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)

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.