Sentosa Island ~ Asia’s Favourite Playground

Sentosa Island

Singapore

Sentosa signage just in front of the 37-meter tall Merlion.

You’re visit to Singapore is incomplete if you haven’t visited the beautiful island of Sentosa. It is just a few minutes away from the mainland and there are so many ways to go here. The island offers an impressive range of activities for you to enjoy , better tag your family and friends along to share the fun and excitement. There is no shortage of entertainment once you’re in here, that is no question why it is considered as Asia’s Favourite Playground.

I Fly vicinity just outside of Beach Station.

Balong in Imbiah Lookout Station

We stayed in Singapore for only 7 days but we maximize everything possible. We did consult for advices two of our closest friends Llowel and Lemwuel  who are based here with regards to the top destination slash attraction that we need to witness and experience firsthand. We have a detailed itinerary everyday and we didn’t waste any single minute staying in the hotel as we always on the run to visit some places. It’s true that you need to spend a few bucks to spoil yourself; but on the contrary, there are areas here that is absolutely free.

The terminal station of Sentosa Monorail Express in Level 3 of Vivo City.

Sentosa is a place where fun and frivolity take centerstage. The island is a complete package and one day is not enough to explore the whole island. There are so many attractions that you will truly enjoy and filled your vacation trip an enjoyable and memorable one. Just an entrance fee of SGD 1 or PHP 33 is what you need inorder for you to get here.

To fight the scorching weather of Singapore, it's a MUST to drink plenty of water.

There are so many modes of transportation to choose from. You can take the most common one the Sentosa Express which its terminal is located in the level 3 of Vivo City. You can also take the colored bus which is available just outside of Harbour Front MRT or you can take the infamous cable car starting from Mt. Faber for you to have a bird’s eye view of the island and the signature skyline of Singapore. For budget friendly travelers, you can try the long way via Sentosa Boardwalk while enjoying the natural breeze of the bay that connects the main island to Sentosa.

Sentosa Terminal Station.

Sentosa Express has three (3) three substation within the island, the Waterfront, the Imbiah, and the Beach Station. The single day Sentosa Pass is only SGD 3.50 around PHP115 or USD 2 that includes admission entry. You can pay it by cash, credit cards or EZ link cards that is used as an electronic payment on all public transport. Each station has its own specific attractions to enjoy and you can use the monorail anytime you want.

Sentosa Boardwalk overlooking the Keppel Harbour.

Sentosa Boardwalk is what I prefer the most. We’ve been here several times as we enjoy the view that surrounds the Keppel Harbour. It’s Asia’s first themed boardwalk and its passage is composed of travelators, souvenir outlets, restaurants and bars for you to enjoy. Rain or shine is the least of your worries because the whole pathway is covered with canopies and themed garden. For budget friendly traveler, prepare SGD 1 for the entrance fee to the island.

Imbiah Lookout station of Singapore Cable Car.

Singapore Cable Car is one of the best mode of transportation to have the bird’s eye view of Sentosa and the nearby islands. If we talk about photo opportunity, then this is the perfect answer. It offers lots of picturesque landscape in 360 degrees especially the signature skyline of Singapore in Marina Bay. Aside from that, when you go to Mt. Faber, it has a beauty of it own as it is considered as the oldest hilltop parks in Singapore and one of the most popular destination. The price is only SGD 26 for adult and SGD 15 for children.

View of the dangling cable car from Sentosa Boardwalk.

Once you arrive in Sentosa, name anything that is in your head and voila you can find everything in here, from shopping outlets of local and international brand, to themed park entertainment, to manmade beaches, to casinos, lush greenery, and lot lot more. In fact, there are millions of pleasure seekers do visit Sentosa every year and count me and Balong to that (hehehe!). To summarize all the attractions that we’ve been too, I’ll try to enumerate all in here. It was one awesome day not to forget, we devote one whole day in here plus one whole day in Universal Studio.

Here are the point of interest that we indulge in:

The stunning beauty of the Merlion surrounded by the lush greenery of Sentosa.

1) The Merlion ~ we spent a few minutes wandering in here. This 37-meter tall statue which is considered as one of the tallest statue in the world is considered as the icon of this small yet amazing country. You never been  here if you haven’t seen its stunning stature. It’s location is just a few walks away from the Imbiah lookout station. You can go to the crown of the statue and you’ll experience the 360 degree view of the island. Price: SGD 10 for adult and SGD 8 for child.

Tiger Sky Tower from Images of Singapore Museum.

That's BFF Lemwuel with me at the exit point of Tiger Sky Tower.

2) Tiger Sky Tower ~ is considered as the tallest free standing observation tower in Asia. It’s located in the Imbiah Lookout where Merlion is located too. There is a large air-conditioned cabin disk for you to get in and surrounded with glass. If you’re afraid of heights then lots of confidence is needed as it gently revolves to the top more than a hundred meters from the ground (ahahaha!). From the top, you’ll view the signature skyline of Singapore and surrounding islands of Indonesia and Malaysia. Prices: Adults: SGD 15 and Child: SGD 10.

The facade of Images of Singapore Museum.

One of the exhibit found in front of the Museum.

3) Images of Singapore ~ as what the name suggest, it exhibits the culture and history of Singapore. If you want  to go one step further to know the humble beginning to the present then this is a must-visit for every visitor. The location is near the canopy covered escalator in Imbiah lookout facing the Tiger Sky Tower. Exploring the chronological history museum will only take an hour or two but if you want to learn all the minute details then extend your stay to 4 hours. Prices; Adult SGD 10 and Child: SGD 7

The vicinity of Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom.

4) Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom ~ its location is just a few walks away from Tiger Sky Tower. The vicinity is surrounded with lush greenery and offers wide variety of rare and exotic butterflies and insects. It exhibits the beauty and wonders of mother nature. This is a must stopover for nature lover and be prepared to be touched by the gentle feet of butterflies as they sometimes parked on you. Prices: SGD 16 for adults and SGD 10 for kids.

In the entrance to the ticketing outlet to Luge and Skyride.

5) Skyline Luge and Sky Ride ~ are you ready to have a thrilling ride? Then try the part go-cart part toboggan attraction here located just in front of Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom. Don’t forget to bring extra shirt as expect lots of sweat while doing it. It offers a unique outdoor experience that can only be found in Singapore. Kids and adult alike will surely love the adventure as it offers lots of laughter in maneuvering the equipment. The Skyride will take your breath away as it takes you to enjoy the panoramic scenery of the towering skyline and the beautiful southern coast line. Prices: SGD 20 per person and you'll have 3 Luge + 3 Skyride.

Thats Balong, BFF Lemwuel and myself in the infamous signage of Siloso Beach.

Look how beautiful the weather is during our visit to Siloso Beach.

6) Siloso Beach Resort ~ is one of the manmade beaches in Singapore located in the southerncoast of Sentosa. There is a free tram ride from Beach station and offers lots of outdoor activities like volleyball, kayaking and football. The famous Rasa Shangrila Hotel is home here as well. At night, there is a party usually going-on that is why it’s considered as one of the hippest beach in Sentosa. There is no entrance fee in here and you can stay as long as you want. Just take note: camping is strictly prohibited.

The beauty of nature freely swimming in the river ways of Underwater Sea World.

7) Underwater World ~ can be found just a few walks away from Siloso Beach. Just at the outside alone you’ll see the beauty of the wonders of the sea as we saw marine turtles freely swimming through semi-river waterways. It’s a family friendly oceanarium packed with interactive undersea encounters. Prepare yourself to be amazed to see firsthand the beauty of sharks, seahorses, jelly fishes, and much more. There is Arapaima in here as well, considered as one of the living fossils. Prices: Adult SGD 29.90 and Child SGD 20.60.

Good job Baby Girl!!!

The wavehouse in Siloso Beach.

8) Wavehouse ~ if you’re a thrill seeker and haven’t tried to surf yet then a visit to this place is a must. They have a manmade fully flowing sheet wave just near Siloso Beach. There were lots of people around but we enjoyed it so much. You can do snowboarding, skateboarding, skimboarding, wakeboarding and of course surfing in here. Almost any sports I guess as long as there is board in it. The price varies especially if you want to hire an instructor but the average is around SGD 50 per hour.

View of the Palawan Beach that stretch along the southerncoast of Sentosa.

Since no one is around then it's time to have some FUN!!!!

9) Palawan Beach ~ I love this part of Sentosa than Siloso Beach. This area is much more secluded and more family friendly. We were fortunate to visit the place during weekdays and no one is in there. There are lots of restaurants to dine in too just in case your hunger strikes. For kids, Port of Lost Wonders (POLW) is a must visit attractions, kids will truly love the pirate themed water park, I assure you that. Stretch of Palawan beach is free but POLW isn’t.

The suspension bridge that connects Palawan Beach to the islet.

Balong and I made it to the Southermost Point of Continental Asia.

10) Southernmost Point of Continental Asia ~ we may haven’t been to the highest mountain of the world or the coldest part of Antarctica at least we can say that we’ve been to the Most Southern Point of Continental Asia (ahahaha!). The place is beautifully maintained and surrounded with coconut trees that serves as shades. To have that rustic  feel they have this suspension bridge that link Palawan Beach to the islet. There are two wooden observation deck which is absolutely free to get in. From here, you’ll see the magnificent statue of The Merlion in Imbiah Lookout and the nearby islands.

Entrance to Universal Studio Singapore with the background trademark of Resorts World.

Balong just in front of the Transformers, The 3D Ride in Sci Fi City.

11) Universal Studios ~ it’s one of the best themed park we’ve been too. We’ve been here on a separate day (one whole day to be exact) but we pass-by in here just to have lunch in ‘Malaysian Food Street’. It has 7 zone for the crowds to enjoy starting from Hollywood, New York, Sci Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Lost World, Far far Away and the last but not the least the Madagascar. One whole day is perfect to explore all the rides and attractions in here. It’s a whole day of fun for the whole family to enjoy. Start your day from 10:ooam until 9:3opm to witness the Hollywood After Hours. Prices: Adult SGD 74.00 and Child SGD 54.

Musical extravaganza in synchronization with lights, water, air and fire.

12) Lake of Dreams ~ it’s not actually a lake, it’s a mini pool with lots of art pieces in it. During the day it’s just an ordinary fountain but every night, it becomes alive that showcase wonderful synchronization of air, water and fire. It is just one of the free show here in Sentosa that usually happen at 8:3opm. 

The courting of the magnificent crane.

13) Crane Dance ~ it’s great to wrap up the night in Sentosa while watching for free the largest crane dance in Asia. Please note that it is not an everyday show as we thought at first. They only perform at night of Thursday to Monday and public holidays. It transform an ordinary mechanical cranes to a magical reel birds that explains their love story. Astounding water and light effects showing the lovely courtship of the pair.

There are still some attractions that we haven't been and seen personally because of time constraints and honestly not in included in our budget (ahahaha!). We haven't been to the 1) Song of the Sea, 2) iFly, 3) Tanjong Beach, 4) Dolphin Lagoon, 5) Siloso Fort, and the 6) Maritime Experiential Museum. However, if ever given a chance to go back to Singapore again pretty sure me and Balong will gladly visit those places. 

Balong at the top of one of the observation deck in Southernmost Point of Continental Asia.

For the time being, we need to save money inorder to materialize the next trip to Singapore (ahahaha!).

Have a great night/day everyone. That's all for now.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeerrriooosss!!!!

Enan signing off.

SMILE :)

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Costa Sands Resort ~ quick getaway from the busy mundane city life

1 Pasir Ris,

Downtown East

Singapore

That is Balong and I to the entrance of Costa Sands Resort, am supposed to have a full shot of the place but Balong interrupted me with the doughnut (ahahaha!)

Two days before we leave the beautiful country of Singapore, our friend Llowel who lived in Tampines invited us to have some fun at Costa Sands Resort. I did ask BFF Lemwuel if he wants to join us but he extend his excuse as he has an afternoon duty till midnight in the ward, thus we didn’t persuade him then. Just the three of us ended up being together (Balong, Llowel and myself), and we decided to meet before 4:oopm. Since we have nothing to do as we already visited most of the tourist spot here in Singapore, we informed Llowel to pick us up in Tampines MRT Station (EW 2). From our hotel near Kallang MRT Station (EW 10), we traveled less than 30 minutes and we arrived a bit early as we agreed. 

Just on our way out from Pasir Ris MRt Station.

While waiting for Llowel, we roam around the place first. Thanks God because Llowel let Balong borrowed one of his phone including the sim card during our stay here. We texted him that when he arrived in Tampines, he just give us a call then. We waited not any longer as after 20 minutes of waiting Llowel arrived and invited us to his apartment and took our siesta in there. What’s good is that most of the tenants in the flat are Filipinos so we enjoyed it bigtime communicating with them. It feels like we were in Philippines being here in Singapore. We stayed only for an hour and leave immediately as it is getting late.

The huge signage signaling that you are already in Downtown East!

There are so many ways to locate the Downtown East, you can take the train to Pasir Ris MRT Station or you can take the bus number 12, 17, 89 and 358. I don’t know how many buses do pass in here but those are the bus numbers I’ve seen along the area. If you want to take the car then better ask someone else as we haven’t tried it though (ahahaha! ~ sorry!). 

One of the many directions i found in the area.

But anyway, for us to reach the resort fast and easy, we took the MRT to Pasir Ris Station (EW1) from Tampines (EW2). Please don’t get confused with Pasir Panjang Station as this is located way far from here. At first, I thought both station are near to each other just to find out that they both have separate directions (ahahaha!). Llowel said that in the morning usually there is a free shuttle bus service from Pasir Ris MRT Station to Costa Sands Resorts which is available at 8:45am.

To keep fit and healthy, why not try renting a bicycle? I don't know how much per hour but it's effective to lose weight though.

There is a 7/11 store but there were lots of customer lining up, we then change the plan and visited the nearby White Sands Shopping Centre just a few walks away from the station. We bought some doughnuts as we haven’t brought any ‘chichiria’s with us.  The resort is not too far from the train station, it took us only less than 10 minutes of walking and voila we reach our destination. You’ll not get lost as many direction signage can be found in here.

Stairs to the swimming area.

One of the thing that interest me most wherever we go roaming around Singapore, lots and lots of ‘reminders’ can be found in each corner! ‘No bicycling, no pets allowed, no swimming, no etc etc etc’, no wonder for the past 7 days of staying here I haven’t seen anyone violating the rules. It’s a great ordinance though, as it makes the whole country in order. Please note that once you break the law  and caught like spitting or throwing cigarette butts then expect yourself to be in the hot seat because they imposed extensive amount of penalty for you to learn the hard way (BIGTIME! ~ ahahaha!) So better follow the rules than sorry, you know (ahahaha!).

Rules and Regulation to follow once you use the pool.

We arrived at Downtown East around 6:oopm and we didn’t waste any more time. First thing we did is roam around and makes me wonder because it is really huge! It’s like the same size as Clark Quay (ahahaha!). There are lots of shopping and dining outlets too that surrounds the place. The difference is, it is more like a family friendly environment unlike Clarke Quay which is much more on the hyper, nighlife mood.

View of the whole swimming pool.

Balong and Llowel can't take it anymore, they jump to the water right away.

To name the restaurants we’ve seen only few remains in my head (ahahaha!) like the KFC, subway, Magic Wok, Fatfish Steamboat, Old Chang Kee, Mr. Chicken Rice and Just Acia. With regards to shopping outlets we’ve seen Azro, Giordano, Just Lola and Cotton on. If you’re a fitness buff then a visit to Heath Matters and Celebrity Fitness is a try.

Am trying hard to submerged myself like what Balong does but i really can't, i keep on floating!!!! (ahahahaha!)

Ahahahaha..... That's Balong on the left while the one doing the jumping jack under the water is me (ammmmp!)

After roaming around the vicinity we headed straight to Costa Sands Resorts which is located in the southern part of Downtown East.  Our main purpose here really is to have a plunge in their swimming pool and have no plans to rent a chalet. We supposed to stay here for the rest of our stay here in Singapore because Llowel recommended this place; however, I already paid the one week hotel accommodation in Fragrance and am not eager to cancel it as I don’t to go on the process of cancelling then taking the refund procedure (ahahaha!).

The see through bottom of the swimming pool.

The admission fee here is only SGD 2 per person. There are so many free amenities to enjoy, you can bring your marinated chicken and beef as you can use their barbecue pits, they have a hot water dispenser, a 50 meter swimming pool including a smaller pool for children and what I fond the most is the free wi-fi access (ahahaha!).

free wi-fi access!!! Well, mostly in Singapore has that anyway.

We enjoyed our stay here and spent more than an hour. What’s interesting there is part of the swimming pool having a see through wall.  Balong and I even requested Llowel to take a photo of us in one of the viewing panel as it is visible in the entrance. I am not a swimmer and it’s quite hard to submerge. I did try several times with the help of Balong to go deeper but nah! I keep on floating (ahahaha!).

Wanna dive? hmmmmm don't try or else the life guard will come to you and throw you away (ahahaha ~ joke!)

The ambiance is perfect for quick getaway just to have a ‘me-time’ or ‘family-time’ moment away from the busy city life. I love the surroundings as the open space swimming pool is located in the 1^st floor of the building. There is a stairs in the corner that will lead you to the swimming area and there is a lifeguard on guard as always.

There are no cottages but lined up of inclining chair can be found everywhere.

There are so many inclining chair that surrounds the place and lined potted palm trees as well. Diving is not allowed as the depth is only around 5 feet. I did jump once and I’ve seen from the ‘eyes’ of the lifeguard saying ‘hey, stop that!’ (ahahaha!).

Again!!! No running, no diving!!!! gets?

Just beside the swimming pool is the ‘Wild Wild Wet’, Singapore’s largest water park. Unfortunately, it is closed when we get there. We’ve seen lots of slides around and seems full of excitement in there. We’ve seen a much wider pool and river like features with lots of inflatable balloon (whew!!!!). I checked the cost per person, it says SGD19 around PHP600 or USD15 per adult and SGD 14 around PHP 450 or USD10 per child.

wanna have some doughnuts?

The place is good if you brought your family and friends along, but personally there are much more swimming options in Singapore than coming in here. It’s way too far from the city center but very much accessible by MRT. I prefer going to Sentosa especially to Siloso and Palawan Beach as they have variety to offer. This is just a personal point of view, but thanks to Llowel for bringing us in here.

That's me and Balong.. hayssssssssss missing you baby... mwaaaaaaaa

Will I recommend the place to my friends? Hmmmm I guess so; but, if you stay in Singapore only for few days I guess better give it a pass. There are much more tourist spot to enjoy closer to the city center than to go here. What am saying is just what I perceived as to compare to all the attractions that we visited. The Wild Wild Wet is interesting but we haven’t tried it ourselves but am sure the whole family will enjoy such as we’ve seen lots of thrilling slides to it.

potted palm trees can be found everywhere.

So that’s it, don’t get me wrong about my conclusion, point is we enjoyed A LOT during the whole time we stayed here.

Ahahahahaha on our way to the dressing room.

Have a great day and night everyone. Coming up next our dinner in ‘Just Acia’

Cheerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsss!!!!

 

Enan signing off.

 

SMILE :)

 

 

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