{"id":28022,"date":"2019-07-16T11:50:17","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T03:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/blog\/singapore\/?p=28022"},"modified":"2023-08-04T17:45:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T09:45:45","slug":"the-non-tourist-trap-guide-to-punggol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/the-non-tourist-trap-guide-to-punggol\/","title":{"rendered":"The Non-Tourist Trap Guide to Living in Punggol"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In this instalment of the non-tourist trap guide, we will be looking into the fast developing neighbourhood of Punggol \u2013 once a fishing village, today considered a hotspot for value property buys:<\/p>\n

History of Punggol<\/h3>\n

Punggol is a new town located in the north-eastern part of Singapore, along the coast opposite Malaysia. It means \u201cthrowing sticks at branches of fruit trees to bring them down to the ground\u201d in Malay (yes, this was such a common practice, the natives actually had one word <\/em>for that. It’s one of the most glorious lexical gaps in English).<\/p>\n

Punggol used to be a fishing village that was predominantly occupied by Malay settlers. Chinese immigrants slowly flooded and settled in Punggol, engaging in plantation work, poultry farming and pig-rearing activities. Furthermore, Punggol has played a significant role during the Japanese Occupation. Massacres of suspected anti-Japanese men, also widely known as \u201cSook Ching\u201d, were conducted at three main sites of Singapore in the 1940s and Punggol Beach was one of them. Up till the 1990s, remains such as skulls of these perished victims were found by fishermen and beachgoers.<\/p>\n

Punggol has undergone massive and rapid developments in the 20th<\/sup> century. The removal of fishing villages and farms, together with the clean-up of the waters and shores, made way for residential buildings and shopping malls. Just like Sengkang, Punggol has a Light Rail Transit (LRT) to facilitate movements and improve convenience within the town.<\/p>\n

\"An
Punggol has developed tremendously over a few decades, with many housing and roads.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Characteristics of Punggol<\/h2>\n

Punggol is a new residential town, with many waterfront features such as rivers and canals. It also has new signature waterfront housing districts being developed, attracting many young couples to set up their families there. Punggol is also Singapore\u2019s first Eco-Town, integrating a green living environment in an urbanised area. As of March 2018, Punggol has an approximate 134,100 residents and 49,229 flats.<\/p>\n

Food Places to Visit<\/h2>\n

Besides shopping malls such as Waterway Point and Oasis Terraces, there are actually many hidden gems in Punggol for foodies like you. There is an array of food in this new waterfront town, ranging from famous seafood to container boxes selling caf\u00e9 food. Here is a list of food places that you have to visit when you are in Punggol:<\/p>\n

1. SEED Park Container Restaurants<\/h3>\n

Social Entrepreneurship and Eco-park Development (SEED) aims to be the first integrated social playground for innovative and inclusive solutions to social challenges. These seven container restaurants along Tebing Lane are under SEED. What is interesting is that these restaurants offer jobs to the marginalised, raise awareness for sustainability and encourage mindfulness. The food that is available here ranges from local delights to foreign food. Furthermore, the ambience is relaxing and soothing, especially during the evenings where there will be live bands playing. You can also take nice Instagram-worthy shots here with the containers. These are the seven restaurants:<\/p>\n