Life in Sentosa

[My Wild Ride]

Hello!

I recently posted asking people to tell me their thoughts on Singapore since I will be living there from the end of November through the end of March 2010. I'll be working at the new Universal Studios Singapore (USS) .

I got some great replies and with the research I've done online I think I've gotten a clear idea of life in Singapore (at least a starting point).

Now I'd like to know if anyone who lives on Sentosa island or knows the area well can give me an idea of what life is like there. From what I've read life can be limiting there because it's basically a tourist island.

Any views or thoughts?

Also, can anyone give me a realistic, practical view of the weather and climate? I don't mean how hot and humid it is, I've had many people tell me that the humidity can be unbearable at times. I mean any practical advise on how it will be for someone like me: American, not thin but not too heavy (a little chubby), white but I don't burn easily. I'm just trying to get an idea of how the humidity and heat will affect me physically. I read two different articles from people who lived there, one said he gained weight there because he couldn't do outdoor activities due to the humidity and all he did was work and eat. And the other said she lost weight because it was so hot and humid.

I know I can't be 100% prepared. I'm excited about going and have a positive attitude about the whole venture. But the weather seems to be the last area where I'm still unclear due to conflicting accounts.

Anyone, can you give me real, honest pros and cons about the weather as well as advice on how to make it easier on myself? I need practical advice; the day in and day out reality of living in such heat and humidity.

Thanks for any and all advise! :)

[Strong Eagle]

Ever lived in Hotlanta? New Orleans? St Petersburg? Houston?

Same difference but not so hot as the summer times there.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yep, I'd have to agree, 'specially on the New Orleans or Houston. Never spend much time in Atlanta though. For that matter, if you can do a DC summer with it's 40C during the summer, you'll be okay. Just don't expect it to go down to 50F at night in the winter months (Monsoon searson here where it rains more than usual (which is every day normally somewhere on the island.)

[road.not.taken]

Hello!

I recently posted asking people to tell me their thoughts on Singapore since I will be living there from the end of November through the end of March 2010. I'll be working at the new Universal Studios Singapore (USS) .

I got some great replies and with the research I've done online I think I've gotten a clear idea of life in Singapore (at least a starting point).

Now I'd like to know if anyone who lives on Sentosa island or knows the area well can give me an idea of what life is like there. From what I've read life can be limiting there because it's basically a tourist island.

Any views or thoughts?

Also, can anyone give me a realistic, practical view of the weather and climate? I don't mean how hot and humid it is, I've had many people tell me that the humidity can be unbearable at times. I mean any practical advise on how it will be for someone like me: American, not thin but not too heavy (a little chubby), white but I don't burn easily. I'm just trying to get an idea of how the humidity and heat will affect me physically. I read two different articles from people who lived there, one said he gained weight there because he couldn't do outdoor activities due to the humidity and all he did was work and eat. And the other said she lost weight because it was so hot and humid.

I know I can't be 100% prepared. I'm excited about going and have a positive attitude about the whole venture. But the weather seems to be the last area where I'm still unclear due to conflicting accounts.

Anyone, can you give me real, honest pros and cons about the weather as well as advice on how to make it easier on myself? I need practical advice; the day in and day out reality of living in such heat and humidity.

Thanks for any and all advise!

First of all, if you lose weight because it's so hot and humid, it's only water weight from sweating, so it doesn't really count...

For me? The weather is a con, it keeps my exercise either indoors or regulated to early morning, I don't mind either one but I do miss long hikes in the woods, without such lively wildlife. Plug Singapore into Weather.com, you'll see the basic weather pattern.

Practical advice:

~ we are one degree off the equator, wear sunscreen
~ drink tons of water, learn to like 100 plus
~ bring cotton in every form with you
~ jeans are usually for westerners that make it past the 1 year mark, but bring them anyway
~ buy an otterbox and an ipod so you can swim more & exercise in the pool
~Sentosa is under construction and far from most things, having said that, it'll be fine. What is built is more than nice and Singapore is so small the distance will not be a problem.
~ keep your expectations low, enjoy yourself. Everything is air-conditioned (sometimes wwwwaaaayyyyyy too much)

Good luck & enjoy yourself!

[My Wild Ride]

Road.not.taken,

That was excellent advise; exactly what I was looking for. Thank you to the other two people who posted as well but road.not.taken really hit the nail on the head.

The day to day practical information is what I needed. Anyone else with this kind of advise, please share! :)

[wkwoods]

To live on Sentosa, you would live in Sentosa Cove, a gated community, which has both bungalows and condos. Although I don't live there, a friend lives in a Sentosa condo and I have been out there many times.

Its a unique and very nice environment for Singapore with the sea right in front of you and the gentle sea breezes. Its idyllic and like nothing you can find anywhere else in Singapore. Right next to Sentosa Cove is one of the best golf courses in Singapore (S$200K+ for membership). If you buy or rent a bungalow, get one with a boat dock in the back. Its the only place in Singapore where you can park your supercar out front and have your boat floating out back. There is also a swank club - One Degree Fifteen - with a Marina (more boat parking) right at the entrance to Sentosa Cove.

Just across from Sentosa on the mainland is the largest shopping mall in Singapore - Vivocity and a subway station. Sentosa can get pretty crowded on weekends with locals and tourists, but the public areas are on the other side of the island so you should have reasonable privacy and given that its a gated community, they can't come over anyway. Currently, vehicle traffic onto Sentosa is a bit of a nightmare even on a weekday with only one entrance, but they should have that solved by the time the Integrated Resort is up. Its the main complaint. Also, cost of things like groceries on the island will be high.