A wilder side of Sentosa awaits discovery, where corporate groups get up-close with a diversity of wildlife from sea creatures to nocturnal creepy crawlies like glowing scorpions.
Concept
In celebration of its Golden Jubilee this year, Sentosa Development Corporation will be rolling out a host of commemorative offerings. The first of these is a collection of 10 sustainability- and heritage-themed guided tours on Sentosa dubbed SentoSights, with two routes including the Southern Islands.
These tour initiatives are part of the Sustainable Sentosa strategic roadmap, which focuses on six key areas to realising the island’s dual goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and becoming a globally-recognised, certified sustainable tourism destination.
What
TTGmice was treated to a condensed version – an hour each – of both the Sentosa Intertidal Exploration and Sentosa Naturalist Night Adventure tours, conducted by local wildlife tour company The Untamed Paths.
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Corporate groups will be able to discover Singapore’s flourishing biodiversity, and learn that when the tide retreats, the exposed swath of shore left behind held pools of seawater teeming with coastal crustaceans, otherworldly-looking echinoderms, nonchalant frogs and darting fish.
During the immersive evening walk, visitors should keep their eyes peeled for leisurely-moving snails, scurrying elbow crabs, well-camouflaged teddy bear crabs, friendly hermit crabs, and lumps of pulsating acorn worms on the sandy flats.
Exploring intertidal flats at different times of the day during low tide, or at other locations like Pulau Ubin and Pasir Ris, would yield different animal sightings. If they are lucky, corporate groups may also get a glimpse of octopuses, squids, stingrays, and starfish.
On the Naturalist Night Adventure, groups will be guided through a forest walk, and be treated to the sound of a rainforest symphony under the cover of darkness. Aided by a small but powerful torch, guides would scope out nocturnal creatures such as several Asian toads, red-tent spiders in their intricate webs, and glowing scorpions.
Full-length tours for both the Sentosa Intertidal Exploration and Sentosa Naturalist Night Adventure are 1.5 hours each, and require a minimum of four to proceed, and a maximum of 20. Visitors are advised to take along a pair of aqua shoes, and a flashlight, to help with their exploration.
Service
I really enjoyed the Intertidal Exploration tour, where the city slicker in me was thrilled to discover Singapore’s flourishing biodiversity.
During the Intidertidal Exploration tour, my guide Christina also took the extra effort to point out other animals such as a white-bellied sea eagle which soared above our heads, as well as a translucent sea anemone hidden among the stones that pulsated under her UV light. She also pointed out the remnants of horseshoe crab shell, a jellyfish carcass, and other tiny critters I forgot the names of.
I learnt a lot about the intertidal and forest ecosystems, as well as to be more observant of my natural surroundings.
Rate: S$90.95 (US$67.70) per pax for each tour. Corporate tours can also be arranged, contact The Untamed Paths for more information.
Dates: Bookings for the Sentosa Intertidal Exploration are released progressively with varying dates and times, while the Sentosa Naturalist Night Adventure runs every Saturday from 19.30 to 21.00.
Contact
Email: dennis@theuntamedpaths.com
Website: www.sentosa.com.sg/en/
