Beyond the pent-up travel demand that two years of strict travel restrictions has resulted in, the pandemic has also changed the way people are vacationing, with many now craving unusual experiences. For those looking beyond a typical vacation, Sentosa is a great option with unique offerings that cater to different travellers.

Savour grilled durian, lobster hokkien noodles and one-of-a-kind craft beers

Sentosa GrillFest is making a comeback after five years, with an exciting lineup of over 200 unique and tasty treats offered along the Siloso Beach stretch.

If durian is somewhat unfamiliar, grilled durian will certainly pique your clients’ curiosity even more. There is no better place to experience this novelty, alongside Singapore’s myriad culinary offerings, than Sentosa Food Fest, which takes place from 21 October to 31 December featuring four food events.

With over 200 grilled delights, it’s easy to see why Sentosa GrillFest (21 October to 13 November) has been one of the island’s signature events since 2017. Visitors can stroll down the beach while sampling everything from hearty classics including charcoal grilled bourbon coke strip loin and flame grilled beef cubes to local specials like wok-friend lobster hokkien noodles and grilled desserts with limited-edition craft beers on tap. At Just Grill, meat lovers can select choice meat cuts, which will be grilled and served with sides.

But the festivities do not stop there. Taking place at Palawan Green from 18 to 27 November is Sentosa Food Truck, which will see offerings from promising local young chefs. Visitors can grab casual grub from food trucks, take a stroll through the festive market before chilling by the beach for free movies. For beer enthusiasts, don’t miss Craft Beer Jamboree (25 November to 4 December) at Southside with its exciting line-up of local and international craft beer brands.

If gastronomic experiences are more up your clients’ alley, Sentosa Restaurant Trail (7 to 17 November) features curated set menus, with affordable prices starting at SGD$30++ for a set lunch and $80++ for a set dinner. Diners can try out Hawaiian cuisine at Ola Beach Club, indulge in fresh produce at Cali-Italian restaurant The Cliff or sample the robust flavours of Spanish food at FOC Sentosa.

Take to the skies with a bungy jump or on a giant swing

Live life on the edge at Singapore's first and only bungee jump over Siloso Beach. Photo Credit: Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett

Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett is the place to be for those looking for some pulsating action.

Seasoned thrill seekers will not want to miss out on a bungy jump off the 47-metre high Skypark Sentosa Bungy tower on Siloso Beach. Tip: For great sunset views, schedule an evening jump (last booking: 6:30pm).

No less thrilling is the Giant Swing, which will hurtle solo or tandem riders at a speed of up to 120km/h across the skies.

For those working up the courage to conquer their fear of heights, they can take a walk across the Sentosa Skybridge, with transparent sections that will deliver just a bit of heart-thumping action.

Personalise your own perfume

Create your bespoke fragrance based on a perfume personality test that will help you determine if you lean more towards citrusy, woody, floral, fresh or oriental notes.

For a unique way to discover Singapore, the “city in a garden”, sign clients up for a personalised perfume-making at Scentopia, which uses a questionnaire to suss out an individual’s personality. Participants can choose from over 200 unique scent oils, all of which feature the orchid - Singapore’s national flower. Selected scents will be blended into a 100ml handcrafted crystal bottle – perfect as a travel memento.

Visitors can also explore the augmented-reality enhanced exhibits that are peppered with nuggets of information about Sentosa’s botanical history and orchids.

If you are planning for corporate groups of 10 up to 900, Scentopia also organises team building that combines perfume-making with aroma-themed activities designed to increase cohesion.

Celebrate the festive season with unique sustainably made Christmas trees

Christmas is a special time celebrating love and peace. This year, in conjunction with its Golden Jubilee, Sentosa is inviting visitors to discover the season of joy on the island.

Make a pit stop at Palawan Green, which will feature a towering 19-metre-tall Christmas tree, built in collaboration with local yarn artist Adeline Loo from certified sustainable yarn. With sustainability being a key thread for this year’s festivities, the island will also feature a medley of Christmas trees made from unused pallets and tyres at iFly Lawn and Resorts World Sentosa Linkway respectively. Families with little ones will also not want to miss the Disney’s Season of Joy zones at Imbiah and Sentosa Cove, which will feature decorations sporting iconic Disney characters – think Mickey Mouse, Marvel Superheroes and Disney Princesses.

For Sentosa Islander members, there will be limited edition merchandise up for grabs, such as a Christmas journal and a Disney's Season of Joy tote bag.

To continue basking in the season’s festivities, add an evening visit to Central Beach Bazaar, featuring a day-to-night carnival experience with eclectic street food in food trucks; whimsical music shows at Sentosa Musical Fountain; and an interactive beach light art display. As a special Christmas treat, visitors can also look forward to melodious sounds of the season during the carolling taking place on selected dates.

Party at Asia’s largest dusk to dawn music festival

Round off your year on a high with fellow partygoers at Asia’s largest dusk to dawn musical festival, ZoukOut 2022. Photo Credit: Zouk Singapore

To end off the year with a bang, travellers will not want to miss out on ZoukOut 2022.

After a three-year hiatus, Asia’s largest dusk to dawn music festival will be making a comeback on 2 and 3 December at Siloso Beach. Partnering with AEG, producers of world-renowned Coachella, ZoukOut 2022 will see an array of top-notch international and local acts including Tiesto, Zedd and Armin Van Buuren performing to an expected crowd of 30,000 revellers to the theme of The Futuristic City of Dreams.

Trash is valuable

Explorers of Sentosa, created in collaboration with SDC, will be part of the Copenhagen-based artist’s collection of 98 installations worldwide. Photo Credit: Thomas Dambo

Bringing his art to Southeast Asia for the first time, world-renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo will be showcasing a series of larger-than-life recycled sculptures, to raise awareness on going green, protecting biodiversity and encouraging the exploration of nature. Aptly titled “Explorers of Sentosa”, the whimsical family of four sculptures are constructed from a mix of discarded wood, which are then jazzed up with artwork upcycled from plastic waste. From December till end-2024, visitors can discover the installations using an interactive digital map that will take them around the Palawan area.

For more bucket-list ideas to add to your itineraries, visit www.sentosa.com.sg.

This article is brought to you by Sentosa