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\nView of the boardwalk along Changi Beach.
\nChangi is probably best known for its award-winning airport, but it has so much more to offer, including remnants of a rich colonial past, plenty of food options and a rustic beach.
\nBy Joanne Poh
\nMention Changi, and thoughts immediately turn to the thrill of a holiday for which one inevitably departs from Changi Airport. Visitors to the area are often enchanted by the balmy serenity of Changi Beach, fringed with palm trees.
\nBut to the residents of Changi, this area on the eastern end of Singapore, bordered by Tampines and Pasir Ris, is as full of promise as it is idyllic. With its stunning sea views, it is easy to forget that Changi is also a major aviation hub and has earned the moniker of the Central Business District of the East.
\nA dark past
\nThe name Changi was in use as early as the beginning of the 19th century, although the origins of the word are still open to debate. Some believe the name Changi was derived from the Changal tree, which used to grow in the area. Others attribute it to the changi ular, a variety of shrub, or the chengal pasir, a type of tree.
\nThe area was, in the early 20th century, swathed in mangrove swamps and thick forest, above which the hills that were later christened Battery Hill, Fairy Point Hill and Temple Hill towered.
\nAs late as 1927, less than a century ago, the area was sparsely populated with a tiny village, several bungalows, a temple, sago and coconut plantations and some very basic amenities such as a police station and hotel.
\nAfter 1927, Changi was developed into a military base, with remnants of this period in the area\u2019s colonial past still standing today. However, when the Japanese landed during World War II, they bypassed the eastern border of Singapore altogether, landing instead on the west coast.
\nToday, many stately colonial buildings such as the old Command HQ and the bungalows at Aloha Changi are a testament to Changi\u2019s past.
\nChangi\u2019s status as an aviation hub was born in the wartime years, when scores of prisoners of war were forced to build an airstrip in the area by the Japanese occupiers. The airstrip was later taken over by the British Royal Air Force after the war, and finally passed on to the Singapore Air Force in the 1970s.
\nThe famous Singapore Changi Airport was built on the site of Changi Air Base, taking over from the previous international airport at Paya Lebar, which was in turn converted to a military air base. Extensive land reclamation works were undertaken beginning in 1975 to accommodate the airport, which has since expanded into one of the world\u2019s biggest and best airports.
\nFor teenagers and thrill-seekers in Singapore, Changi also has an unsettling link to the supernatural world.
\nThe grounds of the former Changi Hospital are often explored in the dead of night by intrepid ghost-hunters and urban explorers, and has even inspired a low-budget film. The abandoned hospital\u2019s claim to fame comes from its use during the Second World War as a prison camp and a hospital for Japanese soldiers.
\nA scenic place to work
\nDespite any lingering eeriness that can be traced to its wartime past, the Changi of today is more business-like than ghostly.
\nThanks to Changi Business Park, which was opened in 1997, the area has been transformed into an aviation, business and technology hub.
\nSome distance from the hustle and bustle of Changi Business Park lies Changi Village, which is very popular with residents thanks to its quietness and proximity to the sea and Changi Beach Park.
\nMelvin Loh, a lawyer living in the area, describes Changi as \u201cnice and quiet\u201d and, despite being on the eastern end of Singapore, \u201caccessible to the city centre\u201d. He says, \u201cThe area near Flora Road and Flora Drive (off Upper Changi Road North) is next to the expressway entrance and exit, which makes getting to town easy.\u201d
\nHis favourite spots include The Coastal Settlement on Netheravon Road, a restaurant-cafe-bar swathed in greenery, and Chock Full of Beans, a trendy cafe with a reputation for cutesy latte art.
\nFor many visitors to the Changi area, the main draw is Changi Airport, which attracts not just holiday makers and business travellers, but also Singaporeans whose idea of a fun weekend is slipping down the world\u2019s tallest airport slide, shopping and dining at the airport\u2019s dizzying array of options, and checking out planes on the tarmac at the airport\u2019s Terminal 1 Viewing Gallery.
\nBut avid plane spotters know that it\u2019s not at the airport, but at Changi Beach Park where the best views of planes taking off and landing can be enjoyed. Plane-spotting isn\u2019t the only reason to visit Changi Beach, which has maintained a rustic atmosphere and offers an idyllic backdrop for a barbecue or a spot of camping.
\nThe Changi Point Coastal Walk, a 2.2 km long boardwalk, is another scenic experience boasting unparalleled views of the waterfront. It also offers easy access to the ferry terminal from which bumboats depart for Pulau Ubin.
\nA dazzling future
\nA few new developments have graced Changi\u2019s shores in the last few years.
\nPropNex property agent Edmund Ee identifies Grandeur Park Residences as a noteworthy residential development in the area.
\nThe 99-year leasehold condominium by CEL Development is located a stone\u2019s throw from Tanah Merah MRT station and is expected to receive its temporary occupation permit at the end of 2021.
\nGrandeur Park Residences is located near Tanah Merah MRT station.
\nThe units contain smart home features such as Wi-Fi cameras with motion detection capabilities and night vision surveillance which enable homeowners to monitor their property on the go. Residents can also control lighting, window and door sensors and energy management using their unit\u2019s smart home system.
\nResidents have a lot more to look forward to in the coming years. Ee anticipates better parks and sports and recreational facilities in Changi\u2019s future.
\n\u201cExisting parks like Changi Beach Park will be refreshed with new pavilions, paths, shelters and playgrounds. On top of this, new attractions and a refreshed Downtown East will attract families and friends who wish to enjoy leisure time together,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n