Emerging Neighbourhoods To Watch In 2025

Ah, the age-old debate over which side of Singapore is the best. Of course, diehard Easties will say "East side best side", but born-and-bred Westies will proclaim their side is more elite, and same goes for the rest.

But let's bfrfr – there’s no way to settle this never-ending argument of “which side is the best side.” Plus, no matter where your allegiance lies, we’ve all crossed over to another side to chill with friends or feast on some delish eats. So, let’s just agree: our Lion City as a whole? Total vibe; suh-lay 😎

And this past year, with the opening of seven new Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 4 (TEL4) stations on 23 Jun, and Punggol Coast station on 10 Dec, it's become even more accessible to jalan jalan around Singapore.

Which brings us to our list of neighbourhoods to keep an 👁️ out for in 2025 - from good eats to aesthetic AF spots, here are the ones you should check out ASAP (even if they are across the island for you):

New Bahru (Former Nan Chiau High School)

Remember when Haji Lane and Katong-Joo Chiat were some of the coolest kids in town? Well, they've got some serious competition now in the form of a hip creative cluster that over 40 independent, made-in-Singapore brands call home. Enter: New Bahru (or New New, as "bahru" means "new" in Malay). 

You can expect to find sedap eats (think The Coconut Club, Huevos, Dearborn) and beautifully-designed gifts from Curious Creatures, Make By Ginlee, and more.

Fun fact: the original architecture of the former Nan Chiau High School has been carefully preserved, lending a sort of nostalgic charm to all the local brands populating the cluster.

Where: 46 Kim Yam Rd, New Bahru, Singapore 239351

Find out more here.

Kada at Maxwell (another preserved heritage building)

The new New Bahru (or bahru Bahru Bahru). Yep, that's right, there's another cool kid in town (means more choices for us!). Kada is the latest preserved building turned lifestyle space, sitting on the same site as the former St Andrew's Mission Hospital for Women and Children building, which opened back in 1923.

For those whose IG stories typically feature a matcha latte or coffee in hand, and a pumped post-gym selfie or mirror shot in a pilates studio, this is the space for you.

Where: 5 Kadayanallur Sreet, Singapore 069183

(Clockwise from left to right) The Arts House, the exterior of Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall, and the Padang. | IMAGES: NG KAI AND NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD (BOTTOM LEFT)

The Civic District

While the Civic District's been around for a looong time, it contains a few surprising secrets you might not have noticed before (hint: they're hidden in plain sight, and you've probably walked past or into some of them before!).

Other than being located in the Civic District, what do structures like the Padang, the The Arts House, the Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall have in common? The answer: they are all National Monuments!

What is a National Monument? To date, the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, a division of National Heritage Board, has identified and gazetted 75 buildings, structures and sites of national significance as an integral part of Singapore’s built heritage. And you can find at least a dozen of them all within the Civic District.

Plan your own walking trail, or just refer to our map above for all the National Monuments (marked by our logo). Happy (discovering) hunting!

Alternatively... if you're too laze to leave the house, you can always just read about the amazing things I've uncovered after visiting all 75 of our National Monuments.

One Holland Village

Pet owners (and lovers) rejoice! ICYMI, the Singapore Food Agency announced on 2 Dec that restaurants looking to allow pets in their al fresco areas no longer need to seek additional approval. As for indoor spaces like shopping malls...

Say hello (or woof and meow) to One Holland Village 🐱🐶 where your treasured fur babies can eat, shop, or just stroll around inside of stores at the mall. Of course, just remember to still be a responsible pet owner and clean up after they answer nature's call. 

Where: 7 Holland Village Way, Singapore 275748

For the full list of pet-friendly stores, click here (take note that some still require pets to be within a carrier or stroller).

Katong-Joo Chiat

While New Bahru and Kada may be the newest kids on the block, the Katong-Joo Chiat neighbourhood is still super popular for a weekend cafe outing or farmers' markets. And it's become even more accessible with the opening of the TEL4 stations; Marine Parade (TE26) station or Marine Terrace (TE27) station are the nearest ones to the Katong-Joo Chiat area.

As for those who are wondering if the best side really is the East side, check out our list of good eats and recreational spots within walking distance from all seven new TEL4 stations.

Punggol Coast Mall

On 10 Dec, Punggol Coast (NE18) station commenced operations, making it the youngest station on the North East (purple) Line. Apart from shorter travelling times (Punggol North to Outram Park is now 45 minutes instead of 60 minutes), there will be an upcoming Punggol Coast Mall expected to open in March 2025.

Northeasties (?) can expect over a whopping 120 stores at the mall - think: brands like Muji and Daiso, Jollibee, Luckin Coffee, and more.

Maybe, those who stay in the North East region can say "North East side best side soon"? You can let us know once Punggol Coast Mall opens.

Bidadari Park

It's another W for those who live in the North East region, because the Bidadari estate is on track to be completed by 2025. And within it, nature lovers can enjoy the recently-opened (in September) Bidadari Park, a park inspired by the Hundred Acre Woods from Winnie the Pooh.

And actually, it's a double W for Bidadari, because the Housing & Development Board was awarded the prestigious World Gold in the Master Plan category for Bidadari estate at the 2024 FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Awards (which celebrates exceptional building projects globally, evaluated by an international panel of judges). This marks Singapore's sole World Gold Award this year and the first time a local developer has achieved this accolade in the Master Plan category.

North East side boleh!

Where: Bidadari Park Drive

If you need more green spaces to visit, check out our list of gardens and parks that opened this year.

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