Better known as the Hamptons, the Long Island towns of Southampton and East Hampton in New York are the playgrounds of America’s rich and famous. Palatial summer homes are the order of the day in a region where you’ll find some of the country’s most expensive zip codes. It’s basically the opposite of everything you’d associate with Bedok. According to a new heritage trail, however, the humble corner of eastern Singapore bore an uncanny resemblance to the Hamptons in the early 20th century.
Launched by the National Heritage Board (NHB) as part of the ongoing Singapore HeritageFest, the Bedok Heritage Trail will transport you back in time to the era before the development of the East Coast area; a time when the colony’s wealthiest inhabitants resided in waterfront bungalows alongside fishing villages. With 10 markers spread along a 15km route, you’ll discover Bedok’s long history, from its kampung beginning to its key role in the East Coast Reclamation Scheme.
The Bedok Heritage Trail is the NHB’s 15th heritage trail and was developed as part of the Housing & Development Board’s Remaking Our Heartland program. More information is available on the NHB’s Roots portal.
