Cruises & Islands in Singapore
Cruises and islands here run from a 40-minute bumboat down the Singapore River to a tall-ship dinner and ferries out to the Southern Islands. Boats to Kusu and St John's leave from Marina South Pier, Pulau Ubin's bumboats from Changi Point, and the Batam, Bintan and Desaru ferries from HarbourFront and Tanah Merah.
Day trips
Day trips guide
TicketsBatam Day Escape Ferry
About an hour by ferry to Batam for seafood and a spa
Full day·Batam·From S$76
TicketsBintan Resort Ferries
Ferry from Tanah Merah to the Lagoi resorts on Bintan
Full day·Bintan·From S$100
TicketsDesaru Coast Ferry
Ferry from Tanah Merah to the beaches of Desaru Coast
Full day·Johor·From S$108
Pay thereKukup Seafood Day Trip
Seafood lunch at a Johor kelong on stilts
Full day·Johor·About S$95
Southern Islands
Southern Islands guideTicketsKusu Island Ferry
Tortoises and island temples, from Marina South Pier
Half day·Marina South·From S$18
TicketsPulau Hantu Dive Trip
Seahorses and nudibranchs 30 minutes offshore
Half day·Southern Islands·About S$120
TicketsSt John's Island
A colonial quarantine island with lagoons and trails
Half day·Southern Islands·From S$18
TicketsSouthern Islands Hop (Kusu + St John's + Lazarus)
Kusu, St John's and Lazarus on one ferry ticket
Full day·Marina South·From S$18
Sentosa
Sentosa guide
TicketsSouthern Islands Shared Yacht
A crewed catamaran out to the Lazarus sandbar
4 hours·Sentosa Cove·About S$129
TicketsPrivate Yacht Charter
A yacht to yourselves, for Lazarus or a harbour drift
5 hours·Sentosa Cove·From S$649
Sentosa Jetty at Cove Ferries
Short ferries from Sentosa Cove to Seringat Island
Half day·Sentosa·From S$20
Southern Islands Speedboat Tour
A 45-minute speedboat run from Sentosa Cove
45 min·Sentosa·From S$45
Elsewhere in Singapore
TicketsSingapore River Cruise
A 40-minute bumboat ride down the Singapore River
40 min·Clarke Quay·From S$28
TicketsRoyal Albatross Sunset Sail
Four courses on the deck of a tall ship at sunset
2.5 hours·Harbourfront·From S$245
Pay thereSelf-Drive Solar BBQ Boat
Captain a solar BBQ boat and grill as you drift
2 hours·Marina·About S$199
TicketsMarina Bay Dinner Cruise
A 90-minute river cruise with dinner aboard
1.5 hours·Marina Bay·From S$80
TicketsPulau Ubin Bumboat
A 10-minute cash bumboat to Ubin, off once it fills
15 min·Changi·From S$4
Coastal Life Boat Tour
A morning boat trip to floating fish farms
3 hours·Sembawang·About S$150
Cuddlefish Southern Islands Charter
A private boat to Lazarus or Pulau Hantu
4.5 hours·Harbourfront·From S$650
Divelab Boat Dives from Raffles Marina
Full-day boat dives to Pulau Hantu and Jong
Full day·Tuas·From S$195
WaterB Light Show Cruise
A river-boat hour timed to the Marina Bay lights
1 hour·Clarke Quay·From S$40
Questions · Reviewed October 2026
Which river or bay cruise should I take in Singapore?
The Singapore River Cruise is the simple pick, a 40-minute ride down the river and out to the bay. It's a bumboat, the kind of small wooden boat that once carried cargo. For a long dinner on the water, the Royal Albatross Sunset Sail serves four courses on a tall ship's open deck, and it's the one for an anniversary or a milestone birthday rather than a sightseeing hour.
Which Southern Islands can I visit by ferry from Singapore?
Kusu, St John's and Lazarus fit into one day from Marina South Pier. One return ferry stops at St John's and Kusu, and from St John's you can walk the causeway to Lazarus. Kusu has tortoises and temples, and St John's has lagoons for a swim and trails. Nothing is for sale on the islands, so bring water, lunch and shade, and plan the day around the return boat. See the Southern Islands Hop.
See alsoKusu Island FerrySt John's IslandLazarus Island Sandbar
Which Singapore boat trips suit a group or a celebration?
A tall-ship dinner, a self-drive barbecue boat and a private charter to the Lazarus sandbar each suit a group or a celebration. The Royal Albatross Sunset Sail is the dinner option, served at your seat on the open deck. On the Self-Drive Solar BBQ Boat you steer and grill yourselves with no skipper aboard, so check the passenger limit and whether a licence applies before booking.
Which ferry terminal do I need for Batam, Bintan or Desaru?
The boat to Batam Centre leaves from HarbourFront Centre ferry terminal and crosses in about an hour. Bintan and Desaru Coast boats leave from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal instead, so check the terminal on your booking before you set off. It's immigration, not the crossing, that eats the day, so leave time for it. Start with the Batam Day Escape Ferry or Bintan Resort Ferries.
See alsoDesaru Coast Ferry