being thrown into a pot of boiling oil or being frozen into blocks of ice with those statues and present graphics. We have learnt from our trip that one could get their heart dug out for being ungrateful and disrespectful to elders or even their tongues cut away for spreading rumours!
Now it’s actually a good time to reflect on our deeds, cause we might get retribution in our next lives if we sin too much. 😱
Upcoming Events
On a happier note, here’s something to look forward to!
The Mexican Association of Singapore will also host the Dia de Muertos Fiesta, the International Day of the Dead in Haw Par Villa. If you’ve watched Coco, you would definitely know about this festival! We’re talking about Mexican food & drinks, kids activities, Latin music, Mexican dancers, piñata bashing, the traditional Mexican shrine and “the sugar skull procession”.
Best part? It’s free.
It’s happening on November 2nd, Saturday. 4pm to 10pm.
For more information, do visit their Facebook Event Page here.
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For a different perspective of Singapore, we think Haw Par Villa is one of the places you must visit. With the park’s extended hours until 10 pm, exploring the premises would be a unique HELL-oween experience. Make sure to take some photos and tag us on Instagram if you manage to find the creepy statues we have listed above!
Jurong Bird Park | Paya Lebar Quarter Mall