Girls’ trip and beach clubs, luxury weekend escape, family holiday or a place you can eat yourself silly with direct flights only 4.45 hours away – I’ve found it. 

Having visited Singapore many times over the last 25 years, including as a connection to international destinations, this was my first venture to Sentosa. 

Sentosa is only a short drive from Singapore airport, but it feels like another world. It’s a resort island about five square kilometres with forests, beaches, 20 hotels and a world-class theme park. 

It’s Singapore’s playground and the ultimate answer to fun, escape and indulgence. 

My base for three days was the ultra-stylish W Singapore Sentosa Cove. I decided straightaway W is for Wow! It’s a bold, design-forward hotel full of art, tucked away in the exclusive residential enclave of Sentosa Cove. 

The hotel oozes contemporary lux and a laidback, playful energy, with DJ-curated playlists, and rooms that overlook a massive pool with underwater speakers and glowing lanterns. 

The hotel has been recently renovated, and no expense has been spared. The interior design and furniture are straight out of a high-end magazine. I love food and the restaurants at the hotel are exceptional. I highly recommend a passionfruit martini from the WOOBAR and the Singapore chilli crab omelette for breakfast. 

You can’t go to Singapore with an empty suitcase and not have a shop. After a WOW breakfast of champions, I headed into Orchard Road for some serious retail therapy. You can easily rack up 10,000 steps within a few hours cruising the shops. With everything from mega stores to mega malls, shopping in Singapore ticks all the boxes. 

The afternoon was reserved for a swim and evening back at Sentosa catching up with friends for cocktails at +Twelve, one of the newest beach clubs with infinity pools, chilled DJs, private cabanas and elevated Mediterranean-style dining. 

There are six other beach clubs including the Sandbar with live music and open mic and Bikini Bar on Siloso Beach, which hosts beer pong, beach games and live sports. I have to say the vibe was very Ibiza, if that is what you are looking for closer to home. 

After another WOW breakfast and a visit to the day spa, we got in the pool for a swim-up cocktail before diving headfirst into what else Sentosa has to offer. The free intra-island shuttle going to the various attractions made exploring effortless. 

There is also the Sentosa Express, or you can also grab a Grab, Singapore’s answer to Uber. We must have picked the busiest day of the year to visit, being the end of school holidays and a Sunday, but the lines moved quickly, and I didn’t miss out on anything I wanted to see or do. 

First was Skyline Luge, a gravity-fuelled ride. It’s a ski field-style chair lift to the top of the hill, and then you hop into little carts to hurdle down winding tracks. I embraced my inner child – and can safely say it’s an experience for every age, complete with hairpin turns and tunnel lights.

Next, SkyHelix Sentosa, a gently rotating seated platform 79 meters above sea level. The views were unforgettable – 360 degrees of ocean, rainforest, Singapore city skylines. With your legs dangling freely in the air, if you fear heights, just don’t look down.

Then we boarded the SkyOrb Cabin on the Singapore Cable Car, which that took us across the harbor, taking in panoramic views of lush forest, busy ports and the urban sprawl of the mainland, then back to Sentosa. It was this high-level view that makes you realise the island spread out below like one massive resort.

You will be able to see attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore; Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett, which features a 50-metre bungy tower; the newly revamped Singapore Oceanarium, which is three times bigger than the S.E.A Aquarium; and Mega Aventure Park, home to MegaZip, a 450m-long zip line that will make you feel like an eagle soaring across the jungle.

The afternoon was an opportunity for nature to show off as well with the revamped Sentosa Nature Discovery. The immersive nature gallery will take you through the unique biodiversity and conservation efforts on the island. 

Wander onwards to the Imbiah Nature Trail via a tranquil path, where you will find butterflies, birds, monitor lizards and even free-roaming peacocks, which are very used to the millions of visitors who experience Sentosa every year. 

Evening was an unexpected spectacle: the Wings of Time Fireworks Symphony. I had no idea what to expect as the sky erupted in colour. Lasers, water jets, fire bursts, projections and a soaring soundtrack told a story of courage and time travel under the stars.

A quick Grab back to W Singapore and I was reunited with another passionfruit martini before an early night in with a delicious traditional chicken rice meal, almost as good as Asian Pot. 

Day 3: a lazy one. Late breakfast as the yoga class went through all the moves on the lawns. Maybe next time, ladies. One last swim, checked out and parked our bags as we headed across to the upscale marina precinct of Quayside Isle.

Surrounded by palm trees and super-yachts, the boardwalk bars and restaurants felt like a slice of Miami in Asia or Cullen Bay on steroids. I’d like to have stayed longer to discover this gem at night-time.

Long lunch at Greenwood Fish Market was an unforgettable seafood experience. The menu featured live tanks of lobster, crabs and fish, plus a showcase of international seafood – including Humpty Doo barra.

They were advertising the World Oyster Festival 1-31 July with 28 varieties of oysters flown in from eight countries, which is one to put on the foodie calendar. The laidback yet refined atmosphere, with attentive service and excellent wine options, was a highlight of the Sentosa visit and a great one to close on.

Leaving Sentosa felt like waking from a dream I did not expect to have. I’d been to beach clubs, dined, floated above the trees, and hurtled down a hill on a tiny cart, all while returning each evening to five-star comfort and serenity of the W.

Sentosa can be an adventure, party beach club place, a family theme park, putt-putt golf place or a luxury dining, resort place. And for all the insta-peeps out there, the W has a Bloody Mary self-serve cocktail bar open at breakfast or you can hire a super-yacht and crew from the marina to live your best life for a day.

It is an immersive island getaway. And for no extra cost when you are travelling with Qantas and connecting to another international flight, it’s the perfect place to stop over and have a beginning of holiday stay or to extend your vacation before heading back to work. 

Sentosa oozes fun, luxury and adventure right on our Northern Territory doorstep. I’ll be back. 

TRAVEL TIPS 

• Book your flights directly online with qantas.com.au or through your local travel agent. 
• If you are flying through Singapore to another destination, consider planning a stopover to explore Sentosa. Qantas now flies four days per week direct from Darwin to Singapore and from there, you can connect to a wide range of destinations with Qantas and its partner carriers. 
• Book accommodation directly at W Singapore-Sentosa Cove with www. marriott.com. Become a Marriott member and discounts apply. 
• Check out what is on at www.sentosa. com.sg. Each month they seem to have a beach party or music concert. While we were there, they were advertising a yearly event – GrillFest with more than 35 vendors – beachside BBQ, rare cuts, unexpected pairings, and the thrill of open-flame mastery. Yum. 
• $100 Aus dollars equal approximately $83 SGD 
• Download Grab app for the Uber equivalent to get around