Travel: Singapore Day 5: Sentosa Island: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa; Sentosa Spooktacular 2013

Finished with our Malaysia part of our trip, we took Transtar Solitaire coach once again from Genting Highlands to Singapore. Dinner was nothing fancy: Fried Rice with Deep Fried Chicken. Tasted quite blah too. Oh well... should not expect anything fancy. Journey was pleasant though, I think I would definitely choose to travel this way crossing Singapore-Malaysia border instead of taking plane. Although on Solitaire class the price would be slightly more expensive than the cheapest Air Asia Economy flight, I think the comfort level is higher than the latter. The travel time would not be too much different either - if accounting the check-in time and luggage claiming time at the airport.

The next day, we met up with my dear friend - Len (who brought to my attention about this face cleansing method) in Chinatown area. She spent time with us for a short culinary tour which started with the infamous Outram Park Kway Teow Mee located at Hong Lim Food Centre.

There is always a queue here and you should come early if you wanted to try it as Len said that everytime she came there after 3, it's always closed.

I have to say it was quite tasty - I bet part of it's because of the pork-lard-aplenty the uncle put into the wok while cooking. So this is definitely ultra-super-non-healthy food.

Next was Soya Bean Pudding in the same complex. Very refreshing and cooling after all that pork fat kway teow.

Then off for more dessert... Mei Hong Yuen Dessert sells Taiwanese style dessert, including snow ice. We had Black Sesame Paste, Durian Snow ice, and Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Soup. Their Snow Ice flavours are properly infused - which means when they say it is Durian Snow Ice, the ice itself will taste of durian. Not just plain white snow ice drizzled with durian soup.

For our last stop (yes, we are crazy....), Len took us to a stall selling bull frogs dish. I can't remember the last time I had a frog. I loved them so much as a kid. 

The frogs were cooked in claypot and infused with their spicy sauce. It is best to be eaten with porridge. I'd think it would be quite spicy for most people, but Len and I are not 'most people'. We both agreed it could have more kick in the dark thick spicy sauce. However, being cooked in a claypot, all those flavour and chilli were infused nicely into the frogs, and it was one very yummy dish.

Finished with our eating tour, we parted ways with Len (thank you so much, my darling! For taking time out to take us to lots of yummy places) and  headed to Sentosa once again and checked in to Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa. This is a beautiful 5 star resort style hotel and is a bit of the expensive side (one night costed us A$330 booked through Agoda, for a Superior Hill View Room). The receptionist offered to upgrade our room to ocean view for an addtional SG$40, but as we hardly would stay in our room, we declined.

There was an ice cream cart serving guests with complimentary Cornetto Mini ice cream. Really really appreciated in that crazy hot weather.

Beautiful View from Level 10 balcony.

 Then off to the room...

Welcome cakes and complimentary mini bar

We didn't see any monkey though...

Despite all that, 1/2heart wondered why the room doesn't have a nespresso machine -_-

resident peacocks

beach just at the back of the hotel

Anyway, the reason we headed to Sentosa was for this:

I have to admit, I am a bit of a horror junkie - but the ghosts/supernatural kind, not the gory/slash terror kind (e.g. Saw). As I have seen quite a bit of horror movies, including the ones this year's Spooktacular is based one, I was intrigued to visit this event.

Especially when the production team involved (GTH) is quite well known for producing good Thai horror movies.

Ambience wise, it was definitely better than USS Horror Night; mostly because of the location - being smack inside a historical fort adding to the creepiness.

awesome figure welcoming you as soon as you stepped inside... .

Make up of the scare actors was a bit of a hit and miss. The props and make-up were better at Universal Studio.

At Spooktacular, some of them were very good, but then there was one person dressed in ancient faceless costume, and was wearing a very trendy looking sneakers type shoes... . Or one wearing that Coming Soon tragic character's costume, where you could see the very visible neck line of the mask.

The haunted trails were based on five Thai horror movies, three of which I have watched. The first trail visited was Dorm. 

The concept of the trail was unique and interesting, where the participants were given a small 'mission' to do inside the trail. In the first trail, you have to chant prayer for the poor soul of the boy... .

I actually enjoyed Dorm the most. I don't know if that was due to the queue not being too ridiculous as the latters when we first lined up, but it was the one that was most memorable.

various props strewn amongst Fort Siloso

 The second trail was Body. This was when everything started to go downhill for me. The lighting effects inside the trail - in particular the strobe lights was quite a pain to the sight. Such of the extremity that almost caused me to trip a few times down or up the stairs inside the trail. I'd much rather the trail being very dark or very dimly lighted, instead of using such blinding strobe light effects.

The third trail was Shutter. This is one of my favourite horror movies of all times (the thai version, not the rubbish American remake), and my most favourite Thai movie from the five themed at Spooktacular (I have watched Shutter, Pee Mak, and Coming Soon). However the trail was quite disappointing, and again, more strobe lights. Graarrhh!!

 The fourth trail was Pee Mak. I guess as the movie itself is somewhat a comedy (in fact, I hate the movie), I did not expect much from the trail either.

Although Mae Nak character looked promising...

There was only one thing came to my mind after finishing Pee Mak's trail (and after 1 hour queuing up to boot!):

The fifth and the last trail was Coming Soon. Remember that hanging figure with disfigured face? That is the ghost character from the movie.
Fortunately, this trail was quite good, although there were too many scare actors (all of them wearing costumes of the ghost from the movie) in one tiny room at one time, making it quite crowded and not too scary (despite them probably intending otherwise). The strobe lights were not too bad here either.

So with that, we managed to finish all 5 trails. However if you have limited time (or expect to spend too much time queuing u), then I suggest to give Pee Mak a miss or leave it til the last.

After that, it was a very short walk back to Shangri-La... .