Sentosa Songs Of The Sea
60 Siloso Beach Walk
Sentosa

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/


Opening Hours:
Daily 7.40pm, 8.40pm

Admission Fees (In SGD $):
Premium: $15
Standard: $12

Estimated Visiting Duration:
30 Minutes


Spectacle Of Lights, Fire, Water, Music And Dance


(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 9
Visited: Mar-2013


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A multi-sensory experience, the award winning Songs Of The Sea is a show that visitors to Sentosa are encouraged to catch. Using lights, lasers, fire, water, music, singing, and dancing by a live 7 member cast, Songs Of The Sea is both engaging and immersive, even though the show itself is rather short at 20 - 25 minutes.

Started as a replacement to the iconic former Sentosa Musical Fountain, Songs Of The Sea is a twice daily show, playing at 7.40pm and 8.40pm, rain or shine. Designed by Yves Pépin, a famed multimedia show designer, Songs Of The Sea is the world's only permanent show set in the sea.

Songs Of The Sea tells the story of Li and his 6 friends. Dressed in a white shirt and brown pants, Li and his friends visit a beach, and sing several ethnic songs representing the 4 main languages of Singapore. While singing, they are surprised by an image of a beautiful sleeping girl, Princess Ami, who has fallen under the spell of an enchanted village. Li and his friends then meet several mischievous sea creatues, including Oscar, a Common Lionfish / Tigerfish / Pterois Miles, who befriend them and urge Li to sing to break the spell over Princess Ami. Li, Oscar, and their friends also encounter and free the Lord Of Fire, the Spirit Of Light, and the Lady Of The Sea.

While the dancing is acceptable, the lip-syncing of the 7-member cast is often critised. The story, while humourous, is also rather dis-jointed, and makes little sense. However, Songs Of The Sea does redeem itself through the use of technology, with pyrotechnics, water jets, and lasers accompanying the songs and music, making for a mesmerising visual and audio spectacle. In Songs Of The Sea, the human cast are the weakest link.

If you're planning a visit to Songs Of The Sea, do note the 2 daily show timings of 7.40pm and 8.40pm. Admission fees for a standard ticket is SGD $12, but you are advised to purchase the premium ticket at SGD $15 for a better view. The 2500 seats fill up fast, and seating opens up to 40 minutes before the show begins. If you want a good seat, you are strongly advised to reach at least 20 minutes before the show begins to choose a seat.


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Sentosa Merlion Plaza
10 Beach View
Merlion Plaza
Sentosa

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/


Opening Hours:

Merlion Plaza: Daily 24 Hours

The Merlion Tower: Daily 10am - 8pm


Admission Fees (In SGD $):

Merlion Plaza: Free

The Merlion Tower:
Adult: $8
Child: $5


Estimated Visiting Duration:
1 - 2 Hours

List Of Star Attractions (Must See):
The Merlion Tower
Merlion Walk
Head Viewing Gallery
Mouth Viewing Gallery

List Of Main Attractions (Good To See):
The Mystery Of Sea Monsters
Kingdom Of The Merfolk
Myth Of The Lake Monsters
Secret Origin Of The Merlion
Mercubs And Lucky Sand Dollar

List Of Other Attractions (For A Complete Experience):
Merlion Plaza
Imbiah Station
Sentosa Signage
Merlion Cafe


The Myth Of The Merlion


(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Visited: Mar-2013


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The Merlion Plaza is the main area that immediately connects to Imbiah Station in Sentosa, and features several shops, the Sentosa Signage, and the pond with the largest natural Jadeite stone on the island. The star attraction here would be The Merlion Tower.

The Merlion Tower is a 37 m high statue, standing on a man-made hill that is 23 m above sea level. The half lion, half fish symbol of Singapore is approximately 11 stories high, and within it is a museum dedicated to exploring the myth behind the Merlion. Step within, and in quick succession, you'll pass by The Mystery Of Sea Monsters, Kingdom Of The Merfolk and Myth Of The Lake Monsters. All these are sculptures with acccompanying exposition boards.

The Secret Origin Of The Merlion is a 15 minute show that explains the myth of Sang Nila Utama and his discovery of Singapore. Then, head up to the Head Viewing Gallery and Mouth Viewing Gallery for clear views of Sentosa island, the city skyline, and the South of Singapore.

Walk around the waterfalls surrounding The Merlion Tower, and you encounter the Merlion Walk at the back. A 120 m long Antoni Gaudi inspired mosaic walkway, it has images of sea creatures and water spouts. The bell towers and curving stone pathway mark the end of the Merlion Walk.

If you're planning a visit to the Merlion Plaza, do note that while admission is free, access to The Merlion Tower costs SGD $8. Allocate between 1 to 2 hours for viewing, and only visit during clear / sunny weather, as the Head Viewing Gallery is closed during cloudy / bad weather.


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Sentosa Palawan Beach
82 Palawan Beach Walk
Sentosa

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/


Opening Hours:

Palawan Beach: Daily 24 Hours

Port Of Lost Wonder (POLW): Daily 10am - 6.30pm

Animal And Bird Encounters: Daily 2pm, 4pm & 5pm

Gogreen Segway Eco Adventure: Daily 10am - 8.30pm


Admission Fees (In SGD $):

Palawan Beach: Free

Port Of Lost Wonder (POLW): $15

Animal And Bird Encounters: Free

Gogreen Segway Eco Adventure:
Fun Ride: $12
Eco Adventure: $38


Estimated Visiting Duration:
1 - 3 Hours

List Of Star Attractions (Must See):
Port Of Lost Wonder (POLW), Pirate Ship, Hatch Patch, The Deck, Curiosity Island, Curio Exchange, Play Den, Celebration Island
Southernmost Point Of Continental Asia, Lookout Tower, Suspension Bridge

List Of Main Attractions (Good To See):
Gogreen Segway Eco Adventure
Animal And Bird Encounters (2pm, 4pm, 5pm)
Palawan Pillboxes
Bora Bora Beach Bar
Playground
Wet Play Area
Kayak Rental

List Of Other Attractions (For A Complete Experience):
Palawan Beach Signage
Palawan Beach Statues
Palawan Amphitheatre
Arid Gardens
Palawan Beach Lagoon


Family Friendly Beach


(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Mar-2013


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Palawan Beach in Sentosa is designated as the family friendly beach, so you'll see a lot of families with kids here. An atmosphere of playfulness surrounds Palawan Beach, with its theme of Pirates, its various Playgrounds and Wet Play Areas, the brightly painted Palawan Pillboxes, the Arid Gardens, and the Palawan Beach Statues.

The star attraction at Palawan Beach is the Port Of Lost Wonder (POLW), a pirate themed kids play area. The Curio Exchange is located outside the 'Secret Entrance', and adults can enter free with a hug from their child. The main highlights include the Pirate Ship, a huge wet play area, the Curiosity Island, a foam play area, and the Play Den, an indoor play area.

Just behind the main stretch of Palawan Beach shops is the Palawan Amphitheatre. This is where the Animal And Bird Encounters is held daily. There are only 3 daily shows, all different, and held at fixed timings. Lory Feeding is at 2pm, the Close Encounter With Animal Friends photo opportunity is at 4pm, and the On The Wild Side show is at 5pm. While On The Wild Side was funny and entertaining, the range of animal tricks displayed was quite limited. Close Encounter With Animal Friends usually involved only 1 monkey, but its well trained and cute! Plus, you can take photos with it on your shoulder, your arm, or your head!

The self-proclaimed Southernmost Point Of Continental Asia in Palawan Beach features 2 Lookout Towers, offering a great view of the island, and the South China Sea. Connected to the main Sentosa island by a Suspension Bridge, this area also has a Sentosa signage made of rock. You can actually swim across to this place from the main beach too.

If you're planning a visit to Palawan Beach, do note that admission fees varies depending on the attraction you're visiting. Also, allocate between 1 to 3 hours for viewing, and bring plenty of water. Parts of the beach can get pretty crowded, especially on weekends, because a lot of families visit this area. Try to time your visit to catch the shows at the Palawan Amphitheatre.


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40 Hands
78 Yong Siak Street #01-12

http://www.40handscoffee.com/


Many Hands Make Good Coffee

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $20 per person.


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I like to think that 40 Hands refers to all the people who helped to grow, roast, ship and brew the award winning coffee that 40 Hands is known for. They take pride in their directly sourced coffee beans, and the intricate and precise artwork in each of their lattes.

Being located in the quiet Tiong Bahru neighrbouhood, 40 Hands is perfect for a quiet breakfast, or just chilling throughout the day. I actually prefer the outdoor seating, though indoor seating is plentiful. However, peak periods can see 40 Hands become rather noisy indoors, as the front of the shop is rather cramped.

Service at 40 Hands is average, as they practice self-ordering at the counter. They will however, serve your food and drinks to your table, but this doesn't leave much room for interaction between staff and customers. They will however, greet you when you enter, or when you leave 40 Hands. Sometimes, they'll also hold the door for you if they happen to be standing there.

Food is rather good at 40 Hands, though the menu is limited. Generally, toasties, salads, and desserts are available thoughout the day, their gourmet hot dogs are only available at lunch, while brunch is only available on weekends. Food portions at 40 Hands are generous, and somewhat healthy as well. Prices are affordable, and in comparision, slighlty lower than other cafes.

While I like the tasty and flavourful dishes at 40 Hands, the true star is their coffee. Coffee beans are fresh and well roasted, from farmers who are empowered to produce sustainable crops through education. Baristas here are well trained, and produce beautiful, full-bodied cups of coffee, with nicely drawn foam art. Another great concept brand produced by the Spa Esprit Group!


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40 Hands Table

The Big Boy Breakfast is a Mexican inspired spin on the classic breakfast, with flatbread and spicy chorizo sausage. I like the idea of serving this in a small pan, but the dish can get rather messy while eating. Fortunately, the flatbread isn't that absorbent, so you don't end up eating a soggy piece of bread. The scrambled eggs were slightly below average though, as the consistency was more solid than it should be.

Big Boy Breakfast 01

Big Boy Breakfast 02

The Salmon Hash consists of chunks of salmon, diced potatoes and pan fried onions in a cream and mustard sauce. It's accompanied by 2 slices of toast, mesclun salad, and truffle fries. Light in terms of taste, but heavy in terms of fat... A guilty pleasure.

Salmon Hash

Loved the intense flavour of the Mocha, Latte and Piccolo Latte! And the artwork is beautiful and so pretty!

Latte 01

Latte 02

Latte 03

Piccolo Latte 01

Piccolo Latte 02

Piccolo Latte 03

Mocha

The Salt Cod Mash Toastie is made with mashed potato and chunks of salt cod, mixed with fresh herbs and cilantro. Sandwiched between 2 slices of well toasted bread, the flavour profile is somewhat savoury and slightly salty. While nice, I did find the taste to be rather one-note throughout the meal, and it might get boring for some towards the end of the sandwich.

Salt Cod Mash Toastie 01

Salt Cod Mash Toastie 02

A signature item on the menu, the Kong Ba Pau Asian Sliders comes in either a set of 2, or 3. What makes this great is the slow braised pork belly, which just falls apart in the mouth. The bun is pretty standard though, as it's mass produced.

Kong Ba Pau Asian Sliders

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Rather than reinventing dishes, Putien plays it safe, by sticking with classic Chinese Zi Char cuisine, and focusing on the quality of each dish. Named after the Putian province in Fujian, China, Putien dishes can be described as simple, homely, uncomplicated comfort food.

Ambience at Putien is modern, with clean lines, bright lights and minimal decor. The main theme uses blue-glass decor, and furniture is similarly decked out with it. Putien can get especially noisy during peak period though, so it's definitely not a place for a quiet meal. Also, queues for a table can stretch from 10 minutes to 40 minutes.

Because Putien is generally bustling, staff can be quite brusque and impatient. Fortunately, food is served very quickly as well, within 10 minutes of ordering. Staff move about quickly and with purpose, and they will clear empty plates upon request. During peak periods, you might have to take some time to attract their attention though.

Food at Putien is described as Heng Hwa / Xinghua / Henghua cuisine, which has an emphasise on clean, light, but tasty and flavourful food. The ingredients are simple, but showcased in a way to allow their individual flavours to shine. Consistency is assured no matter which branch of Putien you visit, because ingredients are all prepared at a centralised kitchen, then delivered to the individual outlets.

Prices are slightly more steep as compared to a neighbourhood Zi Char place, but at Putien, you're paying for the higher quality and taste.

Home Made Chili

Pickles

Pork Belly With Garlic

Stir-Fried Yam

Spinach With Salted Egg & Century Egg In Supreme Stock

Sweet & Sour Pork With Lychees

Bamboo Herbal Prawn

Fried Buns

Shredded Sauce Pork

Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon

Fried Egg Plant With Pork Floss