SENTOSA, Universal Studios

Universal Studios Singapore, which opened on Sentosa in 2010, is the second Universal theme park to be built in Asia, and the only one in Southeast Asia.

Located in the east of the island, this large park boasts 24 rides, 18 of them original, divided into seven themed areas inspired by movies.

When you enter the park, you’ll find yourself on the Hollywood Boulevard of the 1970s, lined with palm trees, and you’ll have the chance to walk along the famous 'Walk of Fame’, featuring the hand and foot prints of US movie stars.

From Hollywood, you move on to New York, reconstructed from movie images, with exceptional scenes reproducing the city’s skyline, storefronts and sidewalks. There’s also a replica of the public library, with the statues of the two lions at the entrance.

Following your visit to the two big US cities, you will be launched into science fiction, at Sci-Fi City, a metropolis of the future loaded with futuristic technology.

In this area, you’ll find the dueling rollercoasters, the tallest in the world at almost 43 meters. The coasters are inspired by the TV series Battlestar Galactica, and a ride on them will literally take your breath away.

From the future, you’ll then be set for a journey into the past, as you enter the spectacular area dedicated to Ancient Egypt, based on the film The Mummy and featuring a reconstruction of the African country’s golden age, with obelisks, pyramids and temples. You’ll also have the chance to explore the tombs of the pharaohs.

This trip back in time continues with The Lost World, an area inspired by two world-famous movies, Jurassic Park and Waterworld. You can take a roller coaster up above the trees, or a raft that goes down the rapids, encountering huge animated dinosaurs along the way.

A short leap out from prehistory into the world of fantasy will take you to the next section, Far Far Away, inspired by the successful movie series Shrek and reproducing many of the locations frequented by the gentle ogre. The high point of the visit is the 40-meter-high "Far Far Away Castle", animated with characters from the cartoon.

The last section is based on another animated movie, Madagascar, and features lush tropical jungles, as well as two rides.

An interesting fact: the park’s thirty restaurants offer themed menus, where you can even try the specialties that Marty the zebra serves his guests in the movie Madagascar.