You don’t need a degree in theology or Chinese folklore to appreciate the surreal dioramas and detailed statues at Haw Par Villa. Built on a hilltop overlook in 1937 by the founding brothers of Tiger Balm ointment, the free theme park depicts the legend of Madame White Snake, the gruesome Ten Courts of Hell (let’s just say “money lenders with exorbitant interest rates” don’t get off easy), and the centuries-old novel Journey to the West. If that last one sounds familiar, it’s because Damon Albarn and Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett turned the timeless morality tale into a cartoonish rock opera in 2007. All told, there are more than 1,000 statues on display here, many in gruesome states of eternal torture. If you have nightmares for weeks after your visit, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

262 Pasir Panjang Rd., Singapore; +65 6736-6622.