Changi Heritage Trail

The Changi Heritage Trail by NHB features 23 heritage sites and six heritage trail markers, they will tell you the stories of Changi through the memories of its community, tracing its evolution across different eras, and shed light on Changi’s cultural, social, economic and military heritage over the centuries. Visitors on the Changi Heritage Trail will get to explore iconic landmarks and discover the diverse narratives of Changi, from the hardships endured by prisoners of war during the Japanese Occupation to the vibrant mix of cultures of the kampongs and communities in the Changi area. 

Mr Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community), NHB, said: “Through our heritage trails, NHB hopes not only to showcase the unique history of neighbourhoods, but to also leverage our trails to bring heritage closer to the community; facilitate community participation through the contribution of stories and photographs; enhance place identity; and in this case, encourage Singaporeans to explore Changi and rediscover its unique charms.”

Coastal lifestyle

Changi’s coastal area, fishing and other maritime activities shaped the economy, society and cultures of the kampongs in Changi. For the communities of Kampongs Ayer Germuroh, Mata Ikan and Beting Kusah, fishing was their livelihood, as were kerkarang (coastal foraging) and the making of kaput (lime-based whitewash). All these activities required deep knowledge of the seascape, weather patterns and monsoon winds, that were passed down through generations and they formed the foundations of many aspects of community life. The fishermen of Changi coast generally head out to sea after dusk, returning in the mornings, bringing the villages to life. 

Sun, sand and sea of Changi – Singapore’s Lido

During Singapore’s colonial era, the sun, sand and sea of Changi transformed into Singapore’s Lido. The Lido di Venezia in Italy is known for its fresh air and forested environment. Changi was a popular leisure destination for its quiet and clam beaches, cool sea breeze, and this was also the point for those who wished to sail to nearby islands or favoured fishing locations. 

Changi developed into a resort feel for the colonial society, this was highlighted by European visitors, as recorded in a diary entry from 1860 that detailed a visit to Changi: “Changhee is a sort of Singapore Brighton – a place where everyone goes for a picnic. It only consists of a few small fishermen’s huts, a government traveller’s bungalow, and another bungalow a little higher up belong to a Joint Hock Company.” 

A wooden bungalow known as Change Hut was constructed, this made Changi a popular location for the colonial society for their holidays due to its picturesque surroundings. With this popularity, more bungalows were constructed in the area, with private investors renting them out as resorts, further cementing Changi’s reputation as a leisure spot as Singapore’s Lido.

Changi’s military history and heritage 

After the 1920s, Changi went through significant transformation to become a strategic military and penal hub. Sembawang, located in the northern part of Singapore was confirmed as the location for United Kingdom’s (UK) new naval base back then, they needed another site for a cantonment (military quarters) and artillery emplacements to house troops and guns that would protect the naval base. 

Given the strategic location of Changi overlooking and commanding the eastern approach to the Johor Strait, as well as its distance from the city and major residential areas. Changi was chosen and a natural choice to play her role in the defence of Singapore. 

The Gillman Commission was established in 1927 to plan and develop the Changi Cantonment. Thereafter, the UK War Office began acquiring land in Changi and transforming the landscape to make way for concrete gun emplacements, airfields, hangars, barracks blocks and other facilities. 

Changi Prison came after the development of Changi Cantonment. They were built in response to overcrowded conditions at Pearl’s Hill Prison and Outram Prison in the early 1930s. Changi Prison would eventually house Western civilians and prisoners of war during the Japanese Occupation.

Hearing heartfelt stories of Changi’s history, heritage, culture and living

During the media tour of Changi Heritage Trail, we met people that were associated with Changi’s history, heritage, culture and living, hearing the heartfelt and wonderful stories of Changi.

At Sree Ramar Temple, Mr Thalapathi K.V, a temple volunteer, he shared quite a lot of interesting stories about his memories of Changi. The points that he shared with us that enlightened me were Sree Ramar Temple was facing East, there were two water elements in front of the temple down the road, Sungai Changi, followed by the sea/coastal area (Changi Beach Park) after the river. He also spoke about the connections and significance of the statues of Buddha and Guan Yin in the temple, about the communities in Changi, his childhood days playing around the neighbourhood, the multi-cultural communities and the kampong spirit. 

At Changi Sailing Club/Changi Boardwalk, overlooking the coast and sea, Mdm Isiah Majid, a former resident of Kampong Ayer Gemuroh also shared a lot about her childhood memories of Changi, “[The atmosphere at the beach was] just like a fish market, with people [gathering around each] boat to buy their fish. It’s a joyful moment, with children swimming and [playing] in the sea… while the adults are bargaining for their fish.”

If you are travelling to Changi Airport by car or bus on the road or your plane is landing at or departing from Changi Airport, you can’t miss the iconic Changi Airport Control Tower. At Changi Airport Terminal 1, we heard Mr Joshua Woo sharing priceless photos and memories of his late father, a former contractor that was involved in the building of the Changi Airport Control Tower.

Beyond the history, heritage, culture and tangible aspects of cultural heritage, these are great examples of our intangible cultural heritage, the life experiences, oral history and memories of Singapore.

My personal nostalgia memories of Changi 

When NHB launched its newest heritage trail, the Changi Heritage Trail, I was excited to retrace back my nostalgia memories, starting from my teenage days of visiting Changi Village, starting off with a long bus ride on bus service no.2 from Chinatown to Changi Village, followed by taking a bumboat across to Pulau Ubin for camping and hiking when I was a Boy Scout. I remembered going for hikes with our map and compass (no smartphones and maps app in our era) and one of the hikes led us to Changi. 

Thereafter, serving my full-time National Service, starting off at as a recruit at Pulau Tekong and we recruits during my time had to board a slow boat (if you know, you know) from a jetty in Changi to Pulau Tekong (not like today when they can take a ferry), I can’t forget watching the night sky from the slow boat and thinking when can I get back to mainland Singapore again. 

Continuing on into my adult years, even though going to Changi can be a quite a bit of travel for me staying at the western part of Singapore, I do enjoy heading to Changi once a while, on a road trip along the former Changi Coast Road, watching the planes landing at Changi Beach (and doing aviation photography), taking sunset photographs (a great spot for taking beautiful sunsets in Singapore) at Changi Boardwalk or Changi Beach Park. Not to forget wildlife and travel photography around the Changi Village area. 

You don’t have to worry about food and drinks at Changi Village, from the hawker centre, cafes and restaurants, there are different food and beverage options for you to choose from, to relax and enjoy and have a good time there. Before the days of cafes and restaurants coming to Changi Village, it’s the hawker centre for us, the nasi lemak is one of my favourite!

That part of Changi has a rustic and slower pace of life packed with rich history, heritage, culture and food, that you might not envision in a hectic and fast paced modern cosmopolitan Singapore. The growth, development and transformation of Changi, from coastal living and fishing, into a leisure destination, later into a strategic military district, and today a world famous international airport sits in the Changi district. 

Why not experience Changi for yourself, learning and experiencing its early days, coastal life transforming into the modern Changi international air hub of today. See and experience how Changi still retains its rustic charm, history, heritage, culture and natural surroundings. Come explore Changi on National Heritage Board’s newest heritage trail – Changi Heritage Trail.

How can I embark on the Changi Heritage Trail and explore Changi?

Changi Heritage Trail features three thematic routes:

Bungalows and Beaches in Changi (1 hour with public transport) – 4km

This route will bring you to explore the bungalows, sailing and beach clubs, and chalets in Changi. 

War and Peace in Changi (1.5 hours with public transport) – 7.6km

For those into history and heritage, this route brings you to explore the history of different military buildings in Changi with this route, including Changi Prison, Changi Chapel and Museum, and the former Changi Cantonment.

Gateways and Communities in Changi (2 hours with public transport) – 12km

On this route, you can find more about the communities of Changi and the places in which they lived, worked and played.

For more information on Changi Heritage Trail

For more information on Changi Heritage Trail, please visit https://go.gov.sg/roots-changi-heritage-trail, you can download the Changi Heritage Trail’s companion guide and map, time to start exploring! This map will also be made available in all four languages from June 2024. Limited copies of the companion guide will also be available at Siglap Community Club, Changi Chapel and Museum, and Asian Civilisations Museum. 

The post Explore Changi on National Heritage Board’s newest heritage trail appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Before we take our trail adventure exploring, discovering and rediscovering AMK town via he refreshed NHB Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, let’s start with a bird’s eye view of AMK town and its surroundings from Blk 710. How different would the landscapes and surroundings of AMK, the nearby neighbouring towns, were like as compared to the 1989 when Queen Elizabeth II visited on her tour of Ang Mo Kio at Block 710? 

New stories of AMK’s town history and heritage 

The NHB refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail tells new stories of AMK town’s history and heritage. Through fresh research and community interviews, these have allowed the refreshed trail to delve deeper into AMK’s transformation from an area of plantations and farming land to a thriving residential and commercial hub.

This refreshed trail has reveal lesser-known facts about its landmarks, and uncover more tales of the men and women who live and work in AMK. The Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail was first launched in 2011, it is part of NHB’s ongoing efforts to document and promote distinct histories and memories of different areas in which Singaporeans live, work and play, deepening our understanding of the Singapore story.

New marked sites and thematic routes

The refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail covers 40 heritage sites and features 10 heritage markers. These include 13 new sites, as well as two new markers at the 

1. Church of Christ the King – the only Catholic church in AMK
2. Liuxun Sanhemiao, a joint temple formed by three temples – Sam Ann Fu, Longxuyuan Jinsuiguan, and Hong San Chin Huat Temple Association – which originated rom the former Lak Xun Village in Yio Chu Kang. 

This trail also features three newly curated thematic routes exploring different aspects of AMK’s heritage, including Iconic Landmarks, Hidden Heartland Gems, and Scenic Fringes. 

These new markers join a list of sites that are a part of AMK’s unique story, including the 21-hectare AMK Town Garden West, the largest town garden project by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) at the time of its completion in 1983. The AMK Town Council was the first such council in Singapore that was established in 1986, and Block 259, also known as the “Clover Block”. the first and only block of circular HDB flats.

Mr Gerald Wee, Director (Education and Community Outreach), NHB, said: “Since the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail was launched in 2011, we’ve been working closely with the Ang Mo Kio community, and have uncovered interesting new facts and stories about the town’s history and heritage, such as the cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong which was hidden in Chong Boon Chinese School in Lelong Pah village, near today’s Serangoon Garden, during the Japanese Occupation. By refreshing the trail, we hope that Singaporeans will gain a deeper appreciation of this quintessential Singaporean heartland, and residents will be imbued with a greater sense of pride and belonging.”

The AMK Community Spirit

This refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail incorporates contributions from former and current residents of AMK to showcase the diverse aspects of the town through the perspectives of people from different walks of life, cultural backgrounds and faiths. AMK in its early days has been known for its strong kampong spirit of neighbourliness. 

Karen Albuquerque, a long-time resident of Ang Mo Kio who contributed to the refreshed trail, recalled: “The neighbourly relations were very strong and close. During festivals, we would visit each other and kept a look out for one another. My mother even left a set of our keys with one of my neighbours!”

From a rural area to an iconic heartland town

AMK became a town of many firsts as it evolved from its rural origins. It was one of the first estates built by HDB, this made AMK an ideal testing ground for different architectural styles, building methods, and pilot initiatives. Block 259 in AMK, is also known as the “Clover Block” for its resemblance to the plant when viewed from above, resulted from this. This block stands as the only block of circular public housing flats in Singapore, and is now an icon in the neighbourhood. 

AMK also served as a pioneer for the concept of town councils, a name that we are familiar in today’s Singapore. This idea was first raised by Lim Boon Heng, then Member of Parliament for Kebun Baru in 1984, with the goal of providing residents greater autonomy over how their estates are managed, and to nurture a stronger sense of ownership and identity. 

Launched in 1986, AMK Town Council became the first of its kind after a successful pilot programme, leading to the passing of the Town Council Act in 1988.

Hidden gems in AMK

There are hidden gems in AMK neighbourhood that the locals in AMK would know. This refreshed NHB trail brings visitors on a journey to explore them, revealing new stories and information about the town’s landmarks. 

Church of Christ the King

One such institution is the Church of Christ the King, the first and only Catholic church in AMK. Officially opened on 26th September 1982, the church houses two significant religious objects, an icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help on its facade, and a start of Christ the King, sculpted in 1956 in Kerala, India on its front balcony.

Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple

The Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple was constructed in 2011, unites the heritage of three temples from former villages in AMK: Gao Lin Gong, Kim Eang Tong and Leng San Giam. 

With the redevelopment of AMK in the 1970s, the three temples came together to establish a joint temple to secure the lease for the site it currently stands on. When you visit the Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple, keep a lookout for the intricate carvings on the building’s pillars and facade that were handcrafted by artisans in China, and a carved wooden stand within the Gao Lin Gong temple commissioned in 1888 to mark the temple’s founding. 

It is one of the two joint temples in AMK that houses temples from different kampongs in the area, the other being the aforementioned Liuxun Sanhemiao.

A closer look at AMK community stories

Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club

The locals would know this place, in more recent decades, an iconic spot well-loved by many is the Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club. This location serves as the a community gathering spot for bird keepers and enthusiasts from all over Singapore. Known as Singapore’s largest bird singing and display arena, the Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club was originally established by three Zebra Dove enthusiasts residing in AMK. 

In 1987, they applied to erect poles to expand the club’s capacity for more bird enthusiasts to join them. At the present moment, this venue can accommodate more than 1,000 cages and regularly hosts bird singing competitions. Among the club’s founders is Mr Teng Leng Foo, who also operates a traditional bird cage making business at Block 159, located next to the arena.  

Hidden cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong

In the refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, lesser-known stories of AMK town, such as the hidden cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong, which used to be located in Chong Boon Chinese School in Lelong Pah. He was renowned for his ink paintings of horses and birds, Artist Xu had organised an exhibition to raise funds for the Sino-Japanese war when the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1941. 

To evade surveillance, Artist Xu’s associates, active in anti-Japanese efforts, arranged for him to take shelter at Lelong Pah. His collection of art tools and artworks were carefully sealed in ceramic vats and buried near the school. After the Japanese Occupation, these vats were retrieved and left to air-dry for over two months in the school before being returned to Artist Xu.

When you embark on your refreshed NHB Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, you can expect to dive deeper into such stories like these inside the companion guide.

How can I discover/rediscover Ang Mo Kio? 

NHB’s various heritage trails are excellent, informative, friendly and easy to use travel guides for both locals and overseas visitors who would like to explore the Singapore heartlands of living, history, heritage, culture and living. If you like to embark on your NHB AMK Heritage Trail (refreshed), here are three newly curated thematic routes that you choose from.

(1) Iconic Landmarks (1.5 hours with public transport, 5.5km)

Taking public transport in AMK district, this route brings you to the iconic buildings and sites of AMK new town, the 7th housing town built by HDB – which range from distinctive blocks to landscaped parks.

(2) Hidden Heartland Gems (1 hour and 45 minutes with public transport, 7.5km)

This route brings you to explore overlooked gems in AMK, and relates interesting facts about them and lesser-known community stories.

(3) Scenic Fringes (2.5 hours with public transport, 12km)

For this scenic route, it brings you to explore the outskirts of AMK, revealing another side of the new town and its surroundings.  

Where can I find more information on Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail? 

If you like to embark on your very own Ang Mo Kio rediscovery adventure, you can download the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail companion guide and map from NHB’s heritage portal, roots.gov.sg. 

For those who prefer a printed copy of the guide and map, they will also be available in limited quantities at various locations, including Asian Civilisations Museum, Cheng San-Seletar Community Club, Teck Ghee Community Club, Kebun Baru Community Club, Yio Chu Kang Community Club, and NHB HQ at Stamford Court.

Check out this video highlights of the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail here: https://go.gov.sg/angmokioheritagetrail 

Explore Singapore’s History, Heritage, Culture, and Stories with NHB Heritage Trails

Whether you are a local or an overseas visiting Singapore, I would like to invite you to check out NHB’s curation and collection of Heritage Trails that you can embark on to explore a different, unique and engaging travel experiences in Singapore that you might not know about.

Visit NHB’s heritage portal, ROOTS – https://www.roots.gov.sg/nhb/trails, for more information and collections of NHB Heritage Trails. 

Happy exploring Singapore through NHB’s Heritage Trails collection!

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