WHETHER YOU are a foodie, history buff, shopaholic, nature lover, or adrenaline junkie, the vibrant city of Singapore has something to offer. During our recent trip we were looking for some thrills that could jolt our teenagers out of their social media induced apathy and that’s exactly what we found.
Sentosa, always Singapore’s fun island’, has in recent years received much investment and is now home to a wealth of activities.
Looking like some kind of alien spaceship, the SkyHelix provides visitors with an opportunity for views with a twist of thrills.
It is located at Imbiah Lookout, the highest point of the island. Riders sit at a circular table which slowly rises 79m above sea level and then rotates, providing panoramic views of Sentosa and Singapore city. Although the movement was gentle, with feet dangling, it did feel quite exposed being so high up.
The whole experience takes around 20 minutes. A complimentary drink is provided which can be taken on the attraction to take your mind off the height.
Imbiah Lookout is also home to one of the three Sentosa Line Cable Car stations which transverse the island and a short walk to the Sentosa station. This provides a link to the Mount Faber Cable Car Line which travels between Sentosa and the main island of Singapore.
“Why live on the edge when you can jump off?”
Skypark Sentosa offers a walk on the skybridge, bungy jumping and the giant swing. I chickened out but the rest of the family had a go on the giant swing which involved being harnessed together, winched up 45 metres and then dropped, swinging over the beach travelling at up to 120km/hr.
The truly terrifying part of the experience is that after being winched up, it is up to one of the participants to pull the cord that releases the swing, the other participant has the job of holding the GoPro in place. It was apparently a lot of fun and I have to admit that when I look at the video, I feel a bit of regret in not being game enough to have a go!
Our next adventure was the Skyline Luge, which at least leaves a level of control with the rider so I was up for it.
The luge involves an enjoyable chair lift ride to the top of the hill and then a gravity-fuelled ride back. The rider controls the luge cart and can speed up or slow down at will. There are four routes down the hill with plenty of twists and turns.
It’s worth buying a few rides to allow for a practice go although the younglings didn’t seem to need it as they shot past me.
Riders need to be at least six-years-old and 110cm tall to ride alone but little ones can ride with an adult.
By this time, we were hot enough and hungry enough to take a break. Riding the cable car to Harbourside Cruise Centre, it was a short walk to Food Republic @ VivoCity, a food court specialising in local flavours. Stir Fried Kway Teow – mmmm.
The nightly show Wings of Time is a great way to finish off a day on Sentosa. Set against a backdrop of Siloso beach and the night sky, the 20-minute spectacle combines water fountains, laser artwork and pyrotechnics to produce an impressive state of the art display.
The special effects are expertly synchronized with music and choreography. The performance is accompanied by an original musical score, composed specifically for the show.
Where to stay: There are a range of hotels on Sentosa catering to all types of visitor. We stayed at Village Hotel, Sentosa, a family-oriented resort which was conveniently located for all the attractions visited. Read our review here.
