Singapore is known for having a plethora of shopping malls that range from upscale Orchard boutiques to homely neighbourhood shopping centers. Places like Bugis Street and Dhoby Ghaut are often spilling with tourists and locals alike trying to get in on the latest fashion deals and luxury goods. However, how many of us are familiar with the less popularized heartland malls around our little red dot?
Well, for those who are curious, we will be introducing the more unique yet less known malls around Singapore over the next few weeks. Starting off this series, we have a recently-renovated mall, Sun Plaza – a hidden gem in the North!
The mall was recently renovated in 2015 by the KOH Brothers Group and Heeton Holdings.
Food Options: 5/5
This is the factor that most amazed me about this place! Despite being more of a neighbourhood mall, Sun Plaza’s range of dining option far surpasses any typical heartland mall in Singapore.
Of course, there are the typical food chains you would see in a mall such as Fish and Co., Swensens and Pastamania for all the Western food lovers. There’s also a large food court which offers a range of cuisines and a “food street” at the basement one floor. What’s special to me is how up-scale chains such as Hai Di Lao are set to open soon at Sun Plaza. The fact that neighbourhood malls now offer luxury dining options means that residents don’t need to travel to town to enjoy them!
Uniqueness: 2/5
Sun Plaza is home to Sembawang Public Library, which has many special features! For example, the library features an image of the Sembawang jetty and other archival images of old Sembawang, making it a brilliant place for one to learn about the neighbourhood. The children’s area also has container-shaped spaces inspired by the shipyard legacy of Sembawang! The library takes up the entire fifth floor.
Tenant Mix: 3/5
As mentioned previously, the main draw of the mall, to me, would be the impressive range of food choices available. Shopping-wise, there isn’t a huge range for young people but women may be able to find some good deals at the atrium or at the various neighbourhood fashion boutiques.
Accessibility: 4/5
Sun Plaza is conveniently located beside Sembawang MRT station and there is even a sheltered linkway linking the station to the mall! Sembawang Bus Interchange is also linked to Sun Plaza.
However, of course, being a heartland mall means that it is only most convenient to head to Sun Plaza if you are living in or headed to the North region of Singapore. Then again, Sembawang is a mere few stops away from town and the red line links easily to other parts of Singapore so if you’re free and curious to explore, you may want to consider making your way down!
Conclusion
This is the perfect place to go to satisfy any food cravings but maybe not such a great place to go for shopping as there isn’t a huge range of lifestyle and fashion shops available. Nevertheless, you may consider dropping by Sun Plaza as an alternative to the bigger and more packed malls around the North area!
