Sentosa Island: Singapore's Top Tourist Destination

Singapore offers various attractions for visitors of all ages. Among the most popular tourist attractions, Sentosa Island definitely stands out. It is the place where the locals go to have fun too. Hence, expect a huge crowd particularly on public holidays or weekends.

In early 2010, Resorts World Sentosa was opened. The Integrated Resort (IR) includes hotels, a shopping area and the anticipated theme park, Universal Studios Singapore. It is the second Universal Studios to open in Asia after Japan. One of the most famous rides is the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure. Be prepared to be totally drenched on this ride! Also expect to queue. I waited for about 40 minutes.

Another not-to-be-missed ride is the Revenge of the Mummy. For this ride, you are not allowed to bring your belongings in. You may place them at the lockers for free if you remove them within a certain time. The most challenging ride in the theme park would be Battlestar Galactica. However, due to some technical problems, the ride has been closed till further notice.

Besides the rides, the theme park also offers lots of photo-taking opportunities such as at the Madagascar section. You will also have the chance to take a picture with Marilyn Monroe at the Hollywood Boulevard. Another not-to-be missed show is the WaterWorld where you will get to see some amazing stunts on land and on water, accompanied by awesome explosions and even a flying airplane. It was just a short show but quite impressive. Expect to get wet too depending on which section you are sitting at.

The Underwater World is an older attraction. Nevertheless, it still attracts visitors who would like to admire the beautiful sea creatures without diving. Here, you can see sharks, clown fishes, jellyfish and so on in comfort. There are various feeding sessions too throughout the day. Besides that, the Dolphin Lagoon provides visitors with an opportunity to get close to the pink dolphins.

Another relatively new attraction is the Wavehouse. Here, wannabe surfers can try to conquer the artificially created waves. Nearby, is the Sentosa Luge & Skyride. Visitors can ride the part toboggan, part go-kart down the Imbiah Lookout area to Siloso Beach as they accelerate or brake to navigate the many twists and turns in the track.

Older attractions include the Images of Singapore. It is a great place to find out more about Singapore's history and heritage through the various multimedia displays and wax figure displays.

It is also on Sentosa that you can find the largest Merlion. The Merlion is located at the Imbiah Lookout area and stands at 37 metres tall. It is half fish and half lion and is well known for being Singapore's icon. Head up to the top of the Merlion if you wish to get a great view of Sentosa from the top.

It is very convenient to get to Sentosa Island. First, you can take a bus from Harbourfront Bus Interchange. You may also take the Sentosa Express (monorail) from the third level at Vivocity. A more expensive option would be to take a cable car ride from Mount Faber. If you are heading there as a family, a more suitable choice of transport may be by taxi or car. If you are in the Orchard Road, Marina Bay or Chinatown area, you can also hop onto the Sentosa Rider. Once you are on the island itself, you can hop onto the buses or beach trams to reach the attraction of your choice.