Living in Sentosa Cove.

Most residents drive to Sentosa Cove from the mainland, via HarbourFront and the island roads. In clear traffic, the drive from the Central Business District (CBD) takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

VivoCity mall and HarbourFront MRT station sit at the mainland end of the route, and buses run on the island, but most households in the Cove rely on a car. The Greater Sentosa Master Plan proposes a people mover to replace the Sentosa Express and a new transport hub, with projects expected from the early 2030s.

The route has two checkpoints. The first controls entry onto Sentosa island and the second controls entry into the Cove. Guests and contractors follow the same route, so a viewing is booked in advance and the visitor’s name is registered at the Cove gates.

A weekday in the Cove follows an ordinary residential pattern. Residents leave for work or school on the mainland in the morning and come back through the gates in the evening.

Inside, the streets are quiet, with people walking dogs, contractors working on houses and neighbours eating at Quayside Isle. Weekends are busier, with golf, visiting guests and more activity around the marina.

The Cove gates control who enters the enclave. Residents pass freely, guests are registered in advance by the resident they are visiting, and deliveries and contractors are booked in.

Visitors cannot walk in from the resort side of Sentosa. Security is at the perimeter, and inside the gates the streets are open residential roads without guards at individual houses.

Owning a house next to a golf course does not give you the right to play on it. Some houses look onto Tanjong Golf Course, west and southwest of Cove Drive, and Serapong Golf Course lies north of the lagoon.

Both courses belong to Sentosa Golf Club, and membership is obtained through the club, separately from the house. The differences between golf-course and waterfront houses are set out in Sentosa Cove bungalows.

Quayside Isle is the Cove’s dining and retail area, on Ocean Way next to W Singapore. Residents use it for restaurants, a supermarket and everyday errands, and the individual shops and opening hours change over time. City Developments sold the complex to a Singapore institutional buyer in December 2025.

ONE°15 Marina Club, on Cove Drive by the marina, is a private club. Buying a house in the Cove does not include club membership, and a marina berth is a separate arrangement, so check both directly with the club if they matter to you.

The Cove has a preparatory school near Quayside Isle for younger children. Places, fees and year groups change, so check them with the school directly.

Schools for older children, specialist doctors, hospitals and large supermarkets are on the mainland, so regular trips across via HarbourFront are part of family life in the Cove.

Pearl Island, Sandy Island, Treasure Island, Coral Island and Paradise Island are named islands within the Cove’s lagoon. Most plots on them are waterfront, and many are sold with a berth.

These waterfront houses are a different product from golf-course houses on streets such as Cove Drive. The street address and the title documents confirm which type a house is.

Land in Sentosa Cove is typically held on a 99-year lease, and many leases started in the mid-2000s. The years remaining on a lease affect resale value and bank financing, so ask your solicitor to confirm the exact figure from the title before you make an offer.

Who may buy a landed house is covered in Singapore landed for foreigners, and the purchase steps in Buying in Sentosa Cove.