Changi Village

On the far northeast coast of Singapore, Changi Village is an escape from the hubbub of central Singapore. The buildings are modern (although there are some interesting old ‘black-and-white’ bungalows along Loyang Ave), but there’s still a village atmosphere, with the lively and quite renowned hawker centre next to the bus terminus being a focal point. There’s a small, attractive beachfront camp site across the Changi Creek from the bus terminal, where you can watch the planes gliding into Changi airport while relaxing on the imported sand. It’s popular on weekends but almost deserted during the week. You might want to avoid swimming here, though. Changi’s beach is where thousands of Singaporean civilians were executed by the Japanese during WWII. A memorial marks the site.