1 Day itinerary for a perfect family trip to Sentosa Island, Singapore

True to its name, “State of Fun”. Sentosa is a perfect destination for fun and adventure seekers. A leisure and recreation Island packed with unmatched attractions and activities that cater to all age groups.

Visit to Sentosa Island was one of the most interesting and exciting parts of our trip to Singapore.

While planning the trip, my friends suggested keeping a day aside for Sentosa Island. To be honest I never imagined Sentosa would be so much fun. But when we visited this Island, I actually realized, the place was buzzing with action, excitement, and happy vibes. When we traveled to Sentosa, our son was 2.5 years old. So we decided to take it easy, making a point to enjoy every bit rather than focusing only on a checklist. In this post, I am sharing a day’s itinerary for families with young kids seeking to enjoy quality time in Sentosa Island.

Having said that, this itinerary does not cover all the major attractions but only those, which are feasible to cover in a day, considering all the walking around, humidity, and the fact that kids often get cranky. To know more about other family-friendly attractions in Singapore. Check out my previous blog. 10 family-friendly attractions in Singapore

1 day itinerary to Sentosa Island for perfect family trip
Sentosa Island, Singapore

About Sentosa Island

Sentosa is a fun Island off the Southern coast of Singapore. It’s connected with Singapore mainland through road, cable car, pedestrian boardwalk, and monorail. Sentosa houses many attractions for all age groups including best in class resorts, Michelin star restaurants, shopping, theme parks, SEA Aquarium, Tiger Sky tower, adventure activities, and beaches (manmade beaches, can you imagine !). Check out Singapore tour packages here. 1 day itinerary to Sentosa Island for perfect family trip

Popular & Iconic Merlion, Sentosa Island

1 day itinerary to Sentosa Island for perfect family trip
Bird’s eye view, Sentosa Island, Singapore

Is one day enough to visit Sentosa?

Probably yes, if you start your day early and know which activities to take. (They have so much to offer, it’s very confusing to choose which one to take and which to leave, considering each activity has its own cost.) We wasted a lot of our time trying to understand the options.

In case you want to visit Universal studio also (which you should!) then surely you need 2 days, as Universal studio is a different world in itself.

This is how we spent a day in Sentosa Island.

Since it was our first day in Singapore, we were not sure about our itinerary, considering the variety of options available.

Keeping visit to Sentosa in mind (although still not sure), we reached Vivo mall. At Vivo mall, we enquired from a travel desk, which offered an overwhelming choice of exciting activities. It was really hard to choose, as everything was unique and exciting.

Finally, we zeroed down Sentosa Island along with cable car ride, SEA Aquarium, and wings of time (& other attractions including Universal studio, gardens by the bay, Singapore Zoo, and Duck tour for other days). It was already 11.30 a.m by the time ticketing was completed. So without wasting further time, we headed towards the cable car. Sharing the itinerary and experience here.

1) Cable car –Initially, it was difficult to find a way to cable car station. We were not sure if we are heading in the right direction. After walking across the mall and ferry terminal, finally we reached the boarding location. Since it was a weekday, the queue was not too long and we immediately got our turn. At first, it was a little scary to be hanging in the air with water below but the splendid view was worth every effort.

Although you can reach Sentosa through various modes, but the Cable car is the best option if you really want to make your trip memorable. Here you can enjoy the best panoramic view of the harbor and island. It’s surreal but slightly scary too. The cable car is available from the harbor front station. (also from Faber Peak). Cable car covers 2 lines.

Mount Faber Line  

It starts from Singapore’s only hilltop destination, Faber Peak, cross the harbor, and then lands in Sentosa. It offers the most priceless view.

Sentosa Line 

This line takes you through many attractions in Sentosa. You can choose to stop either at Merlion station, Imbiah Lookout station or Siloso Point station

Timing: Open daily: 8:45am to 10:00pm

Charges: Singapore Cable Car Sky Pass Round Trip Adult (including both the lines) – S$35.00, Child – S$25.00 (above 4 years of Age)

things to do in Sentosa Island
Cable Car, Sentosa Island, Singapore
things to do in Sentosa Island
Sunset view from Cable car, Sentosa Island

2) S.E.A Aquarium – The moment we landed at Sentosa, we were tempted to move around and explore the place. But we had to visit the S.E.A aquarium without wasting much time, as it was noon and the little one was sleepy already. We dint wanted him to miss the S.E.A aquarium. After a lot of walking, we arrived at the S.E.A Aquarium. The moment we crossed the first tunnel; a huge glass wall with many marine creatures moving in a rhythm greeted us. It was an amazing moment for us, especially this being our first visit to a large Aquarium. All of us were really excited to witness marine life so closely, especially big sharks and stingrays swimming freely in the blue water. It felt like we are walking inside the sea. SEA aquarium is one of the largest in Asia showcasing diverse marine species. It was not only exciting but also very relaxing. Just sitting and watching these creatures moving was a therapeutic and peaceful experience.

Check out the complete guide to S.EA Aquarium. 

Time required: It takes almost 1-2 hours to explore SEA Aquarium. Refreshment (food and beverages) is available inside the Aquarium.

Timings: 10 am to 7 p.m

Tickets: Adult (Age 13 – 59) – SGD39 | Child (Age 4 – 12) – SGD29 | Senior (Age 60 and above) – SGD29  

S.E.A Aquarium Sentosa Island , Singapore
S.E.A Aquarium, Sentosa Island
S.E.A Aquarium Sentosa Island
Open sea habitat section, S.E.A Aquarium, Singapore
S.E.A Aquarium, Singapore
S.E.A Aquarium, Singapore
S..E.A Aquarium, Sentosa Island
Open Sea habitat, S.E.A Aquarium, Singapore

3) Enjoy a variety of Food –Sentosa has many restaurants to offer a variety of delectable cuisine. Right from fast food joints to upmarket Michelin star restaurants. Once we came out of the SEA Aquarium, it was time for lunch and we were really hungry. We stopped by an Italian restaurant and enjoyed Pizza, garlic bread, and pasta. Post lunch it was time for desserts and what better for hot & humid weather then a chilled ice cream. We visited this really nice ice-cream joint called stick house, which had a really good selection of delicious ice creams.

1 day itinerary to Sentosa Island, Singapore
Sentosa Island, Singapore
things to do in Sentosa Island
Stick house, Sentosa

4) Photo opportunities – Once we loaded ourselves with calories, it was time to explore the area and click some pictures for keepsake. Sentosa has many places where you can click that perfect instagramable picture. (Read about it in my next blog) or just some cool pics with family to capture the beautiful memories. Some places where we enjoyed clicking pictures.

  • Lake of Dreams Square especially looks beautiful during the evenings. There are many other interesting set-ups in and around the square where you can capture that perfect picture.
  • Candylicious store – This was our favorite! Fairy tale-like set us including live size and colorful candies and wish tree made of candies …it was quite a tempting place. I m sure one can’t stop just outside and it’s a must to visit the store and grab some delicious candies.
  • Merlion statue and the Park – The gigantic Merlion statue and fountain at Santosa is not something you will miss! In fact, it’s visible from the cable car itself. Enjoy some cool and misty moments near the fountain. Just behind the statue is a colorful Merlion park, yet another interesting place to capture.
  • Universal Studio – If you are planning to visit Universal studio then you will surely have unlimited opportunities and backdrops to click pictures. But if you are running out of time, then at least you can click a picture of Famous Universal studio globe. Click here to get a complete guide on Universal Studio 
things to do in Sentosa Island
Lake of dreams, Sentosa Island
Candylicious Store, Sentosa Island
Candylicious Store, Sentosa Island
Things to do in Sentosa Island
Universal Studio, Singapore

5) Beaches – It’s not only unique attractions that make Sentosa an ultimate fun destination, the presence of vast Sandy stretches definitely adds charm to it. Sentosa has 3 artificial beaches, which are beaming with activities. Checkout more beaches in Singapore 

  • Siloso beach – Being closest to the main transport, Siloso beach is one of the most popular and often visited beaches.
  • Palawan beach -If you walk west of Siloso, you will find the second Sentosa beach called Palawan. It’s a long and wide beach, best suited for families with children. It features a suspension bridge that allows visitors to cross over to a spot, claimed as the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia (the closest point to the Equator in Asia).
  • Tanjong Beach – This is the quietest beach on Sentosa probably because it’s farthest from the ‘Beach Station’. This beach is serene and has cool vibes.
Silso beach, Sentosa Island
Silso beach, Sentosa Island
Palawan beach, Sentosa island
Palawan Beach, Sentosa Island

6) Wings of Time – Your trip to Sentosa Island cannot be complete without the Wings of time show. This Multi-sensory outdoor show is the ultimate fusion of laser lights and sounds perfectly synchronized with the movement of water. Fireworks at the end of this spectacular show take the entire experience to a whole new level. This mesmerizing show takes you through the magical journey weaved in the story of friendship and courage.

Show timings: 7.40 p.m. and 8.40 p.m

Duration: Around 15 mins

Ticket cost: 23 S$/ 18 S $ (On type of seat)

Things to do in Sentosa Island
Wings of Time Show, Sentosa Island
1 day itinerary to Sentosa Island for perfect family trip
Light, Sound & water. Wings of Time, Sentosa island
Wings of Time Show, Sentosa Island
Wings of Time Show, Sentosa Island

Few tips to make your trip to Sentosa a memorable one!

  • Try visiting the Island on a weekday, when it’s not very crowded.
  • Since it’s hot and humid it’s better to carry sunscreen, umbrella or cap and water bottle.
  • Carry a map with you, as they are handy and helpful.

Although it felt like we could have checked out some more attractions, which we missed. But we had a memorable time at Sentosa and a lot of memories to cherish.

Have you visited Sentosa before? Do you have any suggestions?

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1 day itenerary to Sentosa Island.jpg

1 day Itenarary for perfect family trip to Sentosa island


97 thoughts on “1 Day itinerary for a perfect family trip to Sentosa Island, Singapore

  1. I loved Sentosa when I visited and this is a great itinerary! Didn’t know you could get a cable car in from the mainland, great info!

  2. I loved my time in Singapore, but I’ve never even heard of Sentosa island! Sounds amazing 🙂

  3. Looks like a great place. Especially the Palawan Beach and the Aquarium. Adding to the bucket list. Great post 🙂

  4. Looks like such a beautiful place… wasn’t on my list but definitely is now! Great article 🙂

  5. Great post! I’ve been to Singapore, but I didn’t have a chance to go to Sentosa.

  6. Sentosa Island seems like it has so many fun things to do. I also really like visiting aquariums because I feel very relaxed watching the animals. The Wings of Time show sounds like it would be really cool too!

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