--- --- # Sentosa – Championing sustainability as Asia's first certified island destination  As you explore the bustling streets in the center of Singapore, it’s hard to believe that an island paradise is just a 15 minute ride away from the mainland central business district. Sentosa, meaning peace and tranquility in Malay, is a vacation haven. It is home to ridgeline heritage hotels, premier golf courses and integrated resort, Resorts World™ Sentosa, which houses world-class attractions. With an abundance of historical sites, nature trails, and wildlife, this 500-hectare island is a destination with a rich and complex historical legacy, but it is the island’s future that is truly inspiring.  Aware that travelers are seeking more environmentally-friendly vacation options, the Sentosa Development Corporation is striving to transform this island paradise to provide experiences on a more sustainable basis. In 2022, Sentosa, through the collaborative efforts of Sentosa Development Corporation, Resorts World™ Sentosa and other like-minded business on Sentosa, became the first island destination in Asia to be certified to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council – For Destinations criteria, affirming the island’s efforts to drive best practices in sustainable tourism. Underpinning this effort is Sentosa’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030\. To achieve this ambitious goal, Sentosa Development Corporation rallied businesses on the island to form the Sentosa Carbon Neutral Network. Currently comprising 21 businesses on Sentosa which account for more than 97% of the island’s estimated carbon profile, the network of industry players will develop Sentosa-wide solutions, tapping on shared resources and expertise.  Sentosa has embarked on renewable energy projects such as solarization and are exploring novel solutions such as tidal turbines and waste-to-energy systems to maximize decarbonization efforts. Collectively, these projects could generate sufficient energy annually while eliminating carbon emissions of approximately 300,000 hotel room nights – a remarkable feat for an island of Sentosa’s size. To minimize its waste footprint, several Sentosa venues, including Resorts World™ Sentosa, have eliminated single-use plastics. Guests can also recycle empty plastic drink bottles or aluminum cans at Reverse Vending Machines located on the island, part of a national pilot to increase recycling rates. Many island businesses are also working to divert food waste to digestors to reduce the waste contribution to landfills. With 19 million international visitors annually pre-COVID, Sentosa recognizes its potential to be an advocate for sustainability. One such way is through the SentoSights sustainability- and heritage-themed tours, which offer guests a deeper appreciation of and meaningful perspectives into the importance of nature and heritage conservation. Tours are led by experienced guides, allowing guests to appreciate the surroundings while reducing disturbances to the flora and fauna and heritage sites.  In 2022, Fort Siloso was also gazetted as Singapore’s 74th National Monument, illustrating the rich history and storied past of Sentosa as a naval stronghold. Today, the Fort is a non-ticketed attraction that guests may explore freely. To encourage guests to explore the island’s natural attractions, Sentosa also welcomed a family of four giant sculptures created in collaboration with internationally renowned Copenhagen-based recycling artist Thomas Dambo. The sculptures, called the _Explorers of Sentosa_, have been constructed with reclaimed wood materials, such as pallets and floorboards, prompting guests to reconsider their idea of ‘trash’. Hidden in nature areas and discoverable through a digital treasure map, the experience is designed to be both sustainable and fun.  The Sentosa Golf Club is also known internationally for championing golf sustainability. The first golf club in the world to join the United Nations Climate Change Agreement and three-time winner of the World’s Best Eco-friendly Golf Facility award, the Club has undertaken comprehensive efforts to reduce its resource footprint across carbon, water and waste while enhancing the biodiversity in and around the golf course. Efforts such as water reservoir-supplied self-irrigating courses, replacing its golf carts with rechargeable and more energy-efficient lithium batteries, and its innovative use of biochar as a fertilizer replacement and its investment in bio-digesters to reduce food and horticultural waste barely scratch the surface of its sustainability ethos. As Sentosa progresses towards its sustainability goals, green transport options are already available to guests. Visitors can easily explore the island via Sentosa’s fleet of fully-electric beach shuttles, the Sentosa Express monorail line, electric buses, and the Singapore Cable Car Sky Network – all offering a different experience as guests get to and around Sentosa. Designated cycling trails also offer guests an exciting and clean way of exploring the lush surroundings.  Soon guests can look forward to new offshore island leisure experiences, including traversing the neighboring islands of St John’s and Lazarus on rented bicycles, glamping amidst nature, experiencing low-carbon accommodation options, and non-motorized water activities – all away from the hustle and bustle of the city. These comprehensive and innovative efforts to manage the island more sustainably were recognized by the Green Destination Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories for 2021 and 2022, with Sentosa joining other notable locations including Japan’s Kyoto City and Australia’s Margaret River. With sustainability and innovation becoming increasingly more important to travelers, Sentosa is sending a clear message to guests and indeed the industry as a whole – exciting experiences need not cost the earth. [](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=449dead5-eb86-463f-a851-3bd1e9d21368&ntv%5Fa=KScIAhWZbAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8iwUsTOp8FSO9ZkZZpvUWycnD0OglZ8c%5FvbQBclaq5ZAXXUmc4wpv8hUYVU-psWP2OY5zksKXu8lup1JApV2zrc54oE2FRUqWNyWba8gP4naNRF6Es-q2QB1%5FJI57kjjC5l3d9OG3OD4Eicvz8EAWKXGR5prxHrE6rH3PYyYafFkiFySh%5FN2M6Z8T%5FVPk5CtjBMzV2glKpUbyBD2aRqn1jDBGCdpl2UF-POvevJrliU%5FDKwLIhiJDC-QMoK0QvbGZDIPBLSLTQJk5fduX5pv9VzYsvAIyOjkBCCBKVnyqbp%5FOWqRNJM8hdw7eQfskpTFdXEaoHMy90H3mwACKtIdXmdfNd30utT1EwGpyytPT1fOIjQ2IY7CzwwIoBKsdimx4b-tBjC0YE184G4d3rHsLtShhW6-LvfwKYKGE7u6Lgq%5F9Ky6Ao839BB93i4xwqx883Loz%5F17dQqyoRqsRRpEdBT9Xi1xhouZuVOeFBYqxuAVlw==&ord=-1814696948&ntv%5Fht=UqEJagA) Singapore is more than its tourist attractions. It’s constantly evolving, reinventing, and reimagining itself, with people who are passionate about creating new possibilities. It’s not just about what you can do here, it’s about what you can be. [Find Out More](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=449dead5-eb86-463f-a851-3bd1e9d21368&ntv%5Fa=KScIAhWZbAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8iwUsTOp8FSO9ZkZZpvUWycnD0OglZ8c%5FvbQBclaq5ZAXXUmc4wpv8hUYVU-psWP2OY5zksKXu8lup1JApV2zrc54oE2FRUqWNyWba8gP4naNRF6Es-q2QB1%5FJI57kjjC5l3d9OG3OD4Eicvz8EAWKXGR5prxHrE6rH3PYyYafFkiFySh%5FN2M6Z8T%5FVPk5CtjBMzV2glKpUbyBD2aRqn1jDBGCdpl2UF-POvevJrliU%5FDKwLIhiJDC-QMoK0QvbGZDIPBLSLTQJk5fduX5pv9VzYsvAIyOjkBCCBKVnyqbp%5FOWqRNJM8hdw7eQfskpTFdXEaoHMy90H3mwACKtIdXmdfNd30utT1EwGpyytPT1fOIjQ2IY7CzwwIoBKsdimx4b-tBjC0YE184G4d3rHsLtShhW6-LvfwKYKGE7u6Lgq%5F9Ky6Ao839BB93i4xwqx883Loz%5F17dQqyoRqsRRpEdBT9Xi1xhouZuVOeFBYqxuAVlw==&ord=-1814696948&ntv%5Fht=UqEJagA) Sentosa – Championing sustainability as Asia's first certified island destination ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/singapore-tourism-board/sentosa--championing-sustainability-as-asias-first-certified-island-destination/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/singapore-tourism-board/sentosa--championing-sustainability-as-asias-first-certified-island-destination/"},"headline":"Sentosa – Championing sustainability as Asia's first certified island destination","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:28:29.972Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:10.256Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/singapore-tourism-board/sentosa--championing-sustainability-as-asias-first-certified-island-destination/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/singapore-tourism-board/sentosa--championing-sustainability-as-asias-first-certified-island-destination/","name":"Sentosa – Championing sustainability as Asia's first certified island destination"}}]}] ```