Pasir Ris Holiday

WAY BEFORE SKI holidays in Niseko became the norm, snagging a coveted chalet in East Coast Park or Pasir Ris for a beach-side barbecue was enough to qualify you for some bragging rights.

But even before that - in the late 1800s - Pasir Ris was a vacation spot for Singapore's early wealthy residents, until more affordable holiday accommodation, mostly built by the People's Association, started popping up.

Early maps of Singapore will show how coconut plantations were prevalent in Pasir Ris, and one private bungalow in particular. It was reportedly owned by prominent businessman Joseph Elias - whom Elias Road was named after - who built the two-storey bungalow with 12 bedrooms along the coastline. The house was later converted into the aptly named Pasir Ris Hotel, and was in operation until 1983.