Excursions to Singapore from Johor Bahru can prove costly because of the range of shops, dining, and cultural experiences not available here. So here are a couple of things you can do which are completely free!
Our first stop is at the Haw Par Villa, easily accessible by MRT or use the small carpark by the entrance (SGD5).
Haw Par villa is also known as Tiger Balm Garden as it was built by the owners of the Tiger Balm business which originated in Rangoon, Myanmar. The Haw brothers moved to Singapore in 1926 from where their business went global. Throughout the garden Aw Boon Haw is represented by the Tiger and Aw Boon Par by the Leopard. In 1937 they opened this garden to the public to preserve Chinese heritage and instruct visitors on moral values and the meaning behind famous Chinese legends. Up until 2004, Hong Kong also had a Tiger Balm Garden and mansion, but it was on a piece of prime real estate and just had to be demolished! Haw Par Villa here in Singapore has also had a checkered history which you can learn all about in an exhibition room here.
Because of its checkered past, you will find statues of koala bears, kangaroos, and gorillas, amongst other strange animals.
But the principle features of this garden are Chinese legends and morality tales. The displays in the Ten Courts of Hell show you the various punishments for a range of crimes.
If you are judged in the Sixth Court of Hell, then any misuse books, will have you sawn in half!
And in the Fourth Court of Hell, disobedience to one’s siblings and lack of filial piety means you will be ground by a large stone.
I think that by the time you pass through the Tenth Court of Hell and have undergone all these gruesome punishments, you get to drink from the Cup of Forgetfulness and your life begins all over again at a lower or higher status than before.
Just outside of the Ten Courts of Hell were some rather strange displays of varying degrees of strangeness….
Further into the park there is a massive display with dioramas depicting good versus evil. There are no explanations for what you are looking at, so part of the charm of these displays is to make up a story for each one.
I think that here we have loan sharks (for gamblers) and repossession of peoples’ homes.
This image on the left below though remains a mystery to me, but since Lawrence is a dragon, I understand the one on the right!
There are many settings of Chinese legends and they are extremely intricate in design. It takes a lot of hard work to maintain these statues in good condition and it is easy to see that the weather takes its toll.
Visitor tips………
Take your time as there is plenty to see here.
At the present time, there are no food and beverage outlets here, just a small shop selling Tiger Balm products, ice cream, and cold drinks. So, go prepared.
In the late afternoon we headed to the Gardens by the Bay for dinner at Pollen (fabulous food!). This is by far the best time to walk around the free open air gardens, as the sun is not going to cook you.
We entered the gardens from the Bayfront MRT station and noticed that the Dragonfly Lake was full of white eggs!
As we returned to the lake after dinner, we experienced a quite magical light show as the eggs changed colour in time with the music. You could stroll on the broadwalk all around the lake and sink into the fairytale atmosphere.
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