The following information was contributed by Matt Donath, an expatriate very familiar with Singapore:

Kusu and St. John's islands are two of the 60 isles that belong to Singapore. Just 40 minutes by boat southeast of the main island, both are good for pleasant day trips, offering refuge from the noise of the city. It is possible to visit both islands in one day using the ferry on Sunday. The ferry travels around Sentosa Island, and 40 minutes later stops at Kusu, then takes 15 minutes to reach St. John's before returning to the World Trade Centre.

Ferry Information:

A daily ferry service leaves the Sentosa Ferry Terminal for Kusu Island and St. John's Island.

Mon-Sat: departure 10am and 1.30pm
Sun and public holidays: 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm.
Return ticket S$9 (adults), S$6 (child 3 to 12 years).

Admission fee to Sentosa admission will be refunded when you purchase your ferry ticket. The ferry ride will take about 30min to Kusu, 45mins to St. John's Island. More details on the Sentosa website

If there is a large enough group, you could hire a bumboat at the World Trade Centre or Clifford Pier for the day. That way, you control your itinerary and decide where to stop to swim.

Kusu means "turtle" and there are several legends surrounding Kusu Island and turtles rescuing shipwrecked (and sick) sailors and/or turning into an island for them to land on. There's a great old temple here (Tua Pekong Temple) that acts as a turtle sanctuary. They also have several gigantic snakes and a fine collection of bonsai trees. Taoists make an annual pilgrimage to the Tua Pekong Temple during the ninth lunar month, cramming themselves onto tiny Kusu. (Don't even think of visiting Kusu Island then; the first visitors are up at the ferry terminals before dawn. They aren't called devotees for nothing.)

Three Malay shrines for fertility, prosperity, and harmony and good marriage perch precariously atop Kusu's only hill. They contain small chambers where women sit burning incense, praying and making flower wreaths as offerings.

Kusu has a very nice swimming lagoon and plenty of space for picnickers. Large trees and fragrant flowers abound but it's not wilderness: nature has been tamed here. Still, it's great to see families playing together, away from the hectic urban atmosphere.

St. John's is much larger, but still easily manageable on foot. Folklore has it that pirates once used it as a hideout. Through the years it has housed cholera patients, political dissidents, and heroin addicts. The ruined remains of the housing for these unfortunate folks litter the central portion of the island. Holiday bungalows occupy about half the island. These are fairly comfortable, include cooking facilities, and are inexpensive at S$125 a week. Book by calling the National Parks Board (1800-4685736). (Er, avoid mentioning this to anyone in a uniform on the island.) St. John's has three good swimming lagoons. It even has a tiny hilltop restaurant, adorned with French looking seahorses and walruses and playing spacey New Age background music.

Swimming and picnicking are the most popular activities on both islands and it's easy to see why. Of all the beaches in Singapore, the swimming lagoons at Kusu and St. John's are by far the cleanest. Both islands have plenty of benches and shelters, as well as washroom and changing facilities. They have been designated as Open Space Zoning by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and are maintained by the efficient Parks and Recreation Department, ensuring a clean, well-manicured appearance.

Pulau Ubin is a small island northeast of Singapore. Despite being within canoeing distance from Singapore it remains undeveloped and retains its rural charm. The choice of food and drinks is limited so you may want to take a picnic basket with you.

Pulau Ubin's claim to fame is a purple jungle fowl, from which domesticated chickens are descended. On Ubin, large, colourful, mean looking roosters abound. Indeed, the many chickens and roosters there have an atavistic look to them, so perhaps the purple jungle fowl comes out of the jungle now and then to spread his seed.

Take the MRT to Tanah Merah (E9), SBS bus #2 to Changi Point and bumboats at the jetty to the island. The bumboats leave whenever there are enough people for a trip, which is fairly regularly on weekends.

The best and most popular way to see the island is on a bicycle. Near the jetty are three or four shops renting bikes. Check the bikes out carefully as their quality and functions (including the brakes) vary. Costs range from S$3 to S$7 for an hour.

A restaurant and one or two shops to buy food are nearby. Aside from a few roadside stands selling drinks, these are basically the only places to get provisions on the island so if you didn't stock up in Singapore stock up here.

Riding around you will see prawn farms, some quarries, a Chinese cemetery carved out of the jungle, and a Thai temple with a food stand nearby. Campers set up in the northeast.The beaches here offer nice views but unfortunately they are too dirty for swimming. In the southeast, a small village quietly holds on to its rustic residential atmosphere. Kelong huts and toilets stand on stilts over the sea.

Climb the hill in the centre of the island for a great view. Standing atop the hill, the sprawl of Singapore seems to be closing in. So get out to Pulau Ubin and enjoy your bike ride--while you still can.

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