Island GuideHERE'S WHERE YOU CAN LEARN, DISCOVER, AND PLAY IN SENTOSA

A fun lesson on local history doesn’t have to be confined to the textbooks. Head to Fort Siloso, Singapore’s only preserved coastal fort. Also known as the Tiger’s Lair, it was put to good use during the British rule to protect cargo against enemy attacks.

Fort Siloso endured the Battle of Singapore during the Japanese invasion in World War II, and today it stands as a memento with relics and historical replicas that bring you back in time, from the mighty guns of sentosa to a model of a soldier’s home.

Located on the fringe of Imbiah Hill, Sentosa Nature Discovery is housed in a former monorail station. Come check out an interactive exhibition of interesting facts and colourful displays at the gallery about Sentosa’s teeming wildlife and heritage trees native to Singapore and Southeast Asia. The gallery also provides an introduction to the eight natural habits found on the island. These habitats range from coastal forests to rocky seashores to secondary forests and parklands.

After that, explore the Imbiah forest trail via a linked walkway that used to be the old monorail track.

Put down that Pokémon GO and learn about real bugs at the Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom on Imbiah Lookout.

The highlight of this park is the netted conservatory where more than 1,000 butterflies flutter freely in a tropical rainforest setting. This is where you can learn about the life cycle of butterflies, where the entire metamorphosis of these colourful creatures – from caterpillar to pupa and butterflies. You can also release some butterflies, for a small fee.

If you’re into creepy crawlies, and bugs, don’t miss the indoor Insect Kingdom indoor, which exhibits rare insects as well as other many-legged mini creatures of all kinds.

[Butterfly Park is closed until further notice]

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a scuba diving certification to explore the wonders of marine life. At S.E.A. Aquarium, you can learn about 100,000 underwater animals that consist of 1,000 species across 50 different habitats.

There are also free daily shows for the young and the young at heart, from dive feeding at the Coral Garden and educational talks about sharks to diving interactions with Manta Rays and photo-taking sessions with Sam the Hammerhead Shark mascot.