Parks & gardens
East Coast Park
East Coast Park (ECP) is a beach and a park on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It stretches along the south of Marine Parade, Bedok, and Tampines. It was opened in the 1970s, after the Singapore government had completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong, from Kallang to Changi. Themed "Recreation for All", it not only serves the needs of communities in the east, other Singapore residents do also visit the park for sports, recreation, and food.
What East Coast Park Is
East Coast Park is a long stretch of reclaimed coastline in southeastern Singapore, running along Marine Parade, Bedok, and Tampines. Unlike Singapore's more manicured botanical gardens, this is a working recreational park: a sandy beach, a paved path used by cyclists, runners, and skaters, wide grass verges for picnics, and a string of seafood restaurants and hawker centres along the shore. It's a place locals actually use rather than a sightseeing stop, which is part of the appeal if you want a break from the city's malls and museums.
Getting There
There's no MRT station directly at the park, so most visitors take a taxi, ride-hail, or bus from the city centre, which takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on where you're coming from and which section of the park you're heading to (it runs for several kilometres). Cycling in from nearby residential areas like Marine Parade is also common, since the park connects to Singapore's park connector network.
How Much Time to Allow
A couple of hours is enough for a walk, a swim, or a meal by the water. If you plan to rent a bike or inline skates and cover more ground, or linger over seafood at one of the restaurant clusters, budget half a day.
When to Go
Weekday mornings or late afternoons are quieter; weekends, especially with good weather, draw large crowds of cyclists, families, and picnickers, and parking can be tight. Like the rest of Singapore, expect heat and possible afternoon rain, so early morning or early evening visits are more comfortable than midday.
Combining With Nearby Sights
The park sits some distance from Singapore's central attractions. Kallang River (6.3km) and Gardens by the Bay (7.2km) are the closest options and can be paired with a park visit if you're moving along the coast toward the city centre, while Singapore Flyer (7.2km) and Masjid Hajjah Fatimah (7km) work well as a follow-on stop later the same day.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
