Exploring Abandoned Sentosa Fort: Secret Passageways, Underground Pools & Mysterious Bones?!
Travel restrictions have got us all stuck and restless in Singapore. You’ve toured the whole of Jewel, and visited Gardens by the Bay enough times to commit its layout to memory. Now what?
Turns out, our little island has its own hidden gems -- adventure sites you won’t find anywhere else in the world!
Think sprawling stone ruins overgrown with vines. Think underground tunnels, abandoned WWII structures and secret reservoirs. Think urban exploration meets tropical jungle – a 100% uniquely Singapore experience.
This 1-Day guide will take you on an adventurous trek through Sentosa, exploring the lesser-known Fort Serapong – Serapong Ruins and Serapong Casemates.
1. Serapong Ruins
Getting there
• Take the monorail from Sentosa Station at Vivo City and alight at Beach Station.
• Take Sentosa Bus 3 at the bus depot and alight at the “Sentosa Cove Village” stop.
• Walk upwards along Cove Ave and into Woolwich Road.
• Walk towards the sign that says “Serapong Hill Road” and make your way up the road. You’ll see the Serapong Ruins on your left.
Fort Serapong refers to the whole network of military buildings, underground bunkers and tunnels on Mount Serapong in Sentosa. Together with other forts in Sentosa, it was built by the British between the 1870s and 1890s.
Armed with giant naval guns, the forts protected our bustling port from pirates and other enemies in the south seas. When the Japanese invaded from the north in 1942, the naval guns were turned inland.
For three days they fired uselessly, before ammunition ran out. Then they were destroyed so they wouldn’t fall into enemy hands.
Keen: Whisper trekking sandals in Agate Grey/Blue Opal.
Today, the jungle has reclaimed the Serapong Ruins. Tree roots engulf the structure, and vines trail through it.
Its roof has caved in. Reinforced concrete blocks hang by rusted threads of steel. Graffiti adorns the brick walls.
Stairs leading to the underground have long rusted away. Who knows what lives there now?
Keen: Clearwater trekking sandals in Black/Gargoyle.
Tip 1: Download the app MAPS.ME and use it to navigate (instead of Google Maps!) It’s more detailed and reliable.
Tip 2: Wear shoes with good grip as the ground is both muddy and slippery. If you decide to wear trekking sandals, wear socks. Jungle ants are ferocious!
2. Serapong Casemates
Getting there
• Exit the Serapong Ruins and continue upwards on the road.
• Avoid the fenced-up utilities area and walk onto the grass on your left.
• Follow the trail into the jungle until you see the Casemates ahead.
Venture further down the trail and you’ll find a gigantic two-storey structure built into the side of the hill. The Serapong Casemates are rooms with openings from which guns or missiles were fired. Its passageways lead into the heart of the hill, and there is even a hidden underground reservoir.
Tip 3: The trail to the Casemates has some awesome panoramic views of Singapore’s port — look out for them!
Please don’t put your Thermacell on your head - though it still works to repel mosquitoes.
Tip 4: Bring powerful flashlights for safety. It’s pitch dark in some areas. If you’re looking for a powerful and reliable flashlight, we’ve used Nitecore Lights for years.
Tip 5: Apply mosquito repellent, or bring along a Thermacell. This place is a mosquito haven.
3. Secret Ladder and Bunker
Getting there
• Go into each of the casemate rooms, one of them will have a hole near the ceiling with a rope dangling.
• Using the rope, climb into the overhead tunnel.
• This will lead you to additional hidden sections of the casemates you can explore.
Climb into the overhead tunnel in one of the casemate rooms and you’ll emerge in a new, hidden section of the casemates. Here you’ll find not just additional rooms, but a large sandy tunnel, a small underground pool, and even mysterious animal bones! The highlight though, is a secret ladder four-storeys deep leading down to a stone bunker at the bottom of the hill.
The secret stone bunker at the bottom of the hill.
4. Afternoon Cuppa at Tanjong Beach
Getting there
• Trek back to where you started, at “Serapong Hill Road”.
• You can trek or walk a distance and take a bus to Tanjong Beach.
It’s time to head to the beach, for an afternoon cuppa while listening to gently lapping waves. If you’re looking for a lightweight stove and pot, Primus is the best we’ve tried.
Cute and colourful Wildo cups brighten up any campsite.
Drinks are expensive at Sentosa. Why not brew your own? Here we use a Hook Coffee drip bag and camping percolator.
Even though we can’t travel right now, the spirit of adventure lies within us.
We don’t need to travel far to keep the fire alive.
There’s so much to discover in Singapore, if we just go outside.
Keen: Newport trekking sandals in Olive/Black and Keen: Targhee III trekking sandals in Black/Grey.
Outside SG sponsored some of our equipment for this adventure trek — the Keen trekking sandals, Primus stove and pots, and Wildo cups. Shop here!
Which Keen shoes model should I choose for trekking and water sports?
Meet the sandal that can protect your toes when adventuring in the wilderness
