Sentosa
| Sentosa |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Names: | |||
| English: | Sentosa | ||
| Chinese: | 圣淘沙 | ||
| (Pinyin: | shèng táo shā) | ||
| Malay: | Sentosa | ||
| Tamil: | satasa | ||
Sentosa, which means tranquillity in Malay, is a popular island resort in Singapore, visited by some two million people a year. A major tourist attraction, it hosts a sheltered beach of more than two kilometres in length on its southern coast, a musical fountain which uses the interaction of lasers against water particles to create three-dimensional images, and historical fortifications in Fort Siloso, dating from World War II. There are also two golf courses and two 5-star hotels.
History
This island was once a fishing village known as Pulau Blakang Mati, which in Malay means the "Island (pulau) of Death (mati) From Behind (blakang)". During the Second World War, it was a British military fortress containing Fort Siloso.
The British set up defending artillery guns in Fort Siloso which were then pointed to the south, facing the sea in expectation of a seaward Japanese assault. However, the Japanese eventually invaded and captured Singapore from the north, after having done the same to Malaya (now known as West or Peninsular Malaysia).
Following the surrender of the Allied Forces on February 15, 1942, the island became a prisoner of war camp, housing Australian and British prisoners of the Japanese.
In 1967, the British, gave Sentosa to the newly independent government of Singapore. A year later, the government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. It was renamed “Sentosa”, which means tranquillity in Malay, from a suggestion by the public.
Geography
The island has an area of 5 square kilometres. It lies just half a kilometre (a quarter of a mile) away from the southern coast of the main island of Singapore. It is Singapore’s fourth largest island (excluding the main island). 70 % of the island is covered by secondary rainforest, the habitat of monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks, parrots as well as other native fauna and flora. The island also has 3.2 kilometre stretch of white sand beach. Significantly large portions of land are currently being added to Sentosa due to land reclamation.
Transport
Sentosa can be reached via a short causeway or cable car, which originates on Mount Faber and passes through HarbourFront, Singapore en route. Now, it is also accessible by a S$140 million Sentosa Express between Sentosa and the main island's train system. The Sentosa Express commenced operations on 15 January 2007. Now, visitors can easily transfer onto the Sentosa Express from VivoCity, which is in turn served by HarbourFront MRT Station on the North East Line. The journey takes four minutes. An uninterrupted chain of public transport will exist between Sentosa and some of the more remote towns in Singapore.
Within Sentosa there are four bus services, identified as Blue, Yellow, and Red lines, and a tram service called the Beach Train. A shuttle bus also connects the mainland and Sentosa from the HarbourFront Bus Interchange to the Visitor Arrival Centre at Beach Station. Tickets for the shuttle are sold at HarbourFront Bus Interchange for S$3 per ticket.
Since 1998, passenger cars have been allowed to enter the island.
Attractions
Main article: Explore Sentosa
Future development
Future plans for Sentosa aim to establish it as one of the world's most luxurious holiday locations, with a SGD$10 billion masterplan for the future involving the construction of private housing, the aforementioned partial redevelopment of Siloso Beach, and Asia's first tourism academy. This large scale island redevelopment projects are expected to complete in 2012.
The largest impact is expected to be from a family-oriented Integrated Resort, with a casino at its core. This world-class Integrated Resort is expected to be completed in 2009. A resort operator/developer will be chosen by the end of 2005. Development of the resort will be financed privately and will not receive any government subsidies.
External links
- Sentosa official website
- Template:Wikitravelpar