Singapore's Sentosa Island

ECT's CEO, Theresa McDermott spent a few days on Sentosa Island on her last trip to Singapore. Ahead of our holiday to this island resort next year, we asked her to share her impressions:

“Singapore itself is very built up – it’s like being in central London –  but Sentosa Island has a real sense of space. And it’s very easy to get to from the city on the Sentosa Express monorail. (The station is moments away from the Oasia Resort Hotel where our holiday is based.)

"Originally a fishing village, the island became a military base used to protect cargo against enemy attacks during the British rule. When the British left in the late 1960s, there were various plans for the island – at one point, it was going to become an oil refinery – but in the end, the powers that be decided to turn it into a holiday destination. 

There are lots of attractions here, but the highlight for me was the Skywalk Trail. (There’s a bus to Siloso Point from the Village Hotel, a 5-minute walk from the Oasia.)  It’s 11 storeys high so you are walking in the tree tops and the views are spectacular.

"Sentosa might be a holiday island, but it's steeped in history too. The story of how Singapore’s history was shaped by its position on a world shipping route is told in detail at The National Museum of Singapore. (I got an insight into that history looking at all the container ships on the ocean from the Skywalk.) And at the end of the Skywalk, there's Fort Siloso which is one of the 12 artillery batteries that made up ‘Fortress Singapore’ at the start of World War II and saw action during the Battle of Singapore. Staying on Sentosa really added to my understanding of Singapore.

Why not come and see it for yourself on our Captivating Holidays to Singapore & Gaya Island in Borneo Malaysia? We have departures in May and October 2025