St John's Island, Singapore Overview

St. John's Island is a stunning island known for its chequered past and the former prison feel, located approximately 6.5 km south off of the main island of Singapore. The mesmerising sight is visited for the small patch of mangrove trees and turquoise water beaches used by the families for picnicking. It is also frequented for a spot of fishing. This, as well as its closeness to the main island, has made St. John's Island an ideal day trip from Singapore.

Serving as a quarantine station for the immigrants during the 1930s, St Johns Island became a political prison and later a rehabilitation centre for the opium addicts. The prison-feel still lingers with barbed wire fences and watchtowers doting the island's landscape. Previously known as Pulau Sakijang Bendera, the island was the site of Sir Stamford Raffles' anchorage before the meeting with the Malay chief of Singapore in 1819. Since then, St Johns Island in Singapore has been famous for several other reasons such as the abundance of friendly cats that consider the island their home or the stunning hoards of dolphins that frequently visit the coast of the island.

Things to Do at St Johns Island in Singapore

St. John's, like many other islands in its vicinity, is known for its beaches, lagoons, hidden coves, as well as the variety of marine life, found around the island. However, there is much more to this island than what meets the eye.

Fishing
Due to the vast variety of marine life found in this area, St. John's remains to be a perfect location to take out the fishing gear and spend an afternoon sitting under the relaxing sun and finding fresh fish to catch. The island attracts several individuals who wish to spend their day away from the DIN of city life and enjoy their time by the waters.

Nature Walks
St. John's Island enables visitors to live amongst the natural world and to enjoy it in all its beauty. The island with all its wonderful gems is the perfect place to take a walk and explore the kinds of flora and fauna it has to offer. In fact, the island has been providing guided nature tours as part of an outreach and informational programme in association with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum so that visitors can understand and experience exactly what wonders the island has to offer. It also house the Tropical Marine Science Institute that associates with marine research.

Hidden Gems
St. Johns Island in Singapore has its fair share of secrets when it comes to hidden coves and passageways. The island, in fact, is connected to another island called Lazarus Island which remains a sort of hidden beach and that can be accessed by a paved bridge linking both these islands. Lazarus Island, in turn, is connected to another island called the Pulau Seringat which is as much of a hidden gem and provides ample opportunity for nature lovers to explore.

Tips

Pack a proper picnic lunch as it is difficult to find food stalls at the island.
There is a small convenience store at Marina South Pier. Buy drinks and snacks before getting on the ferry.
Carry an umbrella, sunblock and sunglasses.

How To Reach St John's Island Singapore

Buy the ferry tickets for the ferry Marina South Pier which is right next to the Marina South Pier MRT Station. Once at the pier, buy tickets from the Singapore Island Cruise booth at the main entrance.

Tickets
The booth closes at 3:00 PM.
Tickets are given out at a first come first serve basis.
Adult- 18 SGD
Child (1- 12 years) - 12 SGD

Ferry Timings
Monday to Friday - 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM
Saturday - 9:00 AM, 11:00AM, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM
Sunday and Public Holidays - 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM

If planning to visit St Johns Island during the Kusu pilgrimage (between September and November), make sure that the ferry is not cancelled, as it sometimes does.