Singapore Guidebook September Edition sgb_digital-magz_en-compressed | Page 21

EXPLORE THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS
trekking routes, and much more. However, there are
not many visitors even on weekends, so be ready to
fully relax while you are there!
How to get there:
Ride a ferry to St John’s Island from Marina South Pier
(SGD 18 per person for a round-trip ticket)
LAZARUS ISLAND
Bored with Sentosa beaches or the crowded East
Coast Park? To enjoy a real holiday, you can go to
one of the best islands in Singapore – Lazarus Island.
There is the road which connects St. John Island to
Lazarus Island and it will take you only 15 mins walk
to get from St. John Island Pier to Lazarus Island.
Follow the directions and you will easily find a beach
with clear blue waters. We highly recommend you to
swim in Lazarus Island and after that, you can have
a picnic with your family and friends. However, once
again, do not forget to bring your own food and drinks
as well as towels and sunscreen as there are no shops
in Lazarus island.
How to get there:
Take a ferry to St. John’s Island from Marina South Pier
(SGD18 per person for a round-trip ticket) then follow the
signs that will lead you to Lazarus Island.
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KUSU ISLAND
In Hokkien, “kusu” means “turtle”. According to a
famous legend, a giant turtle transformed itself to an
island to save 2 wrecked sailors. Maybe it is the reason
why there are so many turtles on Kusu Island. You can
see a turtles shelter in Kusu Island where you can spot
tens of turtles of different sizes.
You can visit Kusu Island in the ninth month of the
Chinese calendar as there will be many people who go
there for a pilgrimage at Da Bong Gong Temple. Built
in 1923 by a rich businessman, the temple was used
to worship Da Bo Gong and Kuan I’m (The Goddess
of Luck).
In Kusu Island, there are also three kramat (holy places
to sit on) on the top of a hill that is believed to provide
wealth, health, and fertility. Kramat commemorates
the alim (Syed Abdul Rahman), his mother and sister
who lived in the 19th century. To get to this place, you
should go up 152 stairs, so make sure you have lots of
energy. In Kusu Island, there are turtles and monkeys
that roam freely, so you need to be extra careful. You
should also remember that you are not allowed to stay
there at night.
How to get there:
Kusu Island can be reached by ferry from Marina South Pier
(SGD 18 per person for a round trip tiket).
Kusu Island
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