A first look at the inaugural Zentosa Fest island retreat in Sentosa

Throughout the month of June, wellness festival Zentosa Fest will offer a diverse pipeline of lifestyle experiences across Sentosa as part of the inaugural Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) and Sentosa’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Featuring over 50 wellness activities such as masterclasses, sports workshops, beach-side glamping and outdoor performances, the festival aims to help guests discover the art of living well.

Youthopia had a go at some of the activities and here’s what our experience was like:

Rather than the aggressive clacking of fingers across keyboards or the monotonous humming of the air conditioner in the office, I was instead greeted by the calm lapping of waves and zen tones of Tibetan singing bowls on a sunny Thursday morning.

We started off with Rebalance Body and Mind with Ishiki (Awareness) Breath, led by Ms LuSin who claims that the breathing exercises centred on the life energy, qi, would “awaken the new you” and increase our productivity.

I really enjoyed the session and felt rejuvenated right after. Even though it was my first time trying such an activity, the steps were easy to follow as Ms LuSin was very patient and clear in her explanations. 

I was enlightened by how conscious breathing and good posture could significantly affect our energy flow and calm our minds.

Personally, I’d continue to use the techniques whenever I feel fatigued or distracted.

Next was Rejuvenation with Healing Sounds by Ms Jasz, who pretty much transported us to paradise with her healing sounds of Tibetan singing bowls, flutes, chimes, and drums.

We were told to lay flat on the mats and close our eyes to fully immerse ourselves in the sounds and vibrations of the acoustic instruments. 

To be honest, the sun was quite glaring so it was a bit challenging for me to fully relax but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Towards the end of the 30-minute session, Ms Jasz went around and played the sounds of the rainstick, a long tubular instrument which perfectly mimicked the sound of gentle rain.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I noticed a distinct difference in my surroundings. The colours were much more vivid and I was more sensitive to the sounds around me like the chirping of birds and the lively chatter of children at the beach.

I’d recommend these two therapeutic sessions by The Senses Therapy for anyone who’s had a tough week and is looking to unwind!

If you’re interested, each session costs $5 and can be purchased through the website.

Before moving on to the beach, we were given ribbons to write our wishes on as part of the annual Dad’s Day Out event.

We then tied the ribbons to the suspension bridge, to pledge our commitment to greater family and personal wellness.

We then walked over to the shore where four floats were stationed.

Called FloatFit by Abvolution, the activity uses the world’s first floating exercise mat – the FloatFit board – for users to engage in Vinyasa yoga over water.

Led by an instructor, we did various poses like the child’s pose, the cobra pose, planks, and other balancing exercises.

It was pretty tough at first but once I got used to it, it was a lot easier to control the board and maintain my balance.

The instructor also made things interesting by getting some of us to stand on the boards and make waves while others planked.

If you’re interested, each session costs $5 and can be purchased through this website. During the actual festival, each session will last 45 minutes to an hour.

Adjacent to the floats were two bicycles partially submerged in the sea as part of Aquabike by The Ripple Club.

While I didn’t try the activity, I watched other guests have a go at it and it was intense to say the least.

Besides cycling, they did other aerobic workouts and strength training exercises like push ups.

If you’re interested, each session costs $5 and can be purchased through this website. During the actual festival, each full-body workout will last 30 minutes.

For the first time ever, Sentosa will also organise a beach glamping experience for guests. We were invited to have a peek at the already set-up tents.

Bookings are $388 from Sundays to Wednesdays and $588 from Thursdays to Saturdays. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is 12pm the following day.

Beyond these listed activities, there are other workshops and talks you can attend. 

Most workshops and activities at the festival are priced at $5, and selected offerings such as talks and masterclasses by wellness experts are free of charge.

Currently, Trampoline Workout and Mural Painting are close to selling out. To get your tickets, visit the website.

Or if you’re interested in multiple activities, you can consider purchasing the Zentosa Wellness Pass, which allows you to participate in 12 activities and workshops for just $50.