There a lot of new things in Sentosa since the last time I visited this island resort cum theme park. It was a joy to revisit Sentosa and see the familiar and new attractions. The latest attraction in Sentosa is the Universal Studios Singapore which features the Transformers, Shrek, Revenge of the Mummies, and Jurassic Park, among others.
Entrance to the Universal Studios alone is SGD74. You can choose many packages – one-day packages that will give you a pass to three attractions or four; and two-day packages. You can opt to pay for every attraction you want to visit but it will be more costly, so it’s better to avail of a package that best suits your interest.
The trademark revolving globe in a fountain adorns the entrance of Universal Studios. I’ve visited the theme park in Los Angeles, USA, where it also includes a tour of the studios, such as the Wisteria Lane of the TV series Desperate Housewives. But in Singapore, where the majority of the attractions are rides, we decided not to enter the theme park but to spend the day exploring the other landmarks in Sentosa.
We started our trip from the Marina Bay MRT station which stops at the Vivo City. Up at the third level is the monorail station towards Sentosa. There are other ways to get to the island but we wanted to try the monorail, which is a first-time for all of us. At the same level of Vivo City is its rooftop water feature which looked like a beach where kids were swimming at that time.
Sentosa Express, at SGD4.00, can bring you to the island, where you can get off at the Waterfront Station, the Imbiah Station and the Beach Station. We started our island exploration at the Beach Station.
The farthest stop at Sentosa: Beach Station
From the monorail station, we boarded the beach tram which took us to the island’s coastline. The Songs of the Sea was still closed at that time. Several bars and restaurants also fill the stretch. Visitors who prefer to spend the day under the sun and on the sand, relax at the many beaches. We haven’t reached Palawan beach, a namesake of one of the popular regions in the Philippines.
Attractions at the second stop: Imbiah Station
It is in the Imbiah Station where the giant Merlion stands tall. We boarded the elevator going to its mouth and its head which provides a 360-degree view of Sentosa. Resorts World and the roller coaster at Universal Studios were visible from the top.
At the Imbiah Lookout, there are coffee shops and eateries for those who want to rest awhile and have their fill. There we boarded the cable car which took us through the Harbourfront Tower Two to Mount Faber. It gave us a beautiful view of Sentosa, the grand Virgo Star Cruises, and the greener areas of Singapore.
Though I’ve visited the Images of Singapore during my first trip, I brought my travel companions, Eisyl and her mom, there so they will appreciate more the history and background of Singapore.
More to see at this Sentosa stop: Waterfront Station
The Waterfront Station led us to Resorts World Singapore and Universal Studios. We posed for photos at the landmarks there. Aside from the revolving globe and the Universal Studios arch, other attractions in this part of Sentosa are the Lake of Dreams, Marine Life Park, FestiveWalk and Crane Dance.
Before we knew it, the day was almost over. As we boarded the monorail back to Vivo City, we had several families and teenagers on board Sentosa Express with smiles on their faces. A group of young girls looked like they spent the day at the beach, with their wet hair and their bikinis underneath their shirts and short pants.
But as we bid Sentosa adieu, there were still so many people roaming around, who must be spending the night in this resort island. Sentosa is the fun side of Singapore, where people can unwind and enjoy themselves.