SENTOSA

Description

Essentials about Sentosa in brief

The small island of Sentosa in the south of the city is, if you will, the epitome of modern Singapore. In a very confined space, a truly phenomenal leisure, entertainment and amusement center has been created here in recent decades that is truly unparalleled anywhere else in the world. The island, which is about five square meters in size, is home to countless leisure and entertainment options for all ages and tastes. There are historic forts, Singapore’s largest observation tower, a butterfly and insect park, a 4D cinema, a seawater aquarium, a summer toboggan run, a nature trail, an urban history museum, a water adventure park, a Hollywood theme park, golf courses, several beaches and, of course, plenty of hotels, bars and restaurants. No one definitely gets bored on Singapore’s most popular leisure island – no wonder over five million visitors come to the island every year.

The history of Sentosa

Until the end of the 19th century, Sentosa was still a completely insignificant island off the coast of the then equally insignificant small city of Singapore. However, when Singapore developed into an important British trading port at the end of the 19th century, the offshore island took on strategic military importance. In order to protect the city and especially the port against potential invaders, the coastal fortification Fort Siloso was built on the western tip of Sentosa Island in the late 19th century.

After the end of World War II, Sentosa’s strategic importance declined again, which is why in the early 1970s the then government of Singapore, which had since become independent, decided to convert the island into a recreational area. The first step was to rename the island. The original Malay name of the island was “Pulau Belakang Mati”, which means “Island of the Dead”. The name, not particularly conducive to tourism, was probably due to a devastating malaria epidemic that wiped out almost the entire population of the island in the mid-19th century. Sentosa”, which means “peace” in the Malay language, sounds much more pleasant.

Getting to Sentosa

Sentosa can be reached in three ways. First, by car via the Sentosa Gateway Bridge, which connects the island with the mainland of Singapore. Second, via the Sentosa Express monorail, which also connects the mainland (HarbourFront Station) with Sentosa. And third, by a cable car that runs from Mount Faber on the mainland across the harbor to Sentosa. On Sentosa itself, there are several bus lines and a second cable car line across the island.

Attractions and sights on Sentosa

To list all the attractions and sights of Sentosa would go beyond the scope of this page. Therefore, we will limit ourselves to the most famous and important ones. More detailed information about some of the attractions can be found on separate subpages.

Adventure Cove Waterpark

If you like getting wet yourself and also want to experience an adrenaline kick or two, Adventure Cove Waterpark is the place to be. Here, children, teenagers and, of course, adults can experience unique water fun on slides, rafts and water playgrounds as well as in roller coasters, wave pools and paddling pools.

AJ Hackett Sentosa

AJ Hackett is definitely only for people with good nerves. This is the home of Singapore’s first bungy jump. There is also a giant swing and a steep wall for extreme athletes.

Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom

Definitely worth a detour for butterfly and insect lovers. In the Butterfly Park, over 15,000 butterflies from more than 50 species flutter around. There is less fluttering in the Insect Kingdom, where most of the 3,000 or so insect species from around the world are exhibited as specimens.

Fort Siloso

For those interested in military history, Fort Siloso is definitely worth a visit. It is the only preserved artillery fort in Singapore. An extensive exhibition also shows life under the Japanese occupation.

Images of Singapore

Anyone interested in the history of Singapore should pay a visit to Images of Singapore. The historical museum presents the history and culture of the Southeast Asian city-state in a very interactive way and tells the exciting story of its development from a simple Malay fishing village to one of the world’s most vibrant metropolises with millions of inhabitants. Incidentally, the same building also houses the wax museum of Madame Tussauds Singapore.

Kidzania Singapore

Opened in 2016, Kidzania is one of the newest attractions on Sentosa and is located on Palawan Beach on the south side of the island. It is an interactive indoor theme park for children from 4 to 17 years old.

Mega Adventure Park

Located on the summit of Mount Imbiah, Mega Adventure Park is the right attraction for those who love to move. Here you will find spectacular zip lines, a climbing course over ten meters high, a free fall simulator over 15 meters high and a climbing wall 16 meters high.

Merlion und Merlion Walk

The combination of mermaid and lion to form the Merlion has become the official tourist symbol of Singapore. A number of Merlion statues are therefore scattered across Singapore. However, the statue in Sentosa, erected in 1996, is the largest at 37 meters high. In the entrance area, a film show narrates the legend of the Merlion. An elevator then takes visitors to a viewing platform on top of the statue. Behind the Merlion is the Merlion Walk, a 120-meter walkway to Siloso Beach that features colorful sea creatures.

Nature Walk

Fortunately, with all the gigantic construction projects on Sentosa in recent years, there is still a bit of nature left. A 1.5-kilometer nature trail leads over Mount Imbiah and gives hikers a small insight into the flora and fauna of the rainforest. In addition to various bird species, semi-monkeys as well as carnivorous plants can be observed.

S.E.A. Aquarium

For underwater fans, the S.E.A. Aquarium, which is part of the Resorts World Sentosa entertainment center, is definitely worth a visit. In its aquariums, more than 100,000 underwater creatures from over 800 species cavort in 45 million liters of water. This makes the S.E.A. Aquarium one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Sentosa 4D Adventureland

A must-see attraction for 3D cinema fans. 4D Adventureland is the first four-dimensional cinema in Southeast Asia. If you’re now wondering where the fourth dimension comes from – this refers to special effects such as fog or spray, which guarantee an even more authentic movie experience.

Sentosa Luge

It’s hard to believe, but there is even a summer toboggan run on Sentosa Island. And not just one, but four with different lengths and courses. A chairlift transports the tobogganers from the finish of the Sentosa Luge back to the start on Imbiah Hill.

Universal Studios Singapore

They are one of the main attractions on Sentosa and an absolute must-see attraction for Hollywood and theme park fans. That’s because Universal Studios is Southeast Asia’s first and so far only Hollywood movie theme park, keeping movie buffs and adrenaline junkies on the edge of their seats with a spectacular selection of attractions, rides and entertainment. Covering an area of 20 hectares, visitors can expect seven different Hollywood-themed zones inspired by specific movies or movie locations.

The beaches on Sentosa

Last but not least, the beautiful beaches are of course a very good reason to spend a great day on Sentosa. Along the southern coast of the island stretches a 3.2 kilometer long sandy beach, which is divided into three sections: Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach and Tanjong Beach.

The most famous of the three sections is Siloso Beach in the west. It is probably the hippest beach in Singapore. Here you can not only lie in the sun and enjoy a wonderful swim, but also do a lot of sport activities and enjoy a drink or a meal in one of the many beach bars and restaurants. Siloso Beach is also a popular nightlife destination with live music and parties.

Palawan Beach is the middle one of Sentosa’s three beaches. From here, a suspension bridge leads to a small offshore island where the southernmost point of continental Asia is located. An observation tower on the island provides a good overview of the beach. Tanjong Beach to the east is comparably quiet. The crescent-shaped beach is sometimes used for special events or beach parties.