Explore Singapore: Accela’s Guide To Marine Parade
Did you know the neighbourhood of Marine Parade is home to the first housing estate built on reclaimed land in Singapore? In the early 1960s, the government decided to reclaim the area for its housing development program and completed its first block of flats in the 1970s. Today, Marine Parade is home to approximately 46,390 residents and has plenty of amenities such as basketball and badminton courts and a three-story community building that houses both a community center (CC) and public library. There are also many food and beverage outlets that can be found alongside shopping malls for both shopping and entertainment needs.
The Marine Parade neighbourhood is also famed for its park and beach, known as East Coast Park, where some of us at Accela frequent for exercise or dog-walking. In this neighbourhood guide, we bring you some of our favourites in this Southeastern part of the island.
East Coast Park
It goes without saying that this park and beach is the top attraction in Marine Parade. The park also provides barbeque pits for rent and have cycling shops for you to rent bicycles, roller skates and even a four-person bike. The space at East Coast makes it conducive for public events to be held, such as the Standard Chartered and Sundown Marathons. There is also a Marine Cove Playground that is popular with young families as they feature unique play spots such as the rope pyramid and an eight-meter tall play tower for children to explore.
After exercising, park goers can enjoy seafood delicacies at the East Coast Seafood Center with well-known restaurants such as the No Signboard Seafood and Jumbo Seafood restaurant. Alternatively, indulge in local delights available at the Lagoon Hawker Center a few hundred meters away. Highlights include the delicious Sambal Stingray, satay and Hokkien Mee.
Address:
East Coast Seafood Centre – 1206 East Coast Park, Singapore 449883
Opening hours: 11am – 10pm (differs between restaurants)
Lagoon Hawker Centre – 1220 East Coast Park, Singapore 468960
Opening hours: 5pm-12am (some stalls open at 9am)
“Octopus” Coffee Shop
Those familiar with Marine Parade will know about the Octopus statue located outside the 80S Corner Coffeeshop near the FairPrice supermarket. The coffee shop earned its nickname because of its unique icon. The octopus is a hit among children who often climb around or play near it, with occasional tourists stopping by for photos.
The ‘Octopus’ coffee shop has a variety of affordable local favourites such as the Hainanese chicken rice, fish ball noodles as well as ‘cai png’, a plate of rice with servings of meat and vegetables of choice. The coffee shop is a convenient spot for families to congregate for dinner and or to stop for tea break. It is also a popular supper spot, especially among young adults as both the prata and Western food stalls are open till late night.
Address: 80 Marine Parade Central, Singapore 440080
Opening hours: 8am – 3am (depends on stalls)
Yong’s Teochew Kueh
Kuih or kueh are bite-sized snacks that are usually made from rice or glutinous rice, commonly enjoyed in Southeast Asia. These kueh can be found at Yong’s Teochew Kueh which specialises in Teochew dishes such as steamed ‘Soon Kueh’, a popular and savory Teochew snack made from bamboo shoots, turnip, dried prawns and mushrooms paired with homemade sweet and chili sauce. Another hot favourite would be the steamed ‘Ku Chai Kueh’ or Teochew chive dumplings, filled with fragrant garlic chives and dried shrimp.
Making everything fresh daily, this unassuming shop usually sells out by 12pm daily. To avoid disappointment, head down early if you are keen to get your hands on these hot piping snacks!
Address: 150 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428837
Opening hours: 8am-3pm, closed on Mondays
Contact: 6345 6798
The Marine Parade neighbourhood is a prime location for both locals and expatriates alike with its close proximity to the airport and Central Business District, as well as unrestricted access to the beach. There is also a variety of food and shopping options for residents, making Marine Parade one of the more convenient places to live in. Come 2023, the new Thomson-East Coast Line will make it even more accessible for residents, and also gives non-Marine Parade residents a better peek into the neighbourhood.
