When I think of the human senses, the first few that come to mind are the five classic senses — smell, touch, taste, sound, and sight. However, what if I told you there’s a sixth sense waiting to be unlocked by you? And no, I’m not talking about the power of intuitive perception of the same name. I’m talking about your sense of imagination, which Sentosa Island Singapore aims to tap into with Sensoryscape!
If you’ve frequented the old north-south spine on the island, you may recall that the original attractions included the beloved 37m-tall Sentosa Merlion, which was closed in 2019 and eventually demolished. While the demolition was devastating, to say the least, Sensoryscape aims to fill that void with its six new sensory gardens combining nature, technology, and architecture to awaken all your six senses!
Previously, you could only take the shuttle bus or ride the Sentosa Express monorail to traverse along the north-south spine. So, in a bid to boost connectivity between Resorts World Sentosa and the beaches on the island’s south side, Sensoryscape, the 350 m-long multi-sensory garden walkway was built.
I got the chance to see and experience Sensoryscape for myself, so if you want to know all the details, come with me, and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination!
Glow Garden
There are two entryways to Sensoryscape, which you can access via the Sentosa Express monorail. Either alight at the Beach Transfer Hub (i.e. Beach Station) to first visit the Glow Gardens or get out at Imbiah Station for direct access to the Lookout Loop.
So, let’s start at the Sentosa Express monorail at the Beach Transfer Hub. The first attraction that welcomed me to Sensoryscape was the Glow Garden. We had initially arrived in the daytime, so it did not seem as impressive at first, but the towering stalks of flowers came to life at night, glowing in a symphony of colours!
The Glow Garden is where you can take a breather on the giant steps that warmly light up during the night. As I admired the flowers’ rhythmic pulses, I noticed that a serene tune played in the zone, allowing me to feel like I was a creature in a peaceful garden of blooms. Take the opportunity to take your aesthetic photos, too, as this has become a hot spot for that Insta-worthy pic!
Symphony Streams and ImagiNite
After you’ve rested at Glow Garden, come face to face with a line of three large vessels, each having intricate diagrid structures inspired by basket weaving. The vessels are designed to close you in to give you the space and time to relax and connect quietly with nature. Symphony Streams was the first vessel that greeted me and, in my opinion, was the most striking due to its dark blue shade, which stood out against the two other paler vessels.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the blue vessel was made of water bowls that trickled down in splashes. The aptly titled zone is dedicated to your sense of sound, and I found that to be true, as all I could hear was the rush of the water. The vessel’s floor also has floor projections, and when walked upon, a spiral hovers beneath your feet, following your every step.
Symphony Streams is also the first zone where ImagiNite comes into play. Running from 7.50pm to 9.40pm nightly, ImagiNite is truly where your sense of imagination will take flight! To experience a part of ImagiNite, you must download the ImagiNite app, which has helpful features such as maps and guides for each zone. But its primary purpose is the AR feature, which brings Symphony Streams and another zone named Scented Sphere to life!
To use the app’s AR feature, take the stairs or lift to the Upper Deck, which offers a top view of all three vessels. From there, you’ll find a glowing blue sign standing in front of the vessel. Alternatively, you can also choose to stay on the ground level where you’ll find the same signs located at the vessels’ entrances. Using these signs, you can scan a uniquely designed QR code on the sign to open the AR feature! When your camera is ready, aim your phone towards Symphony Streams’ wall of water cups and watch as an ocean of virtual marine creatures in a kaleidoscope of colours swim around on your screen!
The best part of the app is that you can take screenshots of the AR projections on your phone and upload your colourful shots to social media!
Another fun feature found in Sensoryscape you can play around with is Hyperzoom! These special photo spots allow you to capture long-range photos of yourself in high resolution using the camera installed on the Upper Deck, and you can save these photos for yourself when you’re done!
Palate Playground
The next zone is the Palate Playground. As the name suggests, this is where you can find an abundance of edible plants, aromatic herbs, and exotic spices, encouraging you to engage with your sense of smell. Aside from a walk through the garden to inspire your next culinary adventure, another cool feature of Palate Playground is the floor projections.
Walking around, the floor beneath you shines with various interactive floor projections featuring Sentosa’s unique ridge and reef flora and fauna. Additionally, these projections teach you about the food web, which is great for budding young explorers! Parents can also take a moment of respite by resting on the log seats made from recycled Tembusu trees as the kids play with the floor projections.
If the kids can’t get enough of the fun floor projections, head over to the Upper Deck where you’ll find a few more to play with along the path! I had fun watching my footsteps as digital leaves sprouted with every step I took walking on the floor projections.
Scented Sphere
For another zone focused on your sense of smell, head over to the next vessel named Scented Sphere. Here, you can have a whiff of their fragrant scents and admire the lush greenery. A ring of giant armatures towers above you, each holding scented plants, and virtual projections of flowers and butterflies awaken beneath you on the ground. So take your time to breathe in the freshness of the plants and bask in the mellow ambience of Scented Sphere.
Like Symphony Streams, Scented Sphere also uses the ImagiNite AR feature. When you point your camera towards it, you can be mesmerised by a virtual projection of bright butterflies fluttering around in a gorgeous canvas of colours.
Tactile Trellis
In the final vessel, unlock your sense of touch through the variety of plants grown in this space! Normally, most nature attractions don’t encourage you to touch their plants, but in Tactile Trellis, you can run your hands through them freely! You can feel the different textures of the diversity of plants, such as the velvety Chinese Wormwood and the feather-like Asparagus plant.
At night, the vessel burns bright, with virtual projections creatively showing how light and fire sparked the sense of imagination in our predecessors in the tropical forest. It’s a visual spectacle with unique storytelling, so you can sit amongst nature while watching the colourful projections.
Lookout Loop
Finally, we end at Lookout Loop. The heart of Sensoryscape, this zone is a favourite amongst kids as the floor emits bright coloured lights and mist for a nice cool-off and play area after walking through the zones. Tall Pink Mempat trees also add to the aesthetic and create a cooling shade for a moment of serenity.
Lookout Loop is rather self-explanatory in what function it serves. Just by looking around, you’ll find a looping bridge surrounding the misting light-up floor, allowing you to get a bird’s eye view of the nearby buildings and down below.
Look up, and you’ll also see laser beams shooting into the sky, sort of like a signal to beckon other island visitors to head over to Sensoryscape! The lights are timed to turn on and off according to the beat of the music playing in the background, making it a visual and musical spectacle you don’t want to miss.
Who knew a walkway connecting the island’s various attractions would be a gateway to a world of wonder and creativity? Take this chance to reconnect with nature and revisit one of Singapore’s biggest tourist destinations, and hopefully, you’ll discover your own sense of imagination, just like I did.
For more information on Sensoryscape, you can visit their official website!
Sensoryscape
📍Location: 3 Siloso Road, Singapore 098977
💲Price: Free
⏰Opening Hours: 24 hours daily* (*ImagiNite is only available from 7.50pm to 9.40pm daily)
Photos by Pauline Caoile of the DANAMIC Team.
