As it was my photographer’s birthday, I made sure we had a nice early alarm on (what human doesn’t love an early start?). I had planned a birthday surprise (assisted by wrinkly human and female human), with the help of the staff in the hotel I got a taxi. My photographer still blissfully unaware of the destination. A very short and cheap taxi ride took us to Mount Faber, a very green and hilly part of Singapore.
I had booked tickets to ride on the cable car over to Sentosa Island using GetyourGuide. It was a lot cheaper than paying on the day, only downside is you don’t get proper tickets. I chose Mount Faber as you get a longer ride, plus it is quieter and more accessible.
Some things to be aware of before going:
- The cable car doesn’t stop for you to get on, its a constant travelling one. So you have to do a super awkward jump step. Wrinkly human struggled with this but still managed to get on. There are lots of staff around to help as well!
- There is no air con! (queue ominous music). Each car has vents and fans but in 35 degree heat, they don’t do much. So take water and maybe a handheld fan. We went early but on our return the heat was a bit more intense.
- As with most tourist sites – the earlier you go the better. It’s quieter and cooler.
It took 15 minutes, with a brief stop at harbour front station, to get to Sentosa. It was such a beautiful and smooth ride. I had trouble choosing which way to look, until my photographer reminded me we would be coming back on the cable car too. Skyscrapers, the turquoise ocean, numerous islands, and boats were visible. We were very lucky to get a clear day, since Singaporean weather is very unpredictable.
Jumping off the cable car (literally) there were many signs to follow. The best part about Sentosa is the accessibility of the island. Take advantage of these because Sentosa is way hotter than the main island. The monorail (whilst on Sentosa) is free, but over from Singapore is $1. Escalators lead down from the cable cars to the main hub. Small golf buggies with drivers, with drivers, are available to get from one place to another. Many seats are dotted around in the shade to enjoy the numerous beautiful views.
The Merlion statue was huge, I could see it from the cable car and couldn’t wait to get closer. He looks just like my friend Meryan. Little did I know but you can go up to the top and stand in his mouth balcony. Instead I chose to enjoy the gardens and area behind the statue. I even found a peacock! Definitely not something I ever dreamed of finding in Singapore.
The walk down towards the beach had been created around a very arty water feature. We liked how colourful it was, but didn’t realize it was ocean themed until the end. At the bottom there was also many egg statues off the Chinese zodiac! Such a fun display from Lunar New Year.
Down a set of stairs was some beautiful wild orchids. I cannot get enough of seeing them. Leaving the orchids to enjoy the sunshine, we set off in search of Palawan Beach. This is a place which has been on my photographer’s bucket list for a very long time. White sand beaches lined with palm trees on one side and turquoise waters on the other. Best of all, it was totally free of crowds. I could have been in the Caribbean the beach was so good. I’m not normally one to enjoy lazing around on the beach, but I really enjoyed the time I spent here.
A scary ropey bridge led to two wooden buildings and curiosity got the better of me. I had to go across and find out what they were. The ropey bridge was scary to walk across (I ran).
But at the other side we were greeted by a boulder with a sign (YAY!). I had officially made it to the most southern point of Continental Asia, something I really wasn’t expecting to achieve. The sun came out just in time for me to see the boats bobbing around in the ocean (best view ever!). I’ve never seen so many in one place, it was a very beautiful site.
After enjoying a wander around this tiny island, it was time for the climb up the wooden buildings. It was a hard climb up the stairs, but so worth it for the view. You can stop on each level, but I made my photographer go all the way to the top! The beach and ocean views were incredible but one thing that amazed me, was the lack of skyscrapers in my view. Sentosa must be hillier than I thought.
By this point the heat of the midday sunshine had caught up to me once again and it was time to search for somewhere to hide. Not before enjoying the comedy mirrors placed near the beach. I managed to find another Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, with comfortable seats to enjoy another mint lime ice tea (I may be slightly addicted).
Making my way back through the greenery, it was time for another cable car ride across to Harbourfront MRT station. A fabulous morning exploring the coast of Singapore, when I return I would love to see more of the islands in the future. But, now it’s onto my next stop on mainland Singapore.
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