Southern Islands

The islands south of the city that are not Sentosa. Kusu has a Chinese temple, a Malay keramat and tortoises. Da Bo Gong (Tua Pek Kong) Temple, built 1923, sits near the jetty — prosperity god and Guan Yin, incense, a tortoise pond. Keramat Kusu is the hill: three Malay shrines, about 152 steps, modest dress, shoes off. St John's has colonial bones. Lazarus, linked to St John's by a causeway, has a sandbar that looks like a secret. Singapore Island Cruise runs the public ferry from Marina South Pier (31 Marina Coastal Drive #01-04, orange booth) — one return ticket typically covers St John's/Lazarus and Kusu, from S$15 adult on the operator board (tickets.islandcruise.com.sg). The operator's routing is Marina South → Lazarus Island → Kusu → Marina South; there is no hop from Kusu back to St John's. Alight Lazarus and walk the causeway for St John's — the operator flags St John's Main Jetty closed for enhancement, so all pick-ups and drop-offs are at Lazarus. Weekday last return from Kusu to Marina South is 4.15pm (islandcruise.com.sg T&Cs); weekend last returns run later. NParks lists last public ferry from St John's at 6pm — that is not a weekday Kusu boat. Book on tickets.islandcruise.com.sg, and be on the pier 25 minutes early. Do not turn up after 3pm on weekends. After the last boat, the emergency line is 8511 5551 (islandcruise.com.sg). Singapore Maritime Gallery is the free indoor upstairs: Marina South Pier Level 2, Tuesday–Sunday 9am–6pm, closed Mondays except public holidays (mpa.gov.sg). Marina South Pier (NS28) Exit B, not Exit A for the orange booth. Admission free. It is a rainy hour if the 4.15pm boat has sailed without you, not a Kusu substitute. Sisters' Islands Marine Park is Singapore's first marine park: 40 hectares covering Sisters' Islands and the western reefs of St John's and Pulau Tekukor (nparks.gov.sg). Only Big Sister's Island is open to the public, 7am–7pm, closed the first and third Wednesday of each month unless that Wednesday is a gazetted public holiday. Small Sister's Island and the other reefs are conservation and research — not a walk. No camping, no barbecue, no fishing, no collecting shells. No lifeguard; NParks flags sudden strong currents in the lagoon. The Sisters' add-on is a different ticket, not valid in Kusu season; Big Sister's weekday trips have been listed as temporarily suspended except public holidays — confirm the day's table, not a 2024 reopening story.

A shared yacht to Lazarus is the glamour version. Pulau Hantu is the dive version (certified divers only). The NParks public gallery at the Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre on St John's is the indoor hour: 10am–4pm, closed most public holidays, half-day (10am–12pm) on eves, about 30–40 minutes from Seringat jetty (nparks.gov.sg). Groups over 20 email marinepark@nparks.gov.sg two weeks ahead. There is little food and less shade. Pack like a beach day. Miss the last boat and you are swimming. SLA: overnight stays and pets are not permitted on Kusu. St John's has had limited camping at times — check current NParks / island-cruise rules before you pack a tent; a ticket can be used the next day's return, it is not a campsite booking.

Kusu pilgrimage season in the ninth lunar month packs the island — Singapore Island Cruise flags 10 October–8 November 2026 on its tickets. Go then only if that's the point; Sisters' add-ons are not valid, and the 18-stall hawker in the middle of Kusu typically opens only in that window. The rest of the year, pack lunch.

Where to eat

• Pack lunch and water. Shade is thin; the 4.15pm weekday boat is the constraint, not dessert
• Kusu's 18-stall hawker typically opens only in pilgrimage season; the rest of the year, don't rely on a stall