![](\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Bedok-Residences-1-300x181.jpg?fit=300%2C181\")
\nConstruction in\u00a0progress for new public housing beside Bedok Reservoir Park.\u00a0
\nBedok has a rich history and was once full of coconut plantations and fishing villages. The area has changed dramatically over the years and is now a popular housing\u00a0estate with many new shops and\u00a0excellent eateries.\u00a0\u00a0
\nBy Joanne Poh
\nThe friendly rivalry between residents of Singapore\u2019s eastern and western neighbourhoods is an enduring\u00a0one.
\nEast-side residents pride themselves on the more laid back, less congested nature of\u00a0their area, which they\u00a0prefer\u00a0to the frenetic energy of the west.
\nBedok, a mature planning area in eastern Singapore, is the quintessential\u00a0neighbourhood of the sort that\u00a0east-siders prize, relaxed yet full of character.\u00a0
\nA long history
\nThe name Bedok has been in use since the\u00a017th\u00a0century, making it one of the oldest local place names still in\u00a0use today.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe earliest evidence of the name is in reference to Sungei Bedok, formerly a river in present-day Tanah\u00a0Merah.\u00a0
\nThe word Bedok was probably derived from\u00a0bedoh, a Malay word used to denote a large drum that is struck\u00a0during the Islamic call to prayer.\u00a0
\nCoconuts were Bedok residents\u2019 main income source prior to the\u00a060s,\u00a0thanks to the presence\u00a0of nearby coconut plantations.\u00a0Due to its proximity to the coast, fishing was also another thriving industry in the area.\u00a0
\nThe development of Bedok into the HDB town it is today commenced in 1963, and beginning in 1966, excavation of land in the area was carried out in order to undertake land reclamation\u00a0along the coastline. The first HDB flats appeared in the area in 1975.\u00a0
\nCompleted in 2015, the 583-unit Bedok Residences is integrated with Bedok Mall. (Photo: CapitaLand)
\nWhere the heart is\u00a0
\nBedok is now one of Singapore\u2019s largest planning areas\u00a0comprising almost 300,000 residents, thanks to the proliferation of HDB flats, as well as some prominent clusters of private residences in the Siglap, Bayshore and Frankel areas.\u00a0
\nSome of the facilities in\u00a0proximity to Bedok include Singapore Changi Airport, Changi Business Park, as well as Bedok Industrial Park and Kaki Bukit Industrial Park, making it an\u00a0ideal residential choice for those who wish to capitalise on career and business opportunities in the area.\u00a0
\nBedok is also located just minutes away by MRT from Paya Lebar, where the Paya Lebar Air Base is located, and is not far from other amenities in\u00a0the area such as City Plaza and eateries on the Geylang Road stretch.\u00a0
\nIt is equally close to Tampines, which is one of Singapore\u2019s most established regional centres and has numerous major shopping malls as well as an IKEA\u00a0store.\u00a0
\nOne of the most note-worthy recent developments in the area is Bedok Residences, a mixed-use\u00a0residential development that opened its doors for occupation in 2015 and features luxurious facilities such as an infinity lap pool and terraced spa pods.\u00a0
\nThe 583-unit condominium stands out for its prime location and its seamless integration with one of the area\u2019s major shopping malls and transport hubs.\u00a0
\nThe development is built directly above Bedok Mall, which is also home to Bedok bus interchange and just across the road from Bedok MRT\u00a0station.\u00a0The mall is a key meeting point for residents and visitors to Bedok, with its plethora of eateries and retail stores.\u00a0
\nThis is also where the area\u2019s main transport node is located. Bedok MRT station on the East-West Line takes residents directly to the Central Business\u00a0District (CBD), and is complemented by the bus interchange. Despite Bedok\u2019s suburban location, it is easily accessible by MRT or by car from the CBD, as well as Changi Airport.\u00a0
\nFor residents of Bedok, the area is also home to many excellent dining spots.\u00a0
\nHazlina Peer, who lives in Bedok with her husband and mother, identifies the availability of local dining options as a key draw. \u201cThere are so many places to eat regardless of the time of day,\u201d she says.\u00a0
\nShe names Simpang Bedok as her favourite spot for food, adding,\u00a0\u201cBedok Mall is great too, there are good shops and restaurants in there.\u201d\u00a0
\nShe also enjoys Bedok\u2019s proximity to the sea. \u201cIt takes me only 10 to 15\u00a0minutes to\u00a0cycle to the beach, and 15\u00a0minutes to the airport,\u201d she says. \u201cWhat\u2019s more, Bedok is only a 25 to 30 minute MRT ride into the city.\u201d\u00a0
\nBut above all, it is Bedok\u2019s local character that makes it feel like home to its hundreds of thousands of residents.\u00a0
\n\u201cI like seeing the neighbourhood kids of all races playing together behind or under the HDB blocks in their school uniforms,\u201d says Hazlina.\u00a0<\/p>\n