Sijori Wondergolf

RiccardoDP (Atlas Obscura User)

Few people know about Sijori Wondergolf, once a thriving mini-golf attraction located on Sentosa Island in Singapore. With its 18-hole courses, the site offered a family-friendly outdoor experience that combined leisure and entertainment. However, in the years since its closure, the attraction has taken on a different allure as an intriguing, abandoned relic on one of Singapore’s most popular tourist destinations. Because even less people know that the minigolf is still there, right behind the Universal Studios, now engulfed by the jungle.

Sijori Wondergolf opened in the early 2000s, when Sentosa Island was transforming into a major hub for leisure and entertainment in Singapore. The mini-golf courses were set against the lush greenery of Sentosa, including ponds and creatively themed obstacles. The attraction offered a family-oriented diversion amidst Sentosa’s many attractions, which included beaches, theme parks, and resorts.

Despite its initial popularity, Sijori Wondergolf began to decline in the mid-2000s. Various factors contributed to this, including competition from newer attractions on Sentosa, spiking in prices, and with the contribution of SARS-2003 epidemic. In 2008, Sijori Wondergolf quietly closed its doors, and the site was left abandoned. Over time, the mini-golf courses became overgrown with vegetation, and the once-vibrant landscape took on an eerie, dilapidated appearance. The sound of cheerful golfers was replaced by silence, and the artificial ponds and streams slowly filled with stagnant water. Nature gradually reclaimed the area, covering the courses with creeping vines and moss.

Today, Sijori Wondergolf remains a haunting reminder of Sentosa’s past. Although not open to the public, urban explorers and curious onlookers have occasionally ventured into the area to catch a glimpse of this forgotten attraction. The decaying courses, broken obstacles, and crumbling pathways create an atmosphere that contrasts sharply with Sentosa’s otherwise polished, tourist-friendly image. A sort of post-apocalyptic scenario engulfed by nature, showing a mirror of how will be the world without humans.

For those interested in Singapore’s hidden and forgotten places, Sijori Wondergolf serves as a fascinating example of how even in a city known for rapid development and modernization, there are still pockets of history and mystery waiting to be rediscovered.

Know Before You Go

Please be aware that the place is not open to the public. However, it is also true that there are no off-limit signs or warnings outside (at least till 2023), just a staircase leading to the minigolf. Keep in mind that Singapore is always very strict with its laws, so enter the place at your own risk.

For people still interested in looking at this place, it can be easily accessible with the Sentosa Express accessible from Vivocity mall. Go down at the Imbiah station, and then take a 5-minute hike up the road. You will easily see the pink towers marking the place, then just look for a staircase over there.

And remember to bring mosquito repellent, because mosquitoes now rule this abandoned place and all its ponds (and Dengue is endemic in Singapore).