About
Located in northern Singapore, Sembawang is on the coast of the Johor Straits and faces Malaysia. The district encompasses part of Yishun and part of Seletar, thus holding characteristics of both. It is in part a residential area like Yishun, and an old army area like Seletar. Sembawang is out of the way for most Singaporeans, and therefore remains quiet and sleepy.

History
Named after the Sembawang tree, the district was first mentioned in 1830 Map of Singapore, crafted by Franklin & Johnson. It was rubber plantation that was later converted into a major naval base for the British army, which began to be constructed in 1928. During this time, colonial barracks were built in the area, which are now known as black-and-white houses because of the monochrome colours used. After Singapore 's independence, the naval base was handed over to Sembawang Corporation, now known as Sembcorp, which started off dealing in the shipping business. Today, Sembcorp has bases and sites all over Singapore and has expanded its business to include more than ships.

Residential
Sembawang's residential area consists of Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, condominiums and black-and-white houses. These old houses are obscure and are not served by public transport. Most of the occupants are expatriates.

Recreation

• Sembawang Park
  A large park located near Seletar Reservoir, Sembawang Park is where residents of the district go on the weekends.
• Sembawang Hot Spring
  This is the Singapore mainland's only hot spring.
• Bottle Tree Village
  Bottle Tree Village is a grove that contains bottle trees that are imported from Australia, a unique breed of trees that cannot be found anywhere else on the island.
• Orchid Golf Course and Seletar Golf Course
  These two huge golf courses are crowded on the weekends and is the closest thing to paradise for local golfers.