Northeast Singapore Malls Rated: NEX, Punggol Coast, Waterway Point
We rated five northeast malls and NEX and Punggol Coast Mall tied at the top with 8/10. Waterway Point and The Woodleigh Mall both took 6/10, and Sengkang Grand Mall came last on 5/10. The short version: NEX has everything and is always packed, Punggol Coast is the convenience pick, and Sengkang Grand is a neighbourhood mall pretending to be more.
The scores, and the honest reason for each
NEX, 8/10. A huge mall with genuinely everything in it. Points off because it is always so crowded, which is the trade you make. Punggol Coast Mall, 8/10. Ridiculously convenient if you are at SIT, and new enough that nothing is tired yet. Waterway Point, 6/10. The wings are confusing, and you will walk the wrong one at least once. The Woodleigh Mall, 6/10. Honestly we only go for Gotcha Matcha. Sengkang Grand Mall, 5/10. Not much to do, but it is a decent neighbourhood mall and that is fine. This is the northeast run of the same series as our south Singapore mall ratings.
Why NEX still wins on paper and loses on a Saturday
NEX sits on the Serangoon interchange, which is why it works and why it hurts. Two lines feed straight into it, so the catchment is enormous and the tenant mix is a proper full-size mall: FairPrice Xtra, Isetan, a cinema, the lot. Go on a Saturday afternoon and you are shuffling. Weekday mornings it is a completely different building. If you only ever visit at peak, your rating of it will be lower than 8.
The one to watch is Punggol Coast
Punggol Coast Mall opened straight onto the end of the North East Line and next to the Punggol Digital District, so its whole reason for existing is the SIT campus and the offices around it. That means lunch options that skew fast and cheap, and a building that is still new. It scores 8 for convenience rather than depth. If you are going out of your way from the other side of the island, NEX is the better trip.
Good to know
· NEX on a weekday morning is a different mall from NEX on a Saturday. Go early if you actually want to shop.
· Waterway Point splits into two wings across the canal. Check which wing your shop is in before you walk.
· Punggol Coast Mall is the last stop on the North East Line, so it is a straight run with no transfers.
· The Woodleigh Mall is small. Go for one thing, not for an afternoon.
FAQs
Which northeast mall scored highest?
NEX and Punggol Coast Mall tied at 8 out of 10. NEX for having everything, Punggol Coast for convenience and being new.
Why did NEX not get a higher score?
Crowding. It has the tenant mix of a full-size mall but it is almost always packed, which is the main thing people complain about.
Which northeast mall scored lowest?
Sengkang Grand Mall on 5 out of 10. It is a decent neighbourhood mall, there is just not much to do there.
Is Punggol Coast Mall worth a trip from the other side of Singapore?
Not really. It scores well on convenience for people already in Punggol or at SIT. If you are travelling, NEX has more in it.
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