The 10 most haunted places in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Halloween is just around the corner, but if you’re tired of those haunted houses where actors make perfunctory attempts to scare you without physical contact (so as to avoid a lawsuit), then here’s some good news: Singapore is home to the real deal when it comes to haunted, well, haunts.

After all, why shouldn’t some of our tiny island play host to residents from the afterlife? If only they’d learn how to communicate, instead of just floating around crying, or possessing people at random.

Here are Singapore’s top 10 haunted places.

10. SENTOSA. 

What’s so scary about our little island outcrop of extremely overpriced real estate, oversized aquariums and oversized children’s playgrounds? Well, before it was rebranded as Sentosa (which means “peace and tranquillity” in Malay), it was known more commonly as Pulau Belakang Mati, translated roughly as “The Back Island of Death”. We think you’ll have to agree that no matter how you look at it, any name that involves the word “Death” is just not that appealing. From purported hauntings at the quieter beaches, to ghostly soldier sightings at the old Fort Siloso, Sentosa certainly is a place to party, for both the living and the dead.

9. ST JOHN'S ISLAND. 

8. FORT CANNING PARK. 

It was known as Bukit Larangan, or the “Forbidden Hill” by the locals; and long before the British arrived, Fort Canning was already a sacred rise, exclusive to the ancient rulers of the land, their graves and temples. During the war, it was a base of military operations for both the British and later, the occupying Japanese forces. Nowadays, it is as popular with joggers as it is with music lovers, who make merry on the grounds, perhaps unaware that their concerts take place over what used to be a Christian cemetery. Some joggers have reported the uncomfortable sensation of being watched, when they pass the older bits of the park, as well as Keramat Iskandar Shah, a shrine dedicated to the enigmatic ancient ruler of Singapore.

7. BUKIT BROWN. 

Bukit Brown is a biodiverse haven for all sorts of plants and animals, and a favourite amongst local nature lovers. So when the government proposed ripping up the area to stick dual four-lane carriageways through, there was very vocal opposition. After all, not only is Bukit Brown a small pocket of undisturbed indigenous flora and fauna, it also happens to be one of the last remaining Chinese cemeteries in Singapore, with very large tombs guarded by stone Sikh guards. However, the road construction started anyway, with the exhumation of several old graves along the proposed route. Since then though, there have been stories of restless spirits (including a lady clad in a red cheongsam) bemoaning their disturbance among the tombstones, and visiting the dreams of their descendants.

6. CHOA CHU KANG CEMETERY. 

The Choa Chu Kang cemetery is home to the last of our buried dead, even if they are only buried temporarily (another 15 years, before they get cleared out). So it’s certainly no surprise that there is where their spirits would linger. Many taxi drivers have stories of picking up passengers at night who ask to be brought to the cemetery, before vanishing in front of their very eyes. Those who drive on the perimeter of the cemetery have reported sightings of ladies clad in white, possibly attempting to hitchhike. Sure, this poses some questions, such a. why do ghosts require vehicular transport, or where exactly are they trying to go?

5. HAW PAR VILLA. 

There is something creepy about a decrepit, failed theme park. Built by the founders of Tiger Balm, to celebrate Confucian values and traditional Chinese folk-legends, Haw Par Villa was full of “fun” attractions such as dioramas of ancient Chinese demons as well as its infamous 10 Courts Of Hell, an attraction in which visitors would be taken on a meandering boat ride through the burning levels of hell, each depicting the gruesome punishments that would be meted out to your eternal spirit, for crimes of alarming specificity. In any case, there are reports of the ornate statues of the park coming to life at night, as well as screaming being heard from the Tunnel of Hell. Some say that during the Hungry Ghost month, an actual portal to the actual Chinese Hells opens from within the Tunnel. Oh, and admission is free!

4. THE YELLOW TOWER. 

Long before East Coast Park became the overcrowded weekend destination it is now, it was a popular spot for families and lovers to enjoy the relative peace and quiet on the long stretch of beach, shaded beneath the intermittent canopies of neatly planted trees. But along this 10km coast, there is a lonely yellow tower that stands on the beach. Legend tells of a female ghost that has haunted the tower for many years, with many sightings corroborating her appearance. The apparent tragic story goes that she is the spirit of a girl who was gang-raped and murdered a long time ago, who lingers on as her sorrow binds her to the location of her demise. Joggers have claimed to hear screams for help at the tower, only to find nothing upon investigation.

3. WOODLEIGH MRT. 

Bidadari Cemetery is another burial site that is slowly making way for redevelopment. Woodleigh MRT station is a new train station that runs through part of what used to be Bidadari Cemetery. Even after the station was complete, it was not operational for a time, reportedly because it was haunted by spirits roused by their unwelcome eviction. When it was just a dark station on the line, MRT commuters reported seeing fast moving shades and ghostly apparitions as their trains passed by the station. On the bright side, late night commutes through Woodleigh MRT will never be lonely.

2. BEDOK RESERVOIR. 

For some reason, Bedok Reservoir has seen many deaths in recent years, with the most chilling one being the drowning of a mother and young child, clad in red clothing. It is said that on some nights passers-by have caught glimpses of the said mother and child, lingering around the water where they perished. Bedok Reservoir is said to be the most haunted body of water in Singapore, beating out MacRitchie and the old East Coast Lagoon, with speculations of water demons being responsible for dragging people into the depths. The souls of those of died patrol the quieter parts of the reservoir, so late night jogging enthusiasts best be wary.

1. OLD CHANGI HOSPITAL. 

Or the Raintr33 Hotel, as it’s called now. It was derelict for a very long time, and was said to be haunted by the spirits of the people who died there when it was a wartime hospital. It’s said that people who practised black magic visited the dark corridors in a bid to convene with the devil. To top it off, the hospital is a stone’s throw away from Changi Beach, where Japanese soldiers committed the Sook Ching massacre. Given the horrors the area has seen, it's no wonder that the old Changi Hospital remains the most haunted place in Singapore, a reputation assisted by the local film Haunted Changi. The hospital also the inspiration for this year's Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore. 

 Photos: TODAY, Ministry of Communications and Information, Stuff Singapore. A version of this story first appeared in Stuff Singapore.