12 Jul '23

Sentosa, an island of many memories. Steeped in history, it offers a beautiful respite for tourists and visitor alike. My first memories of Sentosa was with my family in the early 90's. Back then, the Sentosa monorail and Sentosa Ferry Terminal were still around. Today, remnants of the monorail structures remain while the Ferry Terminal is now part of RWS. As wifey was at work and deciding that I needed more fresh air and sunlight, I visited Sentosa alone on a weekday afternoon. It was a wise decision 😊.

I walked in to Sentosa from Vivocity using the Sentosa Boardwalk. Walking past RWS, I first stopped at Capella Hotel. It sits atop a gentle hill surrounded by lush fields and was formerly a living quarters for British soldiers. The vastness of the grounds provided ample provided a sense of calm and serenity.

After that, I visited The Barracks Hotel. It's one of the newer hotels, again converted from a British army barrack, and so its name. Nothing much to say here except that it's a very nice looking resort hotel.

After visiting the two hotels, I walked to the famous beach stretch of Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong. I have always wanted to walk along that relaxing stretch of sand in its entirety, and so this was my chance. I first arrived at Palawan Beach (the beach in the middle ) The walk was simple and relaxing. There were various groups of people at the beaches, from companies holding corporate team-bonding events to university students having their orientation sessions.

I reached Tanjong Beach after walking for about 15 minutes. It was quieter than Palawan. There were a few people sunbathing, treating themselves to a good time on the beach. After walking for a further 10 to 15 minutes, I reached the end of the beach stretch. Beyond that were a golf course and a private residence area. Spent some time lazing there, enjoying the sun and fresh air.

Noting that there were other places to visit, I walked back along the same stretch, this time walking past the Palawan Green, which is a plot of green field with walking paths, meant for holding events. I finally reached the other end of the beach stretch, Siloso beach.

Deciding that I still had fuel in me, I walked the Coastal Trail. I contemplated visiting either Fort Siloso or the Coastal Trail. As I had done Fort Siloso and not the Coastal Trail, the decision was easy, along with the walk. Well, I did not meet anyone at all, except for a few workers who were landscaping the trail.

As I had walked the Coastal Trail from an inconspicuous entrance at near Fort Siloso, I ended at the entrance of the trail. Deciding that I should make full use of my visit, I accessed the Imbiah trail, which was just next to the Coastal Trail. It was around 5.30pm by then. The trail had some interesting man-made structures such as a waterfall, a dragon and fossils. I reached the top of Mount Imbiah after an interesting walk and was in for more historical treats. My legs were slightly aching by then.

After visiting Imbiah, I decided that it was time to make my way home. I accessed the boardwalk from RWS. The day trip was memorable. I got what I sought at the beginning and have finally formed a mental map of the island. I guess more importantly, it gave me time to recollect on my childhood moments with my family, and a certain realisation on life's impermanence.