Haw Par Villa
Haw Par Villa
4
Historic Sites • Amusement & Theme Parks • Gardens
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9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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About
Haw Par Villa - formerly known as the Tiger Balm Garden – is an 8.5-hectare Asian cultural park, the last of its kind in the world. Built in 1937, Singapore’s largest outdoor art gallery is the brainchild of Aw Boon Haw, millionaire philanthropist and marketing extraordinaire who gifted the world Tiger Balm. The eclectic park is a treasure trove of Asian culture, history, philosophy and religion – quirky yet enlightening at the same time. Since 2015, it is managed Journeys Pte Ltd, an award-winning heritage specialist passionate in preserving and bringing the heritage gem to greater heights.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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  • Della G
    Coquitlam, Canada808 contributions
    Haw Par Villa
    This is a really unique and bizarre theme park located in Singapore. It was built around 1937 by the Har Par brothers who made their fortune manufacturing Tiger Balm medicinal products. The park has some eerie and somewhat gaudy statues and dioraramas depicting chinese characters from folklore and mythology. I must say that these oriental statues and figurines are not in my opinion a work of art but has to be appreciated as part of Singapore's cultural heritage. Fifty years ago this park served as a means for families to bring their children here to teach the ancient Chinese folklore history. Sadly, the theme park is in need of repairs. It is still an attraction for families to visit but the dioramas and statues really does not blend in with modern Singapore. Hong Kong's Tiger Balm gardens were razed twenty something years ago and new apartment structure stands in its place. It is only a matter of time that realty development will take over this space. It is still a fascinating place to visit and the best is that it has no admission charge.
    Visited November 2019
    Written March 10, 2020
  • PringleUk
    144 contributions
    Fascinating place!
    My third time in Singapore and never heard of it before... only visited as close to our hotel but really glad we did. Went with a baby and a toddler. My toddler was too young to question some of the more unusual statues but it's possible an older toddler may do/ potentially be a bit scared (my toddler just didn't like the buddha statues). We avoided the counts of hell section though. Nice stroll through the park. Couldn't access all of it with the stroller but still felt it was worth the visit. My toddler loved feeding the Terrapins (we stopped at the first one but discovered there were loads more). Visitor centre/ food very limited so eat before/ after! Snacks/ drinks/ ice cream available. Overall a great morning out.
    Visited January 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written January 22, 2020
  • Wei Bing L
    Ipoh, Malaysia389 contributions
    Best Chinese Cultural Park in South East Asia! Free Admission!
    If you are an overseas visitor to Singapore and wish to visit a really interesting Chinese Cultural Park, this place is for you! This park has an MRT station right at its doorstep, making it super easy and convenient for everyone to drop by. There are 1000 sculptures on display, you will get to learn about Chinese moral values such as filial piety, generosity, patience, tolerance, honesty, integrity, non-attachment, love & respect for others, etc... The best thing about this place is: Admission is FREE! However, admission into the Hell Museum costs SGD18 per adult and includes a 1-hour guided tour with explanation on all the different Hell realms. You can also purchase fish pellets for SGD1 per packet to feed the fish and terrapins that reside in the ponds here, to accumulate merits. If you come here on a rainy day, please bring an umbrella or a raincoat, as everything is outdoors.
    Visited October 2022
    Written October 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.0
907 reviews
Excellent
310
Very good
361
Average
183
Poor
39
Terrible
14

paul826nas
Gatley, UK132 contributions
Nov 2019 • Couples
One of the less known attractions of Singapore is Haw Par Villa, formerly known to many as the Tiger Balm Gardens, which I think is a must see venue.

This was a theme park built by the family who produced and sold Tiger Balm ointments and was and still is a free entry attraction for everyone.

It has a large number of statues and dioramas showing moralistic tales from ancient Chinese folklore and is a very interesting day out, the ten halls of hell is particularly gruesome but interesting. It is on the outskirts of town but is very easy to get to on the MRT and the attraction is right next to the station, so give it a try you won’t be disappointed 😁
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HeatSeeker
Wrexham, UK4,269 contributions
Mar 2023
Very enjoyable, a totally unique place. We love the striking statues set in lively scenes, and the chance to understand Chinese traditions.
We visited on a morning during the North East monsoon, the sun was out, and we found it very hot.
They’ve been adding some extra features. We really enjoyed the room about paper offerings..
It must be very expensive to maintain, and we suspect a lot who work here are volunteers. It's free to enter, but do take the chance to leave a donation.
The disabled will find it difficult. There is a disabled toilet, but a lot of features can be best seen by climbing stairs (no handrail). Also it’s all on a hillside, so it’s quite a climb from the entrance.
I reckon you need about 3 hours to see everything.
I wouldn’t rank it as a must see, but if you are in Singapore for some days, do come here. It’s on the MRT so easy to reach.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bilge
Prague, Czech Republic131 contributions
Dec 2019
This place is not in tourist atttractions list but it is totally worth to go because you can find a deep history about buddism and Chinese culture. Stautes are representing different myths and legend. It is a goood place for kids to experience their history. When i was there it was very quiet and no one was there. It is next to the metro station. You can easily find on the map if you write the name. Entrance is free.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jonathan B
Beccles, UK155 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
This is a great place to spend an hour or two.
It is a bit bonkers but also quite educational. The statues and sculptures are very impressive and interesting and you can’t help being impressed by the amount of work that must have gone into them.
I recommend taking a look if you’d like to see something a bit different, a bonus is that it is mostly free.
Written January 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

genibre69
London, UK3,357 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
I absolutely loved this place. Entrance is free. Kitschy, kinda weird, kinda sad with the peeling and chipped paint on the sculptures, but also a great learning experience for someone like me unfamiliar with Chinese culture. There are English language placards everywhere explaining the history and mythology behind the sculptures. The 10 Courts of Hell section is pricey at S$18 but so worth it especially with a guided tour included. I had Hem as my guide and she was fantastic! Excellent English, eager to explain, and gave a great overview of the courts and general religious approach to the afterlife. I could have spent hours more in the 10 Courts section reading all the placards about different cultural views of death and the afterlife. Highly recommend and easy to get to via public transport.
Written April 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle C
Greater Sydney, Australia14 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
What an interesting place. Went not knowing what to expect and ended up spending a few hours looking at the displays and reading the stories behind them.
Went to Hell's Museum too, at cost, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about death from the perspective of different religions around the world.
The turtles were an added bonus.
Written July 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jh
Singapore, Singapore1 contribution
Jan 2022 • Friends
Haw Par Villa is a theme park located along Pasir Panjang Road in Singapore. The park contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends, history, and illustrations of various aspects of Confucianism. One of best scripture to be visit. Overall nice place to visit for all age people
Written January 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,400 contributions
Jun 2020
Almost every home in Southeast Asia has a small jar of Tiger Balm, a universal cure. Haw Par Villa was once known as Tiger Balm Gardens. It has depictions of the Chinese hell and 'Monkey's Jouney to the West.' The Haw Par Villa is a relic of simpler times, but anyone visiting Singapore for the first time should see it.
Written July 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Balogh J
Budapest, Hungary12 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
I don’t know how some people don’t like Haw Par Villa. Yes, it might be old and its not full of food options, but is that really the most important? Its really unique and beautiful, you can easily spend 2-3 hours there just looking at the statues and walking around. Its also right next to an MRT and many bus stops, so its very easy to get to. Oh and its free and not crowded. What else do you need? The Hell’s Museum is worth a visit as well, I definitely learned a lot about all the different religions and cultures.
Written May 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sammiches
Dallas, TX295 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
This was a great early afternoon activity. The park has many expressive statues that illustrate cautionary tales. It’s definitely more of a quirky and unusual flavor so we really enjoyed it. It’s free and right off the Har Par Villa stop on the SMRT.
Written June 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Haw Par Villa - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Haw Par Villa is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM


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