Do you know that Singapore has a beautiful gem called Lazarus Island? Well, this can be your next holiday destination, especially if you love nature so much.

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Archipelago or a group of islands is not what you think about when people ask you what you think of Singapore. Modernity, good facilities, and expensive places to live in are maybe three things that are often talked about when it comes to Singapore. Let alone its hidden gem like Lazarus Island.

Compared to Indonesia, its neighbor, Singapore doesn't really have much advantage in terms of the quantity of the island. Indonesia has almost 3 thousand islands, while Singapore ‘only’ has 60 islands, with most of them being uninhabitable.

‘Defeated’ by the amount of island, Singaporean don’t have to be discouraged since the quality of their island can compete with Indonesian.

So, instead of looking for cheap hotels in Singapore or hotel promotion Singapore only for a usual staycation, maybe a trip to Lazarus Island can be a nice new experience for you.

So what is Lazarus Island, and why is it named after one of the famous characters in the bible, and what are the must-visit destinations on this island?

Lazarus is one of the prominent names in the bible. As it probably has also influenced many aspects, including arts and literature,

The word or name Lazarus has been mentioned in several literature books that have been read from time to time. First, the russian novelist, from a Crime and Punishment novel nearly two centuries ago, through one of the characters, Raskolnikov, asks another character Sonia to read him a part of the Gospel.

The name Lazarus was also used in two of the stories of the famous USA writer, Mark Twain in 1972. Sylvia Plath wrote the poem called Lady Lazarus seven years before, precisely in 1965.

The most notable use of Lazarus was in 1984 where Lazarus Come Forth was born. In more contemporary music, there was a prominent band from Australia, Nick Cave and Bad Seeds, that was making an album called Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! There were also several bands that were heavily influenced by the name Lazarus, like Placebo or David Bowie who interestingly wrote a piece of music titled Lazarus while he was ill.

The name and story of Lazarus has not only influenced the art, but also at some point, has been a reference to some kind of activity or an act.

Lazarus is often used in politics as a reference to someone or something that has a power to change circumstances that are unlikely.

From the scientific side, there are some terms that use Lazarus. First, Lazarus Syndrome. It is the situation in which a person spontaneously returns to life once her or his heart stops beating. Also, there is also Lazarus Taxon, a phenomenon of which an organism reappears in the fossil after being diagnosed extinct.

The name of Lazarus also appears in some notable movies and tv series, like Interstellar, Supernatural and some of the video games.

Not only mentioned in the bible, the name Lazarus is also celebrated by Orthodox Church with the name of Saturday Lazarus. This commemoration has to be a day before the Holy Week and a day before Palm Sunday. This day is a celebration of the rise of Lazarus from Betania, and often comes with a feast wherever it is held.

As mentioned before, there are 60 islands that Singapore has. But there are only several that are habitable and worth visiting, Lazarus Island is one of them.

If you get bored with the landmarks and tourism destinations in Singapore, you can always try to visit the archipelago in southern Singapore. There are ‘the trio’, St John Island, The Sister’s Island and Kusu Island. In between them, there is a hidden island that is often overlooked, and that is Lazarus Island.

Only a 20-minutes away ferry ride from Marina South Pier, Lazarus Island offers many enchanting things that will make you wish you could spare some more time on this island. Whether choosing a cheap staycation Singapore near the ferry port or choosing hotels in Singapore that aren't near the ferry port, but prepared to make a to-do list. Either way, the first thing that needs to be done-other than preparing itinerary-is to get to know what Lazarus Island is and trace back its history.

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia have been interconnecting for ages, and unconsciously swapping each other's culture. Before it was named Lazarus, this island was once called Pulau Sakijang Pelepah, roughly translated as a barking deer, while in Malay, it is translated as fronds of a palm.

The name itself does not appear all of a sudden. As most of the names in many islands, there is some historical background that may be only locals know. The name of Pulau Sakijang Pelepah is based on the wildlife that once had this island, which is a deer. Some say that it was a barking deer.

The name changing happens because of the colonial governors, complaining that the name is too hard to spell. That was the day Lazarus Island was born.

There was a myth or tale about Lazarus Island being a home to Orang Laut, a nomadic group of gypsies that was divided into Suku that was once popular in the 1800s. The presence of Orang Laut at that time indirectly makes it a home or domain for the pirates that revolve around this island. It didn’t stop there, the gruesome era of the Orang Laut also impacted Singapore River, which was once ‘decorated’ with human skulls. You’ll be glad to know that this era has long gone.

Much like St John Island, colonialism also happened in Lazarus Island. At the end of the 19th century, there were no deer or fronds, but Lazarus Island’s habitat was full of prisoners in their prisoner sheds.

The ‘hell’ for the prisoners was ended in 1902, where a huge fire destroyed the shed, and another huge fire 12 years later, or in 1914 eventually destroyed all of the vegetation, which forced all of the prisoners and guards to flee.

The dark story does not stop there, the archipelago in southern Singapore regularly has been a burial ground. As it happened to Kusu Island, Lazarus Island was also used as a burial ground for the infectious, although most probably not as much as Kusu Island.

Lazarus Island also shares its part to the military. In the sixties, Lazarus Island was used as a place to depart and land planes from Singapore. At that time, the Lazarus Island was highly praised, even there was a term that Lazarus Island is the only heartbeat that kept Singapore aviation alive.

Since that event, Lazarus Island has gained more and more population and even ‘beat’ Singapore in soccer and swimming competitions. Yes, you read that right, Lazarus Island was once a promising island and even has its own population.

The phenomenon has been recorded in the history book as The Children of The Sea, the terms that refer to the children that have been through and swam in the rough water in Lazarus Island, not a week, two weeks but two months. The golden era of Lazarus Island ended when in the mid 90s, the inhabitants had to be relocated and rehoused in the mainland.

The area of Lazarus Island is not limited. There are bridges that create your way to St John’s Island and Seringat Island. The beauty of this island would make a tourist forget that these areas were once heated by the intensive development and land reclamation.

Along with Seringat Island, Lazarus Island was a target of development in 2000, the grand plan was to connect these two islands using many amounts of sand. This part had worked, but the plan to make this island into an expensive housing with many tourism destinations hadn’t.

The latter proved to be a blessing in disguise. Lazarus Island is the best place to do leisure walks for Singaporean or tourists, offers a natural beauty that fits with bird watching, and can be the best place for forest-bathing.

One thing to take note of, and this is somewhat important for your convenience, is the fact that Lazarus Island doesn't have toilets and rubbish bins. That is why you need to be a responsible guest that brings a trash bag and takes care of your trash, and if you really need to go to the toilet, make sure you heated up the jetty machine or have an extra gear of energy, since the nearest toilets would be on Seringat Island.

With many histories and tales, from the pirates, the inlanders and the developments, it is safe to say that Lazarus Island still needs room for improvement, just like any island that Singapore has. With the limitation of space in mainland Singapore, the government needs to think about the potential of the island that’s around them. Sure, they have been successful in developing these islands located in southern Singapore, but they need to dig deeper and find a way to transform inhabitable islands to be more tourist-friendly, even if the case is to create another housing, hotel, or even cheap staycation that accommodates diverse tourist needs.

The integration of these islands and the government intervention makes Lazarus Island an extraordinary island. The mixture of a good facility and nature-friendly environment makes it an affordable riddance for Singaporean who want to have a short vacation without disrupting their routine.

Choose your pathway from St John’s Island, you will step into Lazarus Island like it's a gate of Narnia, with the presence of small forests that are dominated with Rhu trees.

The domination of the trees can mean two things; first, a new Instagram photo for your feed, or second, a game. Yes, you read that right. The tall trees and bushes are options for you to utilize it. You can play hide and seek, or if you want to have a little trivial quiz, you can play with your partner or family a guessing game about the broken twig in the tree. This is the best introduction for kids to learn about nature on its own site.

Learning about the trees in the ground is as important as learning about the trees above. Finding the Rhu twigs can be followed by instigating a small pond of mangrove across the forest. If you are lucky, you will find a lot of fiddler crabs in different sizes crawling about. You can tell the difference about the crabs to your kids, based on the color of the crabs. If the color of its skin is more bright, then huge chances are that it is a male crab that wants to attract the females.

One thing to note is because it is a natural habitat, there are a lot of surprises from the animals around. Please be mindful about your valuable and personal belongings because there is a big chance that you will confront a group of wild monkeys that are out looking for food.

The wilderness doesn’t stop there, you may find birds hovering around above you when you and your family stroll through Lazarus Island. And be mindful about the hat that you are wearing since the weather is predominantly windy.

Occasionally look below your feet while you stroll with your family, there will be sea poison trees, although it sounds a little bit malicious, it isn't. The sea poison trees give much benefit to tourists or the locals. For tourists, the trees create visually enchanting pom-pom flowers that can be ornament for your next Instagram post. For locals, it gives more depth, since the pulp of the fruit is used regularly for fishermen to go fishing.

If you are Indonesian, listing the best beaches would be an easy task for you, just like Singaporean choosing 10 best staycation Singapore.

Your journey exploring meters by meters of Lazarus Island needed to be granted something beautiful. Something nature has provided for you, that something would have been the Lazarus beach.

Just like in a movie, after you meet with the wilderness and taste the humid yet refreshing air in the forest, you need something clear, something blue like the Lazarus Island beach. If you are lucky, which means that you visit Lazarus Island in the low season, you will get the beach to yourself.

After you repel mosquitoes with insect repellent, make sure to bring an important element on the island: a sunblock. Take an extra sunblock and mix with the repellent that is already on your skin to make sure that you won’t bring either shades of sun or the bite of insects.

If sunbathing on the beach isn’t enough, maybe it is time to try a more serious water-based activity. You can try both scuba diving and snorkeling, in between watching private yachts stopping by and fishermen’s enthusiastic vibe in getting a good quality of fish.

There is so much biodiversity under the water. Just like the rhu trees that can be a lesson for your kid, the sea of Lazarus Island that is crystal clear can make your kid learn many things. Just don’t forget to bring a snorkeling or glass mask that can be used intermittently during your stay on the beach.

Keep in mind that there is no toilet or changing room nearby. So you need to think creatively of how and where to change your wet clothes, let alone where to take a bath.

So, are you ready to visit Lazarus Island? Schedule your trip and don’t forget to check for the public holiday in Singapore.

All of the things above about Lazarus Island should be enough to convince you to visit this island in the near future. Visually pleasing, far away from crowds, accessible and saving time, these are all more than enough for you to pack your bags and choose a cheap staycation Singapore, before going to Marina South Pier and booking a ferry ticket.

Don’t go empty handed to Lazarus Island, make sure to bring stocks of water, easy to bite foods, mat, sunhat, ball and other stuff that can be proven beneficial for your stay on Lazarus Island.

Of course you don’t want to miss the ferry, so before you visit Singapore, in between your times, don’t forget to consider little things like these, to make your journey complete from the start to the end.

However, the fact that it is an uninhabited island doesn’t make it less interesting. On the contrary, you need to prepare some items if you want to go to Lazarus Island, or just an Island in general.

If there is a questionnaire of which is the most popular tourism destination, there are probably two places: mountain and island. For the latter however, there are many exotic and must-visit islands, but for beginner travellers, they often forget to bring things that are obligatory to bring to an island.

The difference between traveling to urban destinations and mountains is that the items that you bring are extremely different. So what are these items and why do they serve a purpose on an island vacation?

Most of the island, like Lazarus Island Singapore, has forests that can be a very nice area to explore. But the percentage most definitely won't be as big as exposed beaches. If your main goal to visit an island is to get a nice amount of tan, it is good for you. But, if you choose to enjoy the sea without getting a sunburn, then a sunblock is the first item that you must bring.

There are two types of sunscreen, the first one that most people bring is the regular sunscreen, that only protects your skin. But, if you happen to be the agent of change, then you have to choose the other type, which is reef sunscreen.

The latter does not only protect your skin, but it’s also eco-friendly. It doesn’t have chemicals that destroy the coral ecosystem. So, if anytime you want to jump into the water, you don’t leave a thought behind.

You can control your destinations, your tickets and your budget. But the weather is so uncertain that you can’t control it. The sudden change from enjoying the sun to extreme rain can happen anytime, even in tropical islands like Lazarus Island Singapore.

That’s why bringing an umbrella won’t get you a stink eye. No matter what island you go to or how many hotels that they have, it is important to bring an umbrella. A windproof one can be handy and a game changer, since you can hide and duck well under this kind of umbrella.

At first, you would undermine the presence of a water bottle. If you go to a crowded and popular island, you wouldn’t need a water bottle because buying mineral water is easy. But imagine if you go to an uninhabited island like Lazarus Island, bringing a water bottle is your only option. Make sure to bring the one that has filter features, to make sure that your body gets all the minerals that’s needed.

As you read this, you would probably occasionally look through your smartphone, checking social media. Imagine if you're sunbathing on the island, and there is a moment that is worth posting, but your phone battery is running low, isn’t that upsetting?

So it is important to bring a portable charger or what most people know as a power bank. Make sure to bring the smallest one so it won’t bother you when you are walking and won’t be taking up too much space in your bag for your other belongings.

Most of you probably know this item as a travel towel. It is thinner and not too bulky, so it will fit whether you bring a suitcase or a backpack. It is perfect for any kind of trip generally since it does not take too much space, and dry quickly. It is suitable for your bath in the hotel, or at the beach to use it to shower.

You can’t endure the bite of wild mosquitos, especially if you decided to relax on the beach in the afternoon to midnight. The chance that you will get any sickness as a souvenir is also high. Use insect repellent occasionally to reduce the chance of collecting bite of mosquitoes and god knows what.

This isn’t necessarily a must bring item, but if you have one, there is no harm to bring an underwater camera. You can always take pictures with your smartphones, but how about under the water? If you happen to have an underwater camera or maybe some of your friends do, don’t forget to bring this item to your island trip!

Just like the sunblock, you want to have all the focus and mood in the right place. Enjoying water, solitude sunbathing, without having to worry if the water is making your belongings wet. The magic that a waterproof bag can give will diminish your worries. Even if you use the bag when you are hiking, or using an island facility like boat riding, you wouldn’t have to worry about your belongings getting wet because it's safely stored inside the waterproof bag.

To ensure that you don’t get the tan more than you plan to, getting a swimsuit cover-up can become handy. It not only protects your body from the sun, but also helps you if you want to eat something on the picnic mat, so the remnants of the water won’t ruin your meal.

Define what you are going to do on an island. Is your purpose only sunbathing while swimming, or do you also want to arrange a picnic with your partner or family? Both of the agenda will fit to the island vibes, but how do you bring that many items without bothering your movement? Beach bag can be your answer.

There are many options of what type of beach bag that you can bring. If you love your drink to be cold all the time, there is a beach bag that includes an insulator cooler on the bottom. Or, you can always bring a regular beach bag that will fit a lot of items and food that you would probably bring.

The condition in which you don’t have any access to the public toilet on the island, like what probably you would experience in Lazarus Island, is quite upsetting. You can go swimming, snorkeling or boating carefree and not damaging your hair by bringing a hair conditioner.

Make sure to bring a conditioner that is easy to use, yet effective to keep your hair healthy.

Although you have a waterproof bag that protects your belongings, most of the activities that you would be doing on an island revolve around water.

Swimming, snorkeling, and use of the boat facility can be documented with underwater cameras or waterproof phone cases. As a protection, you’ll definitely want to use a strap that floats and has a bright color. So, in case the worst thing happens, your phone or camera won’t be drowning in the deep, as you can see these two items floating on the sea, and have the chance to cherish and save the moments that you have collected on the island.

It will be awkward if you stay on the beach, sunbathing in one of a kind view, decide to put your photo up on social media, yet there is one flaw: your beach dress is wrinkled.

That is why it is important not only to organize your travelling schedule, but also organize your belongings. Make sure you put your outfit or your bikini in a squared-shaped container so your beach dress is tucked neatly. The container's other purpose is to separate the clean and dirty clothes.

You can’t really predict the regulation of a country. Some countries have loose regulations, while others can have strict one. And it’s not only about day-to-day regulations, like facilities, the forbidden are and whatnot, but also on the digital world.

The internet can be an interesting yet scary place. All of the internet users must consider building a digital fence by using a VPN, a short for Virtual Private Network.

Visiting another country and its island means that you will do a lot of transactions, digitally. A hotel, airports, cafe and even a minimarket can put a risk to your credit card information.

In most cases, tourists can be an easy target, so it is important to spare some money monthly for greater goods, which is protecting your personal information to prevent scamming or catfishing.

One of the things that bothers you when you spend your day on the beach is the sand. It can make your movements uncomfortable, especially when you just want to just relax on the beach.

This is the part when sand-resistant beach blankets can become practical. It is lightweight and easy to dry. It also has weights around the edges, the design that will help you so you don’t lose it to the wind. Such a convenient and useful item to bring if you want to spend the rest of the day lying on the beach.

Just as VPN needs to protect your data digitally, you need to also protect yourself, physically. Wherever you go, make sure to create travel insurance that is available, especially if you want to try many sports like surfing, diving and even some of the water sports.

There is no sin in wanting to be more cautious or be on alert, so it is more than okay to get insured for your friends or family.

Just like insurance that protects your trip, visiting an island, and particularly the beach, there is always a risk you would get injured or get an allergy or worse, and some diseases that's more acute that will ruin your experience and imagination of a holiday on an island.

Most beautiful beaches probably have a location far away from your place to stay, so it won’t be a hustle if you bring some first aid medicine in a pouch and be more cautious of your body and your loved ones. Just so you have the best island experience that you will ever get.

These items above won’t be useful if you don’t visit an island, although you can visit Singapore, why not order a ticket to Lazarus Island, that most probably has the answers that you are looking for.

Only 6.5 kilometers from Singapore, or to put it in time, 20-minutes ferry ride, Lazarus Island is the perfect spot to contemplate about your life or simply enjoy the blue sea and its surroundings.

To make sure you bring home the maximum amount of memories, here are a few things that you can do on the island that was once known as Pulau Sekijang Pelepah.

If you happen to know an environmentalist or sea enthusiast, they would have said that Lazarus Island has one of the best reef ecosystems in Singapore. The beautiful and diverse reef ecosystem can give you two options.

During low tides you can enjoy and amaze your eyes with visuals that you wouldn't find in your city. There are some glaring sea fans and colorful reef fishes that tease you with the clear seas.

If you want to try to catch a fish on Lazarus Island, or want to have once in a lifetime experience, there are many services that provide a fishing experience, where you can learn both theory, and the equipment, while practicing it directly onto the clear sea of Lazarus Island Singapore.

Fishing in Lazarus Island may not be the first thing that pops up in your mind when you are searching about this island, but once you put a hook under the water and a fish bite into it, you would know the reason why you are joining this fishing class.

Every tourist has different preferences. There are some backpackers that want to visit a lot of places efficiently without spending too much money. On the other hand, some travellers want to have as much unforgettable leisure time as possible, thus making money as their second priority.

If you want more privacy than a lonely beach, you can try to get a tan on a yacht. You only will be surrounded with your loved ones, and you can get all the sun, by yourself, without the thoughts of sharing them with strangers,

Lazarus Island Singapore has one guardian. Most of the tourists that regularly visit this place have known, while others may be in shock. If you come from St John’s Island, and you walk through bridges that connect to Lazarus Island, you will be greeted with a bunch of stray cats that begs for a little attentiveness.

Observing and browsing about Lazarus island, you would find Lazarus Island has a bunch of stray cats. So not only should you be prepared to be greeted by them, but also be considerate to bring some cat food just to make sure that you start your journey in a good mood.

Bring back the nostalgia of your childhood to Lazarus Island. With many high skyscrapers and buildings in every corner of the city, it is almost impossible to have an outdoor activity, especially if it involves something flying.

Flying a kite is not only about the wind, but also about the friendly weather, hot and humid weather in the city of Singapore can also be an important factor. This isn’t counting the fact that the city of Singapore is busy, with a lot of dedicated employees and playful kids.

This is the part where Lazarus Island can contribute to your ride of nostalgia. Buy a kite in the nearest traditional store or market in Singapore, and bring them to Lazarus Island.

The probability of it flying high is almost 100% with the help of sea breeze. The chance that you will run into other people or ruin anyone's day is so small since Lazarus Island is so quiet. So fly your kite in endless space with no disturbance at all.

After getting tired of running around flying kites, it is okay to relax a little with your partner. Prepare your picnic blanket and open all of your favorite foods, eat casually while having a quality time conversation with your partner. You won’t find difficulties finding a picnic spot since Lazarus Island is packed with numerous coconut trees that stand tall, lining the beach.

With this many options, it would just take a second for you to find a secluded, exclusive and shaded spot for your picnic place.

The uncertainty of the weather is also not something to be bothered about, since there will be many shelters around. So if the worst scenario rain comes down all of the sudden, you can always hide under the roof of the shelter.

Walking has been an affordable therapeutic activity most of the time. Whether walking in the park or in the suburbs, walking can ease your mind and make you not rush things. Of all the famous islands that are available in Singapore, Lazarus Island is one of the islands that is clean, especially their beach sand.

The cleanliness of the sand makes strolling the best activity in Lazarus Island. The empty beach and the blue sea is more than enough to clear your mind and have the best day travelling experience of your life.

Put on your comfiest shoes, shades and straw hats, the three elements to complete your journey of strolling. There is no guarantee that you can stroll without disturbance, but if it happens, it will be just a slight noise that won’t even catch your attention.

Lazarus Island may be less popular compared to the big three islands: St John’s Island, Sisters Island and Kusu Island. But its beauty, the choice of activity, and its ‘guardian’ is more than enough for you to put this island as your next travelling destination.

Also, consider this, maybe you can continue looking for more hotels or other attractions that has a SingapoRediscovers Vouchers promo after you visit the Lazarus Island.

It can be more affordable yet unforgettable moments if you choose Lazarus Island as your next destination, rather than visiting a city-based tourism destination with a crowd that can easily ruin your travelling mood.