Do you want to have a new experience to spend your holiday? Or maybe for spending the weekends? Maybe, St John Island is a good choice for you.

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When we’re talking about Singapore, the first thing that we imagined was the neat public facility and technological developments.

Though it is also known as a country with a high cost of living, Singapore still develops many things while also contributing to the world in many aspects. St John Island isn't a common topic to talk about.

Tourism is also one of the things that has been developed by Singapore. With the increasing number of visitors every year, there is also a big chance to provide tourism aspects: cheap hotels in Singapore, pocket-friendly foods, hotel promotion in Singapore and cheap ticket prices for tourism attraction.

Though the country is mostly decorated with high buildings, there is a different side of the country, the tropical side that is often overlooked which is the island that surrounds Singapore.

Tourists often find themselves creating a must go-to list with destinations that are famous in a city centre, or strolling around in well-known districts. Like some of the well known attractions in Singapore where you can use your SingapoRediscovers Vouchers.

Although it’s not wrong, with the extra effort and money, you can visit a place that is barely visited. In Singapore's case, it might be Saint John’s Island.

Also known as Saint John’s or Pulau Sekijang Bendera for Indigenous Malay, this 0.4 square kilometers island is only a few of islands that Singapore has. With only 6.5 square kilometers from southernmost of Singapore, St John Island can be visited with a boat through Marina South Pier.

Before being developed and known as one tourist site, Saint John’s Island had a dark history. A history that some of the tourists and locals might not know.

In the late 19^th century, there was a cholera case among immigrants. In order to press the numbers of the infected, Saint John’s Island was selected to be the quarantine station for cholera. If you look at Saint John’s Island now, you won’t find any trace of the disease, yet the beauty of it.

Cholera wasn’t the only disease that was taken care of by St John Island. In the next century, precisely 1901, St John Island Singapore also became a ‘home’ for beriberi disease, a disease best known because of the lack of vitamin B1.

Two diseases were more than enough to put this island into the spotlight 30 years later. Many of the immigrants that were coming from Mecca got a screening here. The history didn't stop there. Twenty five years later, St John Island Singapore was also used for a rehabilitation centre.

The turning point for St John island started in 1975. The government saw the potential of St John Island Singapore other than a place for rehabilitation.

So, with 0.4 square kilometers of island worth to develop, St John’s Island was developed with many facilities to attract the locals and tourists. From picnic grounds, beaches, lagoons, football fields to trekking routes, St John’ Island transfigures to St John Island that we now know.

Moreover, they also take care of the environments and create a natural habitat for flora and fauna. All of these facts are the reason why so many locals spend their weekend on St John Island, and tourists put this island on their itinerary lists.

Aside from the beauty of it, many people visit St John Island Singapore mostly because it also has a haunted local story, based on the tale of Stamford Raffles’s anchorage and its meeting with the Malay chief in 1819.

The use of St John Island is not only limited to the tourism aspect, it also functions as a part of science related industry or institutes such as Agri Food and Veterinary Authority to The Tropical Marine Science Institute.

Also known as MAC (Marine Agriculture Centre), this site functions as a facility to develop and expand fish farming production. Including the fishes and other sea biota.

With so many demands on the market for St John Island Singapore facility, it is important to schedule your trip way before you go there. One of the facilities that you can try is a holiday Bungalow, which can accommodate up to 10 persons.

St John Island isn’t a solo island, it is one of the three islands that is worth visiting for travelers in Singapore. Two other islands are Kusu Island and Sister Island, which are often overlooked by travelers since they don’t have ‘haunted’ history like the former.

Even though Kusu Island and Sister Island don't have a gripping history, they still give a lot of stories to the visitors.

Before we step onto The St John Island Singapore, here are a few amusing activities that you can do in Kusu and Sister Island:

St John Island might be the most visited island over the two mentioned before, but the most unique is Kusu Island. The unique value started from its name, derived from Chinese meaning “Tortoise Island”.

The name Kusu is taken from the epic story between two fishermen, Chinese and Malay that once were drowned due to the shipwreck. Legend has it that they were saved by a giant tortoise. From that moment on, they devoted themselves to go back to the island in order to make offerings and token of gratitude.

However, there were many tales from different sources that say a lot about Kusu Island. Even though most of them circle around the three main characters: The Malay and Chinese fishermen, and the giant tortoise.

It came to no surprise that once you step foot on Kusu Island, you will find many ornaments regarding tortoises, even religious sites such as two sacred temples. The Malay sites and Chinese temples.

As mentioned before, Kusu Island is one of the three islands that is located south of Singapore. That is why to reach these islands (St John Island, Kusu Island and Sister Island) the most favored way is to take a ferry from Marina South Pier.

There are only two companies that accommodate ferry services; Island Cruise and Marina South Ferries. The former will cost u SG$ 15 dollars, with a note that you can also visit St John Island Singapore and Sisters Island on weekends.

Before you decide which one of the two companies that will accommodate your trip, it is mandatory to search for references to boost your knowledge of which two have the best services.

So, what is the main attraction of Kusu Island that will be a good starting point before you go to St John Island?

The tale of Chinese and Malay fishermen with their Great Tortoise took much effect up until today. The beliefs of the locals encapsulate in their tourism destination called Wishing Well.

Standing on the edge of the temple, there is a lotus-shaped ornament that stood up in the middle with the bells hanging above it. Spare some of your small change, think about what kind of wish that you want, and throw the coin to the middle.

Separating an island with an activity such as swimming would be impossible. Swimming pool sounds nice, but Kusu Island offers something else. Something natural like lagoons. Bring your swimming suit before taking your ferry and pick which of the lagoons that you want to try.

The larger one is near the Tortoise sanctuary, with a view of the great Singapore. While the smaller one, is near the Kusu Kramats and facing Lazarus Island.

Activities such as picnics can be on the next list on your itinerary. St John Island can offer this kind of activity too, but Kusu Island can be your place to start. If you spend one or two days on this island, you will slowly notice there are some benches along with the table.

If the weather is nice, you can set up a picnic set for your friends or partner. One of the things that you would like to take note of is your sweet beverages. Although the facility is nice, there are a lot of black ants.

You have to be careful with the monkey too, because there are reviews that tourists have encountered with monkeys on many occasions.

Consider scheduling your trip in the ninth month of the Lunar Year if you go to Kusu Island. It will be crowded because in the ninth month, a lot of locals and Singaporean will visit Kusu Island as a part of their ritual to be grateful to the gods.

Since the load of the visitor will be increasing, ferry services will adjust in terms of the schedule and the amount, since it will be a busy day.

If Kusu is derived from Chinese, then one of its main attractions has a Malay influence. Kusu Kramats--which means shrine--has been regularly visited by Malaysian descent, especially couples that have a wish to have a child.

It is quite challenging for a person to get there, since its location at the top of the hill has more than 100 steps to get there. To get there, you also need locals' guidance since it is quite hidden, especially for first-time visitors.

Another religious trip that isn’t as adventurous as Kusu Kramats is also available in Kusu Island. This neighbor of St John Island has a lot of landmarks that are essential historically for many Chinese descent. Smaller temples are available but the main attraction is the biggest temple in Kusu Island, named Da Bo Gong Temple.

You won’t miss this temple once you step on Kusu Island. Not only is it located 200 metres from the shore, but also because it has a grand design that is noticeable from faraway.

It would be weird if the island that has a translation as tortoise doesn’t have a tortoise ecosystem. Not only Kusu Island mesmerizes its visitors by providing many religious places, but they are also concerned about the tortoise ecosystem, embodied by the ‘natural’ tortoise sanctuary where small and big tortoises roam around.

Spare your time and you will find that watching these tortoises is a cheap yet efficient stress-reliever.

The varied destinations of Kusu Island can be your ‘warming up’ island, before what will be coming next in St John Island. As mentioned earlier, St John Island Singapore has a dark history that is commonly known for locals and tourists, but the story doesn’t stop there.

Who would have guessed with its beauty and charming looks, St John Island once a part of mass execution in Singapore.

During World War II, there was a lot of conflict between countries, and it is rumoured that St John Island became a place where war prisoners ‘used’ as pieces of a giant chessboard, and when one party was defeated, all of the prisoners that participated would be beheaded right on the spot.

That is why once you visited St John Island Singapore, you would find a giant chessboard.

The locals also have said that they received a report that tells many of the tourists heard screaming in the middle of the night, whilst others also heard military-like marching boots.

Since the ferry revolves around St John Island, Kusu Island and Sisters’ Island, visiting only one out of three is not recommended. Moreover, the three islands have a distinct attraction that differs from one of another.

The main thing that makes Sisters’ island alluring is the fact of its pristine water, whilst also providing a sight of biodiversity.

The advancement of transportation makes Sisters Island more approachable nowadays. Before the ferry is chosen to be the main transportation, you have to rent a boat that approximately will charge you around SG$ 200. Now, you only paid 1/10 of it, or SG$ 20.

If you really want to visit all of the three islands, make sure you not only make a ‘fat’ budget allowance, but also prepare extra energy. Although it is only using one ferry, visiting three islands in a row can be pretty exhausting, so ensure your fitness and be ready for an uphill yet enjoyable trip to St John Island, Kusu Island and The Sisters’ Island.

For compact reasons and saving energy, it is important to make well-planned itineraries to ensure that you can travel efficiently, yet still have the best moments of your life. You can start by scheduling your journey according to the Public Holiday in Singapore.

Of all the three Island--St John Island, Kusu Island and Sisters’ Island--the latest happened to have the smallest amount of visitors. Although some may see it as a downside, if you really want to have a ‘private’ island, you can try this once in a while.

There are several things that you can do in Sisters Island, while the other is provided by the management, other things that you do will be determined by how creative your creativity is.

There are several benches that are available in Sisters Island, close to the shore. If it’s noon and the sun is rising, and you just want to relax and hide from its light, these benches can be your savior. Before opening your lunch, ensure that you beware of the wild animals.

The similar environment of Kusu Island and Sisters Island create the same ecosystem surrounding these three islands, including St John Singapore. One of the examples is the presence of monkeys on this island. These wild monkeys should not be fed, to prevent the same pattern that will ruin other travellers' experience.

Yes, you read it right. Strolling around on this neighbor of St John Island will ease your mind. As mentioned before, of all the three islands, Sisters Island is the most ‘unpopular one’. So the breezy air, the shady tree, the greenery view can be the best place to start thinking about what you want in life, or simply what country that you would visit next time.

It often happened in sea-based tourist destinations. As you may learn in geography class, the sea always has high tide and low tide. Each sea has a different characteristic and timing of which time and how long these two tides happened.

So this activity is very dependent on your luck. When the low tide happens, the marine biodiversity will mesmerize you. One of the things that you can do to make this happen is to find the forecast tide schedule on the internet.

But don’t get your hopes up, since the forecast tide schedule mostly covers a big geographic area, not specifically made for one area, such as The Sisters Island.

Its pristine water makes The Sisters Island the prima donna when we talk about snorkeling. The pristine water makes its underwater creatures very diverse, including the colorful fishes and different shapes of corals.

The fact that it has colorful fishes and pretty corals doesn’t make the management feel the need to create a snorkeling rental gear. That is why if you really want to say hi to those fishes, make sure to give some space to your suitcases for snorkeling gears.

Most of the time, if an island or a sea has a snorkeling attraction, the diving will follow. There are two dive sites available in The Sisters island.

First, The shallow trail that is 6m deep, while Deep Trail, as the name implies, is 15m deep. The former is a great chance to engage more deeply with The Sisters Island underwater ecosystem.

It is unfair if we talk about the things to do on Sisters Island, and not to talk about the things that are forbidden or impossible to do on The Sisters Island:

It is not technically forbidden, but it is geographically impossible. The fact that The Sisters Island is flat and has a small area makes the hiking activity out of question, So low your expectations and ensure that you don’t bring any hiking equipment. So you can focus on anything else.

If hiking is out of the question because it is geographically impossible, this one won’t happen because it doesn’t meet the regulations. If you persist to have a camp night, you can visit the other two islands, whether it's Pulau Ubin or St John Island.

Don’t bother to bring a fish hook or any other fishing equipment because the main purpose of The Sisters Island is not only to amuse visitors, but more importantly, to protect its biodiversity. So, it is prohibited to fish in The Sisters Island.

Before we discuss the ‘main’ island, which is St John Island Singapore, there are some tips on how to travel to the island efficiently.

Generally, when you are planning a trip you can always minimize the risk by creating an itinerary and detailed plan. But, there are factors that you can’t predict, the biggest one is the weather. For example, if you want to visit St John Island, you need to know when is the best time to visit.

The more exposed land makes weather prediction the primary key to create an enjoyable journey. So make certain that you know which month and what seasons that will be happening in your island destinations.

This is a small detail that is often forgotten. Logically, the beach is a part of an island. So, the presence of a beach bag can ease your mobility on the beach and make everything less complicated.

To understand meal availability it is not necessarily about which restaurant or meal provider that you can hire. But also to understand what kind of foods that you or your group is allergic to? Are any of them vegan?

This is important to note so your plan does not change and everything that will happen won’t ruin your enjoyment.

Most Islands might come with advanced facilities that come in handy. But for the exotic islands, most of them have a remote location, thus making it hard to find an ATM. St John Island for example.

As a foreigner or tourist, it is important to bring extra cash so you can easily do a transaction with the locals or hotel management.

If you decide to visit an island or a place, make sure to give 100% to each destination. Most of the island comes with many sites to visit, take and spare your time to explore the beaches and feel the natural vibe of tropical forest. It would be better to take a tour and embrace new connections.

Not all of your travelling clothes will be suitable with the tropical and hard-hitting sunlight. So, only a few of your clothes can be suitable for beaches. A big no for formal attires and party costumes.

Travel right and travel smart, that is the main keyword here.

Wherever you go, whether it is an island from a small country or friendly country, it is important to not leave valuables belongings when you’re heading to the beach. It is not limited only to wallet and smartphones, but also passport and other principal documents in a small bag.

Always be careful with the island that you visit. Collect the data and create a guidance of which of the areas that are prohibited and which are not. Once you determine this, you will have more relieves and won’t have any doubt on which way you want to go.

There is always a limitation of what kind of transportation that is available on the island, in St John Island case, the main transportation is the ferry.

Hard access to the island makes knowing what time of the transportation leaves and arrives is important. Of course you don’t want to end the day stuck on an island that you barely know.

The archipelago of an island can be quite tricky for first-time travellers since it is hard to decide which island that you should go to. Some of the island may have expensive accommodations, whilst the other may be suitable for families and friends.

You can’t abruptly decide on the spot, rather than observing it thoroughly. For example, make a pro-cons list of St John Island, Kusu Island and The Sisters Island and decide which island is suitable, budget-wise and time-wise.

No, this isn’t about your location to hide, but to prevent any accident that happens during your trip. This one can be quite challenging though. If you don’t have a small bag to carry your valuables and leaving it at the hotel is the only option, make sure to hide it well and be more creative.

Choose a waterproof container if you prefer to hide it on the water, or in places that are hard to look at. There is no harm to to prevent something bad from happening, and valuables are the only thing that is worth the risk.

Normally, every island has its own tourism destinations, like St John Island. Most of them are free and others may need some fee. You can’t be too relaxed and don’t bring your important documents and leave it in the hotel, because if you travel in a group, you will hinder others travellers' experience, thus making their trip isn’t enjoyable.

These twelve tips are applicable to any kind of island that you will be visiting. Whether it's for famous islands such as St John Island, or unnamed islands in a remote location. Just make sure that you follow these tips thoroughly, and it will be a safe trip for you or your groups.

Without further ado, let's move on to the things that you can do in St John Island Singapore.

In the beginning of this article, you have found out that of all the archipelagos in southern Singapore, St John Island is the most popular and the biggest one. Not only is it a wish list for many tourists abroad, but Singaporean also make this island a quick escape from their dull day-to-day routines.

St John Island is the biggest among the neighbors, and so far is the most popular one. However, it is not only designed for tourism attraction, but also for scientists that are willing to do research in biodiversity from its surroundings. To put it in perspective, of 100% St John Island, the public only have access to 35% of it, the rest reserved for the research facilities and holiday lodge.

Nevertheless, you still can have fun in this limited space, because St John Island is integrated with Lazarus Island and Seringat Island. So, limitation of space exploration is out of the question.

In fact, if you have extra energy, want to spare some money and are willing to do some exploration without staying over, you can explore these three islands in one day, from 9 am to approximately 6pm.

If you really want to push yourself, you can even do land-hopping from St John Island, next to Kusu Island and ending your journey on Sisters Island. But it is hardly not recommended because it is possible but you won't have enough time to explore all of the sites on these three islands, thus making your travelling journey incomplete.

Or, you can continue your journey and spend it on a staycation in Singapore. You can check for Staycation Singapore for some inspiration.

It is very easy to find transportation for St John Island because there is only one option, which is taking a ferry from Marina South Pier. The popularity of St John Island makes two companies, Marina South Ferries and Island Cruise provide the ferry services.

Tickets are priced at SG$ 15 dollars and the ferry does not only stop at St John Island, but also on Kusu Island and The Sisters Island.

Getting to know St John Island won’t be enough by knowing what kind of transportation that will help you get to the island, but also its main attraction, that is its tourism destination.

The presence of the internet nowadays has been proven useful in many aspects. For example, the article that you read right now can describe St John Island Singapore and its surroundings without taking much effort in ordering the ticket or actually going there.

Of course there is nothing to compare to genuine experience. If you’re a type of person that loves to learn directly, then walking around in Nparks can be the first thing that you do In Nparks.

To fully experience this tour, you need to be ready quickly since the slots are extremely limited and it's only open once a month. So be prepared, before you order a ticket to Singapore and ferry ticket, ensure to book this.

The scientists of St John Island not only focus on preserving biodiversity, but also educate the visitors with a gallery named St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory.

This gallery gives a heads up or an overview of what is Marine Park, the functions of its facilities by a 3D miniature model. Including the dive trails, aquariums, even the timeline of the conservation effort.

It is close to the shore, only 15-20 minutes away so it will be a great place for you to start learning what the purpose of St John Island is, aside from tourism purposes. You don’t have to spend a single dollar since admission to this gallery is free.

St John Island has an exception regulation due to the tourism attraction. Unlike the other two islands, St John Island Singapore allows its guests to overstay and spend the night. The lodge comes with a bed and other common amenities.

With the maximum capacity up to 10 people, you need to spare SG$ 24.1 per night on weekdays, and double the digit for the weekend staycation. If you travel with groups and bring more than 10 people, St John Island also provides a campsite with the price SG$ 90 per night.

The facilities that you will get is a kitchen and if you want to enjoy a BBQ party with your friend, you can try it also. One thing that you need to understand is to lower your expectations since it isn’t a 5-star hotel.

You won’t have any difficulty finding a beach on the island. St John Island only has one beach and it doesn't have a name. So, after you’re done learning about St John Island Singapore in Marine laboratory, take a long walk in Npark, you can soothe yourself by swimming, sunbathing or just simply relaxing on the beach.

The view of the seas isn’t the only thing that you will see. You can also see Singapore’s Skyline by the beach with your loved one or alone. Whichever way you prefer.

In the front of the lagoon, you can see a low tide and high tide cycle, also known as intertidal zone. What does this mean? During the low tide, you can see the animals and plants that decorated the St John Island sea.

Most of them are seagrasses, hermit crabs and even sea stars. You should be careful too regarding the step that you take during low tide, so do cover your shoes to protect your feet.

Do guess and guide yourself how the timing works by using the NEA website. But do note that the site can be deceiving since it predicts all of the tide in Singapore.

If you’re staying for a long time, there will be a chance that you will get bored. Shake your routine by creating a new activity, such as a picnic in the open air. The benches that are available are the perfect place to eat your sandwich and drink your juices. If it sounds to lame, then you can always bring your own mat and lay your head on the lawn.

This is also the best time to think about your life: your goals, the next destinations and what things that you would do next. Feeling the breezy air, the blue sea and the best meal. What other things that you could ask from St John Island?

The distance of St John Island to Kusu and Sisters Island is much more far than Seringat and Lazarus island. So these two can also be an option to vary your routinity for your stay on St John Island.

Seringat Island is one of the islands that has been positively affected by the reclamation works that has been done by the government, which makes it connected with St John Island.

The geographical limitation means there is not a lot of activity that you can do on this island, except strolling around and seeing the beach that is different from the one on St John island.

The fate of Lazarus Island is much better than Seringat Island. Although it is arguably far from St John Island pier--17 minute walk--Lazarus island during the high peak season will be decorated with private boats and yachts.

But, occasionally there is a lack of crowd in the Lazarus island and most of the private boats and yacht owners only visit this island to find a moment of peace and serenity.

St John Island provides much more traveling experience for travellers, along with Kusu Island and Sisters Island. Not only is it approachable and affordable for the locals, but also can be another option of Singapore tourism that may only focus on culinary and culture.

St John Island and its archipelago are also suitable for tourists that want to exclude themselves from the city and its busyness. The options for a staycation in lagoons are also an influential factors that make St John island Singapore repeatedly visited by tourists and Singapore people.

Beside St John Island, you can always check for all hotels in Singapore, in case you want to continue your holiday to different areas (you can check for all hotels too).

With all of these mesmerizing facts, the useful tips on how to stay on an island and also the historic side should be enough for you to pack your bag and make a plan for your budget allowances and itinerary to visit St John Island Singapore.