This placid beach is on Sentosa Island, which lies just off the southern coast of Singapore. In the Malay language, “sentosa” means "peace and tranquility," and that name seems entirely appropriate. But it was not always so.
Over the past few centuries, the island had been known by various other names, all of which referred to death. Two of those names translated as “Island of the Dead” and “After-Death Island.”
From a prison in a swampy jungle …
The origin of those names (and other similar names) is unknown, but it could have something to do with the fact that, until well into the 1900s, the island was essentially a hostile environment of dense, uninhabitable, swampy jungle. That is, it was not the kind of place you'd want to live!
During World War 2, the Japanese used the island as a prisoner-of-war camp. The Australian and British captives held there most certainly did not want to be there, and probably did not find the place either peaceful or tranquil. Nor did they have a pleasant view of this beach, or even a beach to relax on.
… to a placid piece of paradise
In the 1970s, Singapore started developing the island into an attractive resort area. Among other intiatives, it established 3 man-made beaches along the southern shore, by importing sand from neighbouring countries. At the same time, the government held a contest to rename the island, and ultimately chose the name “Sentosa.”Since the island was just a 30-minute bike ride from my home when I lived in Singapore, I would occasionally visit it on those hot and humid days when I wanted just a bit of light exercise, but a lot of peace and tranquility.
This is my entry in 