Singapore Snippets

Writing and photography by Marta Ferrer Lubeck

Top Photo: Kusu Island

Discovering items of interest on the Red Dot

St. John, Lazarus and Kusu – Singapore’s Ultimate Island-Hopping Adventure

St. John's Island

Excursions around Singapore are uncertain these days, but a day trip that I would recommend this summer is St. John, Lazarus, and Kusu, three of Singapore’s Southern Islands. Located six kilometers offshore, each is unique and fun to explore and can be reached by ferry or private boat.

The first stop on the ferry route is St. John. Setting foot on its long jetty feels like stepping on to a resort far from Singapore. This small island boasts an expansive history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, St. John was a quarantine center for new migrants. After World War II, it housed a prison for political prisoners and drug addicts. These days, St. John is much more visitor friendly. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors could stay overnight at one of St. John’s bungalows and campsites.

ST. JOHN

St. John’s Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre is open to visitors and worth exploring, while markers along St. John’s trails point out the island’s impressive biodiversity. The coastal trail provides good views of Singapore’s skyline.

LAZURUS

Lazarus is connected to St. John by a man-made causeway. Beach lovers can spend a lazy day on Lazarus Island Beach and take selfies with beautiful tropical backdrops. Some advice from AWA member Sandy Harford, who joined me on one of my visits: “Definitely take your bathing suit and some toys, and some cold rosé for your picnic. Then you’ll love Lazarus!”

A significant amount of trash has built up on Lazarus’ western-facing shores, a situation that unfortunately is not unique to this small island. Whether this refuse comes from nearby or far away, it is a reminder that we need to do more to protect our environment.

Lazurus Island Beach

KUSU

Kusu (“tortoise” in Hokkien) is the smallest of the three islands. According to legend, a giant tortoise turned into an island to save two sailors, one Chinese and one Malay. The sailors later returned to the island and set up shrines. To this day, many pilgrims join the Kusu Island Pilgrimage on the ninth month of the Chinese Lunar calendar to pray for prosperity.

Da Bo Gong on Kusu Island

The ferry docked on Kusu Island around 3:00 pm. Sandy and I ran into Delphine, a devotee and regular Kusu visitor who shared some of her stories.

Delphine spends about 45 minutes at the Da Bo Gong Temple, where she makes her offerings and prays. She then heads to the Tortoise Shelter, an area where devotees release tortoises and pray for health and good luck. According to Delphine, “There are 196 tortoises, and the oldest is 82 years old.”

Kusu also is home to a keramat, or Malay holy shrine, reachable by climbing 152 steps but currently closed following a recent landslide. Devotees hope the shrine will reopen in time for this year’s Kusu Island Pilgrimage, scheduled to begin on October 6, 2021.

Some days later, I asked Sandy for her impressions of Kusu. “Kusu is worth the trip. I bought the offerings with $3, and my wishes came true. The day after I did this, my son, who is 24, got his dream job in San Francisco, and he was super happy. My daughter, who is 28, was putting a bid down on a property in California to make a small Millennial-type resort. She got the property!”

GETTING TO THE ISLANDS

Ferries depart from Marina South Pier to St. John and Kusu Islands daily.

Note: Visitors must bring their own supplies as there are no shops, cafes or vending machines on St. John and Lazarus.

Marta moved to Singapore with her husband and two children in July 2020. She loves to explore Singapore with the AWA walking, hiking and photography groups.

Marta Ferrer Lubeck