Katong is a town in Singapore that is well known for its Katong Laksa. The word “Katong” is not only has the meaning of the rippling effect of a sea mirage when looking at a shoreline as well as being the name of an extinct sea turtle. However, many people get mixed up as they do not know whether Joo Chiat is part of Katong, or whether Katong is part of Joo Chiat. In the past, Tanjong Katong was a popular beach in the East Coast but due to land reclamation in the 1960s, it has disappeared. Katong has a rich cultural mix which has contributed to its unique food and culture.
Katong is a big residential area that comprises of Mountbatten, Joo Chiat, East Coast, Marine Parade and Siglap. In the old days, land in Katong near the sea were used by the wealthy to build plantations and traded goods that they received from the plantations such as gambier, coconut and cotton. The first cultivation was started in 1823, when Francis Bernard, son-in-law of William Farquhar , the first resident of Singapore. In the past, there was no Marine Parade before land reclamation. Katong ended slightly before PIE and everything after it are built on reclaimed land. One of the reason why Katong is unique and different from other areas in Singapore is that Katong offers a lot of Peranakan food.
Joo Chiat is a residential
conservation area in Katong. It is named after Chew Joo Chiat. Joo Chiat has rows of
shophouses near the road. Joo Chiat road was named after Chew Joo Chiat as he willingly gave up his plot of land to the government for them to make a road without asking for repercussion, thus the government named the road after him.
Seaview Hotel and the
Singapore Swimming Club were opened in Joo Chiat in the 1930s.
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