Sentosa IR: Captive dolphins to be used for spa therapy

Dolphins at your doorstep?
Cara van Miriah, Electric New Paper 22 Dec 07;
Plans underway for dolphins to be released from oceanarium daily to swim to posh water bungalows on stilts

[wildnews comments: see related links below for more about our own wild dolphins and Acres' "Suffering, not Smiling" campaign for release of captive dolphins in Singapore]

IT is not just a six-star resort.

ESPA - a centre for medical and wellness treatments at Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) - is also exploring the possibility to be the first spa in South-East Asia to offer spa therapy with dolphin interaction.

Already, ESPA plans to build Singapore's first 'water' bungalows built on stilts, commonly seen in vacation spots like Maldives.

At ESPA, there will be 16 such villas, while the rest are beachfront resorts.

And waterways will be constructed to link both the resort and the 8 ha Marine Life Park oceanarium, also located in the west zone.

Every day, the dolphins would be released from the oceanarium and they would swim to the tropical-theme ESPA villas that come with private pools.

The oceanarium - also home to some 700,000 aquatic animals - will also include exotic exhibits, such as the flesh-eating piranhas.

Visitors can see these fishes with rows of razor-sharp teeth that were once on public display in Van Kleef Aquarium in late 1960s.

RIDES & CASINO OPEN FIRST

Although the IR will start operations in early 2010, the west zone with attractions, like the Marine Life Park, Maritime Xperiential Museum and ESPA, will open progressively throughout the year.

Explained a RWS spokesman: 'For the soft opening in early 2010, the Universal Studios Singapore, casino, some hotels and part of the central zone will be opened to the public.'

The central zone - the spine of the resort - is called the FestiveWalk.

Here, visitors can enjoy free admission to this 24-hour entertainment strip, which will offer shopping, dining, nightlife and non-gated 'live' shows.

This is also where Maxims Residences will be located. It will house the 161,458 sq ft casino.

From the FestiveWalk, visitors can walk to the east zone to buy tickets to the Universal Studios Singapore.

It will feature a total of seven themed areas with rides, like the Hollywood Boulevard, Backlot - the Big Apple, Super Hero City, The Lost World, Waterworld and Shrek 4-D.

With seven empty parcels of land located in the east zone, they could be used to develop new attractions later on.

The admission to Universal is not known yet but a day pass to the one in Hollywood, Los Angeles, is priced at US$64 ($93).

For fun, just add water

EQUARIUS WATER PARK

# Water Coaster - a 450m water flume winding through treetops and jungle.
# Snakes and Ladders - water flows upwards in this ride.
# Surf Pool - variety of waves for wannabe and serious surfers.
# The Cliffs - water-based adventure zone.

MARINE LIFE PARK

# Over 700,000 aquatic animals and world's largest coral reef and ocean fish collection.
# A 6.6 million gallon lagoon for visitors to snorkel and dive with whale sharks.
# Piranhas exhibit.
# Dine in 'submerged' restaurant and bar surrounded by marine life.

MARITIME XPERIENTIAL MUSEUM

# Explores maritime Silk Route history.
# Immerse in 360-degree shipwreck experience in Shipwreck Theatre.

RELATED ARTICLES

Dolphin therapy a dangerous fad?
CDNN - CYBER DIVER News Network 23 Dec 07;

Singapore's wild dolphins!
Yes we have wild dolphins and you don't have to stay at a six-star resort to see them! Sightings in 2007 include
Dolphins off St. John's Island (12 Dec 07) on the urban forest blog with video clip of leaping dolphin
Dolphins off St. John's Island (19 Jun 07) on the ashira blog and urban forest blog
Dolphins sighted off Sisters Island (13 May 07) on the habitatnews blog
Videos of dolphins off St. John's Island (7 Apr 07) on the habitatnews blog

More sightings listed on wildsingapore with more links to the issue of dolphins in captivity (scroll to the end of the page)

Suffering, not Smiling
Acres campaign for release of captive dolphins in Singapore