( Eastern promise. Bedok is a treasure trove for foodies. Image courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board.)
It’s chock full of the usual amenities and facilities that you would expect to come with a fairly established estate. As part of District 16, there are the nearby areas of Bayshore, Siglap, and the foodie haven of Upper East Coast Road. Commercial buildings, such as Siglap Shopping Centre and Crescendo Building, cater to the needs of the neighbourhood.
Live
Bedok is a fairly large HDB estate with around 58,000 HDB units housing some 200,000 residents. As one of the older towns, the majority of the flats are 3-room or 4-room, but they do also tend to have a larger floor plan than the new HDB units built, for example, in Sengkang and Pungol. There are also some 2,700 and 583 units of executive and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC) flats.
There is also a lot of private housing, especially around the Tanah Merah MRT area. (There was a slight controversy around the MRT’s opening, which was originally mooted to be put back, as it did not serve predominantly public housing, until public pressure ensure that it opened along with the other stations.) Some of the more popular ones include Baywater because of its proximity to Bedok Reservoir, and Bedok Court, with its amazing views out over the HDB estates to the ocean.
Eat
Bedok is a stone’s throw from East Coast Park, well known for its amazing seafood, particularly perennial Singapore favourite Red House. It might be expensive but it does the best barbecue sotong (squid) in the city, and its beachside setting make for a fantastically shabby chic dining experience. Bedok Corner, where Bedok Road meets Upper East Coast Road, houses a popular food centre, serving more barbecued seafood.
For more eating tips in Bedok, check out foodie Bedok resident Katrina’s extensive list, here.
Drink
Let’s face it; you’re not going to go to Bedok for a night out. The coffee shops sell beer for the uncles, while restaurants, like Two Fat Men have a good selection of beers, wines and spirits, but for late night fun, you’re better off heading into town.
Shop
There’s not much in the way of boutiques in Bedok, but there are several shopping malls, including Bedok Marketplace Complex and Bedok Shopping Complex. As with most malls, these house the usual clothing, electronic, cosmetics, banks, and supermarkets you’d expect.
Transport
Bedok is well served by transport links. Both Tanah Merah and Bedok MRT stations are nearby, and the Bedok Interchange, a major bus terminal that connects to intra-neighborhood feeder routes and intercity bus lines, is next to Bedok New Town.
