Take a plunge 200 metres above the ground

At the infinity pool, touted to be one of the world's largest outdoor pool at three times the length of an Olympic pool, 60 storeys high at the Sands SkyPark, is where I found my highpoint

To an Englishman, the SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands might look like a set of cricket stumps and an American might fear that it resembles the sight when the plane came crashing down on the twin towers. But, Moshe Safdie, the architect behind the project, reveals, "As the design evolved, we wanted to create an interesting facade.



If we had put all the rooms together, the view would have got blocked, so we opened up the urban blocks and split them into three towers. Once that was done, we wanted a park as well as a pool, so we put it on top of these towers. The 150-meter SkyPark looks like a ship with a cantilever on one side. It's the size of the largest aircraft carriers. The distance is the size of an Eiffel Tower lying down atop the three towers."

Highland fling
Picture this. On one side chiselled bodies lying lithe in the dizzyingly high infinity pool, bouncing sunlight off their sunscreens, and on the other side, men looking dapper in suits going about their business. High-heeled women strutting in and out chic luxe stores and then unwinding over a roulette session is what you will see at the newly opened Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore.

Step off the escalator and you will wonder, if any would be guiltier, of all the pleasures of 2010, than setting foot at this newly opened integrated vertical resort. The sane city of Singapore where gambling has been banned for many years, can now be tagged as the sin city with the celebratory ribbons being snipped at (MBS) replete with a casino, spa, rooftop infinity pool, lotus-shaped museum, an outdoor event plaza, theatre, spanking gleaming sinful shopping for luxury brands, fine-dining celebrity-chef restaurants and hotel rooms et al.

Developed by one of the world's biggest gaming companies, the place is already bustling with eager Singaporeans and globetrotters who have been devoid, (thanks to the government ruling against casinos) of betting their luck at roulette, blackjack, baccarat, sic bo and slot machines. Barely two months since it's opening, the casino biz has already seen footfalls of over 500,000 trippers in its first month.

Ask Sheldon G. Adelson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. on how he managed to lift the casino ban and he'll retort, "I used my good looks and charm. But the government wanted the casino to be diluted occupying only 10% of the resort, so we stuck to it."

More Vegas than Vegas
Though the casino is Singapore's second, at $5.94 billion this gaming behemoth stands as the second most expensive in the world. A Swarovski crystal chandelier suspended 40 meters over the heart of the casino's expansive ceiling greets you with a whopping 132,000 Swarovski crystals luring you in its lap. The lighting is otherwise dim at the tables and there is a rather smoky air to this 15,000 square meters, 24-hour gaming area with 600 gaming tables and over 1,500 slot machines. For those who prefer some privacy, you can opt for the 30 private gaming rooms. A few Singapore dollars down, you can head to the shopping mall to indulge in the good things of life with a vengeance, right after your loss or gain at the gambling den.

Mixing business with pleasure
MBS also houses the Sands Expo and Convention Center, with 1.3 million square feet space for exhibitions and Southeast Asia's biggest ballroom, which can house 6,600 people. The Banyan tree group has also set up its spa at the resort, but when we couldn't stop by for an experiential, as it was still in its final stages of setting up.



Tales from the table
If you're tired of the Mee Hoon (flat Singaporean noodles), wait for some delectable delights at any of the seven signature restaurants manned by seven celebrity chefs ufffd Daniel Boulud, Justin Quek, Santi Santamaria, Guy Savoy, Tetsuya Wakuda, Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck, each one bringing his unique style and flavours.
There's more. After you're done with most of the exploring around, head to their bar Fuse, like we did, for an exotic and erotic tango and tipple, as I was on a two-day quickie trip. Don't be too agog if Singapore's raving nightlife seems even more titillating, once you've downed a few swigs.

The Glitch factor
On our visit there, we did spot a few wrinkles being still ironed out. Though the MBS was formally launched only a couple of days back, we noticed many corners steadily under construction with workers strewn around working tirelessly adding to the finishing touches. Also, anybody who's ever been to a casino knows that the drinks are always on the house. But at the casino at MBS, no such frills exist. There are no free alcoholic drinks for gamblers betting a few hundred dollars every second. You will only find pretty, petite ladies floating around serving a cup of tea, some cola or water to quench your thirst.

AT Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore www.marinabaysands.com
The writer was invited by the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.