Bukit Brown Cemetery was named after a British merchant, George Henry Brown. “Bukit” means “hill” in Malay, so Bukit Brown essentially means “Brown’s Hill”. Opened in 1922 and closed for burial in 1973, this site contains an astonishing 100,000 graves spread across more than 200 acres. For decades, it was considered the largest Chinese cemetery outside mainland China. It is also an outdoor museum of Chinese culture. The tombs showcase a mix of Chinese, Peranakan, Malay, and European influences. One of the cemetery’s most distinctive features is the presence of Sikh guardian statues standing beside certain tombs. These reflect the reputation Sikh men had as trusted security guards and watchmen in colonial Singapore. Despite being a cemetery, it is interesting to know that Bukit Brown has become a surprisingly rich ecological zone, which supports a wide variety of birds, butterflies, and small mammals. I spent about 45 mins walking the entire cemetery grounds. During my visit on a Saturday morning, I spotted about 10 people of various group sizes visiting this place. Some areas of the cemetery grounds are shaded, while some are not. Do bring along a cap, water, and mosquito repellent for the walk. I did not spot any wild dogs roaming here. I consider this a nice, relaxing spot to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Bukit Brown Cemetery, also known as the Bukit Brown Municipal Cemetery or the Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery, is a cemetery located in Novena in the Central Region of Singapore. The site of the cemetery was originally owned by George Henry Brown, a British merchant. It became known as Brown's Hill for its hilly terrain, which was translated into Malay as Bukit Brown. Brown's original site was eventually given to the Seh Ong Kongsi, who opened a private clan cemetery there in the 1870s. Beginning in the 1880s, cemeteries in Singapore grew rapidly, leading the Legislative Council to pass a bill that limited the creation of cemeteries, particularly Chinese cemeteries. Due to this bill, the Chinese community's options for burying their dead were restricted, leading to calls for the creation of a municipal cemetery; notable supporters of the municipal cemetery included Tan Khaem Hock and Lim Boon Keng. The Municipal Commission began looking for suitable sites and settled on the Seh Ong Kongsi's land, acquiring the site in 1919 through compulsory acquisition. Three years later, in 1922, the Commission opened Bukit Brown Cemetery. Although initially unpopular with the Chinese community, after some modifications, forty percent of Chinese deaths in Singapore were buried at Bukit Brown Cemetery by 1929. The cemetery was fully reserved for burials in 1944 and eventually closed in 1973 with about 100,000 graves. In 2011, the government designated the area for residential development, leading to protests from activists who believed the cemetery should be preserved. The following year, 3,700 graves were exhumed to build an eight-lane highway. The cemetery has since appeared on the 2014 World Monuments Watch and has been considered for National Monument status. Bukit Brown Cemetery is believed to be the largest Chinese cemetery outside of China and is the burial location of many of Singapore's earliest pioneers. Preservation advocates support maintaining Bukit Brown and other nearby cemeteries for their vegetation, wildlife, and heritage displayed by the graves. Traditional Chinese festivals are regularly held at these cemeteries.

Look out for: 1. Abandoned cars trail (4 cars) 2. "Avatar" trees 3. Sikh guard statues 4. Ong family huge grave complex

Quite a remote cemetery located in a secluded area of Singapore. I visited in the morning and stayed for less than half an hour. The place was pretty interesting, wasn't very spooky as it was bright out but it's probably scary at night. I didn't go far in, just looked around near the entrance. I did see some dogs which I wasn't sure if they were strays or pets as there were other people around and one of them had a leash on a dog. I also saw some wild monkey like animals taking food off the ground. Other than that, it's not much out here, I think having some emergency resources around could be good, it feels like a place where danger could occur.

Delightful slice of history. Seems all of the famous of Singapore families are buried here. There is a lot of history so make sure to read the signs posted besides the graves. There are some places need you to hike to so come with hiking boots and long trousers. And bug spray. But highly recommended and suitable for all ages.