Current Time in Bedok New Town, Singapore

Bedok New Town lies in the eastern part of Singapore, a few kilometres inland from the coast and roughly midway between the city centre and Changi Airport. It is the core of the wider Bedok planning area, a residential district of tall apartment blocks, tree-lined avenues, neighbourhood parks and shopping malls built on land that was once a mixture of coastal villages, coconut groves, sand quarries and mangrove. The sea lies just to the south beyond the East Coast Parkway, and much of the shoreline nearby is reclaimed land.

With close to three hundred thousand residents in the planning area, Bedok is one of the most populous districts in Singapore. The overwhelming majority live in public housing built by the Housing and Development Board, in flats that residents own on long leases. Most people work elsewhere in the island, especially in the central business district, at Changi Airport or in the industrial estates nearby, while local employment comes from retail, food services, schools, clinics and light industry at Kaki Bukit and Tampines.

The name Bedok has been recorded for centuries and probably comes from a Malay word, though its exact origin is debated. Before the 1960s this was a rural coastal district of Malay kampongs, fishing villages, plantations and weekend seaside bungalows. Extensive sand quarrying supplied material for the reclamation projects that created the East Coast, and one of the largest excavations later filled with water to become Bedok Reservoir. From the early 1970s the government developed the area as one of the first generation of satellite new towns, rehousing families from crowded inner districts and creating a model of high-density living supported by comprehensive public amenities.

Visitors usually come for the food. The Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre and the famous late-night stalls at Bedok 85 in Fengshan are institutions among Singaporeans, serving barbecued stingray, satay bee hoon, bak chor mee, chicken rice and fishball noodles until the small hours. Bedok Reservoir Park offers a scenic loop for runners and cyclists, with kayaking and dragon boating on the water. East Coast Park, a short distance away, provides beaches, cycling paths, seafood restaurants and the long Bedok Jetty popular with anglers, and the neighbouring districts of Siglap and Katong preserve Peranakan shophouses and heritage food traditions.

Life here reflects the multicultural character of Singapore, with Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian families living in the same blocks and celebrating Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas within sight of one another. Temples, mosques and churches stand close together, and community centres run classes, sports and festivals throughout the year.

Bedok is served by the East West Line of the MRT, with additional stations on the Downtown Line at Bedok North and Bedok Reservoir, together with an extensive bus network and cycling paths. Many well-regarded primary and secondary schools and junior colleges are located in the district.

Bedok New Town is worth knowing as an authentic slice of everyday Singapore, famous for its food and its well-planned community life.