Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore

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On my 4th day in Singapore, realizing I hadn’t yet explored other parts of Sentosa, I took the MRT straight there early in the morning. In Malay, “Sentosa” means “tranquility.” The island’s south coast features a beach stretching over 2 kilometers, the WWII-era Fort Siloso, two golf courses, and seven hotels.

Judging from panoramic photos on Wikipedia, the beach area is quite expansive, the entire island is lush with greenery, and the beach faces several small islets.

In the morning, I took the MRT to HarbourFront Station, which is integrated with VivoCity. From the station on the third floor of VivoCity, I boarded the Sentosa Express. The light rail has four stops in total: Sentosa Station at VivoCity, Waterfront Station at Universal Studios Singapore, Imbiah Station near the Merlion, and Beach Station.

Interestingly, this light rail only charges a S$4 island admission fee, collected solely at Sentosa Station. The ticket gates at the other stations are not currently activated, meaning that once you’re on the island, you can ride the light rail as much as you like for free—including the return trip to VivoCity. Therefore, if you’re traveling in a group, I recommend taking a Grab or a bus onto the island to save a significant amount of money. Moreover, the distance between the island and VivoCity is actually very short; even walking across takes only about 1 km.

My first stop on the island was Waterfront, home to Universal Studios Singapore, which I had visited previously. Right at the entrance to the park, as soon as you step off the train, you’ll see this dual-world Merlion…

There are plenty of commercial amenities here to satisfy your dining needs. Across the way, there are also more affordable eateries similar to a food court, and overall, it isn’t too crowded.

It houses Candylicious, Asia’s largest candy store, featuring a massive Candy Tree right at its entrance.

At Imbiah Station, you’ll find Madame Tussauds Singapore and the giant Merlion statue.

Speaking of the Merlion, it’s actually quite amusing. Known simply as the Merlion, this structure is arguably the largest of its kind in Singapore, earning it the nickname “Papa Merlion” among netizens. Standing 37 meters tall, it’s hollow inside, allowing visitors to climb up and view the outside world from its mouth and head… Admission is S$12, and there’s nothing particularly special about the upper levels except for the elevated vantage point. Consequently, there were hardly any other tourists—perhaps even the management felt the ticket price wasn’t quite justified, so they included a commemorative gold coin along with a popcorn and cola combo, which you can enjoy while resting in the ground-floor café, making the visit somewhat worthwhile…

Although its mouth doesn’t spout water, its eyes light up at night, emitting laser beams that are surprisingly startling.

Looking out from the top of Papa Merlion’s head, you can see the ocean~~

Looking out from Papa Merlion’s mouth, Universal Studios Singapore is visible on the right.

Finally, I arrived at Beach Station—the actual beach area. In reality, you still have to walk a bit to reach the shore. I must say, although the sea here is far more scenic than back home, it pales in comparison to Guam… The sand quality is rather mediocre, and cargo ships dot the distant horizon. Additionally, since Singapore lies within the equatorial doldrums, the sea surface is unusually calm, lacking that quintessential oceanic vibe……