Tanjong Beach is very popular with locals and tourists

Sentosa Island has been considered Singapore’s premiere playground for a number of years. Since shrugging off its rather morbid Malay name of Pulau Blakang Mati (The Island After Death) is has become a rather gaudy mixture of reclaimed sandy beaches, five star hotels and a smattering of nightspots.

Basic admission costs $2 per person but additional charges are levied depending upon which attractions you intend to see. There is a direct monorail to the island from Vivocity which takes a little more than five minutes, although the famous cable car is currently being renovated until the middle of 2010.

The latest addition to the island’s attractions is the fourth Universal Studios Themepark in the world which is set to open in the next few months. As its counterparts in Japan and the US, there will be rides based upon popular films released by the Hollywood-based studio.

Tiger Sky Tower is the tallest observation tower in Asia and provides panoramic views of the area. While Dolphin Lagoon has pink dolphins performing tricks for the adoring crowds. Nearby Fort Siloso is a former British naval base with guns still seemingly posed ready for an invasion party. (9am to 9pm, $10/7 adult/child)

Images of Singapore provides younger visitors with a rather uncontroversial versions of the story of Singapore’s founding, complete with hi-tech gadgets showing how the many comprising races have come together and currently lie side-by-side in harmony. ($10/7 adult/child)

Sentosa Luge allows guests to feel the thrills of the bobsled, although the track’s incline makes it difficult to get any real speed up. Probably not the most exciting ride for teenagers but worth a look for younger kids. ($10 single ride)

Songs of the Sea is a multimedia extravaganza that features pyrotechnics, live casts, lazers and water jets. Worth booking ahead especially on weekends as it can be extremely popular. Very popular. (Shows at 7:40pm and 8:40pm.)

Underwater World is apparently Asia’s largest oceanarium featuring tropical fish and sharks. There is a walk-through aquarium which is extremely popular with youngsters and it is also very educational. ($19.50/12.50 adult/child)

The Merlion at its new location in Marina Bay (photo by Isabella K. Badenoch)

Singapore is famous for its Merlion image, but many visitors are unclear about where the Merlion image came from. In fact, what is a Merlion? A Merlion is a mythical creature that has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The Merlion ‘logo’ as visitors see it now was actually designed by Fraser Brunner as the logo for the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) back in 1964. It is a registered trademark and permission needs to be obtained by the  STB for people to use the Merlion image for commercial purposes.

The Merlion has a historic significance as well. Singapore was originally known as ‘Temasek’, which is a Javanese word meaning ‘sea’. Then, in the 11^th century, was renamed Singapura, meaning ‘lion’ and ‘city’ by Prince Sang Nila Utama, who said he saw a mythical creature on the island, which later turned out to be a lion. Hence, Singapore is also known as the ‘Lion City’.

The Merlion statue measured 8.6 meters in height and weighs an amazing 70 tons! It was made by Singaporean artist, Lim Nang Seng. Very few people know this, but the eyes of the Merlion are made of red teacups! The statue was installed at the mouth of the Singapore River, across from Elizabeth Walk, on the 15^th of September 1972, by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. However, the Merlion was moved a mere 120 meters in 2002, since its view was obstructed by the building of new building complex along the river.

Now, visitors can enjoy the Merlion statue at Marina Bay, adjacent to One Fullerton. The Merlion is the center piece of a new 2,500 square meter park, aptly named Merlion Park, that was constructed as the new home of the Merlion.

Visitors can reach the Merlion Park via MRT, getting off at Raffles Place station. It is also possible to visit the Merlion by river taxi, as there is a boat landing right by the Merlion statue.

Lion Cityscape

Plucky Singapore sits at the heart of Southeast Asia, an overachieving city state that punches well above its belt size as a tourist destination. There’s so much packed into this modern pleasant city, the beaches and resorts of Sentosa Island, the history and culture of the Colonial district, timeless character in Chinatown, fabulous shopping in Orchard Road and a host of fun family activities.

Find out all the hidden charms and well kept secrets on this blog. We’ve been travelling Southeast Asia for ages, and plan to develop this site into a full blown guide to Singapore soon. You can look forward to a resource with hundreds of pages of tourist info, complete with pictures and video.

From the beauty of the Botanical gardens to the lively restaurants and bars of Clarke Quay, to the fascination of the Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park or the the pungent aromas in Little India, this site has it all. Airport facilities, accommodation, business travel, shopping, walking tours and more, find it all here.