DUAL DELIGHTS
One evokes Las Vegas-style glitz, while the other is modeled after the famous Genting Highlands resort in Malaysia. Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, respectively, will bring a string of attractions for all tastes. Resorts World Sentosa, the first of the two integrated resorts (IRs) to open, boasts a total of six hotels, more than 10 food and beverage outlets, an oceanarium and a theme park. Adding to the Singapore skyline on the mainland, Marina Bay Sands will be the centerpiece in a ‘necklace of attractions’ around the Marina Bay that includes the Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay, the Esplanade and – by 2013 – the National Art Gallery and the City Hall heritage buildings.
FEEL THE RUSH
The Universal Studios theme park, Resorts World Sentosa
The first movie theme park in Southeast Asia has something special in store for adrenaline junkies. Go head-to-head with your mates on the world’s tallest pair of duelling rollercoasters – the Battlestar Galactica – themed after the hit sci-fi television series. You can be seated or suspended, on the human or alien Cylon side, as you “race” through inversions, cockscrews, vertical loops and rolls on this ride that peaks at a dizzying 14 storeys and 90km/h.
PARTY LIKE A ROCK STAR
Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa
Those with fantasies of living it large MTV-style can do so at the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore. The hotel’s understated design may not blow you away, but it’s plush enough to satisfy those rock star dreams. The ace in the deck is the Rock Pool Bar – a bar by a faux beach – complete with seawater and powdery sand.
OCEANS ALIVE
Marine Life Park, Resorts World Sentosa
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the underwater world at the Marine Life Park. It is set to be the largest oceanarium in the world with a 6.6 million-gallon lagoon that will showcase more than 700,000 fish.
THE GREATEST VIEW
The Sands SkyPark, Marina Bay Sands
The Sands SkyPark, perched atop the 55-storey hotel towers of Marina Bay Sands, is bound to be a favourite of lovebirds and stargazers. Located 200 metres above ground and facing the dazzling lights of the business district, the SkyPark is guaranteed to offer an unbeatable 360-degree view of Singapore’s city skyline.
HIGH ROLLIN’
Casinos, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa
With the opening of Singapore’s first casinos comes high glamour, high stakes and dreams of the high life. While most will seek big wins on the spacious casino floor catered for everyday guests, the super-rich will court lady luck in private rooms away from prying eyes and move around the grounds via a network of secret lifts, corridors and entrances. The price of this discreet luxury? $100,000 in chips.
CUT ABOVE THE REST
CUT, Marina Bay Sands
When it comes to steak, nobody does it better than Wolfgang Puck (right). The Austrian restaurateur based in Los Angeles will bring CUT – ranked among the top three steakhouses in the United States and Esquire’s Restaurant of the Year in 2006 – to Singapore later this year. The fine dining restaurant will feature the finest prime beef and an award-winning wine list.
FRENCH ENTRANCE
FestiveWalk, Resorts World Sentosa
You can almost taste the excitement as foodies brace themselves in anticipation of what’s possibly the finest French cuisine Singapore has ever seen. With 25 Michelin stars under his belt, Joël Robuchon (left) is regarded one of the best in the world and has been the only chef to be granted the title Chef of the Century by the Gault Millau guide in 1990. Gordon Ramsay, Eric Ripert and Michael Caines regard Robuchon as a mentor. Robuchon brings three dining concepts – La Table de Joël Robuchon, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and The Pastry Shop & Lounge – to Singapore in May.
ROARING SENSATION
The Lion King, Marina Bay Sands
The award-winning stage adaptation of the animated film The Lion King will hit Singapore shores come October at one of Marina Bay Sands’ two theatres. The musical – Broadway’s ninth longest running show in history – will make its Southeast Asian premiere here. Directed by Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in stunning animal costumes, great sets and giant puppets, as well as familiar songs such as the award-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight.
