Video Credit: Sentosa Island
Sentosa is known as the island of fun for a reason. Since moving to Singapore back in 2017 my daughter and I visited and tried out the vast majority of attractions and activities on the island. Some of them were just okay, some not so great and some very nice that we keep returning to. In this post I'm going to share TOP5 best places on Sentosa to visit with kids.
Book your tickets to Sentosa attractions in advance to save time, sanity and patience here.
S.E.A. AQUARIUM
Video Credit: Sagar Keluskar SEA Aquarium Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa
Okay so unless you are a huge marine life enthusiast it's best to go there only if you visit with children. I mean it's really nice, but nevertheless one of the most expensive attractions on the island and there are better alternatives for adults.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
Thea and I have been to aquariums in Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, however the one on Sentosa is our favourite. Not only because of the well maintained premises, but also the vast variety of fish and baby shark doo doo doo...
Have a great time in the underwater world!
TRICK EYE MUSEUM
Video Credit: Trick Eye Museum Singapore
The name says it all- that’s a fun trick eye museum on Sentosa island. Bit kitsch, bit crowded, bit overpriced, but nevertheless fun for all the family.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
There are over 80 different optical illusion installations and paintings which will trick your mind and your camera.
It wasn't crowded when we went and my daughter had a blast exploring and posing for photos! If you are looking for smiles and laughs this is a place to go.
ADVENTURE COVE WATERPARK
Video Credit: Theme Park Family World Wide Adventure Cove Waterpark Full Tour Singapore Resorts World Sentosa Island
Personally I've loved waterparks since I was a little girl. There is just some magic with loads of water and thrill rides. Adventure Cove waterpark is great for all the family and on those hot and sunny days (which most of them are in Singapore) it's a great way to cool down in style.
I took the photo below of the pool with fake waves from a cable car when we were approaching Sentosa.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
I tried all the rides available however my all time favourite is the Lazy River which I highly recommend. Just grab one of the floats available at the shore and let the current push you all around in warm water. Please note there are minimum height restrictions applied to some rides, varying between 107-122 cm. However even the tiniest tots have options to splash. If you have a tiny human, don't go alone, like that you can share who stays with the child and who checks out the rides.
There are some facilities onsite where you can dine Asian and Western favourites, also a shop that stocks up waterpark essentials and branded souvenirs, like everywhere else.
Hope you have a fun splash!
To sum up Sentosa truly is the island of sun and fun. Have a great time and the last piece of advise, book your tickets to attractions in advance to save time, sanity and patience.
SKYLINE LUGE
Video Credit: tempocyclist Sentosa Island Skyline Luge - Mario Kart Battle!
It's true what they say- once is never enough! Basically what you get here are two fun activities in one place- the luge and the skyride. The Skyline Luge was invented in New Zealand over 30 years ago and is a fun, wheeled, gravity ride that provides its riders, the young and young at heart, full control over their descent on specific tracks. Helmets are available and of different sizes including helmets for kids. Children under the age of 6 yrs can ride in tandem with an adult with an extra 4 SGD fee per ride. Can you spot tiny Thea riding in tandem with me in the photo?
To ride the Luge alone children must be 6 years of age and 110cm or taller.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
There are four thrilling Luge tracks with added extra fun features such as hairpin corners, tunnels and downhill slopes that gently twist and turn for more fun.
Don't forget to smile though, there are cameras along the tracks and given you like the photos you can purchase them. The fee keeps increasing so better to check on the spot, the very first time we went there I paid 10 SGD per photo, the last time we went it was 14 SGD (the one on this blog).
In addition to the Luge down the hill, there is a Skyride that brings you back up to the top for another ride down. Minimum required height for the little ones is 85cm to ride with an adult or 135cm to ride alone.
Skyride is a 4-seater chairlift something like what you would use in a skiing resort. If you are not a big fan of heights it may not be your favourite part, however it is really safe and offers great views of the South China Sea and all the vessels and cruise ships together with birds' eye view of Singapore skyline and Sentosa attractions. There is another camera that takes photos of the rides, however I don't have any because each time we went it was a sunny day and I guess because of the bright light you only see a chairlift and passengers in the white background with no amazing views.
Things to note:
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To ride the Luge alone children must be 6 years of age and 110cm or taller
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Children under the age of 6 yrs can ride in tandem with an adult for an extra 4 SGD fee per ride. The carts are spacious so it's not really a big issue.
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For Skyride the minimum required height for the little ones is 85cm to ride with an adult or 135cm to ride alone.
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Unless you are short of time purchase at least three rides, because truly once is never enough,
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE
Video Credit: Georgia Caney A Day At Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa island is one of the most famous and visited attractions in Singapore and, at the time of writing, the only in Southeast Asia. It features 24 rides, shows and attractions in seven different themed zones. I can guarantee that children taller than 110 cm and adults alike will have a blast, however I will review it from a perspective of visiting with a young child below 110 cm height.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
So even if you go to Universal Studios with a bundle of joy shorter than 110 cm, you can still enjoy it and have a great time. However due to height restrictions you will be unable to access many attractions.
My daughter and I visited Universal Studios when she was 95 cm tall (or rather short in this case), this is was what we observed:
Pros:
- The rides are well maintained
- The park is clean
- Many attractions to choose from
- Well located, easy access
Cons:
- Most of the rides have a required min height of 110 cm. As mentioned above Thea was 95 cm tall at the time of the visit so we had to cross out the majority of attractions.
- Staff looked and behaved like they hate visitors and have the worst day in their lives...
- Queues are loooong, so unless you have the Express pass, waiting time is really long (E.g. you queue for 50 mins in hot and humid conditions for a 2 min ride)
Tips:
- Check the weather forecast before you go, they close many outdoor rides when it rains
- Buy the Express pass. The queues can get enormous.
- Don’t forget to ask for re-entry stamp if you leave USS and plan to re-enter later (same day)
- Dine elsewhere. Food within USS is mostly overpriced junk food. For the same price you can have a nice meal in one of the many restaurants on Sentosa. Our favourite is Din Tai Fung, ~5 min walk from USS. They serve amazing steamed Chinese dumplings.
- Bring your own water bottle, there are many free water refill stations within the park; else you can buy many sugary drinks or overpriced plastic bottled water.
Verdict:
The Park is definitely worth a visit, however if you are a solo adult with a young child shorter than 110 cm, think twice before going. Personally I will wait for those 15 missing cm before going back.
GETTING TO SENTOSA
Although an island, Sentosa is easily accessible from mainland Singapore. Below are some of the options:
Taxi/Grab. The most convenient one is taking a taxi or a ride via Grab app (Uber is not available in Singapore). Taxi's in Singapore are clean and air conditioned, relatively cheap and drivers do not attempt to cheat like in some other countries in South East Asia. Note that you may be asked to pay a small extra fee (2-6 SGD) to access the island applicable for cars and taxis.
Sentosa Express. There is a monorail shuttle service to and from Sentosa. The ride takes ~5 minutes and departs from Vivo City Mall departure station. The ride costs 4 SGD. To reach this mall by public transport just take MRT (subway in Singapore) the North-East Line or Circle Line and alight at the HarbourFront Station. Sentosa Express monorail shuttle station is on the third floor of the mall. Easy to find, just follow the signs.
Photo Credit: Vaiva Bo
Cable car.
The journey over can be as much fun as the island itself. This one is our favourite as it offers great views and my daughter seems to love heights. You can jump in a cable car on Faber Peak and enjoy a comfortable ride into the island.
We took the ride like a thousand times and it has always been pretty empty despite many tourists and locals going to Sentosa. Most of the times Thea and I were alone in a cable car, a couple of times there were 2-3 other passengers. More information about getting to Sentosa by a cable car is here.
Walking. If the weather is not too hot (this does happen sometimes) and you are up for a walk, you can take a stroll to the island from VivoCity Shopping Mall’s waterfront promenade which has been made easy by two-way canopy-covered travellators.
Cycling. If you love cycling it's another great and free way to access the island. Cycling on the island is safe and convenient. You can rent a shared bike here.
Driving. I don't have a car so I have never personally tried this option, but if you own or rent one you can drive and enter the island via the Sentosa Gateway. Please note there is a small fee to enter the island applicable to cars and taxis and it ranges from 2-6 SGD depending on what time you go.
One piece of advise, if you are going to visit all or several places consider combo tickets or Unlimited Attractions Pass, that way you save on tickets. Check out some sample combo tickets for the TOP5:
Universal Studio, S.E.A Aquarium & Adventure Cove Waterpark
Combo: Universal Studio Singapore and S.E.A Aquarium
Singapore City Card: Unlimited Attractions Pass
MORE SINGAPORE
National Gallery Singapore for Kids
Tilted Train Playground at Tiong Bahru
The Ultimate Future World Bucket List- a go to with kids guide
Jubilee Park Outdoor Playground
