Have you ever felt goosebumps when you are at a certain place or maybe the hairs at the back of your neck start to stand? Feel invisible eyes watching you at every turn? Most likely the area contains dark energies from the previous happenings and you may just have come into contact with the previous occupants who are long gone! Get ready for a ghost hunting adventure at these 9 places in Malaysia with a creepy past!
- Kellie’s Castle
Spirits with unfinished business? You may come across this very entity at Kellie’s Castle. In 1890, a 20-year-old Scotsman, William Kellie Smith, set foot in then Malaya. He had many businesses in Batu Gajah, some were losses and some made him a fortune. In 1903, William was married and in 1904, he had a daughter. Following the birth of his son and heir, Anthony, in 1915, William started work on the castle as it was his dream to have one complete with a 6-storey tower, tennis court and a rooftop courtyard where he could entertain his guests.
In the 1920s, William died in Lisbon of pneumonia and the construction of the castle was discontinued. His wife and children never returned and she eventually sold the estate. For 80 years the abandoned castle stood, slowly getting engulfed by the jungles. In 2012, restoration works by the museum conservation department were done.
It is believed that 70 workers who were working on the many underground tunnels at the castle died of Spanish flu and their restless souls inhabit the lower reaches of the castle. There are a few particularly famous parts of the castle where you can reputedly catch a glimpse of the supernatural residents.
At the Ghostly Cloister Balcony, on the upstairs corridor, William’s spirit roams restlessly thinking of his unfinished castle. Canadian tourists have purportedly photographed a ghostly figure staring out the window while they were photographing nocturnal animals. A curly haired girl wearing a white dress can be spotted in Helen’s (William’s daughter) room. Eerie female laughter has been heard by the horse stables and the castle was even the site of torture and execution during the Japanese occupation! Check this castle out for yourself but don’t go running for the hills!
Address: 31000 Batu Gajah, Perak.
Entrance fees: RM5 (adult), RM3 (child), RM2 (parking fee)
Contact: +605-365 3381
- Mimaland
If you were thinking the movie “IT” was the stuff of nightmares, think again…Located in Gombak, Selangor, Mimaland was Malaysia’s first theme park and was open from 1971 till 1994. For more than 20 years, this theme park has been left abandoned and a horror film of the same name has been released, justifying the creepy history of Mimaland.
Also known in full as “Malaysia in Miniature Land”, this theme park was known for its life-size dinosaur replicas that were surrounded by tropical jungle, giving a Jurassic World vibe. This theme park even had a lake for rowing and fishing. A few attractions like Southeast Asia’s largest pool and giant water slides made visitors flock to Mimaland when it opened its doors in 1971. It was a famous attraction until a series of events led to its closure in 1994.
In January 1993, a Singaporean was reported to have drowned in a tragic incident in Mimaland. The following year, development in the area led to landslides that led to turbid pool water and damaged a small area of the theme park. In addition, there were also reported security issues. The theme park had to be temporarily closed for repair work to ensure the safety of visitors. Unfortunately, after the incident, Mimaland was never reopened.
Many people now go to the Mimaland site out of curiosity, especially when there are rumors saying that the place is full of mysteries and supernatural happenings. Mimaland is now popular as one of the most mystical places in the country. There are also people who deliberately go there for recreational activities, sometimes stopping for a while to walk around the area even though they may be arrested for trespassing on privately owned land.
Mimaland is now almost unidentifiable because its original landscape has changed completely. Despite being abandoned, Mimaland will forever be etched in the minds of Malaysians for a long time to come…
Address: Jalan Gombak, 53100, Selangor.
- Bukit Tunku Mansion
Previously known as Kenny Hills, it has now been renamed Bukit Tunku in honor of our first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. With the many luxurious bungalows and upscale condominiums that stand, this area even has a nickname to match its status, “The Beverly Hills of Malaysia”. But the elite may be living side-by-side with other uncanny “residents”.
Always popping up in Malaysia’s list of most haunted places, Bukit Tunku has a dark history hidden inside its sparkling facade. Various macabre stories abound in this area but the most famous is that of the abandoned Bukit Tunku Mansion. Also designated as a heritage building, the creeper-covered mansion once belonged to a British woman and her family. The circumstances that led to the incident are unknown but she hung herself in one of the bedrooms in the house.
Since then, the house has been abandoned and it’s considered unsafe even when you pass the house. The evil aura that emits from it will reel you in, letting you witness the horrors that took place. Those brave enough to near the house have had rocks pelted at them from the second floor. Some have even heard a woman’s voice humming on the ride side of the second storey.
If that isn’t enough, there’s more to experience at Bukit Tunku. There have been sightings of a phantom motorbike rider who died in a high-speed accident. He speeds past drivers only to disappear into the darkness. There’s also a viral video of a man who was driving along Bukit Tunku’s roads and came across a white-clothed figure sitting on the road. It was captured on his dashcam and as he was reversing away from the figure, all the wiring on his dashboard began to trip. This figure has been seen many times by motorcyclists and drivers alike, after witnessing they experience strange happenings to their vehicles. Let us pray that those wandering souls rest in peace….
Address: Bukit Tunku, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
- Penang War Museum
Being the largest war museum in Southeast Asia, this is one of the tourist attractions that is famous for a different kind of history and experience. The mysterious stories that linger on the lips of visitors is actually not an illusion, but rather the truth.
The eight-hectare war fort built by the British army in the 1930s became a stronghold of the country’s military security fortification due to its strategic location. It was also free from enemy threats, or so they thought. Equipped with a variety of sophisticated equipment such as cannons, secret tunnels and logistics offices, the fort was ready to face any eventuality at any time.
Unfortunately, Malaya was attacked by the Japanese army in 1941, causing the British army to flee after blowing up the fort so that it could not be used by the Japanese army. The 85-year-old fort holds a thousand and one secrets to this day. There are 37 historical relics that can be visited, including underground tunnels, control towers and barracks left by the Japanese army after capturing the fort which was later used as a torture and beheading site for prisoners-of-war.
Paranormal researchers from the US, Indonesia, China and Thailand love to come here to conduct research on the paranormal activities that take place here. The sound of Japanese soldiers marching, the smell of kerosene and the existence of unexplained apparitions are among the mystical happenings that still take place at the Penang War Museum, located on the hillside of Batu Maung. Relive the horrors during the Japanese Occupation as if it is happening for real!
Address: Jalan Batu Maung, 11960 Batu Maung, Pulau Pinang.
Entrance fees: RM20 (adult), RM10 (child)
Contact: +6016-421 3606
- Karak Highway
Ask any driver what it’s like to drive along the Karak Highway, chances are they wouldn’t want to discuss it with you or they will relate experiences that will chill you to the bone. This highway lies between the town of Gombak in Selangor to the southwest and Karak in Pahang to the northeast. It is said to be the most haunted road due to the many lives claimed due to the horrific accidents that have taken place along this highway. Among the most horrifying accidents was on 20 January 1990 in which 17 people were killed including 11 FRU members when there was a collision between FRU vehicles with a lorry, a bus and 10 cars.
The most famous horror story along the Karak Highway is that of the Yellow Volkswagen. Often drivers will be disturbed after going through the Karak tunnel. The driver will cut your car and after that he will slow down so that you will overtake him. There is a saying to not overtake the yellow car, if you overtake it, you will crash. The worst part of this is if you were to look at the driver’s seat, there will be no driver!
Another famous horror story is that of the “pontianak” that flies along the Karak highway and targets married men. One of these happened in the 80s. The husband went to find water because his car’s “temperature” went up. The wife waited in the car for a long time with her baby. Then a police patrol car stopped, the policeman told the wife to get out of her car and walk to the police car without looking back. When she heard the police say that, she turned around to look. She was shocked to see the husband on the roof of the car bloody with his limbs shattered. Next time you take a night drive along the Karak Highway be sure to check your rearview mirrors!
Address: Between the town of Gombak in Selangor to the southwest and Karak in Pahang to the northeast.
- Villa Nabila
Villa Nabila’s reputation as a haunted location is so famous that it has spread internationally where the US travel portal Expedia listed the dilapidated bungalow as one of the spookiest locations in Malaysia. Furthermore, the bungalow is believed to have been left unoccupied for over 30 years and since then, various mystical stories have been spread.
There are several versions of the story that are the beginnings of Villa Nabila as a haunted house. Among them, the villa was originally owned by a rich family who had a daughter named Nabila. Because they loved her too much, they named the bungalow ‘Villa Nabila’. Their house was looted and criminals murdered all the occupants. Nabila is said to have been raped before being murdered and her body was cemented in the walls of the house. Another version says that Nabila’s stepmother was revengeful and jealous, because the girl inherited her father’s estate. Following that, the stepmother killed Nabila and buried her body in the wall before fleeing with the property deeds.
There were some individuals who ventured into the area and had a frightening experience. Some came across Nabila ‘herself’, some couldn’t find a way out of the house till daybreak and some still got disturbed by invincible beings after exiting Villa Nabila. To know more about this house, watch a Malaysian movie that was released under the same name. Whatever the case is, be careful not to enter Villa Nabila lest you come across the bones of Nabila in the walls of the house!
Address: Jalan Bertingkat Skudai, Straits View, 80200 Johor Bahru, Johor.
- Byram Estate
Otherwise known as the 99-Door Mansion or the Caledonia House, this mansion was once owned by the British Ramsden family and was built in the 1800s. There was a tragedy in 1948 that made this many-door mansion world famous. The grandson of Ramsden, John St. Maur Ramsden, was brutally murdered at the mansion. He was shot twice in the head on the stairs of the mansion. The killer is unknown and hasn’t been found until now, case unsolved.
The mansion has been abandoned for more than 50 years and has now become a place for ‘bomohs’ (black magic practitioners) to summon the spirits of the Ramsden family. Villagers nearby have heard the sound of drums, people screaming like they were being beaten and the sounds of a werewolf howling.
At exactly 12 midnight, the 100th door will appear and open wide. An experienced shaman can enter another realm through this unseen door. There was once a case of possession by a shaman who had managed to cross the 100th door to the other realm. The person possessed was the crew of SEEKERS, a famous paranormal team a few years ago. If what you’ve read makes you afraid to enter the house but you still want to take a peek, you can view this house on Google Streetview too!
Address: 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang.
- Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution (VI) was established in 1893 and is one of the oldest schools in KL. During the Japanese Occupation, VI was used by the Japanese army as a military base and a site for beheading prisoners-of-war. It also became a grave for tortured dead Japanese prisoners.
There is a music room located in the basement of the school. To get to this room, you have to go through a long tunnel. A student has gone missing here and has not been found to this day.
One day, a security guard was on duty for a night shift. As usual he patrolled the school. While passing the sports equipment store, he heard the sound of people marching on the field. After that, the guard had to call in sick due to high fever. He claimed to have seen a group of Japanese soldiers marching!
Once a student saw a body hanging on the toilet door. The cubicle number was 206. There are also stories of blood flowing out of the toilet. There is a clock tower about 30m high. Many students have seen “things” sitting on the clock tower at night.
Another story was related by the school’s choir group which always practices till late night. In 2005, a choir member went missing and was found sleeping on the school’s water tank. When questioned, the student said he had come across a woman walking alone on the school grounds. On the basis of concern, he tried to ask the woman, but then lost consciousness and did not remember anything. Imagine studying in this school, I will be terrified every single day by one supernatural occurrence after another!
Address: Jalan Hang Tuah, City Centre, 55200 Kuala Lumpur.
- Banglo Kayangan
Before this bungalow was erected, it was empty land. An individual purchased the land and wanted to build his bungalow on it. Before construction, the landlord was warned of the supernatural disturbances but he didn’t believe in any of these things and insisted the house be built. So when other parts of the house were done, they began to measure the size of the windows and doors. The next day, the contractors came in with glass panes but it was either too big or too small to fit into the doors and windows. The next day after resizing the same thing repeats and the day after too. The landlord abandoned the house after these mysterious goings-on and bought another plot of land in SS7 to build his house.
According to an eyewitness who passed by the house, he saw many “people” at the opening of the windows and doors there. On another occasion, he felt as if someone had pushed him as he passed by the house. When he turned around, there was no one there. Another individual heard people screaming so loud that his car shook. On his way home, he kept hearing voices screaming, talking and shouting in anger. It was so loud that he didn’t even hear the passengers in his car talking to him. He believed that whatever it was, it had followed him home. Whatever it is, I don’t think I will be approaching that house anytime soon!
Address: SS12, Shah Alam, Selangor.
Written By Kartini Kannan
