What a difference 60 years makes.
These fascinating photos show how Singapore has developed in dramatic fashion since it gained its independence back in 1965, with historic photos from yesteryear matched with modern snaps of the same scenes.
Find out what Changi Airport, one of Asia‘s largest and most prestigious transportation hubs, used to look like when it was an air force base and see how the city’s skyline has gone from lo-fi to sci-fi.
The photos, curated with the help of the Singapore Tourism Board, also reveal the country’s efforts to embrace its stunning natural environment with modern, sustainable housing and design.
More than 47 per cent of Singapore’s land is covered in greenery, with nature kept at the heart of the city’s modern transformation.
Scroll down to take a breathtaking visual journey of the country’s past 60 years…
CHANGI AIRPORT: The top image depicts Singapore Changi Airport when it was an air force base in 1965. Today (bottom picture), it’s regarded as one of the best airports in the world. It was ranked second in the ‘Oscars for Airports’ in 2024, won the accolade consecutively from 2013 to 2020 and came first in 2023. Inside, it’s part forest. As passengers explore 24,000 sq m (258,333 sq ft) of greenery they’ll discover a butterfly garden and, amid the foliage, the world’s largest indoor waterfall – which is 40 metres (130ft) tall
BUKIT TIMAH EXPRESSWAY: The top image shows the six-lane Bukit Timah Expressway in 1965, with the same road pictured below in modern times. The Eco-Link bridge, seen in the modern image, was designed to let animals cross safely between the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, which sit on either side of the expressway
CLARKE QUAY: This historic riverside quay was captured in 1965 in the top image, while the bottom modern picture shows how it has dramatically changed over the years. Clarke Quay was once a trade hub but was redeveloped into a shopping, entertainment and dining district in the 1980s
CLIFFORD PIER: This structure opened in 1933 and is pictured in the top image in 1965. The modern image below demonstrates how much the surrounding area has changed, with skyscrapers now dominating the scene
PUBLIC HOUSING: Both of these images depict public housing by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Many flats built in the 1960s were small units, as seen in the top picture dating from 1965. The blocks in this image were some of the first completed by the HDB. More recent buildings have been designed with eco-features in mind, explains HDB. According to Statista, 77 per cent of Singapore’s residents currently live in public housing
KAMPONG GELAM: Kampong Gelam is Singapore’s Muslim Quarter. The Sultan Mosque, pictured in the top image in 1965, was built in 1824. The image also shows Arab Street, a popular shopping street with colourful houses. The lower picture depicts how the street’s historic houses are now used as restaurants and shops
MARINA BAY: The lower picture shows the Marina Bay Sands resort, a luxury 5-star hotel that’s home to the world’s largest infinity pool (151m/495ft). The area is also now home to the Gardens by the Bay urban park, shown in the middle image, which spans 105 hectares. This area was previously undeveloped, as seen in the top image
ORCHARD ROAD: The bottom image shows Orchard Road, Singapore’s main shopping street, in modern times, while the top image shows the same area in 1965. The street earned its name from the fruit tree orchards, spice gardens and pepper farms established there until the beginning of the 20th century
RAFFLES HOTEL: The flagship Raffles hotel is one of Singapore’s major landmarks and is shown in 1965 in the top two images. Many famous celebrities – including Rudyard Kipling, Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy – stayed at the hotel over the years. The bottom image shows the popular hotel in modern times. The gin-based cocktail ‘Singapore Sling’ is said to have been created by a bartender working at the hotel in 1915
SENTOSA ISLAND: An island resort off the coast of southern Singapore, Sentosa Island was developed in the 1970s. The lower image depicts The Singapore Cable Car system that links Sentosa to Mount Faber on the mainland. Before becoming a resort, the island was used as a British military base and a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp and is photographed in the top image in 1965 before development of the resort began
SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS: The Singapore Botanic Gardens opened in the 1800s and are pictured in the top image in 1965. The gardens became a Unesco World Heritage site in 2014 and are a popular tourist destination, as seen in the lower recent image. The gazebo featured in both pictures was built in 1930