An Afternoon Outing To Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore

An Afternoon Outing To Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore

Despite being wary of crowds, we visited Palawan Beach, Sentosa Singapore on a cloudy weekend afternoon for a June holiday excursion. Fortunately, our senses were not overwhelmed by the feeling that tourists from all corners of the globe had descended on this piece of shoreline billed by Singapore’s tourism gurus as “continental Asia’s southern most point”. Compared to the mind-boggling queues at Sentosa’s Impiah Station where popular attractions like the Sentosa Luge, Sentosa 4D Magix, Sentosa CineBlast, Images of Singapore and Cable Car Arrival Plaza were congregated, visiting Palawan Beach was a more sedate family-friendly affair.

Cross the long narrow wooden rope bridge that barely accommodates two slim adults standing side by side and you will reach an isle that houses two observations towers. Made-of-wood and unlike sky-high counterparts like the fictitious Twin Towers in J. R. Tolkien’s The Two Towers or Kuala Lumpur’s Twin Towers, the twin peaks on Palawan Beach are easy to climb. There is an interconnecting bridge that allows visitors to cross over to the other tower around its mid level.

The reward for scaling about four levels high is a panoramic bird’s eye view of Singapore’s Sentosa shoreline. To the east, I could make out the perimeter fence to the Sentosa Dolphin Lagoon Show and hear the commentator’s voice as the Dolphin Lagoon Show progressed. Towards the Sentosa’s main land, construction work is close to completion for the new Capella Singapore hotel. To the west, I could just make out the image of the gigantic Merlion sculpture and the Sky Tower. Off the coast of Sentosa, you will note the reason why Singapore has the tag for the busiest port of call in the world.

Next to these towers is a six-feet tall concrete sculpture. Sculpted in the name of Sentosa and tagged with ‘southernmost point of continental Asia’ catchphrase, this man-made marker is a magnet for fastidious visitors to Sentosa who require their obligatory family photograph to demonstrate unequivocal proof of their visit.

The waters of Palawan Beach on Sentosa are fairly litter-free although underwater visibility is only two to three feet. Ample space along Palawan Beach, covered by soft powdery white sand, allows many visitors to make merry by the water’s edge. Two lifeguard towers sit prominently on Palawan Beach, while two lifeguards per tower stand in brightly coloured attire on their shift.

After some serious beach games, visitors can head to the Kopi Tiam foodcourt for comfort food and replenishment. Children can play outside this food court at an open area with free flowing waterspouts in a fountain. There are several pubs and restaurants along Sentosa’s Palawan Beach that can satisfy Palawan Beach visitors looking for a more elegant dining experience.

Nearer to the pavement along Palawan Beach, a small cactus garden added a surprise finding to the beachside landscape. As I noticed cyclists and pedestrians ambling past these prickly thorns, I wondered about the danger posed should unfortunate cyclists or pedestrians stray off the pavements. Continuation along this pavement towards the west will lead to the Animal & Bird Encounter and Palawan Amphitheatre.

If you drive to Sentosa’s Palawan Beach, prepare to pay $2 per passenger (adult and child) plus another $2 for car entry. A carpark, situated close to Palawan Beach, offers cheap convenient parking space at $1.07 per entry, inclusive of GST. If you don’t mind walking, you can park further away at Tanjung Beach near the eastern end of Sentosa for free.

For map of Sentosa, check this link to Sentosa map here.

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