Evening reflections of jetty over lake at Changi, with gentle clouds in the sky

Changi

Back to all places

Nearly everyone who comes to Singapore will begin their journey in Changi, but very few will actually get out and explore. All the more reason why you should. 

Changi is best-known as the home of Singapore’s airport. It might not sound that exciting — but Changi Airport is something else. 40-metre oculus waterfall, mirror maze, tube slides, free movies, orchid gardens and robots handing out drinks — this isn’t just an airport, it’s a veritable pleasure dome. 

Anyway, we’re getting carried away, because we’re not here to talk about the airport. Unassuming Changi is actually a really lovely place to get to know a different side of Singapore. For a start, like pretty much everywhere on this delicious island, it’s stuffed to the gills with great places to eat. Grab a barbecue on the narrow, tree-shaded beach, soak up the “kampong” village atmosphere reminiscent of Singapore in the 60s and 70s, and cycle along the lovely East Coast Parkway — stopping for satay whenever you feel peckish. 

Then, learn about Singapore's war history at Changi Prison, where Allied prisoners of war were kept by the Japanese during WWII. Many of the Changi prisoners would go on to die constructing the infamous Death Railway, and today a nearby museum preserves their stories — including photographs, letters, drawings and personal effects.