Sentosa Island

In the 1880s, Sentosa was a hub of British military activity, with hilltop forts built to protect the harbor from sea invasion from all sides. Today, it has become a weekend getaway spot and Singapore's answer to Disneyland. Tomorrow it will be the site of one of Singapore's new "integrated resorts" -- hotels, resorts, amusement and entertainment parks, plus gambling casinos, slated for opening in 2010. In the meantime, Sentosa is spending gobs of money to upgrade all existing facilities to meet the bar raised by the coming attractions.

If you're spending the day, there are numerous restaurants and a couple of food courts. For a unique dining option, consider Sky Dining, aboard a glass-bottomed cable car, where you can spend a couple hours eating a three-course Western meal (set menus S$88/US$56/£29 or S$158/US$101/£52 for two; children's set S$20/US$6.40/£3.60). It's especially popular on Valentine's Day or for birthdays and wedding proposals. Meals are pretty tasty, provided by the Jewel Box restaurant. For more information call tel. 65/6377-9688, or visit www.mountfaber.com.sg

For overnights, the Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa and the Sentosa Resort & Spa are popular hotel options. For general Sentosa inquiries, call tel. 1800/736-8672 or see www.sentosa.com.sg.

Getting There

Island admission is S$2 (US$1.30/65p) each for adults and children payable at the Visitors' Centre upon entry, with tickets to additional attractions and activities purchased separately once inside.

The most entertaining way to get there is to take the cable car. From the Cable Car Towers (tel. 65/6270-8855) they make the trip daily from 8:30am to 11pm at a cost of S$9.90 (US$6.30/£3.25) adults and S$4.50 (US$2.90/£1.50) children one-way or S$11 (US$7/£3.60) adults and S$5.50 (US$3.50/£1.80) children round-trip. The view is okay (but too far from the city to see skyline) and the ride is especially fun for kids. The cable cars also extend up Mt. Faber on the Singapore side. If you choose to take a cable car up to the top, you can take it back down again. Otherwise, if you choose to alight at this stop you can take a taxi back to civilization.

The new Sentosa Express opened in January 2007. This light-rail train operates between VivoCity at the HarbourFront MRT station and Sentosa, with stops at the beach, major attractions, and the future site of the integrated resort. Pick up the train to Sentosa at Vivo City, 3rd level, where you can purchase tickets for S$3 (US$1.90/90p), which includes all-day rides, plus Sentosa admission.

A bus that operates from the HarbourFront Bus Terminal (near HarbourFront MRT) operating daily from 7am to 11pm; with extended hours until 12:30am on Friday, Saturday, and the eve of public holidays, that costs S$1 (US60¢/35p) per person, paid upon arrival at Sentosa. Or any city taxi can take you there; just pay the entrance fee after you cross the causeway, and the driver can drop you anywhere you'd like to go within the island.

Getting Around

Once on Sentosa, a free bus system with four color-coded routes snakes around the island.

Seeing the Sights

The most notable attractions that you get free with your Sentosa admission are the Fountain Gardens and Musical Fountain, staging fountain, lights, and laser shows nightly (aimed at junior audiences); the Dragon Trail Nature Walk, a 1.5km (1-mile) stroll through secondary rainforest to see dragon sculptures and local flora and fauna; and the beaches.

Sentosa has three beaches. At Siloso Beach, deck chairs, beach umbrellas, and a variety of watersports equipment like pedal boats, aqua bikes, fun bugs, canoes, surfboards, and banana boats are available for hire at nominal charges. Bicycles are also available for hire. Shower and changing facilities, food kiosks, and snack bars are at rest stations. Palawan Beach has a greater assortment of beachside bars and restaurants, while Tanjong Beach is the quietest and most laid-back of the three.

Several attractions on Sentosa charge separate entrance fees; they include the Sentosa Luge & Skyride (S$8/US$5.10/£2.65 per ride; Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm), Sijori WonderGolf (adults S$8-S$10/US$5.10-US$6.40/£2.65-£3.30, children S$4-S$7/US$2.60-US$4.50/£1.30-£2.30; daily 9am-7pm), Sentosa 4D Magix motion cinema (adults S$16/US$10/£5.30, children S$9.50/US$6.10/£3.15; daily 10am-9pm), and the Carlsberg Sky Tower (adults S$10/US$6.40/£3.30, children S$6/US$3.80/£3.30; daily 9am-9pm.)