Dawn till dusk at the big attraction
Do yourself a favour this weekend and put that to-do list aside, ignore your phone and clear your schedule for a full day dedicated to fun. No need to pack a thing or dodge traffic to reach multiple attractions: your destination is Resorts World Sentosa. Don’t forget the kids!
Getting there
Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) is only 10 minutes away from the city, and public transport is the most convenient and cheapest mode of getting there. Board the train on the North-East Line or the Circle Line to HarbourFront MRT station and take Exit E to VivoCity. Board the Sentosa Express ($4 per entry) at level 3 and alight 1 stop later at Waterfront station.
For a more scenic approach, take the cable car from HarbourFront Tower II via Exit B at HarbourFront MRT station. Disembark at Imbiah station, take the Sentosa Express and alight at Waterfront station.
Plunge into a world of colours
Start with a wow at the biggest oceanarium, currently, in the world. S.E.A. Aquarium will dazzle you with a magical showcase of underwater life. Play with starfish at the Discovery Touch Pool, be spellbound by the languid movements of translucent sea jelly, and watch majestic sea creatures like the leopard shark and the goliath grouper swim about in Open Ocean above and beside you. Finish your time here at the Maritime Experiential Museum to find out more about Singapore’s maritime history and how it served as a bustling trading port in olden times.
Make a big splash
Time to cool off! The fun begins pronto at Adventure Cove Waterpark. Zoom down a waterslide together, or grab a tube and meander leisurely down the Adventure River, where you will encounter whimsical sea creatures and be immersed in 14 different environments. Put on your snorkelling gear and mingle with schools of colourful fish (hello Nemo!), or wade in a shallow pool with friendly manta rays. It’s a wet n’ wild experience you just have to try!
Sample local delights and haute cuisine
Worked up an appetite after all that splashing around? Satisfy your growling tummies at Pisco for a taste of authentic South American cuisine, or enjoy a hearty Italian pizza at Palio. Splurge on exquisite seafood offerings at Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora, the first female Iron Chef in Singapore. If you have time to spare, sample the degustation menu at Joël Robuchon Restaurant – it’s luxe and worth every cent.
If fine dining is lost on your rowdy bunch, don’t worry – there are loads of family-friendly eating spots at RWS. For a generous helping of Asian food, try the delectable xiao long baos (steamed pork dumplings) at Din Tai Fung or hit up the Malaysian Food Street for a bowl of penang curry mee. Fish & Crab Shack and Aston’s Specialties are both restos that serve up perennial faves like fish and chips and a juicy steak, in comfy surroundings. If you want to start the day early, you can even head here first for breakfast with Elmo, Cookie Monster, and other Sesame Street characters (adults $39, children $28). Book a table here.
Shop designer goods and uncover fine art
If you get a chance to sneak off on your own or the kids need to sleep in the pram, you can while away some time browsing plenty of top fashion labels at The Galleria. Pick up a pair of sleek Jimmy Choos, ogle at luxury timepieces in the Chanel watches boutique, and collect some stylish Tumi luggage if you just don’t want to go home today! Take a stroll down FestiveWalk™ to the Michael Graves Gallery for fine art and home décor inspiration.
Work out those kinks
So you’ve bagged that coveted clutch you’ve had your eye on, and a new perfume you found simply irresistible. Give your credit card a rest and soothe your aching bodies with a dip in an onsen-style pool or a good scrub in the Turkish Hammam at ESPA. The boys won’t miss out, either, with various men’s facials and massages to choose from. Only have time for a quickie? Opt for a hot stone foot massage or a French polish manicure in only 15 minutes.
Test your perceptive skills
The newest attraction on the block, the Trick Eye Museum, is a kooky interactive space where you can get up to all sorts of mischief. The concept is based on trompe-l’oeil, a visual art technique that tricks the eye by creating an optical illusion and turns 2D art into 3D images. You can pretend you’re hanging upside down on the roof rafters, on the brink of getting swallowed by a giant toothy fish, or on camelback riding across the Sahara a la Indiana Jones. Eye-opening.
Marvel at dazzling night-time displays
Stay on till it gets dark and catch a fabulous pyrotechnics display – the Crane Dance – at 9pm, and an explosive fire, light, and water show at the Lake of Dreams at 9:30pm. It’s spectacular and a special way to finish the day.
Stay and play
You’re pooped and the kids are sleeping soundly in their strollers (hooray!). Your best bet for a good night’s sleep? Check in to a room at one of RWS’ four hotels, or spend a night in their Ocean Suite where you can watch manta rays glide by before your very eyes in the comfort of a plush king-size bed. Wake up the next morning with a spring in your step for a day at Universal Studios Singapore, where your littlies will have a blast battling Decepticon bots in the 4D Transformers ride, visiting Shrek’s castle, digging up fossils while rock-climbing, and dancing with exotic animals from Madagascar.
Clearly, one day at Resorts World Sentosa just isn’t enough – check out this handy printable map to plot your day’s activities now!
Images: Resorts World Sentosa