Jalan Kayu Heritage Trail

If you are heading towards Seletar Camp, formerly a sprawling Royal Air Force (RAF) base, you will realise that Jalan Kaya is a relatively minor, 2-lane road. However, became famous for 2 reasons. First, it was the main access route to one of the largest British military bases in Singapore and the adjacent Seletar airport. Second, a range of road-side eateries selling Indian fare such as roti prata gradually became a household name among the hordes of food-loving Singaporeans.
Jalan Kayu then...
Built in 1928 when the first Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Asia was established at Seletar, Jalan Kayu was the immediate area outside the airbase and soon it became the "Rest and Rereatiion' area for British forces on weekends where they could get cheap local food, their laundry done, shirts made and to purchase goods for home. There was a night market which sold an array of fruits, vegetables, fish and other fresh products that came from the surrounding vegetable and fishing farms that were part of the livelihood of the local population.
Jalan Kayu today...
Jalan kayu today is a place that continues to serve both local and foreign tastes. The 2-lane road remains intact as does the continued hustle and bustle of the crowds who have descended at Jalan Kayu to partake of the new food outlets that have sprouted in the areas as well as to do their daily grocery shopping at "old-style" grocers specializing in fresh goods such as fruits and vegetables that are popular with the residents from the private estates in and around the area.


Food Culture in Jalan Kayu
Jalan Kayu has a long food history that stretches a good 60 years. Soon after the 2nd World War, the immediate area outside Seletar Base became a food sanctuary until today. Besides the Indian mee goreng and roti prata, you can also get good authentic wood-fire Italian piazza, Chinese wok-fried dishes, smooth and delicious soya bean curd, fragnant Otah or fish paste fillets wrapped in banana leaves and even fruit based power juices for the health conscious.
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^(left) Thasevi Food Eating House - well-known for roti prata.
^(right) He Ji Cooked Food - well known for wanton noodels served with crispy deep-fried or boiled wantans (dumplings) and char siew.

^(left) Selegie soya bean - silky smooth soya bean curd and soya bean milk with traditional Chinese tea-time pastries.
^(right) Hiang Soon Otah - savoury fish fillets with spices and coconut milk.

^(left) Mad Jack - where the health conscious get fruit-based power juices
^(right) Jerry's - well known for its BBQ & grill food

^(left) Jane's cake shop - famous for its durian and chocolate fudge creations.
^(right) Gim Tin Heong - BBQ sliced pork (bak kwa), a local delight .
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Kampong Lorong Buangkok is the last remaining kampong on the Singapore mainland. it is situated along Gerald Drive off Hougang green. Few people knew of its existence and visitors were few and far between. However, due to flooding problem caused by its low lying locations and reports on the quaintness of this final outpost for kampong life on Singapore island, more and more people were drawn to this kampong.

The kampong has been in existence for around 50 years. The land is owned by a single owner and this owner rents out the land to the kampong residents. The residents thus bear the cost of construction as well as maintaining the houses themselves. Currently, there are still 28 families living there, predominantly Malays. The residents do not normally refer to the place as Kampong Lorong Buangkok, instead they make use of the street names near the kampong when giving directions to visitors.
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The residents generally keep to themselves and its peaceful and quiet neighbourhood. Some residents however fear that the kampong's final chapter will soon be written as they are concerned that they may be relocated soon. Till then, the kampong remains a refreshing change from the fast-paced modern world of urban Singapore.

Agriculture & horticulture - Seletar West Farmways

Fishy business - The Seletar West area has a sizeable number of tropical fish farms that are as well-known for their high quality Koi and goldfishes as they are for basement priced fish that sell for a bargain, as low as 20-80 cents. There are more than 10 tropical fish farms here where fish enthusiants can enjoy viewing an excellent collection of goldfish, cichlids, tetras, swordtails and guppies. The tropical fish farms are found clustered around Seletar Farmways 1,2 & 3.

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In full bloom - Nestled in the lush, if slightly unkempt greenery of Seletar West, there are several farms that grow a variety of delicious mushrooms that are supplied daily to the major supermarkets in Singapore and the region. Each farm produces over 15 tonnes of mushrooms monthly.
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The Animal Resort - this is a getaway for animals. If you are planning for a overseas trip, you can leave your pet in the care of the Animal Resort which acts like a pet hotel. Besides providing hospitality service for your 4-legged or feathered friends, you can also visit the resident 'celebrity pets' that include exotic birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats and even a friendly pony.

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Seletar Camp
As you drive up to the end of Jalan Kayu, you'll reach a still imposing camp gate with a signboard that still reads "Show your pass without demand", which indicate the military past and present of the Seletar Camp area.

The Seletar airbase and its surrounding area housed the Royal Air Force (RAF) Far East command and it was literally created out of swamp, marsh and jungle by thousands of local workers employed by the British. They have toiled for years to construct the British bastion of the East under the close supervision of Royal Air Force engineers. It was to be the the largest RAF airbase outside of Britian. The RAF base in Seletar served as a civil airport from 1930 onwards. It was during the 1940s through to the 1960s that the airbase was home to squadrons of planes and helicopters.

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The airbase was built by the British to complement the Naval base in Singapore. The construction of the airbase began in April 1927 and was finally commissioned in January 1930. Plans for establishing an airfeild, flying boat and naval base in Singapore were first agreed by the Royal Air Force in 1921 and construction started in earnest after an air survey of the area in 1924 by the British. The airbase returned to its military roots in June 1937 when a new civilian airport opened at Kallang. As a direct result of the construction of the base, two well-known Singaporean roads were craved out of the jungle to link Paya Lebar to the new airbase in 1927, namely Yio Chu kang Road and Jalan Kayu itself. The blue-print for the modern Seletar area, as we know of today, was linked.

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The arrival of the invading Japanese army saw Seletar airbase briefly occupied by the Japanese imperial Navy which took over the base and named it "Sereta Hikojo". After the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, the base resumed its function as a British military airbase and became the main flying boat base for the RAF in the region. From the 1950s, it was used extensively by British planes to conduct sorties against Malayan Communist insurgents in the Malayan peninsular and in support of ground operations in North Borneo during the "Confrontation" with the Indonesia. Seletar was handed over to the Republic of Sinapore Air Force in 1971 after the British forces pulled out of Singapore.

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Today, Seletar airport is again a civilian airport that serves a select number of airlines and also a variety of private jets. Seletar West Camp has since been converted to civilian use and is now a quaint relic of the British presence in the Far East while the East Camp area remains under military use by the Singapore Armed Force (SAF).

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Indeed, Seletar airbase and its surrounding frounds are one of the few pieces of architecture that have been spared the relentless tide of change that has swept through the architectural landscape of Singapore over the years.

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Little England & Seletar's black and while bungalows

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Enter the main gate leading to the Seletar Camp and you will be treated to a sight straight from the annals of Singapore's colonial history. Nestled nest to West Camp are over 300 black and while colonial style bungalows with English street names liek "Piccadilly circus" cross-crossing the entire area. These roads were so named in order to stem the home-sickness of British airmen who were thousands of kilometres away from home. many British servicemen, especially RAF Officers were housed at this area, divided into the "Married" and "Singles" quarters. Till today, the place remains relative unchanged and you will see the lush lawns of Seletar camp's "Little England". There are in fact numerous balck and white bungalows scattered in various locations across Singapore where the British military used to be stationed.

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The colonial houses were designed in amodified Tudor-style and have been restored to their original glory over the years by the Singapore government. The bungalows were built specifically to counter the tropical climate by allowing excellent air circulation by having and abundance of windows and air holes coupled with high ceilings to deal with the humidity of the tropics. The high ceilings allowed hot air to rise, therefore promoting air circulation. The windows at the veranda can be completely opened for more air to come into the house, making it breezier for the occupants. Most of the bungalows are well over 50 years old.

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Singapore Youth Flying Club

Established in 1971 by Singapore's Ministry of Defence. The club was founded to impart the experience of fight to youths to cultivate their passin for flying. Since its founding, the Club has educated many youths in the principles of flight and groomed countless pilots for both the Singapore military and civil aviation sector.
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Seletar Airport

The Seletar airport is Singapore's 2nd civilian airport and is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. Mainly used as an airport for chartered flights, the only passenger flights are those by Berjaya Air that provide air travel to the Malaysian islands of Tioman and Redang.

The original plans to convert Seletar into a budget air terminal since been scrapped but Seletar Airport is now being upgraded to support the upcoming Seletar Aerospace Park. The plan includes the lenghtening of the airport's runway and the upgrading of its avionics systems to allow bigger aircraft to land and take off. meanwhile, Seletar airport continues to maintain its somewaht sleeepy charm.

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Pei Hwa Secondary School & Pei Hwa Foundation

Pei Hwa Public School along Yio Chu Kang Road was founded around 1934 by Chinese immigrants residing in Jalan Kayu. They felt a need for a school in proximity to their villages. Back then, schools were located in the cities and not everyone had the means to send their children to and from the city. Pei Hwa began humbly as a small village school but as time passed and with financial aid and leadership from the community leaders, she became one of the largest and most complete village schools in Singapore by 1976. Unfortunately, the enrolment for the school began to dwindle when many of the surrounding villages were relocated in the 1980s. This led to its eventual closure in 1990.

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However, in 2004, the idea of resurrecting Pei Hwa arose from a group of former students who had since started the Pei Hwa Foundation, a philanthropic organsiation founded on the principles of contribution to the community for the betterment of those living there. today, Pei Hwa Secondary School is located at 21 Fernvale Link, a 15 minutes drive form the original site of the Pei Hwa Public School.

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Pei Hwa Foundation, set up in 1991, is located along Jalan Kayu, just next to a petrol station. The organisation can trace its roots to the Pei Hwa Public School which was founded in 1934. The Pei Hwa Foundation was set upto inherit the assets of the school, namely the income generated fromrental of the oldschool compund. This income was subsequently used to support the less priveleged in the community.