old changi hospital tour

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Discovering Singapore's Best Kept Secrets: Digital Tour of Old Changi Hospital by Jerome

8 may • 04:00pm.

Deep in the heart of Changi lies a former hospital where patients were treated to therapeutic vistas of the sea. Join guide Jerome Lim on a digital walkthrough of Old Changi Hospital and take in the sights for yourself.

Old Changi Hospital started life as a camp for Royal Engineers in the 1930s. It was converted for use as a hospital in 1947 to serve the Royal Air Force (RAF) Station Changi. It was one of the RAF’s best medical facilities. Among other things, patients appreciated its proximity to the sea. Heritage blogger and author Jerome Lim, who has collaborated with SLA for the Discovering Singapore’s Best Kept Secrets series of State property tours, will walk you through the history of the former hospital and point out architectural features that worked well for patient care and recovery. 

Missed out on the tour? Find out more about the Old Changi Hospital through the article written by Jerome below!

https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/a-wander-through-old-changi-hospital/

Discovering Singapore’s Best Kept Secrets SHF 2021 edition is presented in partnership with Jerome Lim and the Singapore Land Authority.

About Jerome Lim Jerome Lim is a heritage enthusiast, a keen photographer, and a blogger who captures Singapore’s fast evolving urban and cultural landscape through the award-winning ‘The Long and Winding Road’ blog. He is also the author of ‘Uncommon Ground: The Places You Know, The Stories You Don’t’ and co-author of ‘Secret Singapore’ through which he brings out the stories that are hidden in many of Singapore’s lesser-known sites. Through Jerome’s collaboration with the Singapore Land Authority, he has led guided visits to State Properties under the agency’s care since 2017, including several that have featured in NHB’s Battle for Singapore and Singapore Heritage Festival tour programmes.

Other fascinating stories & events…

37 Emerald Hill Site Tours

18 - 19, 25 - 26 May • 10:00am •

18 - 19, 25 - 26 May • 02:00pm •

Come along for the first ever public site tours of 37 Emerald Hill, former home of Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, the first locally founded secular school for girls by our Straits-born community and conserved through a ground-up community effort.

Architrek Through Time: An Architectural Odyssey through Landmarks, Design, and Urban Lore

5 May, 12 May, 18, 25 May • 10:00am •

5, 12 May • 03:00pm •

18, 25 May • 02:00pm •

Trace the evolution of Singapore Downtown's urban landscape and uncover the city's planning history through weekend walking tours featuring iconic architectural landmarks. Discover the hidden tales and cultural anecdotes that add a layer of mystery to Singapore Downtown's rich tapestry.

Baba House Neighbourhood Tours

11, 25 May • 10:00am •

Explore the built histories and communities of the Blair Plain conservation district, and how approaches and attitudes towards urban conservation and planning have shaped our landscape today.

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Old Changi Hospital, situated on the small Barrack Hill along Netheravon Road, was a fascinating place with a long history, going all the way back to the mid-thirties as a small British military hospital called Royal Air Force Hospital.

The hospital was captured by the Japanese forces during World War II, and was used as a healthcare facility for the prisoners-of-war detained at the Changi military base nearby.

After the war, the British regained possession of the hospital. It was handed over to the Commonwealth forces in 1971 when the British started withdrawing their troops from an independent Singapore. The hospital was renamed as Anzuk Hospital, where the name Anzuk referred to the Australian, New Zealand and United Kingdom armed forces.

As the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) started to take shape in the early seventies, the Commonwealth forces withdrew gradually. In 1975, Singapore government took over the hospital and converted it to SAF Hospital, which provided medical, surgical and dental healthcare to the servicemen.

Just one year later, SAF Hospital was passed to the Ministry of Health (MOH), which opened it to the public. Combining with nearby Changi Chalet Hospital, the new healthcare center of the eastern side of Singapore, equipped with x-ray devices and emergency services, was now capable of taking care of 150 hospitalised patients.

As the hospital was situated on a hill, the healthcare personnel as well as the patients found it difficult to access various blocks (Block 24, 37 and 161) using the steep flights of stairs. Thus MOH decided to source for another better location. In 1997, the staff of Changi Hospital were shifted to their new workplace in Simei. Combining with Toa Payoh Hospital, the new site was called Changi General Hospital.

For many years, Old Changi Hospital remained vacant and unattended. Shortly after its abandonment, it became one of the favourite spots in Singapore for ghost sighting. Haunted stories about the hospital spread like wild fire, but the sources were never confirmed.

In 2006, Singapore Land Authority (SLA) invited private investments to develop the hospital . Real estate company Bestway Properties won the contract to turn the historical site into a lifestyle haven of resorts, spas and restaurants. However, the plans never materialised, probably due to the 2008 financial crisis, and the site was returned to SLA in 2010. The forgotten hospital was vacated once more.

Published: 17 May 2011

Updated: 04 October 2013

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155 Responses to Old Changi Hospital

Hey brothers and sisters,

This place is being protected by Motion censors, its located at the front entrance and at the top of the stairs which is located at the main gate. If you enter, you will trigger the motion censor and Aetos officer will come and catch you.

So i suggest you guys better not go in. 🙂

thanks for the info!

no problem! 🙂

Some stuff does exist even if we cant see them. I know that young people laugh at such stuff and find it adventurous and exciting to go to this kind of places. I was one of them. I was a young teenager and I have been to this well known hospital more times than i could count. My frens and i went in big groups, and even so, one could not shake off the uneasy feeling when we were in there. Back then, the stairs was still accessible and there were no motion censors. There were security guards and the big dogs keeping watch. Once, we went too near them and the security dogs went barking like mad. I was not sure if the dogs actually chased us, all i knew was that my frens in front of me started screaming like mad and turn around and ran, I follow suit and heard the loud and fierce barking sounds. suddenly all of us were running like hell. my heart was pounding and im like: omg omg dun let the dog catch me and bite my leg off. other than this episode, we manage to access the highest point through the stairs that you people were talking about. Besides that, I remember looking for all the horrible rooms that were mentioned. lets just say that, ive been to many haunted place in Singapore including red house etc, but och sure is one hella of a creepy place even when we go in big groups (or maybe im just chicken, scared, lol) i’d say I went to och at least about 3-4 times in a year. During that period of time, strange things started happening in my house. I had a dog that went barking and howling at empty space, TV getting switched on when no one was touching the controller, feeling someone sat on my bed and I thought it was my mom, but no one was around, and me having sleep paralysis and hallucination about something laughing and choking me. Trust me when I say that, those moments was terrifying and the excitement and adventures was not worth in exchange of what “followed” me home. Its just a matter of luck, if we get into any trouble when we go to such places. My advice is really, dun mess with such things, even if u dun believe simply coz u nv encounter such things before.

is there any way to enter without being detected ,,….

Lucas, I really recommend that you go through the correct procedures. They have detectors in place that let them know when someone goes in. Besides, it is just more respectful to follow their procedures. We did that and were treated wonderfully. Contact the Singapore Tourism board and they will put you in touch with the right people. Good luck! 🙂

There is a way, me and my friends just went there today, there is a motion sensor at the top of the entrance but if you walk at the side you will see a slope down but also a small pathway the fences there are cut down slightly, you can go pass it by just pulling it down a little, then once you reach, go straight in dont linger out in the open too much, there are 2 – 3 motion censors along the way but none of them are pointed at the place, so you need not worry except for one, if you wanna cross from one place to another in the OCH dont walk outside in the open, instead, use the links provided in the hospital to go in, And you should come out the same way, its the safest way IMO, but you have to beware as the place as people at the chalet will be able to spot you, the only hassle is if you wanna go to the top, but other than that, you’ll be fine. x) Enjoy

Oh, just to take note, it’s safer to go in the mornings, there are nails and such over there so you needa be careful, also they have painted over all the graffiti, so yeah, it kind of lessens the ‘scary’ factor but then again, it’s quite trilling. x)

I was born May 20th 1950 in Changi Hospital. I would love to know what is going to happen to it now

Gail, I was born May 19th, 1952 in Changi Hospital. I would really love to visit it! 🙂

So would I. Maybe as we are both Taurus we will make it one day. Still trying to persuade my husband to take me to Australia via my birthplace

Gail, I got to go last month! It was so awesome. I wrote to the Singapore Tourism Board and they put me in touch with the officer in charge of the hospital. He arranged an escort for us. They were so nice, and the whole visit was really special. Not at ALL creepy. 🙂 I want to go back again some day. Hope you can go as well!

I was born there too in 1959

Is there any way to get authorized access? I’m visiting Singapore in June and would love to photograph this building? Thanks

You need to contact the tourism department of Singapore , and it will be an escorted tour with photographs permissable but not at all places , only places specified by them.

Gail, my parents lived in Australia for 17 years and we visited them in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Perth was our favorite! What country do you live in now? I’m in Canada.

i was born here in 1971 i came home 2 england a few months old but i would still love to go back there and often look at old photos 🙂

I was born there in 1971 also and returned to Scotland at 8 months old. I live in Canada now. I would live to visit Changi some day. Sally

my sister was born here in 1970, and was a few months old when we returned to the UK.

Linda, I live in the UK now. I came back here when I was three years old so only have flashes of memory like Father Christmas arriving in a rowing boat. Can that be true? Trish, I have joined SingaporeVR on Facebook for brilliant panoramic pics of Singapore today

Gail, sorry, didn’t see this until now. We left S’pore when I was only 6 months old, so I have no memories at all from when we lived there. Lots of photos though. 🙂

people beleive that the old changi hospital is haunted

I suggest you bunch who are located outside of Singapore to make a trip down real soon. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the relevant authorities have been actively sourcing for developers to “rejuvenate” this place. In 2007, there were plans to convert the hospital into a spa-hotel-resort. But for unknown reasons, the plans never took off.

Besides just being a normal functioning hospital, OCH was more importantly the site where traumatic tortures occurred during WW2. Since then, it has never been able to revert back normally to its “clean reputation”, and urban myths about ghosts have always plagued the building (yes, even throughout the years that you guys were born. But I supposed the local people are much more superstitious, unecessarily superstitious, than all your parents!).

I would like to believe that even tho this building stands probably as the “eeriest” building in Singapore, this eerieness is beautiful as it stands testimony to the trauma that happened, and then its subsequent abandonment and natural destruction. It’s in a lovely derelict state now. Better commemerate it fast before it becomes any typical hotel-spa resort!

But the project failed.I guess the workers saw ghost XD But really i think OCH is “friendly” place.

Thanks BUT how do I get access? Ive heard its now fenced off and there are security sensors everywhere?? is that the case? Who do I talk to to get approved access?? Thanks 🙂

The place is currently being managed as a state land by SLA (Singapore Land Authority). I really doubt they will allow visitors to old Changi Hospital, especially when the place is not properly maintained after years of abandonment… some parts of the buildings might be structurally unsafe now

is och really haunted

Why is it structurally unsafe

In my mind i tot u could use an RPG XD

You have to get permission, like but idk how. I know Steve got permission to do his vid…..

We wrote to the Singapore tourism board (found email address online) and asked permission. They arranged for an escort. They were super nice!

Thanks, its worth a try, some people/groups are currently getting in, I’m visiting late June and would love to visit it one night. many thanks

I visited in 2009 and entered the building, it was full of broken glass and broken fittings. It really was dangerous to go in. If you follow the main road through Changi Village and keep walking, past the gated entrance to the SAF Changi Chalets, on your left you will see the set of stairs leading steeply up to the main entrance to the lower block (as pictured in the first and second photos on this page) At least you can view it from the street. I can give more details on google maps if needed.

It is haunted

While night comes , don’t look back when u are inside .. heard whispers beside u and behave normally ..

last night me and my 2 frnds went to that hospital… but when we were about to reach main gate one of my frnd heard some whisper …so he ran away..and then after wards we 2 also left that place….have any one of u felt or heard anything over there???

Alamak! I was admitted in this hospital for a skin graft in 1967. The Military surgeons made a mess of it. Went back there again, for a graft to correct the original mess. I ended with a Alamak! I was admitted in this hospital for a skin graft in 1967. The Military surgeons made a mess of it. Went back there again, for a graft to correct the original mess. I ended with a double skin grated mess on the second skin graft of the original graft. After a few weeks, I noticed it was not going to change to better. I then swore at the skin graft surgeon. I hoped when this surgeon dies, his Soul will haunt the Changi Hospital forever. It mus be the same surgeon haunting the Changi Hospital. OKAAAAY! I was just kidding about my swearing. At the hospital, I used to tease a lovely Chinese girl who nursed me. So, the whispers your friend heard were wind blowing through the empty blocks, if not the trees, through the leaves, in the vicinity. There is no such thing as spirits or ghost. If your friend believed it. Then, the world gave birth to another ‘fool’. Well, there is always one born, every minute.

The fences can be cut off went in but there is a really bad filin so I got out,to be safe.

till what extent u went????

hi are u scared about och

i think i am going there but i dont know when….

Hi all. i was born in old Changi hospital on 18th April 1964. In February 2013 I will arrive on Queen Mary 2 for my first visit to singapore where I’m staying for 5 days and would love to visit the old hospital. If anyone knows where the maternity ward was in the hospital (I believe it was 4th or 5th floor) can they let me know? I realise it may be dangerouse to visit and would not like to get into any trouble but my Father died recently and I am desperate to visit. Many thanks- and wishes to all others who were born there too! Paul

Paul, I was born there in 1952 and have some pictures taken on the maternity floor. They match the architecture of the 2nd floor in the picture on this link. http://hongray28.webs.com/oldchangihospital.htm However, if they moved the maternity ward before 1964, I wouldn’t know that. We left S’pore when I was 6 months old. Hope you get to visit. I would love to do that too. There are some great images on the web though. 🙂

Hi Linda and those who have replied- many thanks! Sorry for the delay in my response I am not on the net very often. I am very keen to see where I was born, but would only go there in the day with permission- so I’ll try with the authorities first. I would love to see some photos of when the hospital was operational, as it is sad to see it run down :(. My parents visited again in 1995 when it was still open, and were allowed to visit the intensive care ward which used to be the maternity ward when I was born. If I do get any photos I’ll share them, but my Mum isn’t coming on the trip with me next Jan 13, so I am hoping to identify the right ward if I am allowed to go in. he memory isn’t clear on which floor. Mum says she was moved from a lower floor after I was born- which could be the second floor as you say Linda. Anyhow- it is really cool to communicate with you all as I don’t know Singapore at all but have always longed to visit. We had an amah called Te Chua in 1964 who looked after me and wanted Mum to leave me there. If by any chance Te could get a message I would love to meet her next Jan 13. My Parents are Barbara and Peter Sanderson, (Dad passed away in Feb 12) and we lived at Jalan Rabu on Thompson Garden Estate. Dad was in the RAF. Before I was born they lived at Jalan Ketumbit. Any messages much welcome! Kind regards all, Paul

Hallo Paul I suggest you contact the Singapore Land Authority and ask for permission to visit. You can say you are visiting on behalf of all we who were born there. I have loads of photos of Singapore – but not of the hospital. We lived in a thatched house which is apparently under the runway of the airport now. Gail

We lived in Paya Lebar. I think that house was thatched too, Gail! 🙂 And I agree…If you get to visit, Paul, it would be great to do it on behalf of us all, and definitely with permission from the proper authority. Are either of you on facebook? That would be a great way to share pictures.

I doubt there’s a way you can get pass the authority to get in the hospital. most people sneak in there to visit the hospital. if you ever visit OCH there’s a stairs and somewhere you have to climb through to the top level, there’s where you get the most brilliant view. good luck! try visiting in the afternoon/evening. that was what i did, less spooky feeling.

Hello Paul , my name is Ian Harvey Robson & I was born just a couple of months before you on 8th February 1964 . My Dad was a chef called Harvey & my Mum was a skinny little thing called called Evelyn and they we’re both geordies . My Dad has passed away now but I’ll have to ask if Mum remembers your surname . I can’t believe I’ve stumbled upon this site and also to find so many other people who feel the same way as me . I actually feel like I’ve lost a piece of my childhood & I don’t know anyone who can relate to my wanting to see Changi . I was only 18 months old when my father was posted back to the UK so I’ve no memories of the place . The long running family joke is that on the flight home my parents stashed me up in the luggage compartment . One of the best afternoons I’ve ever had was when I introduced my Mum to Google earth on my 42″ monitor . She was amazed as she’s never even used a computer in her life . We had a great time visiting all the different RAF stations we’ve lived at but I kept the best till last and when we finally got to Changi I switched to street view . Her face was a picture as we went for a virtual stroll down the street to the house we had lived in . So how did your visit go ? I’d love to hear about it . Take care mate , Ian

OMG! DONT VISIT IT!ITSIS VERY VERY HAUNTED.yes,iam a singaporean and i know what will happens when u went in.IF ITS AT NIGHT,AND YOU GOIN,YOU WONT STAND ACHANCE TO COME OUT.but in the day,behave just very very very normally as if you dont know about its past of the hostpital.VISIT AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dosen’t mean.U mean when u see old tampines road like that say haunted T_T

Oh No! Not another one born, every minute. Please, please, please, there are no such things as spirits or ghosts. Come to think of it, there is no place in this world ‘haunted’. But of course, you can haunt a place if you want to and spend happy memories where you go and haunt for the rest of your life.

Today’s news just reported that SLA has put Old Changi Hospital for lease again. The response is poor due to the high rental and cost for renovation and maintenance. They will announce the result of the bidding in October 2012.

Thanks for the update here. I am keen to know the outcome of any ease bids, so may be able to contact the right party when I come over in Feb 13. Please can you update us again after the October bid results. Linda / Gail – I would be please to represent us all when I visit (if I can gain proper access). My dream would to be if they renovated the building for use again to have a small plaque from al those who were born there. I know it is unlikely to happen, but you never know! Regards, Paul

Great idea, Paul! Hope you get to go. 🙂

I thought it was a good idea to link up on Facebook – until I saw how many Linda Rosengrens there were! Maybe you should contact me – I could only find one Gail Coleshill. I have a few Singapore photos which I will digitalise and try to put up. Hope to get an update on the hospital after the bidding stops in October.

yea passby there recently and saw a big signage up for lease, few years back some foreigners bid to run a spa hotel but for unknown reasons never materialise, 2 years back saw SLA clearing up the area and now all fence up, wonder why nobody consider turn this into a horror theme park cum hotel ???

Hi everyone 🙂 Im visiting Singapore in November but just for 3 days before going onto Penang, but really want to visit the hospital as i was born there as well in May 1962. I have always wanted to go back and see where i was born, so im really hoping i will be able to see the building even if i cant go inside…..dont really fancy breaking a leg or anything else in a derelict building. The family name is Simmons, dad was posted to Penang initially but ended up at Changi would be great if theres anybody on here that knew him and mum (Pete & Pat)

Wendy, I hope you do get to visit the hospital. Dad and Mom and I (6 months old) left S’pore at the end of 1952, so a bit before your time. There are some great websites where you can see pictures and even video footage of the inside of the building. I was fascinated by them! Just google Old Changi Hospital and look for the links with photos. Let us know if you get to go!!

thanx Linda, Have seen loads of photos of the hospital…….even the so called spooky ones! But all very interesting but really cant wait to see for myself….hopefully. Will definatly let you know anything i get to see. thanx for the reply :o)

I haven’t watched the “spooky” ones. So much drama and hype. My favorite was a 360 degree pan of the hallway where the maternity floor used to be (according to the architecture in the photos we have from the time of my birth). I can’t seem to find that link anymore though. Good luck!

it’s is really beautiful from the top level. full view of the sea! please go in the afternoon/ evening.

Hi, I knew someone who did just tat…..by himself!

I lived in a house at the base of Changi Hospital for three years from ’57 to ’60. My friend lived in a house in Halton Road. Which was above the one where I lived(Upavon Rd). We used to go up and down to each others’ houses in complete darkness. I was also a patient in the hospital twice, as was my little brother. We never saw or heard of anything remotely spooky! We used to go and watch the open-air film shows on a huge screen in the car park and all the patients would crowd onto the various balconies to watch! It is so sad to see this building, which commands the most marvelous views across to the sea, being allowed to crumble slowly away. It has been vandalised over the years by people who think they are going to have a “haunting” experience.. The Singapore Government should spend a bit of money on it – or pull it down. It does not desrve to be left like this.

I visited the place several times a couple of years back and I am confident to say that I am pretty familiar with the interior layout of the place. I knew where the operating theatres, elevator engine room, the famous devil’s room and the mortuary are located. Old Changi hospital is certainly creepy but I will not go as far as saying it is haunted.

Recalling from memories, I found the famous devil’s room being the strangest thing in the entire hospital. It is an odd looking room which entrance is from a corner of the corridor. I have never seen any entrance placement quite as strange as this. All the patient wards on this floor are layout on one side of the corridor in a parallel/adjacent manner but the devil’s room was diagonal. The entrance was in a direct corner thus making a corridor a weird hexagonal shape instead of a proper rectangle. It is like the rectangular corridor has only 3 sharp corners and a gaping hole at the place where the 4th corner should have been. It just felt strange and incomplete.

Unfortunately, I was told that the mortuary was no more. My friends and I gave up searching for it so we went down to the main entrance and asked the security guards there. Instead of asking us to leave, he brought us to the place where the mortuary supposedly were and told us that it was already demolished. It might the security guard way of asking us to leave politely but it was just too much effort on the security guard part to be it. Anyway, it was great fun time.

Wasn’t the mortuary slightly away from the hospital, up a hill? We lived on the base for a few year ’74/75 as my dad was RAMC and I recall we first had a house on top of the hill and you had to pass the mortuary to get there, which terrified our Chinese amah.

The mortuary is located at the bottom of the hospital next to where a carpark is now. If i remember cirrectly, there is either a fence or barrier there preventing access. This barrier is in front of the building with the hospital’s name.

On the left of where this fence/barrier is where the mortuary is (should be demolished around 2000). We went in there before with an Indian security guard bring us around, including to the old barrack buildings on top of the hill. The mortuary is a small squarish building with 3 freezers stacked on top of each other. The interior walls had those while square tiles.

The mortuary was turned into a seafood restaurant.But there is a tunnel which leads the restaurant itself to the hospital

Hi all My cousin & I were born in BMH Singapore within a few months of each other in 1963 There seems to be some confusion as to which location however. Dean & I both thought this building, now abandoned and in decay up near the airport but my father just said no, the Alexandra – which is a fully operational community hospital way over in the south-west of the city. Can you help clarify? Which one of the two was the BMH?

Hi MartyThe British Milatary Hospital is the Alexandra Hospital.

Well, if those that have been before may you all write more about it so that I can know more info about it as I always want too:)

Well just today after I waited so long when I can visit this place and today I saw it.When I really eager to visit this place when they filmed haunted changi in 2010 and also I saw many videos made by teenagers in the YouTube. I took a walk from changi village to nethervon road than I met this hospital. But I am very upset because when I see from YouTube even though people take from outside the hospital the hospital can see clearly and today when I saw most of trees and bushes covered the whole buildings and staircase even worse only can see the name CHANGI HOSPITAL clearly which is written at the building. But one day I will come one more time and try to view from other entrance which can see clearly.

Last Sunday afternoon around 2pm I revisit the Hospital. But this time I walked in Sealand road and turn right to Halton road then I can see clearly the Hospital.But sorry friends you can’t take the staircase climb up and view because even this staircase very worse situation because it was fully covered with grass.The only way to view this Hospital this is the best route.And more thing now this is very worst compared the videos in YouTube lastly shown in 2011, the place right now covered with a lot of growing trees and grasses and I think comming very soon even you can’t view the Old Hospital. People wants to visit this place do so within this year.

I knew a fella, who went to old OCH in the afternoon a few years ago when it was closed and dilapidated. Back then it was not fenced up and he went in, passed some spookie wards, climbed the stairs to the top level, went into the attic and up to the highest point of the place, which was about 3 m by 3 m. From there he could see the whole of Changi…. . Thereafter he made his way down and out of the place,,,,, It was sheer madness!

some graffity artist might know how to get in there , but intermediate pakour skills will help .

For people who wants to “trespass places to take photo : Barb wire cannot penetrate towel . Hope that this will help u guys 🙂

I’m waiting

Come inside

Haha… That’s funny 😀

By the way, Channel 8 will be showing Haunted Changi at 10pm this Saturday (15 June 2013), featuring the mystery of Old Changi Hospital

Im glad you comment, hehe. Watched 😉

I watched it on HD5 and I could not sleep from 3am-6am =_=

Does anyone know how many RAF babies were born there?

Hi, my name is Christine and I was born in Changi Hospital in 1959. My father was in the RAF and he was based there during that time. I would love to go back and see it all.

Hi Christine, I wonder if we ever met? I was born in Changi hospital in November 1959. I am planning my first ever visit back, having left in 1961 before my second birthday. I have wanted to visit for almost 60 years and hopefully, at last, that will be happening in 2024. Jane Griffiths née Stansfield. My dear Dad Roy was a Sqn Leader and died late 2021 at the ripe old age of 97.

I am waiting in Old Changi Commando Barracks…. QUICK, COME IN!

I was born in BMH Changi in Dec 62. Last Dec I went to Singapore for the first time since I left to celebrate my 50th Birthday. Unfortunately did not see the hospital but I am going back sometime this year so I will have a look. Not necessarily from the inside!

Well, not to sound cliched, but my friends and I had an unusual(supernatural?) encounter while visiting Changi Hospital at night a few years ago. There were 5 of us, and we parked our car at the bottom of the hill and hiked up to the main building at about 11pm on a Saturday night.

We spent about 5 minutes looking around the periphery of the building, and then started walking into the building, which was partially lighted inside by the streetlamps below. As soon as we stepped into the building, we heard a very loud hacking voice about a foot to the right side of us. It sounded so real and loud that we all looked at each other in puzzlement for about 2 or 3 seconds to make sure we had all heard it. Our next reaction was to immediately turn right around and run straight down the hill back to our car, half-laughing and screaming all the way.

Apparently, our friend at the extreme left of the group did not hear the sound, and continued making his way into the building. He was pretty pissed that we all suddenly turned around and ran away, leaving him alone inside!

I know. I’ve seen that online. It holds no fear for me though, just excitement at the thought of visiting my birthplace!

You can actually enter the building from the side (Can’t really remember which side). When in there few years back. Actually inside the building was not creepy or whatsoever at all. If you really love old buildings, its an art. Go in and feel the atmosphere inside the wards, its really different.

Went in there few years back*

This is another true and unforgettable incident in March 2013. I have visited this Hospital for three times and even took video just outside the Hospital, but things get very very worst happened for three weeks in my own house.During around 3 am I was disturbed by something waking me up by sitting on my chest, pressing my chest untill I cannot breath properly,whispering through my hear and hugging me.My father said that he saw a Chinese man and Women. And also said they looked young and their clothes and hairstyle like old type during Japanese occupation.Latter I learnt these people are the tortured victim by the cruel Japanese Soldiers in World War 2.After I done my prayers these spirits never disturb me again. For my advice please don’t photograph or taking video at this place.

Hmm i think u should not go there even though i am a kid i know about this.If u nvr listen to me bad things were to happened to you.Don’t go there everytime.And if u ride bus number 29 and saw the hospital just be quiet and do say anything also when riding in a car.

i just online view picture of old changi hospital only..

Gail, I tried to reply on an earlier post. Maybe that’s why you couldn’t see my comment. Here it is again: I got to go last month! It was so awesome. I wrote to the Singapore Tourism Board and they put me in touch with the officer in charge of the hospital. He arranged an escort for us. They were so nice, and the whole visit was really special. Not at ALL creepy. 🙂 I want to go back again some day. Hope you can go as well!

Linda, How thrilling for you. I am so glad that you made it and it sounds as if it is not so difficult to get permission to visit. I am still hopeful of getting there some day. We are at least talking about it! Did you get any news about what the Singapore Land Authority plans to do with the hospital – if anything?

Hi Linda and Gail, I too was born at Changi in 1967 and my parents returned to the uk in 1970. We have been fortunate to return to Singapore a few times now but I wished I had read you post about getting in touch with someone to have a visit at the hospital, gutted, maybe next time :). Linda – did you enjoy your stay in Singapore ?. Gail – you must put a visit down on you list of things to do. regards Elaine

No, I didn’t hear anything about that. We thought it would make a fabulous hotel! 🙂 I sure hope you do get to go.

Is the OCH still at halton road my parents told me that the place has turned into a restaurant.

Hi Lala. Yes it is still on Halton Road and no, it has not been turned into a restaurant. It is empty and quite run down, but you can see what a beautiful place it must have been.

I doubt there”ll be any redevelopement there. The placr is so “dirty’.Will anyone dare.

The reason why it’s not being developed is the fact the place is extremely haunted. No one developer will risk it.

Timeline 1926 : Plans were drawn up for a British military base in Changi. 1927 : Clearing of land and construction began. 1935 : A hospital was built in the British military base in Changi and named RAF Hospital. 1942 : The British surrendered to the Japanese. The hospital became part of a prison camp. 1945 : The Japanese Occupation ended and the site reverted to being a British military base. 1971 : Control of the hospital was given to armed forces from Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom (ANZUK). It was renamed ANZUK Hospital. 1973 : The thousandth baby was born in ANZUK Hospital. 1975 : The hospital was given to the Singapore state, which renamed it Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Hospital. 1976 : SAF Hospital was handed over to the Ministry of Health, which combined it with Changi Chalet Hospital to form Changi Hospital. 1997 : Changi Hospital combined with Toa Payoh Hospital to form Changi General Hospital in Simei. Old Changi Hospital was vacated. 2006 : A tender for commercial lease for Old Changi Hospital was awarded to Bestway Properties. 2010 : The three-year lease ran out without any development at the site. The site was returned to the state.

Not cool u copied it at wikipedia XD

Hi, my daughter was born in Changi Hospital on the 28th March 1973 – maybe she was the 1000 baby? I had to have a caesarean and my surgeon was RAF Squadron Leader Dutton. He was very good to me. I have a few problems. My husband was army and we lived in Pasir Panjang – Wessex Estate. Long drive every week for check ups. We lived there 72-73. Loved it and have been back many times but not to the hospital. I know it is haunted. I would not sleep at nights and could not wait to get home. Great times then. Went home to Australia; many postings but now retired in Queensland.

why does it look like haunted most people said inside the changi hospital have ghost as malay people said POCONG!

I was born here in 1967 and my family moved back to the UK in 1970. I visited Singapore in 2006 and got to walk around the hospital and grounds, snapping away with my camera, we returned again last year (2013) but found it was all fenced off.

i remember visiting a friend there once. Also checked myself into outpatient emergency services for an asthmatic attack one night. The whole place next to the army camp where i served NS. Haunted or not, the place is haunted with fond memories of my youth.

I was born here, August 1966. Would love to go back to visit but suspect it might be gone by the time I’m able to do that. As for the ghosts……..well, maybe!

Hi all, I have just had a brainwave, does anyone know if it is possible to obtain our old hospital records from here. Thank you in advance for any feed back.

I just happen to passed by this place on the 31/7/2014, and i was shocked cause the road to the very top, looks very bright cause they already had the street lamp along the way, and also, the very entrance, which is going to the very top, This place has a new name now, Rain3 Hotel and also i cant find the details in google too. So im not surprise if there will be any stories coming up to be heard when once the hotel is fully done. Yes, i wish to drive/walk all the way to the very top and quite steep road there, but since im hungry, i decide not. to. 🙂 To think back, seriously, will there be anyone or whoever wants to stay there? We locals or maybe the pioneers knows the history of this place well. Lol. But still, i miss “adventure” to this place during night time. I agreed much to some of the commentators saying that “if u heard a whisper, just continue .. ” well i experienced that too. 🙂

After reading this article (and the one about old TTSH), the old Youngberg Hospital came to mind.

Then I realize, maybe you can dedicate an article (or two) to the healthcare history of Singapore. Part One can be about Singapore’s healthcare workers, past and present. Part Two can be about Singapore’s hospitals, old and current.

I actually know a former Hospital attendant who used to work at the old CH and whom is now still working at the “new” CGH ! Chatted with him and reminiscence about good ol’ Changi Hospital and of course the subject of hauntings creep up. He mentioned that indeed he and fellow healthcare workers did encounter some though he has not “seen” but only “heard” their presence. He said on a few occasions when he was doing the night shift, he would hear children playing “upstairs”, running about and laughing, jolly good time and the children were “conversing” in English with British accent! i.e. they were “Ang Moh” (local slang for Caucasian) little spirits, that is, if you believe in such things! When i heard this the first thought that came to my mind was i felt sad for these lost souls as they were only children and to have pass on in a foreign land not being able to go “home” to England …

Anyway, he remember when the British handed over the hospital to local authorities, it started with a grand total of 1 doctor, a handful of nurses and a few attendants. Those days Changi was rather deserted safe for the few remaining UK forces personnel and a sprinkling of small villages around Changi and nearby Pasir Ris. The hospital staff would come to work packed with their beach wear and go for afternoon swim at the Changi beach! A day they would see a few patients …

Now, the present Changi General Hospital is an almost 1000 bed facility and growing.

I was born on 26th January 1955 in Changi Hospital. My Father being in the RAF and posted out there for a two year period. I have some photographs here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GFls3bp_A0

Next year my eldest Son who is studying at Newcastle University is hoping to be able to do his third year at the National University of Singapore. His Mum says we must go with him to make sure he is settled in OK. Who am I to argue. It will be my first trip back to Singapore in 60 years. That might stir a few old spirits?

Hello there, may I say what a fantastic opportunity it will be for your son to study in Singapore and you have got to make the trip as well. I too was born in Changi Hospital in 1967 due to my father being in the Royal Marines and stationed out there for nearly 3 years. In 1990 my father, husband and myself visited Singapore again and even though I don’t really remember my time there my father kept commenting how much the island had changed (for the better) and now we are hooked 🙂 Since then we have returned 4 more times and plan to go again soon.

This is very special and almost mirrors my family story except that we moved to Canada from England when I was 4. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

Hi everyone! For all the commentators here who lived in Singapore before, you may be interested to know that it’s just become a boutique hotel: http://witcast.blogspot.sg/2015/01/raintr33-hotel-former-old-changi.html

This is the hotel’s official website: http://raintr33hotel.com/

Me, I’m not too sure I would be too keen on staying there, not just yet, LOL.

Wow, that was quick, we was only there last May and it didn’t look like they had even started to work on it then . Thanks for the update.

You’re welcome! If you do stay there the next time you’re in Singapore, tell us how it went! 😉

If only you have shown me earlier , we have already booked our next trip to Singapore for this May but I will defiantly consider it next time. Perhaps I will be able to stay there for my 50th birthday, back to where life started for me lol.

Other commentators are correct, it isnt the hospital that is the boutique hotel. The website you link to says this Raintr33 Hotel – The former old Changi Hospital’s neighbour

I do not think that the hotel is on the site of the old Changi hospital, my husband and I actually entered the hospital grounds on the 1st of January 2015 and I can assure you it was all still there, I think the hotel is in the vicinity but not on the actual site of the Changi hospital

I think you are right Ellen, after further investigation it looks like it was the old Commando Barracks (which I believe was part of the same estate as the hospital ) on the corner of Hendon Road and Netheravon Road that has been renovated into a hotel.

I thought that was pretty quick work since our visit there a year and a half ago. 🙂 I would love for that to happen though! I’d plan a trip just to stay there!

Hi all, can anyone advise who to contact for a permit to is it the hospital? Saw the previous few posts that a permit is required. Or can I just enter myself? Is the gate lock? Would really love to explore the place:)

I went through the Singapore tourism board and they put me in contact with the right people at the time. I’d advise doing that. Don’t just enter by yourself. They have sensors in place which need to be disarmed by the escorts they provide. We had two wonderful escorts who were very friendly and helpful. Singaporeans value respect and politeness, so please go through proper channels and you will be treated well. 🙂

Hi Dreams, following previous advice I too have written to the Singapore tourism board to see if I could be lucky enough to have a tour too. Fingers crossed. 🙂

Hi Linda, do you remember who you actually went with as I have contacted STB and finally after 2 weeks they have answered but was no help at all 😦

Oh, that’s disappointing, Laine! When I wrote to them a couple of years ago they put me in touch with the Singapore Land Authority, so maybe you can contact them. Here is their website and there is a contact tab. Best of luck! http://www.sla.gov.sg/

Thank you for your help, I have E-mailed them and will let you know how I got on.

hello…. It is now a Hotel . You may visit ~ http://raintr33hotel.com/

It is not the hospital that has become a hotel, it is the old Commando Barracks (which I believe was part of the same estate as the hospital ) on the corner of Hendon Road and Netheravon Road that has been renovated into a hotel. I had sent an e-mail to see if it was possible to have a tour but was told “Unfortunately, we are unable to facilitate your site visit as the property is currently undergoing repair works and we do have safety concerns. Hence, we are unable to allow public to enter the property to ensure public safety” which was a shame.

Hi a friend just told me about this post and thre years ago I went into Old CGH to do a 360 shoot alone, as was mentioned in one of the comments above. Suffice to say the goosebumps remain till now even.

For remembrance of that place – a haunt of teenage bravado more than anything else – you can view the virtual tour I did here.

http://www.360snapshots.com/portfolio/old-changi-hospital/

I find it a little sad that a large part of it is now converted into some swanky outfits.

Can I go in without permit since I’ve been seeing people going in at night and they say there’s no permit needed. I’m planning on visiting it soon as I’m really curious about some stuff. Are there any guards and/or guard dogs at the guardhouse? Seems like it’s completely abandoned from the photos.

Hi Miyajae, As I have already stated I wrote to the Singapore Land Authority to see about a tour of the hospital (I was born there) and their reply was “Unfortunately, we are unable to facilitate your site visit as the property is currently undergoing repair works and we do have safety concerns. Hence, we are unable to allow public to enter the property to ensure public safety” so to be honest I personally would not chance it !!!

Miyajae, I agree with Laine! It is not advisable to try to sneak in without permission. They have alarms set up. When we visited, our escort had to go in first and disarm them. Singaporeans are a very law-abiding people and it is important as visitors to respect the rules that are put into place for our protection. With the state of some of the stairs and hallways, you could get badly hurt by going in there in the dark. I’m glad to hear that they are making repairs!

How to get here?

Is OCH available for a visit now? Are works still ongoing? And is it still needed to write in to SLA?

I now live in England but was born here in 1964 during the Geylang riots, My mothr and I were given an armed escort home in a jeep with riot shields at the windows. Wonderful photographs, thank you for posting them.

I was a airman in raf change from 1969 until 1971 my best friend was in change hospital however I will be in changi next week I will visit the raintr 33 hotel I love singapore

So what is the verdict. Have they renovated the Hospital. Hope not. Was born there 29th Oct 1955 and while I have been on the outside, would love to see inside before they do anything. Always feel part of Singapore and the Changi Hospital.

Hi I have a lot of photos of the inside of the hospital from when I visited around 2000, If you ant them I am happy to send them to you for the website.

(Updated 24 April 2016):

Hi, thanks for sharing.. You can email to [email protected] and I will embed here with credit to your name

Hi I was born in Changi hospital in Jan 1952 ,my mum was a nurse from 1948 to 1952 with the WRAF , she told me stories of her first experiences of the apparitions in the nurses quarters and wards where she was woken in the night to see a figure tending to the bedding of her friend in the next bed, my mum screamed which woke her friend and on telling her what she had seen her hair visibly changed colour over the following week. Mum went on to see many more apparitions as did her colleagues while posted at Changi. So wish I could have shown her these pictures.

A lovely site. Takes me back to being a radiographer (RAAMC) 1974-75. A fantastic well run medical facility and proud to have served there. Wally Harmer

Like to visit there…. Feel interest to know about that what is the real news about this old unhabitale hospital…

Anyone went there recently? like this year?

Was born 10/10/1951 dad was in the RAF

I was admitted into SAF ward back in July 1995, located at 3rd (or 4th) level of one of low buildings. The SAF ward was located in between SAF Psychomedicine branch at one end, and supposedly a special ward/room for inmates from nearby Changi prison.

The place was pretty peaceful and, how how should I put it, gave off a ‘retro’ hospital vibe I got at the old Alexandra hospital block, unlike the busy, crowded feeling I get at modern National University Hospital. During daytime the green leaves from the trees adorned the boring wooden window panes with vintage looking metal grilles, accompanied by constant cicada humming. The view at shower room on the same floor offered a commanding view down the long staircase, which leads to a bus stop, and a couple of chalets at the bottom of the knoll. There would be around 5-6 persons climbing up or down at any moment during daytime. There was a small canteen before the same staircase. It was next to the lift lobby, and had only one stall that served Indian mixed rice at that time.

There would be a medic on duty everyday, stationed at psychomedicine branch to monitor the patients (there was a smaller ward inside the branch for these patients, separated from those in SAF ward), but would pop over every now & then to check on us to make sure we behaved (there were only 2 of us warded at that time). There would be a police officer/warden sitting on a plastic chair at the entrance to the special ward/room whole day, probably on guard duty to prevent hospitalised inmates from escaping.

At night, the orange glow from the street lights would took over, making the already dull windows pane looked so dreary. During weekend the nights would be accompanied by delicious bbq smell from the chalets down at the bottom of the knolls. Contrary to popular belief, the place was never once felt eerie during my stay, even though the ward was almost empty, save for the two of us in the ward and the occasional checks by nurse and medic on duty, The ‘retro’ hospital vibe and quiet atmosphere actually helped me to sleep soundly every night.

I was surprised when old changi hospital was announced to be closed down. It was as well frequented as any polyclinic during my stay there.

I went there as outpatient in 1995 during saf time. As it was during the day, I did not find anything spooky. Later then I know the history of that hospital. Those patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were admitted to the hospital. Doctors think their condition is merely brain chemistry imbalance. Religion explain their visions as paranormal sightings. I think SAF might have used Changi hospital as a spiritual asylum for those who encounter ghost. Some years later, I consulted doctor Christopher Cheok who used to work in Changi hospital as psychiatrist. I asked for the reason for closure of hospital, but he cited structural defects as it is old building. God have mercy on those poor souls there.

I was born in the BMH ,, 24 March 1952 ,, The only male child born that day … A CELT .. and raised Hakka-Contonese .. ,,, a lovely way to start your life .. You learn everything from life .. …

And for SINGAPORE ,, A Singaporean who swam @7 years old against “Tan Tuan Heng” … I lost ,, what a surprise ,,, ,, but ,,, a Singaporean ,,, who invented the “Rotary Hydrogen Engine” ..

Ideas sought to repurpose Old Changi Hospital, enhance surrounding Changi Point area

15 April 2021 The Straits Times

Can the derelict Old Changi Hospital, a site for many a ghost-hunting expedition, find new life?

The authorities hope so, and want ideas on how to repurpose it, as well as the history-rich Changi Point, while retaining its charm.

Bearing in mind the area’s current zoning for sports and recreation, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have launched a competition seeking ideas to enhance the area, while retaining its abundant built and natural heritage.

The competition begins on Thursday (April 15) and will run till June 9 when submissions are closed.

Entries can be submitted in two categories – for students in design-related disciplines in tertiary institutions, and an open category for all from other backgrounds.

Participants can tackle one or both challenges.

The first is an overall plan for Changi Point, which requires participants to devise a concept master plan that guides enhancement of the 42ha competition area, while the second sees participants proposing ideas to repurpose Old Changi Hospital.

For the concept master plan, participants are to balance retaining the quiet, rustic character of the area while suggesting enhancements that might attract more visitors to Changi Point.

To achieve this, participants are advised to suggest ways of repurposing existing infrastructure in the area, instead of proposing intensive development works.

The competition also prompts participants to include community spaces within the site, and improve accessibility, especially to the coastline that borders the area’s north.

As for Old Changi Hospital, participants are invited to submit ideas that give it a new lease of life while retaining its buildings’ architectural features.

Heritage author Jerome Lim, who researched the hospital’s history, said that records show that the site was used only as a fully functioning hospital after World War II from 1947, when the British Royal Air Force took over the buildings at Changi Point.

Asked about rumours of paranormal sightings at the old hospital, Mr Lim said that these were likely unfounded, and probably became popular only after the hospital ceased operations in 1997.

“I think there is a misunderstanding of this history of the area,” he said. “For instance, while the eventual hospital building did serve as a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp, it was only for a short period between February 1942 and May 1943.

“According to accounts, life was relatively more pleasant here for prisoners-of-war than it was elsewhere, and there were no records or accounts of hospital tortures, meaning the rumours are likely untrue.”

In fact during the days of the POW camp, the POW hospital was at Roberts Barracks, a site which is within the current Changi Air Base (West), said Mr Lim.

An SLA spokesman said that after 1997, agencies studied various uses that could be suitable for the site and compatible with the surroundings, adding that the authority recognised the old hospital’s heritage and architectural merits like the high headroom, large roof overhangs and open verandas – typical of British military architecture adapted for the tropics.

Tenders launched by SLA in 2006 and 2012 for the adaptive reuse of the site were unsuccessful.

In a statement on Thursday, URA and SLA said suitable ideas and concepts from the competition will be “distilled into the design principles and planning parameters for the site”.

Ms Yap Eai-Sy, SLA’s director of business planning and development, as well as leasing, added that the ideas canvassed will help build on the area’s unique identity and military heritage, which it shares with other coastlines along the Greater Rustic Coast.

Announced in the URA Master Plan 2019, the 50km-long Greater Rustic Coast spans Lim Chu Kang to Changi, and includes other coastlines such as Sembawang Park and Punggol Point.

Within the competition boundary are 10 commercial blocks, 23 residential blocks with a total of 71 units, and 24 chalet blocks by addresses.

Among them are two old barrack buildings – 34 and 35 Hendon Road – which now house European Bank BNP Paribas’ Asia Pacific training campus.

The bank’s head of human resources for South-east Asia, Ms Theresa Ho, said it chose to sink its roots in the historic buildings to mimic the theme of its Paris campus, situated in a 23ha estate that dates back to the 18th century.

“Changi Point is a very beautiful place, it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and our staff can focus on learning, and enjoy the blue skies, greenery and sea view,” she said.

“And I think what would be disappointing is if the Government were to destroy all these buildings, and then construct another (modern) building. Where is the charm? Where is the character? Where is the history? These things will be gone,” said Ms Ho, adding that she hoped more companies would see value in repurposing old buildings in the area.

Asked if the competition’s emphasis on repurposing buildings in the area might indicate the authorities’ interest in conserving some of them, SLA and URA said in a joint reply to The Straits Times: “Conservation of our built heritage is done as part of land use planning and balanced with other competing land uses to support our nation’s development.

“Hence, we take a highly selective approach in conservation by assessing the architectural and historical merits of buildings and structures, vis-à-vis the development plans for the site.”

“URA is studying possibilities to retain the heritage and recall the history of these buildings through different strategies, including retaining the more significant ones for adaptive reuse. Other strategies may include storytelling and heritage trails,” added the spokesmen.

The competition’s jury will comprise representatives from the public and private sectors of various related disciplines, said SLA and URA.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three proposals in each of the two categories – open and tertiary – with prize money ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 for the open category, and from $1,000 to $3,000 for tertiary students.

Those interested in the competition can find out more on it and register at this website (The competition’s jury will comprise representatives from the public and private sectors of various related disciplines, said SLA and URA.

Those interested in the competition can find out more on it and register at this website ( https://www.ideas.gov.sg/public/Charmingly_Changi ).

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ideas-sought-to-repurpose-old-changi-hospital-rejuvenate-surrounding-changi-point-area

hi everyone, I am currently writing a story so if any of you have some odd or paranormal experiences please do let me know

I was born in Changi Hospital in Dec 1961. Always wanted to visit. This site is really interesting to me. My family name is Burke and my parents were Jack and Joyce. Unfortunately we left in late 1962 I think. My sister who was about 6 at the time had very happy years in Singapore. If there is anybody out there that may remember my Dad or Mum it would be great to hear from them.

I was born in changi RAF Hospital on the 24th of March 1962,although its it’s been on my mind for many years I’ve never looked into it .my father was a soldier and obviously my mother was there, wish I had visited it and learned about the area and people.

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Time Out says

Not for the faint-hearted – this walking tour takes you around the Old Changi Hospital (read: not in). Led by the adventurers of Explorer SG, the Halloween special tour shines a torchlight on the history of the abandoned hospital and its current reputation for being one of the spookiest places in Singapore.

A prime spot for ghostbustin', it's said to be haunted by the restless souls of those who were tortured to death or executed by the Japanese during World War II when it was used by the Kempeitai (Japanese military police) to hold more than 50,000 Allied prisoners-of-war. Do note that there's a waitlist for available slots, and only those on the 'going' list on its Meetup page  are able to attend.

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Old Changi Hospital — a chance to visit for the 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore

The three blocks that make up the former Changi Hospital are probably some of the most misunderstood buildings in Singapore. Much has been speculated about them and how they were used during the Second World War, leading to the buildings having gained a reputation for something that they are not.

Just what role did two of the hospital’s original blocks play? Why were they built in Changi? How were they part of the overall strategy for the defence of Britain’s possessions in the Far East? What happened in them during the war? These are questions that I hope to answer during a specially arranged visit that will permit us to have a look at the buildings behind the security fence for a tour that I will be conducting in conjunction with Changi Chapel and Museum’s (CCM) programme being organised to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore.

Two sessions of the tour will be conducted on 19 Feb 2022, which will begin with a docent-led tour of CCM through which will provide participants with a better understanding of Changi as a military site, how it became associated with captivity – both military and civilian, and provide a deeper appreciation of the experience of the civilian and military internees. Following the docent-led tour at CCM, participants will travel by coach to the site of the former Changi Hospital where my section of the tour will begin.

Registration for the tour will begin at 10 am on 10 February 2022. Please visit https://ccm1-och22.peatix.com/ for more information, tour times and to register. Information can also be found on the CCM website . I will also be doing two tours of the former Tanglin Barracks (Dempsey Hill) to explore its connections with the Second World War, one on 12 February and another on 5 March 2022, both from 9am to 10.30am ( more at this link ).

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Information

• Author : Jerome Lim, The Wondering Wanderer
• Date : 9 February 2022
• Tags: 80th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore , Barrack Buildings , Battle for Singapore , Battle for Singapore 2022 , Changi , Changi by the Sea , Changi Cantonment , Changi during the war , Changi Garrison , Changi Point , Heritage Tour , Jerome Lim , Kitchener Barracks , Old Changi Hospital , Old Changi Hospital Tour , POW Experience , Prisoners of War , Royal Artillery , Second World War , Singapore , The Long and Winding Road , Wartime Heritage , World War II , World War Two
• Categories : Architecture , Architecture , Changi & Somapah , Changi Chapel and Museum , Discovering Singapore's Best Kept Secrets , Forgotten Buildings , Forgotten Places , Heritage Sites , Heritage Trails , Military Sites , Museums , Reminders of Yesterday , Singapore , State Property Visits , Unseen Singapore , World War II Sites

One response

Oh how i wish i could go on your tour! My mum was in Changi hospital in 1970 for a few days and i remember the great views. Now im caring for my mum at home as she has advanced alzheimers and is bed bound. I will always remember those days with fondness, even the hospital stay! The RAF swimming pool had a great view of the hospital and vice versa.

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This 360-Degree Virtual Tour Of Old Changi Hospital Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

In this article

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post . 

Any self-respecting Singaporean would have heard of Old Changi Hospital — and the terrors associated with it. The tales are endless, and have spooked us all at some point or another. You might have heard of them from friends during your NS days, or spoke of them yourself over the campfire at school camps. The scariest part, of course, is that no one really knows if the stories are true.

And now, the team from 360 Snapshots wants to make those story-telling sessions way more terrifying — by providing you with a 360-degree virtual tour of the space:

To give you a bit of background: Changi Hospital was built in 1935, and during the Second World War, saw a great number of casualties. It was later used as a prison during the Japanese Occupation, where, according to the description offered on 360 Snapshot’s site , “extensive torture took place.”

The space has been left empty since 1997.

If you’re not creeped out yet, 360 Snapshots has even kindly provided us with a special black and white edition of the virtual tour , so you can explore the space while imagining the horrors that took place within those four walls all those years ago.

If you’d much prefer to stay safe and have a good night’s rest, however, go here .

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Singapore horror tours may go extinct with rapid urbanisation

Tour organiser weighs in on the challenges of keeping horror tours alive in urban singapore.

SINGAPORE — Changi may well be one of the last few places in Singapore where one can experience a walking ghost stories tour in the backdrop of a heritage site with an old-time spooky vibe - the old Changi Hospital.

The Walk with Hantu: Changi tour - organised by the team behind "Supernatural Confessions", one of Singapore's largest community platforms - is one of the few remaining walking horror tours.

What's different? It's focus on shared storytelling rather than the experiential supernatural or historical tour.

Jonathan Lim, one of the tour's organisers, spoke with Yahoo Southeast Asia about dark tourism in Singapore and whether it can stand the test of time with rapid urbanisation.

What is dark tourism?

Dark tourism is the visiting of places where human tragedies have occurred. Historical events such as genocides, murders, war or disaster - either natural or accidental - qualify as such tragedies.

While Singapore is not typically a go-to destination for such activities, walking tours saw a revival during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the government gave out SingapoRediscovers vouchers to encourage residents to rediscover the heritage of the city-state.

"There was a huge boom in walking tours. One major factor was the period where we had 'discovery dollars' to spend," said Lim.

The tricky thing for a horror-genre tour is making it accessible to the public. Too much information and only history buffs will be interested. Too many supernatural elements and it could turn off the disbelieving public.

Lim's answer to this is building what he calls "lore-gic", and creating a shared social experience.

"Lore-gic is making the lore make sense. It's not scientific logic, but logic according to what we know in the folk lore," he explained.

"When you're talking about the supernatural, anything fictional or whimsical could be true. What we have done is take all the stuff that we know and love, and package it in a way that is inviting and palatable. It is adjustable according to the audience's level depending on how much they want to geek out."

Why are people attracted to the supernatural?

Counselling psychologist, Diana Santoso, attributes the pick up of supernatural beliefs to cultural influence and confirmation bias.

"Once a person holds a belief in the supernatural, there may be a tendency to seek out information that confirms or supports the beliefs, thereby strengthening these beliefs," said Santoso.

"Supernatural beliefs can be a healthy form of coping that is associated with attunement with self, better coping with stress, social connectedness, as well as an optimistic and hopeful outlook in life."

Santoso further explains that folk tales are typically passed down from older generations in Southeast Asia. The collective family or group experience thus normalises the supernatural and develops further interest.

Why horror tours could go extinct by next year

With the old Changi Hospital slated to be transformed into a stargazing observatory and aviation viewing deck, dark tourism heritage sites are fast diminishing.

"Singapore is not full of spooky places like the streets of London or an old town in Perth. We don't have castles and dark alleyways. It is rare to find a location worth going where the stories can be densely trusted," shared Lim.

The pandemic had also played a part in preserving or enhancing the natural state of spooky places in Singapore, adding to the scare factor.

"After the pandemic, however, our country started cleaning up and beautifying the places by adding more street lamps," Lim said.

"Therefore, the horror is slowly receding. We suspect that by next year, this tour might not be feasible because all the spooky bits may not be spooky anymore."

With a limited number of spooky places to conduct tours, Lim's initial idea of conducting a horror bus tour had to be aborted due to logistics.

The idea of boarding a bus between places can be a mood killer for created atmosphere, which is a key element in driving interest and excitement in walking horror tours.

Accessibility to heritage sites is another problem. Popular spots such as the "suicide tower" in Pasir Ris - which is located in the middle of a mangrove swamp - remain challenging for visitors to get to.

Illegal trespassing of sites that are out of bounds to the public is also sometimes carried out on these tours, something not everyone is comfortable with. As such, existing paranormal tours are kept within small groups.

Lim defines Changi as "a pearl" for retaining much of its original architecture and physical state, but is concerned over the future of these tours.

"We are rushing the tours before the window closes," he said.

The Walk with Hantu: Changi tour runs on Thursday and Saturday nights through April.

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Go on a Night Walk at Old Changi Hospital! S’pore’s Most Haunted Building Now Has Its Own Tour

September 30, 2020, 6:37 pm

Growing up, we’ve probably all been spooked by horror stories involving the Old Changi Hospital. Rumoured to be once used by the Kempeitai as a base to torture prisoners-of-war, the now-abandoned hospital is shrouded in mystery. If you’re feeling ballsy, there’s a Night Walk going on at the haunted hospital to get you in the mood for Halloween!

With crumbling walls, overgrown vegetation, and random splashes of graffiti, the hospital looks fit as a setting for a horror movie. Adventurous trespassers often report seeing ghostly shadows flickering through the halls, and some even recount hearing disembodied screams. If you’re keen to test out the truth for yourself, the upcoming Night Walk will be the perfect event for you.

While the tour will not lead you into the hospital itself, you will get to walk around the front and back gate of the hospital and hear stories about its paranormal inhabitants. If you’re lucky – or unlucky – you may even get to catch a glimpse of these manifestations yourself.

The tour is currently full, with more than 500 people on the wait list. In fact, the number went up by more than 20 in the span of us writing this article, so it might be a tad hard to get onto the list right now. However, the area around Old Changi Hospital is open to the public, so if you’ve got that daredevil in you, feel free to gather up a group of friends (no more than 5, please) and head to the grounds yourself to do a little exploring!

You may visit this link to register for the waitlist.

Old Changi Hospital

Address: 24 Halton Road , Singapore 506997

Hours: The tour will take place from 7pm to 8.30pm on 15th October . Otherwise, just go whenever, but don’t trespass and piss off anything you wouldn’t want to mess with!

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From phantom thieves to guardians of hospital gates, find out more about singapore's intriguing medical history, discover the treasure trove of hidden secrets in these notable heritage institutions.

Beyond the acronyms of our healthcare institutions, what do you really know about Singapore's medical heritage?

Do you know, for instance, if Old Changi Hospital's reputation for being haunted is truly deserved? Or what animal guarded the gates of the former Middleton Hospital? And what about the good samaritan who worked behind the scenes to keep hospitals running during the Japanese Occupation?

Mr Jerome Lim, independent researcher, heritage enthusiast and manager of award-winning local history blog The Long and Winding Road , takes us through lesser-known truths about these buildings of our medical history:

1. The misunderstood past of Old Changi Hospital

The setting for countless local ghost stories and even a television drama, Old Changi Hospital - originally occupying two buildings put up in the 1930s when it was established in 1947 by the British colonial government as part of its military base camp in Changi - is arguably the most notorious of Singapore's historic medical institutions.

All manner of unsavoury characters are purported to roam its abandoned corridors, from an errant cabal of satanists performing forbidden rituals to sightings of soldiers walking around and the ghostly apparitions of a nurse with a child in her arms and that of a little boy who just sits and stares.

But the most propagated myth by far is that the building served as a torture facility for the Kempeitai or Japanese secret police during the Japanese Occupation.

Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it - this story holds very little water, according to Mr Lim.

While it was used as part of a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp for over 50,000 from February 1942, conditions were not as bleak as one would have expected. For instance, the Japanese forces were overwhelmed and let the captured British officers maintain order and discipline of the POWs in the camps. Then, after the establishment of the Southern Area College in Kitchener Barracks, they had access to education, sports and theatrical performances.

As prisoners were gradually dispersed to various work camps around Singapore and Japanese-occupied South-east Asia, the number of POWs dwindled to the point where the camp was shut down in May 1943, and repurposed as a barracks for units constructing a nearby airstrip.

In 1947, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) commissioned a full-time hospital for the RAF Changi base, repurposing Blocks 24 and 37 of the nearby barracks into RAF Hospital Changi. This would later become the beginnings of the Changi Hospital that operated until 1997.

No recorded reports of Kempeitai torture on the premises actually exist.

This venue is a State property managed by the Singapore Land Authority.

2. The thief of St Andrew's Mission Hospital

Throughout its long and storied history, 5 Kadayanallur Street has gone by many names.

From 1964 to 1998, the building served as the Maxwell Road Outpatient Dispensary. But many years before that, it became St Andrew's Mission Hospital in 1923 before being repurposed as the Shimin Byoin, a hospital for women and children, by the Japanese Occupation Civilian Administration in April 1942.

Dr Ho Boon Liat, then its director, later wrote of the hospital's wartime experiences in his book Syonan Interlude. A particular incident of note was the nightly visitations of a thief that would steal the eggs from the chicken cage up on the rooftop.

The urgency of solving the crime was exacerbated by the scarcity of wartime sustenance; eggs were a precious commodity in Japanese-occupied Singapore.

When the thefts continued, staff members conducted a stakeout, hoping to find the culprit from a list of suspects they had compiled.

As it turned out, it was an inside job that put to rest the fact that the eggs had not been stolen. Instead, they had been claimed by the resident cockerel, who had hidden the evidence of its misdeeds so skilfully that even the other residents of the cage were none the wiser!

3. The legacy of Middleton Hospital

Many older Singaporeans are familiar with the former Middleton Hospital, with its two-storey gatehouse towering over Moulmein Green for over 70 years.

Named after Municipal Health Officer Dr William R C Middleton (1893 to 1920), the hospital was more commonly referred to by locals as "orh sai" (Hokkien for "black lion"), thanks to the black lion that graced its entrance.

The original black lion was removed along with the gatehouse during a road widening process in 1982. A different black lion then took its place at the entrance throughout the period of the building's operation.

Even after being rechristened as the old Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) in 1992, it is still referred to as "orh sai" despite there being no traces of the original black lion today.

What does remain, however, is the unique layout of the premises. Initially given life in the 1910s as a hospital for infectious diseases like smallpox and cholera, the pavilion-style wards were built with a layout identical to hospitals of the time in England.

This "state-of-the-art" design, in Mr Lim's words, was in accordance with the prevailing English philosophy of curtailing the spread of infectious diseases by maximising ventilation.

While zoned for future redevelopment under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Master Plan, the old CDC remains as a landmark until such time as it harks back to a time when space in Singapore was not under the same premium as it is today.

4. The wartime samaritan, graduate of medical school at Singapore General Hospital

During the Occupation, Singapore General Hospital (SGH) was taken over by the Japanese, forcing its staff and patients to relocate to then-Woodbridge Hospital as it was repurposed as the Japanese military's primary surgical centre.

Enter Dr Kozo Ando, a long-time resident of Singapore and a graduate of the King Edward VII College of Medicine at SGH, Malaya's leading medical school at the time.

A private medical practitioner, Dr Ando soon found himself the officer-in-charge of the Civilian Medical Department in Singapore.

He was noted by several of his local medical contemporaries as tireless in his attempts to help the local civilian populace. Chief among these was the subsequent relocation of Woodbridge Hospital personnel and supplies to the more central Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which made medical access much easier for less mobile patients.

Dr Ando was also crucial in the execution of a vaccination drive that inoculated an estimated 650,000 people against malaria and 160,000 against cholera, as well as the distribution of antimalarial quinine tablets to the public.

Dr Ando was responsible for the appointment of local doctors as directors of various civilian hospitals during the Occupation, including the relocation of the aforementioned Dr Ho Boon Liat (see section on St Andrew's Mission Hospital) and his wife to St Andrew's Mission Hospital, as well.

Dr Ando returned to Japan in November 1943, but his legacy as a civilian medical administrator lives on as a rare light in a dark period of Singapore's history.

SGH marks its 200th anniversary this year.

5. The isolation of Tanglin Military Hospital

Today, Loewen Road in Dempsey is one of Singapore's trendiest lifestyle and retail destinations, with pet hotels, Korean barbecue restaurants and artisanal chocolatiers alike calling the small assembly of colonial-styled blocks home.

Its relative isolation from the rest of Dempsey's buildings, however, should give one a clue as to its initial purpose. In the late 1800s, when the shingles on the roofs were still made with attap palms, it served as Tanglin Military Hospital, the primary military facility for the British army until the opening of Alexandra Hospital in the mid-1940s.

With Alexandra Hospital more centrally located and better-equipped with facilities, staff and medical supplies, the relatively remote location of Tanglin Military Hospital made it ideal for relegation to an isolation ward dedicated to the treatment of highly contagious venereal diseases and skin conditions that ran rampant among the troops at the time.

Diving deep into Singapore's medical history

The information given here barely scratches the surface of the history of Singapore's medical institutions.

If you just have to know more about Singapore's medical history, you're in luck. Singapore HeritageFest 2021 , on from now till May 30, is all about Singapore's medical heritage.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) manages about 5,000 State buildings including almost 500 black and white bungalows, cluster estates such as Dempsey and Chip Bee Gardens. Many of State properties such as the Old Changi Hospital and the former St Andrew's Mission Hospital at 5 Kadayanallur Street are distinctive and have a rich history.

Since 2017, SLA has been collaborating with heritage researcher Jerome Lim on the "Discovering Singapore's Best Kept Secrets" State property guided tours series. Through these tours, SLA hopes to give participants rare insights into, and an appreciation of, the lesser-known sites under its care.

For those interested in beginning volunteer work in the medical sector, click here to join a virtual sharing session with healthcare volunteers from the Institute of Mental Health, Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital on their experiences at wards and peer support groups.

Visit sgheritagefest.gov.sg to find out more about Singapore HeritageFest and register for its events.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

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Explore Singapore's Haunted Side

• Experience Highlights
• Availability
• Notes: Parking - If you are driving, consider parking at Changi Village Carpark 1 or 2, or along the Changi Village Road. - Alternatively, you can park at Turnhouse Park carpark beside Coastal Settlement. We’ll be ending our tour near Coastal Settlement. - For those who park at Changi Village, you can take an approximately 15 - 20mins walk from Coastal Settlement to Changi Village, or take a bus 29 (frequency 18mins) back to Changi Village interchage. Public Transport - Cab is hard to flag down, and Grab is hard to book as it gets closer to midnight. (Cab drivers still remember the tales of a lady in white flagging down cabs along Changi Road). - There are however a few buses you can take from Changi to get back to civilisation (Pasir Ris, Tampines, Tanah Merah) where you can get a cab or change to other modes of public transport. - Most buses operate out of Changi around midnight; to be safe, you would want to catch your bus around 11.30pm.
• End at The Coastal Settlement ( The Coastal Settlement, Netheravon Road, Singapore )
• Every Saturday 07:30PM - 10:00PM
• Pet-Friendly
• Child Friendly (Recommended Age: 8+)
• Cancellation Cancel 3 days before activity for a full refund
• Minimum Participants If there are fewer than 6 participants, the host may reschedule or refund your booking.

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• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

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Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

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Elektrostal Satellite Map

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Escape to a random place.