Enjoying the Sun on Sentosa Island

by: Debbie Salcedo

Primarily developed as a holiday venue, it is not surprising that Sentosa Island has become Singapore’s premier Island resort getaway.

      

Sentosa used to be called Pulau Blakang Mati, a fishing village that was later converted to a British military fortress until 1967 when control of it was returned to the newly independent Singapore government. A year later, the government decided to develop the island as a holiday place for both local and foreign tourists. A public call was made to suggest names for the island and “sentosa” (meaning peace and tranquility) was chosen.

A memorable experience for visitors from around the world and a favorite leisure destination for Singaporeans, Sentosa Island is a favorite day-trip destination for tourists particularly those with young children. By providing world class entertainment through all kinds of theme parks ranging from water parks, animal sanctuaries, ride attractions, and the very impressive Underwater World, strives to be the market leader in the Singapore tourism industry.

It is a must-visit destination as it offers a variety of experiences for all ages. It is a unique blend of leisure and recreational facilities including family attractions, sea sports, golf as well as hotel accommodation and retreats.

The secondary rainforest canopy covers 70 per cent of the 500-hectare island. Here, visitors can find monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks, parrots as well as other native flora and fauna.

For those who love the water, Sentosa has a 3.2-kilometre stretch of white sand beach. It is also the only location in Singapore to offer beachfront accommodation and over 670 hotel rooms with full facilities.

   The island also has Underwater World, where visitors experience a simulation of underwater life with a moving walkway that carries visitors through a transparent underwater tunnel with sharks, colorful fish, and other underwater sea creatures swim as they do in their natural habitat.

Roughly 15 minutes from the city, Sentosa is very accessible for both local and foreign visitors. The island is accessed by either cable car, bus, taxi or car.

How to Get to Sentosa:

From Johor Bahru via the Woodlands Causeway Checkpoint - look for the BKE sign once you’ve cleared customs and immigration. Take the expressway and turn off at PIE (towards Jurong). Take the next exit – Clementi Road Exit – and travel along Clementi Road. Past the National University of Singapore campus, turn onto West Coast Road and head towards the city. From here on, just look out for signs that point the way to Sentosa.

From Changi Airport - Go towards the East Coast Parkway (ECP) towards the City. Exit at Keppel Road and you’ll find yourself traveling on Telok Blangah Road. From here, just keep a look out for signs pointing the way to Sentosa

From Tuas Checkpoint (aka. 2nd Link) - As you exit from Tuas Checkpoint, look for the AYE (Ayer Rajah Expressway) sign once you’ve cleared customs & immigration. From here it’ll be a good 15-20 minutes before you see the exit for Telok Blangah Road. From Telok Blangah there will be signs pointing the way to Sentosa.






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