Besides the theme-park delights and luxury hotels of Sentosa Island, Singapore has several outlying islands that are less developed and less crowded. They're great places to swim, sunbathe or even set up camp amid peaceful and natural surroundings.

KUSU ISLAND
According to legend, this island was once a giant turtle that transformed itself into a huge rock to help save shipwrecked sailors. Today, the island is still embedded in various beliefs and rituals. Taoists make their annual pilgrimage to the Toa Pekong Temple near the ferry jetty during the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Malays visit Kramat Kusu, which is located on the top of a hill. The kramat, or shrine, is dedicated to Syed Abdul Rahman, his mother Nenek Ghalib and his sister Puteri Fatimah. It is common for childless couples hoping to have children to visit this shrine, where they leave white cloths tied to the nearby trees as a token of the sincerity of their prayers.

If you're neither Taoist nor wishing to have kids, you can always kick back and relax on a beach. The beaches at Kusu Island have changing rooms, toilets, picnic spots and swimming areas.

Admission to the island, which includes the ferry charges, is SGD9 for adults and SGD6 for children. Ferries from the World Trade Centre depart twice daily from Mondays to Saturdays, and six times a day on Sundays and public holidays. The ferries stop at St John's Island as well. Call 826-8322 and 275-0388 for more information.

ST JOHN'S ISLAND
This island has several good beaches for swimming, and provides changing rooms, toilets, picnic spots and swimming areas. It is a popular as a weekend getaway and for camping trips, but you wish for something closer to civilisation there are always colonial bungalows that you can rent. Check with the ticket counter at the World Trade Centre.

Admission to the island, which includes the ferry charges, is SGD9 for adults and SGD6 for children. Ferries from the World Trade Centre depart twice daily from Mondays to Saturdays, and six times a day on Sundays and public holidays. The ferries stop at Kusu Island as well. Call 826-8322 and 275-0388 for more information.

PULAU UBIN
This mangrove island has become highly popular as a weekend retreat and offers an interesting variety of activities and sights. You can rent a bike and go mountain-biking on the rocky trails all over the island, go swimming, or camp the night. You can also see traditional fishing villages, prawn and fish farms, Chinese temples and limestone quarries. The seafood restaurants here are good, too.

To get to Pulau Ubin, take an exotic bum-boat ride for SGD1.50 from Changi jetty.

SISTERS ISLAND
Sisters Island is good for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving. You can also enjoy a picnic on the grass or the sandy beach. There is no regular ferry service to the island, however, so you will have to rent a water taxi (at SGD50 per hour) at Jardine Steps or Clifford Pier.

Last Minute Hotels

Savour Continental cuisine in style, with a superb view of the city skyline, at the Compass Rose set at the top -- that is, the 70th level -- of the Westin Stamford Hotel.

ADD : 2 Stamford Road, 4316156 CUISINE : a wide variety of local to international cuisine. BUDGET : High

 

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