For Kiwis heading to Asia or onwards to Europe, Singapore can feel like the gateway to the world. But rather than just transiting at Changi Airport, breaking up long-haul flights with a restorative layover in the Lion City is one of my tried and trusted ways to minimise the insidious scourge of travel fatigue. For Kiwi families travelling with children, I strongly recommend threading a stopover on Sentosa Island into your long-haul plans to combat jetlag. It’s like a holiday within a holiday, a destination within a destination. Some of the youngest members of my wider family recently enjoyed a wondrous time on Sentosa – and it far exceeded their expectations.  

Unashamedly touristy, Sentosa’s surfeit of experiences seamlessly manages to please and suit all moods, from active-relaxers and thrill-junkies, to fly-and-flop snoozers at the poolside or the beach. From theme parks and water parks to gigantic aquariums, this pint-sized island, spanning just two square miles, has continued to supercharge itself as Singapore’s all-embracing playground. Just a half-hour drive from Changi Airport, the myriad of world-class leisure attractions and amenities speckled across the island is quite staggering (you could easily spend a week here without getting bored). 

For families seeking a stayover in style, a fabulous roost to keep in mind is Village Hotel Sentosa. Inspired by nature and thoughtfully tailored with families in mind, this convivial and polished hotel is in easy reach of so many headline attractions. Vibrant and energetic, this wow-factor property is the newest addition to the Village brand by Far East Hospitality, boasting 606 guestrooms decorated in sun-washed hues of nature by the sea. From design, ambience to the choice of furnishings, there’s an unmistakable sense of revitalising happy-family-vibes to the Village. The convivial, attentive and personable level of staff hospitality is exceptional. The family rooms are purpose-built for their namesake, with connecting bedrooms, generously loaded with all the creature comforts.  

The Family Room at Village Hotel Sentosa. Photo / Supplied

Enjoy free WiFi, complimentary local calls, crockery and cutlery, plus tea/coffee sachets are all available from the Village Hub. No matter what the weather is doing, you have full access to indoor and outdoor pool activities. The extraordinary pool deck on the 3rd level has four themed pools —Lazy River Pool, Children’s Play Pool, Adventure Pool and infinity Pamukkale Pool— delivering fun for everyone in the family. Weekend activities include Aqua Zumba fitness classes and movies under the stars, at the Adventure Pool. 

The kids loved catching an outdoors flick while lounging in poolside bean bags. Sentosa bursts with dining possibilities, but Village Hotel’s on-site restaurant, Native Kitchen, is a sure-fire recipe for happy bellies. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Native Kitchen lustily celebrates Singaporean cuisine and Western comfort food, in addition to a very strong nod at Singapore’s famed hawker market culinary brilliance. Native Kitchen will absolutely keep you fuelled around the clock.  

Here’s a round-up of my family’s favourite experiences at Sentosa. Close to the hotel, treat your kids to the nightly spectacle, Wings of Time Fireworks Symphony. It is one of Sentosa's most flamboyant attractions, combining water, laser, fire, and music to create a mesmerising night show about courage and friendship. Beautifully choreographed and staged twice each night, a spectacular fireworks finale lights up the Siloso Beach coastline.  

Wings of Time. Photo / Supplied

Speaking of beach time, there’s a trio of man-made beaches along Sentosa’s southwest coast, including Tanjong and Palawan Beach. But my pick is Siloso, because not only is this sandy, palm-fringed beach pitch-perfect for sun-seekers and swimmers, but it’s steeped in history. Fort Siloso saw action in the Battle of Singapore during World War II and has now been repurposed into a museum, charting the British surrender to the Japanese, before ultimately turning the tables and forcing their surrender. Siloso is also home to thrilling luge tracks and an AJ Hackett bungee jump. It’s also a top spot for snorkelling in the emerald-green waters. 

There’s a growing portfolio of global entertainment brands competing for your dollars on Sentosa, like Madame Tussauds and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic. The latter is the largest-ever immersive art experience in Asia. Whether you're a hardcore Potterhead or not, it’s a head-swirling experience with enormous, escapist projections sweeping you up in the magic of Wizarding World. But a completely distinctive Sentosa offering is KidZania. This hyper-real kids-sized indoor city spans 7,600 square feet and offers exciting career role-play experiences in collaboration with over 40 partners. Geared at sparking their imagination, KidZania is all about immersive learning through role-play and interactive experiences, allowing them to explore what it’s like to be a pilot, chef, vet, or even a mountaineer. 

In the cockpit at KidZania. Photo / Supplied

An icon that has been part of the Sentosa scene for decades, despite all the radical changes over the years, is the Singapore Cable Car.  It connects the island’s cable car sky network with Mount Faber Peak on the mainland. The sky-high aerial views are fantastic, giving you a great appreciation of the island’s escapist feels with all that lush jungle-like rainforest and surrounding coastline, in addition to the swag of attractions that you can stop at like Resorts World Sentosa’s Adventure Cove. This premier waterpark is a smash-hit, with a swirl of rides and attractions, including Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster (yes, electromagnetic technology propels these water coasters, including zipping you up steep sections). From zooming down high-speed water slides to drifting lazily down a winding river, you can also snorkel amongst 20,000 marine fish at Adventure Cove.  

Speaking of marine marvels, do not miss Singapore Oceanarium.  One of the world’s biggest aquariums, Singapore Oceanarium blends cutting-edge digital storytelling, marine science, and powerful conservation themes to deliver an unforgettable deep-sea experience, across 22 themed zones. You will feel like you have walked into the deep blue, particularly in the Open Ocean exhibit. Whether you're marvelling at ancient sea monsters or engaging with futuristic holograms, this is an underwater world designed to enlighten and enthral all ages. 

Singapore Oceanarium. Photo / Supplied

But the undisputed star of the show on Sentosa island is Universal Studios Singapore (USS), where a huge swag of themed zones sizzle with entertainment for kids and grown-ups alike. A longtime crowd-favourite is The Lost World zone’s Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, in which friendly families of stegosauruses and gently mooching rivers then give way to wild rapids, stalked by hissing velociraptors and a T-Rex on the loose. Sci-Fi City is home to the duelling Battlestar Galactica rollercoasters, Human vs. Cylon – the tallest coasters of their kind on the planet. My young family remembers highly rated the 3D Transformers ride – guaranteed to leave your heart pumping and nerves jangling. The highly popular Far Far Away zone offers an altogether calmer experience for younger kids, featuring rides based on characters from the Shrek movie series and some great interactions with How to Train Your Dragon.  

Take flight over the forests aboard Donkey’s beloved Dragon on the Enchanted Airways ride and go in search of Mother Goose’s golden eggs on Puss in Boots’ Giant Journey. Minionland is a huge hit, as is Ancient Egypt’s Revenge of the Mummy ride. The kids in my family actually rated Universal Studios Singapore far more enjoyable than their recent visit to Disneyland.  

Jurassic Park at Universal Studios Singapore. Photo / Supplied

I jetted my way to and from Singapore with the award-winning flag-carrier, Singapore Airlines. All of my flights ran to time, all checked bags were faithfully waiting for me on the carousel and the in-flight experience was impeccable. The illustrious full-service carrier has not only fostered a world-beating reputation for its superb customer service and in-flight product, but also its innovation, across all classes. You’d struggle to find a better Economy class experience in the skies. 

If you’re toying with upgrading to Premium Economy on Singapore Airlines, you’re absolutely in for a treat. The KrisWorld entertainment system brims with over 1800 movie, TV, music and gaming selections, plus live news and sport. Equipped with noise cancelling headphones, the high-definition touch screen monitors are supersized at 33cms, from which I devoured so much content. The in-flight WiFi worked a trick too – complimentary for KrisFlyer members. It’s a class of its own.  

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.