Summer Days at Sentosa Island, Singapore

Sentosa has always been a popular island resort here in Singapore.  Even before Resorts World™ Sentosa (RWS) and Universal Studios Singapore® (USS) started operations there, the island has always been visited by millions of people for the enjoyable rides and attractions that they offer.

I've made a few posts about RWS and USS already (you can read all about them in my 3-part USS series: The Little One Goes to USS!, The Little One's Adventure Inside USS!, and The Little One Goes Retro at Mel's Drive-In, USS), so I guess now is as good a time as any to showcase the original entertainment hub.

Dubbed as Asia's favorite playground, Sentosa is an island resort that boasts of providing their visitors with world-class hotels, golf courses, beaches, various rides and attractions, and quite recently, the inclusion of the thrills associated with Resorts World™ Sentosa.  But, as mentioned, even before RWS was built here, the government, in the 1970s, commissioned and started developing it into a holiday resort for the enjoyment of both locals and tourists alike.

Singapore Cable Car

There are plenty of ways to get to Sentosa Island (details of which I have indicated in my The Little One Goes to Universal Studios Singapore! (OR What the Little One Saw Along the Way) post at this link.)  But personally, the best way would be to go by cable car.

Cable cars from afar

In exchange, you get to enjoy this really nice view.

View from the top

What's Inside?

Attractions are separated into various areas, each offering different rides and activities for their visitors.

Source: Sentosa website

There's Imbiah Lookout (where most of the attractions are clustered in and is also the very first area you step foot on upon exiting the cable car), Siloso Point (home to Fort Siloso, considered as Singapore's only remaining coastal fort; and the park's underwater-themed attractions, mainly Underwater World Singapore and Dolphin Lagoon), Serapong (where some of the resorts and golf courses are located), the Beaches, and the most recent addition, RWS.

Getting Around

Sentosa is huge (spanning an area close to 1.9 sq. miles) and as expected, getting around can be quite tricky and exhausting.  Fret not though, as the park provides various modes of transportation to help you get from one point to the other.

Inside a Sentosa bus

Paid and Free Attractions

The resort offers a number of paid and free attractions.  Tickets can be packaged with a number of the paid activities (please visit the Sentosa website for more details.)

Here's a just peek of some of the attractions they have.

Images of Singapore
 

Images of Singapore

Images of Singapore is a show that brings to life snatches of everyday in the Lion City during the old days.  With multimedia displays and life-sized exhibits, it's a great attraction that shows a brief history of the country.

Life in Singapore in the old days

Underwater World Singapore and Dolphin Lagoon

Underwater World Singapore offers visitors a chance to interact with various marine creatures.

Underwater life

One of my fave exhibits here is the MAGIC T-tank (Mystic Anti Gravity Interactive Concept Tank), which is an aquarium of sorts with openings at the side.  You place your hand in the opening so you can feed the fish inside.

Hand in the MAGIC T-tank

Yes, your eyes have not deceived you.  Water isn't gushing out from the opening since this specially designed tank is made with a mechanism that creates a vacuum at the top thereby maintaining low pressure at the bottom.  This allows it to defy gravity, keeping the water in.  Amazing!


There's also the Dolphin Lagoon where seals and pink (yes, pink.  P-I-N-K.  I kid you not.) dolphins perform their show.

Feeding a pink dolphin

Beaches

In between time-scheduled attractions, visitors can freely roam around and enjoy family-friendly activities at the beaches located inside the resort.  There's Palawan Beach, where visitors can cross a suspension bridge linking the island to the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia (a.k.a. Asia's closest point to the Equator).  Climb the tree house located at the end to get a glimpse of this wonderful view.

View of Palawan Beach on top of the tree house

Siloso Beach is catered more to adults where volleyball games are held, and bars, and restaurants span the area.

Siloso Beach

Not Just Resorts World

So the next time you find youself near the island, why not forgo Universal Studios Singapore® for a while and go around the other parts of Sentosa for a change.  You'll be just as impressed.  J

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Sentosa
Singapore 000708
T      (+65) 1800 - SENTOSA (736 - 8672)
W    http://www.sentosa.com.sg


Please visit the Sentosa website (click here for the site) for more information on operating hours and ticketing prices.

Planning to visit?  Drop by my "Getting Around Singapore" post (click here) for more details on how to get around the Lion City.