Singapore is a sparkling emerald set in a sapphire sea, a small tropical island nation that is among the world’s premier destinations for business, entertainment, and culture. Singapore is one of only three City States in the world, defined by being a city, a capital, and a state all at once, the other two being Vatican City and Monaco. Singapore is richly multicultural and has four official languages, English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay, with English in place as the common tongue shared by everyone, and used for all public services and transportation. Singapore is a bright, glittering modern metropolis, but it has never forsaken its past, historic buildings and monuments stand shoulder to shoulder with glass and steel skyscrapers.

Once you get there, check into one of the best 5 star hotels in Singapore so you can fully enjoy the timeless luxury on offer, and be pampered by their dedicated staff, it’s an experience that must not be missed! There are so many fun, educational, and exciting things to do in Singapore, it’s impossible to list them all on one page, so today we will focus on one of our favourites, perhaps more frequented by the happy locals than tourists, and offering a huge amount of entertainment in a very convenient area! The place is the small island of Sentosa, a tropical paradise and playground just offshore of the city itself!

Sentosa lies beside the southern coast of Singapore’s main island, separated by a channel of water, the Keppel Harbour. Historically the site was used by the British as a military base. The island was originally called Pulau Blakang Mati, which had the rather unfortunate meaning of “death from behind”, but the name was changed by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board in a 1972 contest to Sentosa, which means “peace and tranquillity” in Malay, a much more friendly monicker for the attraction they hoped to remake the island into.

The island has theme parks, a nature preserve, and many beach resorts, making the most of its 4.71 km2 footprint. Here are just two of its most popular attractions, there are so many that’s all we have time for!

Madame Tussauds Singapore

This spin-off of London’s famed wax museum, the seventh to be established in Asia, first opened its doors on 25 October 2014 and is home to hundreds of highly realistic wax statues of famous and influential personages from around the world. It is also one of the island’s most heavily air-conditioned locations, if you need a break from the tropical heat you can take it alongside Elvis Presley, Michelle Yeoh, David Beckham, Xi Jinping, and Beyoncé!

Universal Studios Singapore

One of just five Universal Studios theme parks around the world, this branch of the popular Hollywood attraction features 28 rides, numerous shows, and a variety of fascinating attractions spread over six themed zones, Hollywood, Ancient Egypt, Far Far Away, Sci-Fi City, New York City, and The Lost World, an exciting and wild trip through the many worlds of cinema, with something to please people of all ages.