Sentosa

With Singapore’s hot weather, the perfect place to go to cool off is Sentosa – Singapore’s own beach hideaway spot The island of Sentosa, it is rumoured, was once a pirate hideaway, before it became a sleepy fishing village, then a British military base and now today it is a theme park, holiday destination or nature reserve, whichever way you’d prefer to look at it. It is linked to the mainland by a causeway and is less than 20 minutes from Orchard Road by taxi. The island’s main attractions today are the excellent beaches along its southern side which get packed on the weekends. Siloso Beach is the most popular, while Palawan Beach is fast catching up with a bunch of beach bars springing up, including Bora Bora Beach Bar which serves up both local and Western food along with all the cocktails you can drink. Also on Sentosa, you’ll find some fantastic walking trails through the lush jungle and a range of attractions. Other main attractions on the island are the Carlsberg Sky Tower with spectacular views of the island and city, the Musical Fountain (just a short walk from the Sky Tower) which attracts huge crowds on the weekend, Fort Siloso Museum which depicts military life during the British colonisation of the island and an aquarium, Underwater World. To get to Sentosa, you can either taxi all the way in, or for a little more excitement, take the cable car from Mt Faber or the HarbourFront Centre. Getting there: HarbourFront MRT. Carlsberg Sky Tower Get high on Sentosa! It’s not hard to argue that the views from the Carlsberg Sky Tower on Sentosa are the best in town Suitable for all ages, the Carlsberg Sky Tower should be on everyone’s list as a must-see while in town. From the top of the Imbiah Lookout Activity Zone at the centre of the island, you enter the air-conditioned viewing cabin which then gently lifts you to the highest viewing platform in Singapore at 131metres above sea level. City viewing towers all over the world are a great place to start your visit, as they give you an idea of the city’s layout before you start exploring. Of course, there aren’t many that also have the added benefit of being located at such a beautiful location as Sentosa Island. From the top of the Carlsberg Sky Tower, the views are awesome. The tower itself is 110 metres tall and from the top you can see all the way to Malaysia and Indonesia, not to mention the whole of Singapore and a birds-eye view of Sentosa. Tel: 1800-SENTOSA (736-8672). Web: www.skytower.com.sg Opening hours: 9am-9pm daily (last ride 8.45pm) Getting there: On Sentosa, take the Blue or Green line buses. The Sky Tower is located adjacent to the Cable Car Station on Sentosa