Punggol encompasses four sub-zones:
Punggol Point
Punggol Riviera
Punggol Riverside
Punggol East
The Urban Redevelopment Authority plans to develop Punggol into the Punggol New Town, under a scheme called “Punggol 21”. Like many areas in Singapore named after Malay words, Punggol’s name comes from the Malay word “punggul”, which stands for the action of throwing sticks at the branches of fruit trees to loosen the fruit from the stem. The word also refers to a fruit and forest produce wholesale place. Prior to the 1970s, Punggol was a place of rubber planting, poultry farming and pig rearing. Today, it is a new waterfront estate, with HDB flats, condominiums and private housing.
Parks and water recreational activities are abundant at Punggol. There is a proposed 15-metre wide coastal promenade along the Sungei Serangoon, Sungei Punggol and a new river created between Punggol and Coney Island. Punggol is also renowned for its seafood restaurants.