Side Trips

Sixty smaller islands surround Singapore, some of which are open for full- or half-day trips. The ferry rides are cool and breezy, and they provide interesting up-close views of some of the larger ships docked in the harbor. The islands themselves are small and, for the most part, don't have a lot going on. The locals basically see them as little escapes from the everyday grind -- peaceful respites for the family.

Kusu & St. John's Islands

Kusu Island and St. John's Island are both located to the south of Singapore proper, about a 15- to 20-minute ferry ride to Kusu, 25 to 30 minutes to St. John's.

Its name meaning "Tortoise Island" in Chinese, many popular legends exist about how Kusu Island came to be. The most popular ones involve shipwrecked people, either fishermen or monks, who were rescued when a tortoise turned himself into an island. Kusu Island was originally two small islands and a reef, but in 1975, reclaimed land turned it into a (very) small getaway island. There are two places of worship: a Chinese temple and a Malay shrine. The Chinese temple becomes a zoo during "Kusu Season" in October, when thousands of Chinese devotees flock here to pray for health, prosperity, and luck. There are two swimming lagoons (the one to the north has a pretty view of Singapore Island), picnic tables, toilets, and public telephones.

Historically speaking, St. John's Island is an unlikely place for a day trip. As far back as 1874, this place was a quarantine for Chinese immigrants sick with cholera; in the 1950s, it became a deportation holding center for Chinese Mafia thugs; and later, it was a rehab center for opium addicts. Today you'll find a mosque, holiday camps, three lagoons, bungalows, a cafeteria, a huge playing field, and basketball. It's much larger than Kusu Island, but not large enough to fill a whole day of sightseeing. Toilets and public phones are available.

Ferries leave at regular intervals from the Marina South Pier (tel. 65/1800-736-8672; take the MRT to Marina Bay then bus no. 402 to the pier. The boat makes a circular route, landing on both islands. Adult tickets cost S$11 (US$7/£3.65), and tickets for children under 12 are S$8 (US$5.10/£2.65). Tip: Pack a lunch and bring drinks, sunblock, and mosquito repellent.

Palau Ubin

My favorite island getaway has to be Ubin. Located off the northeast tip of Singapore, Pulau Ubin remains the only place in Singapore where you can find life as it used to be before urban development. Lazy kampong villages pop up alongside trails perfect for a little more rugged bicycling. It's truly a great day trip for those who like to explore nature and rural scenery. Rumors have it that during the occupation the Japanese brought soldiers here to be tortured, and so some believe the place is haunted.

To get to Ubin, take bus no. 2 to Changi Village (or just take a cab -- the bus ride is long). Walk past the food court down to the water and find the ferry. There's no ticket booth, so you should just approach the captain and buy your ticket from him -- it'll cost you about S$2 (US$1.30/65p). The boats leave regularly, but only when they've got enough passengers to justify a trip, with the last one returning from the island as late as 11pm (make sure you double-check with the ferryman so you don't get stranded!).

Once you're there, bicycle-rental places along the jetty can provide you with bikes and island maps at reasonable prices. A few coffee shops cook up rudimentary meals, and you'll also find public toilets and coin phones in the more populated areas.