It’s impossible to avoid ghost stories, growing up in Singapore. Chances are, your primary school had a haunted toilet — and when you graduated, your secondary school also had a haunted toilet.
Still, there’s something undeniably fascinating about ghost stories, listening to them, feeling our hair stand and that icy thrill racing down our spine. Wondering which haunted spot you should explore (or avoid)? Here are 27 of the most haunted places in Singapore — some infamous, some surprising, and some you might be walking past every day.
1. Hillview Mansion
Hillview Mansion was once the highest and most extravagant residential property in the neighbourhood, yet its construction was abruptly halted. Rumour has it that the sudden stop was due to the tragic accident that befell the owner’s mistress, where she fell to her death from the balcony.
The mansion was later sold to an unknown property developer, and over the years, urban explorers and ghost hunters who’ve visited have claimed to hear sounds of a lady weeping at night.
In 2006, the owner suddenly ordered the demolition of the mansion, and in the same year, a landslide hit the area where the house once stood. Stabilisation work was attempted on the land, but another landslide mysteriously struck the same spot the next year, burying any possible remains of Hillview Mansion.
2. Block 99 Bedok North Ave 4
If you live in Bedok, you might want to pay special attention to this one. Here’s how the story goes: An unhappily married wife living on the 25th floor of Block 99 threw her three-year-old son out of the window and, in a red Chinese wedding dress, jumped out herself. The husband later married his mistress, and they went on to have a son and lived in the same flat. When the boy turned three, he, too, jumped to his death, shouting, “This is for Kor Kor (big brother).”
People claim that you can still feel their energy on the spot where they landed on the ground floor, and for years, no one was willing to buy the unit. Yet, even when the flat stood empty, neighbours reportedly claimed that they heard the sound of a woman crying and the laughter of a woman and a boy coming from the house.
3. Kubur Kassim Cemetery
When a place has inspired a horror movie, you know it’s bound to be extra eerie. It’s believed that the cemetery is home to pontianaks — vengeful female spirits who died during childbirth — and is so eerie that it inspired the 1957 cult-classic film, Pontianak.
There’s also the fact that the cemetery has a grave plot dedicated to the Orang Bunian, a supernatural being from Malay folklore only visible to those with spiritual sight.
4. Neo Tiew HDB Estate
The Neo Tiew estate is quite literally a ghost town. That’s creepy in itself, but to make it worse, many also believe that it is haunted by spirits that dwell in the banana trees around the deserted complex. Turns out, it started when a gambler stuck seven needles into a banana tree to force the spirit living inside to provide him with numbers that would help him win the lottery. But after he made it rich, he failed to remove the needles, killing the tree and thus angering the spirit within.
These days, the estate is used by the Singapore Armed Forces for military training. Still, the eerie happenings haven’t stopped. People claim that you can still hear the sound of babies crying and things dropping on the floor around the estate when it’s empty. Some even say they’ve spotted pontianaks — who are often associated with banana trees — in the nearby area.
5. Old Tampines Road
Many cyclists have talked about feeling an extra weight on their bodies when travelling down this narrow road. Anyone else getting reminded of the ending of Shutter? But if you think ditching the bike for a car will protect you, think again.
Cab drivers claim that there is a disappearing woman who would flag them down at the same time every day. If they ignore her, she would disappear in the mirror. But if an unsuspecting cabbie were to pick her up, the smell of frangipani — which could mean a pontianak is nearby — would greet them once they reached the end of the road.
6. Matilda House
Matilda House is said to be protected by an ancestral spirit that kills anyone who dares disturb the house. Back before the building was abandoned, villagers used to see a lady with long hair sitting in a nearby tree, guarding the house from unwanted visitors.
The story doesn’t stop here. Apparently, when the government reacquired the house and tried to demolish it for redevelopment, three construction workers mysteriously passed away, and the project was abandoned out of fear of angering the spirit. For years, the house stood dilapidated in a field in Punggol.
Today, the Matilda House has been conserved and transformed into a condominium clubhouse, but the lights inside are never turned off. Rumours have it that spiritual masters had to negotiate with the spirits in the house during the renovation, but a condominium resident who claims he has spiritual sight says that the Matilda House is still possessed.
7. Lim Chu Kang
Local ghost hunters have named this one of the most haunted spots in the country. The story starts with a brutal murder that took place here in July 2016, where clumps of hair, burnt fabric, and a burn mark were found on the ground. The full body of the female victim, however, still hasn’t been found.
Today, the burn mark can still be seen on the floor, and its surroundings are quiet and ominous. Nearby, ghost hunters found a banana tree with its blossom still attached — believed to be a sign that vengeful pontianaks frequent the area.
8. Jalan Mempurong
This is the most haunted road in Singapore, according to some paranormal investigators. Many who pass by have claimed to see ghosts flying around the area, with some people even spotting a pontianak.
And the spirits that dwell here aren’t the ordinary sort either. Turns out, they’re not exactly the friendliest and are known for being aggressive and inflicting harm. Apparently, local shamans also come here to release dark entities that they’ve caught, which certainly ups the creep factor.
9. Woodleigh MRT Station
Woodleigh MRT Station was completed in 2003, but for eight years, it was left deserted and closed to the public. Before it finally opened in 2011, commuters reportedly spotted ghostly white figures in the empty station platform when the train whizzed past from Serangoon to Potong Pasir.
The station was built beneath the old Bidadari Cemetery, where over 143,000 graves were exhumed to make space for redevelopment. It’s said that the spirits were unhappy with being disturbed and that pocongs — a shrouded ghost from Indonesian and Malaysian folklore believed to be the soul of a dead person wrapped in burial cloth — have been spotted in the station’s vicinity.
As someone who occasionally visits Woodleigh station, I can’t say I’m surprised. That station is creepy.
10. Spooner Estate
It’s one thing to live with an inconsiderate neighbour, and another to live with a supernatural one. Residents of Spooner Estate have encountered shifting shadows, mysterious whispering sounds, and the sound of shuffling footsteps along the corridor even when there’s no one there.
Some believe it’s due to the long period of time that the flats were left unoccupied, which attracted spirits to reside in them. When the new residents moved in, they disturbed the peace of the spirits, resulting in the constant hauntings. People also attribute the spooky happenings to the suicides that took place in the estate, and on the railway tracks nearby.
11. Marsiling Bunkers
According to professional paranormal investigators, the Marsiling Bunkers — once a British bunker used to hide food and rations during the war — is absolutely filled with paranormal energy, so much so that their equipment couldn’t handle it when they tried to take readings. Some have even reported seeing strange things in the dark, such as a mysterious face approaching.
Today, the derelict bunker remains tucked away in the Marsiling forest, only receiving the occasional visit from thrill-seekers and explorers. Still, even if not for the possible supernatural encounter, the huge lizards and ankle-deep mud are enough to keep most of us away from this haunted spot.
12. Old Changi Hospital
Old Changi Hospital needs no introduction. It’s one of the most famous haunted places in Singapore, with a documentary made about it. 2016’s Halloween Horror Nights even had a haunted house based on the place, and just recalling it is enough to give me the creeps.
But if you’re wondering why it’s haunted, here’s why: Back in World War II, the hospital was used as a prison by the Japanese Occupation, with the military being known for their notoriously brutal torture techniques. Over 50,000 people were held captive inside, and till today, you can apparently still hear the cries and screams of the prisoners in the building. People have even spotted shadowy figures and vengeful spirits roaming the place.
13. Bishan MRT Station
Turns out, it’s not just the massive amounts of people during peak hours that regularly haunt Bishan MRT station. Maintenance staff at the station have apparently seen ghostly funeral processions on the tracks, with shadowy figures carrying coffins between Bishan and Novena. And if that isn’t creepy enough, there’s also a resident headless ghost that’s been spotted along the tracks.
It’s also said that Bishan station is where the undead boards trains — people have reported seeing phantom passengers that don’t cast any reflections on the windows.
The station was built upon the old Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng Cemetery, so it’s unsurprising that rumours of hauntings are plenty.
14. Devil’s Bend at Old Upper Thomson Road
Once known as the most dangerous part of the old Singapore Grand Prix circuit, the Devil’s Bend claimed seven lives over the course of 11 years of racing. The sharp V-turn also resulted in the deaths of two polytechnic students, whose car ended up in a ditch.
With so many deaths, the road remains haunted by those who lost their lives there. Cyclists and joggers have reported ghostly sightings and bouts of light-headedness when travelling through. But the most notorious supernatural sightings come from cab drivers, who report that at midnight, they would encounter a woman dressed in white, whose cab fare would turn into hell notes after they dropped her off. Maybe it’ll help now that people mostly use GrabPay.
15. Caldecott Hill Estate
The Caldecott Hill Estate that houses the old Mediacorp headquarters is absolutely haunted, and staff members — including Jade Seah and Zhang Yaodong — have stories to prove it.
From disembodied heads peeking through windows to mysterious happenings with the costumes, the staff who worked there have plenty of horror stories to share. While most of us worry about having to take work home with us after hours, the Mediacorp staff had to worry about accidentally bringing a spirit home. Even paranormal enthusiasts and ghost hunters around Singapore have attested to the area being a haunted hotspot.
It’s no wonder too since the estate is located next to Bukit Brown Cemetery, which is creepy enough in itself.
16. Pulau Ubin
Ubin’s most popular hill is called Puaka Hill, which means haunted hill — and for good reason. Some paranormal investigators have deemed Pulau Ubin the most haunted place in Singapore, and many with a sixth sense have felt strange energies coming from the island.
One haunted hotspot is the German Girl Shrine, which houses the remains of a German girl who fell to her death from a cliff. Since then, there have reportedly been ghostly sightings of the girl around the island. People have even repeatedly dreamt of her requesting specific toys to be brought to the shrine.
Some say that you can also hear the singing of pontianaks around the island, and hear voices coming from the abandoned kampungs there. People who’ve camped overnight have also reported handprints pushing at their tents and the sound of female laughter.
17. View Road Hospital
Old Changi Hospital isn’t the only haunted one in Singapore. The abandoned View Road Hospital used to be a mental institution, then a worker’s dormitory lodge before it was deserted.
The ex-hospital is apparently home to the trapped souls of dead patients, resulting in many haunted tales. While exploring the property, some claim to have seen blood stains appear on walls or smelled frangipani in the air. There have even been stories of people running into a phantom watchman that roams the building at night.
18. Woodneuk House
A remote house in the middle of the woods — that’s how horror movies always start. Looking at you, Cabin in the Woods.
Deep in the forested area around Holland Road and Tyersall Road lies the abandoned Woodneuk House. In its dilapidated halls, people have spotted the ghosts of servants, ladies dressed up with wine glasses in hand, and a British man with a beard and moustache. Perhaps they were the guests and staff of the Sultans of Johor who once occupied the house.
If that isn’t creepy enough, there’s also the fact that the house doesn’t show up on chartered maps of Singapore.
19. Suicide Tower at Pasir Ris Park
Here’s how this story goes: A boy who could see ghosts was resting under the tower with his friends, when he suddenly ran all the way up and then jumped to his death. Right before he died, he told his friends that he didn’t jump willingly — he was pushed by an unseen force.
It’s said that pontianaks linger in the area and that you can sometimes hear their laughter echo through the air. People who have visited the tower at night also claim that you can feel a sinister energy there.
20. MacRitchie Reservoir
MacRitchie Reservoir is home to all sorts of plants and animals, and more importantly, to several water graves. Visit during low tide, and you might be able to spot them. Along the water’s edge also lies a solitary, mysterious tomb — so old that there is no record of its existence in the National Archives of Singapore.
What’s even scarier is that the ruins of the Syonan Jinja shrine, built to commemorate fallen Japanese soldiers during World War II, can also be found deep in the forests of MacRitchie. Legend says that there was a mass seppuku (belly-cutting) suicide ritual by Japanese soldiers in front of the shrine to preserve its sanctity, and the spirits of these soldiers still roam the forests today. Because of this, joggers and hikers have gotten lost for well over ten hours in the woods.
(Also true story, our editor was here with her friends years ago in the evening when they saw a white female figure up in the trees above. Needless to say, they frantically made a quick exit and this still remains a story the group talks about to this day.)
21. Amber Beacon Tower at East Coast Park
The well-known yellow tower at East Coast Park could be a good spot for a date — which was what one particular couple thought in 1990. But things took a tragic turn when two masked men brutally stabbed them from behind, killing the woman before help could arrive.
Since the tragedy, it’s said that a woman in white haunts the walls of the tower. Some claim to hear her wailing as they pass by, while others say they’ve spotted drops of fresh blood on the steps of the Amber Beacon Tower.
22. Bedok Reservoir
Bedok Reservoir is famous for the string of suicides that took place there between 2011 and 2012, but the details of these deaths make them even more chilling. The many deaths started with a particularly macabre case when the decomposing lower body of a man was found floating in the water. The upper body, however, was never discovered.
After the series of suicides continued, religious leaders from eight faiths blessed the site — but on the morning of the ceremony, another body was discovered.
It’s said that the restless spirits of all those who died there still linger, resulting in ghostly wails and the sensation of being pulled towards the water when you’re nearby.
23. National Museum of Singapore
The ghost of the former museum director, Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill, apparently still haunts the halls of the museum. His death was ruled a suicide, but it’s said that he is sometimes still seen wandering up and down the iconic Victorian-style spiral staircase.
Visitors have reportedly also felt cold spots around the museum, and some have even claimed to have seen a ghostly figure in priest-like robes around the building.
24. Sentosa
Sentosa used to be called Pulau Blakang Mati, which translates to “the island behind which lies death”. It could be due to the brutal pirate battles held there in the past, or because of the many anti-Japanese men who were killed on its shores during the war.
Today, we flock to Sentosa for its many fun attractions — but perhaps it’s not just us humans who regularly pay the island a visit. Some claim to have seen ghostly figures roaming around the quieter spots of the island, and hotel go-ers there have heard knocks on their doors, only to find that there’s no one outside.
25. Pulau Tekong
Pulau Tekong is filled with supposed hauntings and ghost stories — at least according to the NS guys who’ve trained there.
Possibly the most well-known of the lot is the one of the recruit who suddenly went missing during a regularly scheduled Thursday night training session. He was later found hanging dead from a tree, with his internal organs forcefully torn out and laid out orderly on the ground in a “stand-by-bed” manner. It’s why the army no longer carries out training on Thursdays.
And the story doesn’t end there. Apparently, his spirit was vengeful and aggressive, and every day, without fail, he would haunt his old bunk. Finally, a Taoist priest was invited to get rid of the spirit, and he suggested that they build a third door in the bunk for the spirit to leave. Till today, it’s the only bunk in Tekong with three doors — tucked away among the empty bunks on the island.
As for the bunks that are occupied by the recruits, it’s said a young girl roams the sleeping quarters with her grandmother every night, counting the recruits as they slumber. Another tale tells of a ghostly boy who plays at the basketball court. If he spots a recruit up and about at night, he’d ask his grandmother why the kor kor (big brother) isn’t sleeping.
26. St. John’s Island
St. John’s Island used to be a quarantine island for people with infectious diseases, and later, a prisoner-of-war camp. It’s said that Japanese soldiers used the prisoners as chess pieces to play on the giant chess board within the island, beheading the prisoners on the spot whenever a chess piece was lost. Mass executions also took place on the island, leading to the deaths of many.
People who have stayed in the holiday bungalows on the island reportedly heard screams and the sound of marching boots at night. Some have also seen ghostly figures or heard sounds of a ball bouncing, only to find that there’s nothing there.
27. Old Police Academy
The police face many threats every day, and for the officers who had the misfortune of training back at the old academy, supernatural ones might have been included in the mix too. The old academy was one of the camps used by the Japanese Occupation to hold prisoners, and those who trained there in the past have shared stories about the shadowy figures that haunt the halls and the sounds of Japanese soldiers marching at night.
There were also stories of tiny footprints appearing on bed sheets — perhaps belonging to two of the ghostly children who apparently haunted the halls together with an elderly lady.
There you have it, all 27 haunted places in Singapore we’ve managed to uncover, some you’ve heard of, and some you might not have known until now. Do you know of more haunted places we might’ve missed? Feel free to share with us, we’d love to hear from you!
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