Looking for new shopping experiences near Singapore? Bored of the usual trips to Johor Bahru? We’ve found a massive new player set to shake up the retail scene soon. And it’s just a quick ferry ride across the Singapore Strait. Currently under construction just 50 minutes away in Batam, an iconic new mega development will be home to the city’s largest mall—which will be 25% bigger than the largest mall in Singapore. Excitingly, Pakuwon Batam will completely redefine Batam city centre’s skyline and offer tax-free shopping at hundreds of stores, fresh food havens, and luxury staycations without burning a hole in your wallet.
Soon Singaporeans can skip the huge traffic jams across the causeway and choose the beauty of a fast ferry trip to Batam for a thrilling shopping experience instead. Delightfully, Pakuwon Batam is situated right in the heart of the central Nagoya district just a 5-minute drive from the Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal. Here’s why the new mall needs to be on your radar.
Why will Pakuwon Batam be worth a trip across the strait?
Spanning a whopping 12.4 hectares with 125,000 square metres of retail space, this isn’t just another shopping centre: it’s a lifestyle destination. And to put its massive scale into perspective, it’s actually going to be 25% bigger than Singapore’s largest mall VivoCity—which is a size equivalent to 20 football pitches. Interestingly, it boasts a wave-inspired design to symbolise Indonesia’s rich cultural diversity and features nature elements throughout the property.
Shoppers can expect between 300 to 400 stores at the gigantic new shopping destination in Batam. Although, Developers are keeping the official brand directory under wraps for now. But given Pakuwon’s history, expect plenty of global fast fashion giants and premium lifestyle brands such as UNIQLO, Zara, Sephora, and more. Perfect for Singaporeans looking for tax-free clothing.
Additionally, the biggest draw at the new mall will be its sprawling basement named the River of Flavours. The vibrant marketplace blends the best of authentic Indonesian street food with international culinary hits to impress foodies. Plus, architectural designs have revealed a dedicated Seafood Paradise section offering cheap and elevated gourmet dishes.
To keep you busy between shopping, the mall will feature multi-level entertainment spaces. This could be state-of-the-art cinemas, huge indoor playgrounds, and interactive virtual reality experiences, to name a few. Perfect day trip idea if you ask us!
As the spectacular new mall is part of a larger project, shoppers can opt to stay at two brand-new luxury hotels or sleek serviced apartments within the complex. Notably, the venue connects to Batam’s very first sky bridge with an instagrammable pool deck, offering stunning views looking right back towards Singapore.
Wonderfully, spending in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) gives you serious purchasing power, so your dollar stretches incredibly far here compared to a weekend wandering around Singapore’s top shopping malls. Plus, we can’t forget that Batam operates as a Free Trade Zone meaning it is exempt from certain import duties and taxes on many goods. Essentially, everything is cheaper in Singapore dollar for you. But it’s also important to factor in Singapore Customs allowances for tax-free shopping.
How is the mall larger than VivoCity?
Pakuwon Batam’s Phase 1 retail space boasts 125,000 square metres of leasable area. Meanwhile, Singapore’s largest mall VivoCity has a Net Lettable Area (NLA) of just under 100,000 square metres—making Batam’s newest mall 25% bigger than 100,000 square metres. Plus, it will steal the crown from Grand Batam Mall as the city’s largest mall when it opens later this year or in 2027.
