Did you know that Coney Island was once called Haw Par Island? It’s quite a story. Welcome to the Haw Par Beach Villa. This villa whispers tales of fortunes made and dreams of island paradises.
In the 1930s the famous Tiger Balm brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par purchased this island. They envisioned a summer getaway. They renamed it Haw Par Island.
The brothers commissioned the Haw Par Beach Villa in 1937. Imagine a sprawling 600-square-metre bungalow with open verandas. A separate service block housed the staff. This was a retreat for the wealthy.
The Haw Par brothers were Burmese-born. They made their fortune with Tiger Balm. They also established the local Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh. The Haw Par Beach Villa became their island escape.
Sadly the villa’s glory days were short-lived. It suffered damage during World War II. The Aw family sold the island in the 1950s. The villa was abandoned and its elegance faded.
Ghulam Mahood bought the island in 1950. He planned to transform it into a resort. He was inspired by Coney Island in New York. The project was not profitable. It was terminated in the 1960s.
In 1974 the government acquired Coney Island. Land reclamation expanded the island. Plans emerged to develop it for recreation and residential use.
Today the Haw Par Beach Villa stands as a relic of the past. It is hidden within Coney Island Nature Park. Nature reclaims its walls. Moss covers the signboard.
Exploring the Haw Par Beach Villa today is an adventure. A faint trail leads through swampy areas. The boardwalk mentioned in old accounts has likely disintegrated. Rubber boots are recommended if you plan to visit.
The villa is cordoned off for safety. Yet its grandeur is still visible. Debris litters the rooms. Bats sometimes dwell in the shadows. The single-story service block remains.
Despite its dilapidated condition the Haw Par Beach Villa evokes a sense of history. It speaks of a time when Coney Island was a private playground for the rich. It reminds us of the Haw Par brothers and their Tiger Balm empire. It whispers of abandoned dreams.
The Haw Par Beach Villa serves as a reminder of Singapore’s ever-changing landscape. It is a hidden gem that has witnessed transformations from private island to nature park. Its story remains etched in its weathered walls for those who venture to seek it.