Dan P.
Yelp
Dem Palm Trees!
East Coast Park has been my sanctuary for the last 6 months; especially during Covid-19 and the endless lockdowns and restrictions, it has been the one freedom I've been able to enjoy - maskless, boundless, limitless.
You'll see a bike in all the pictures, that is the vehicle of my unbound nature giving me inner peace and joy, as I eat up the kilometres and soak in the scenery.
This parkway stretches from Marina Barrage all the way to Changi (that's where it turns into the "Changi Treadmill" or "Changi Grinder" as we call it - which leads to Changi Beach & Chang Airport). If you do the full stretch, it's about 20km each way. Which makes for a solid workout. I usually do a loop which cuts out chunks of the ride and gets me back to my place in 1 hour flat (for about 20km). But other days like today, I join about halfway up and go one direction till the end, and then all the way to the other then home, for about a 35km round trip.
There's tonnes of activities to do along the way, you'll see Filipino groups having BBQ's, Sing Songs, and just a jolly good time. During Xmas this is amazing to immerse in as they'll bang out Feliz Navidad as a gregarious group and it is joyous to behold.
You can rent bike's, camp in tents, go sailing, picnic and BBQ, exercise (you'll see runners, walkers, rollerbladers, cyclists, quad bicycles, tandem bicycles). You name it, everyone's doing it.
There's a cable water-skiing park towards the northern end of the park, right near the Hawker Centre (East Coast Lagoon Food Village). There's Bike rental places dotted at different locations along the way, as well as coffee, McDonalds and other food to refuel your tank.
BBQ pits are also in abundance along the way; with spots you can rent in advance for company BBQs or just a catch-up with friends.
These are all great things to have an option to do; but for me it is all about the solo ride - capturing your spirit, then setting it free and letting it have its head - until you are epically wasted by the end with a solid 1000 calories torched.