East Coast Park

For anyone looking to experience East Coast Park at its best, a little planning goes a long way. Stretching along Singapore’s southeastern coast for over 15 kilometers, the park rarely feels overcrowded except on big holidays. Its many entrances make it easy to find a peaceful corner, or dive into more bustling areas near food centres and playgrounds. No ticket is required—entry is free—but some activities, such as bike or skate rentals, come with a small fee. Bus routes and the newly extended MRT reach several entrances, making this destination accessible from most parts of Singapore.

• Best time to visit: Early mornings for cool, quiet scenes; evenings for sunset breezes and picnics. Avoid mid-afternoon heat.
• How to get there: Take a bus to Marine Parade, Bedok, or East Coast Park Service Road. The Thomson–East Coast MRT line serves Marine Parade and is expanding further.
• Accessibility: Wheelchair-friendly paths, plenty of wide spaces, and accessible washrooms. Family cyclists, senior walkers, and toddlers with prams are a common sight.
• Average visit duration: 2–4 hours covers basic highlights. Plan more if barbecuing, fishing, or exploring hidden corners.

A trip to East Coast Park should include time in both its bustling hubs and quieter pockets. The central hub, near East Coast Lagoon Food Village, always buzzes with activity: grilled satay, spicy laksa, and thirst-quenching sugarcane juice. For energetic forays, wide bike and rollerblade paths wind past sandy beaches and shaded groves, linking barbecue pits, playgrounds, and fishing jetties. Farther east, Bedok Jetty attracts anglers and birdwatchers, while the Parkland Green precinct offers feels-like-a-vacation hangouts with cafes and lawn games. Tucked away at the park’s western tip, the tranquil Xtreme SkatePark hosts Singapore’s skater community—local flair at its finest.

• Key sights or features: East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Bedok Jetty, Parkland Green, Marine Cove playground, Xtreme SkatePark.
• Unique experiences: Rent a tandem bike for the full coastal route. Set up a picnic on reclaimed sand. Watch the sunrise over passing cargo ships.
• Photo-worthy locations: Palm-lined jogging paths, colorful sprinkled play areas, windsurfers out at sea, old-school stone breakwaters for sunset shots.
• Cultural or historical facts: Reclaimed from the sea in the 1970s, the park once hosted legendary dragon boat races and still anchors generations of family traditions, from wedding shoots to birthday barbecues.