Sentosa Island

Sentosa is Singapore's dedicated island of fun and leisure, a resort island just off the southern coast of the main island, reached by cable car, monorail or a short causeway. Packed with attractions, it is home to Universal Studios Singapore, the huge Singapore Oceanarium, waterparks, a luge, zip-lines and beaches, alongside resorts, a casino and Fort Siloso from the war. A manicured playground of theme parks and engineered beaches, it is a hugely popular family and leisure destination.

History

The island was called Pulau Panjang until 1830 and later Pulau Blakang Mati, and it appears as Blacan Mati on Manuel Godinho de Erédia's map of 1604. Its eastern battery, later Fort Connaught, dates from 1878, and the Sentosa Development Corporation was set up on 1 September 1972 to turn the renamed island into a resort (Wikipedia, Sentosa).

What's there

• Universal Studios - the popular movie-themed park.
• Singapore Oceanarium - one of the world's largest aquariums.
• The beaches and luge - the engineered beaches and the hillside luge.
• The cable car - the ride over to the island with harbour views.

When to go

Year-round, as the attractions run daily and the climate is warm; weekdays are quieter than the busy weekends and school holidays. Singapore is hot and humid, so the water attractions and shaded rides are welcome, and evenings bring shows and lights.

What to expect

It is a manufactured leisure and theme-park island rather than a natural or cultural destination, so its appeal is family fun and attractions, with each charging a separate, often hefty, ticket, so a full day adds up. The beaches are engineered and can be crowded, with an industrial port visible offshore. For families and thrill-seekers, though, it packs in a lot of entertainment.

Nearby

The HarbourFront district, Mount Faber and central Singapore are just across the water.

Key facts