Bukit Brown Cemetery

The basics

Bukit Brown Cemetery opened in 1922 to serve all of Singapore’s Chinese community, regardless of origin or clan affiliation—by 1944, it was already full, though families who had reserved plots continued to bury their loved ones until the 1970s. Tombs span a range of styles, from businessman Ong Sam Leong’s palatial low-rise plot, with a moat, tiled floor, and sculpted watchmen, through to the lichen-covered tombstone of Lee Hoon Leong, ancestor of Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. Ghost tours and nature walks are among your options for experiencing the cemetery with a guide.

Things to know before you go

• Bukit Brown Cemetery will be of interest to nature lovers, history buffs, and fans of the paranormal.

• Insects and humidity can be a major issue: Bring repellent and your water bottle, and consider wearing long pants and sleeves.

• There are no bathrooms at the cemetery, so the best option is using the MRT station facilities ahead of time.

• There’s no charge or ticketing system for visiting the cemetery.

• Bukit Brown Cemetery is not suitable for travelers who use wheelchairs.

How to get there

Bukit Brown Cemetery sits on a hill not far from the MacRitchie Reservoir in south-central Singapore. The easiest MRT station is Upper Thomson (Thomson East Coast line); from here, catch bus #52, #165, or #855 to Bef Kheam Hock Road and double back to reach the cemetery gates. Taxis, rideshares, or a tour with round-trip transfers are much quicker.

When to get there

Bukit Brown Cemetery is open from morning to late afternoon Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. It’s never busy. The Qing Ming tomb-sweeping festival, held on April 4 or 5, is a fascinating time to visit, as families pay their respects to their departed ancestors.

Singapore’s most haunted locations

Travelers researching afterlife phenomena in Singapore won’t go short of material. Haw Par Villa is a 1930s theme park with a section devoted to the gory tortures of Chinese hell. As if models of people undergoing supernatural torment weren’t creepy enough, some believe the sculptures come to life at night. Ghostly footsteps allegedly haunt the spiral staircase at the National Museum of Singapore, while Woodleigh MRT station was built under a cemetery. The island is also home to other legendary ghosts and demons: Some say that female pontianak vampires hunt in Sembawang Park at night.