Latagaw Diaries: Haw Par Villa, Singapore

How far is Haw Par Villa? It is not that far! It is just at the doorstep of Haw Par MRT Station. It opens from 9am to 7pm. But it would really be scary to visit at night.

The Haw Par Villa is owned by the brothers who created the Tiger Balm. (Yes, those minty balms sold in ubiquitous red tin embossed with a tiger.) It was built in 1937.

If you are interested in a free theme park to roam the whole morning (or afternoon) in Singapore or if you areinterested in Chinese folklore, this is definitely the place to go. (Or if you want to give your children a lesson they won't forget complete with nightmares...)

This place was pretty popular a decade ago. Families would usually flock in on weekends. Eventually, its novelty wore off and it was closed to the public. It waas recently renovated and opened to the public again.

Only a few Singaporeans know of this place and those who know are usually the older generations. They recall going here as a child to be indoctrinated and scared by their parents on moral values.However, these days, this is slowly becoming a tourist spot again.

There are over a thousand statues in tableaus that are littered all over the place and perhaps the most famous attraction is the Ten Courts of Hell.

This place is huge. It is divided into the following areas:

• Gods of Happiness, Wealth and Longevity
• Eight Immortals
• Virtues and Vices
• Saga of the Immortals
• Pavilion and Pagoda
• Pond of Legacy
• Hua Song Museum
• Madam White Snake
• Journey to the West
• Ten Courts of Hell
• Aw Family Memorials
• Haw Par House

Remember to have a lot of space in your camera as there are a lot of interesting things to capture. Bring water and snacks too because when we went there the canteen was closed. And if you are a Filipina like me, slather on sunblock (as we do not want those whitening creams and soaps to go to waste) and bring an umbrella to protect yourself from the heat of the sun. Wear comfortable shoes as well as there is a lot of walking to do.

Let me take you on a photo journey of this place.

1. The Tale of Madam White Snake

2. The Monkey Gods Fruit Flower Kingdom

3. Confucius

4. Spider Women Trap Tripitaka

5. The Magic Cypress Grove

6. Tripitaka's Magical Horse

7. Tripitaka's Third Disciple, Sandy

8. Tripitaka's Second Disciple, Pigsy

 9. Journey to the West

10. Friendship and Loyalty

11. Grateful Tortoise

12. Religious Piety

13. Tang Dynasty Buddha

14. Saga of the Immortals

15. Pond of Legacy

16. The Crab Boy

Laughing at this riot!

Bonding with my family:

Jumping with the kangaroos:

Scared at violent dramas

Diorama's where I had the chance to earn(or lose) money:

Or drink with the men:

Or some dancing:

The Legend of Su Qin

Or tomfoolery:

The Legend of Kang Xi

Or some sumo wrestling on the side:

A small altar:

On exhibit is one of the famous Tiger Balm jeeps.

And seemingly lost in the middle of this oriental story land is the Statue of Liberty

Vamoose! Until next time...Pagod na ang dyosa.

Money spent on this amusement park is zero Singaporean dollar.