Singapore’s other 62 islands: Kusu

Here’s a factoid for you: Singapore is actually made up of 63 separate islands. But most people, even locals, don’t venture much further beyond the main island andSentosa. Many of the outlying islands are explicitly off-limits to visitors because they’re used for heavy industry or military training, but my goal is to visit as many as possible. First up: Kusu Island.

Little Kusu Island is only 5.6 kilometres from Singapore and a short ferry ride from the Marina South Pier. The island’s name means “Tortoise Island” in Chinese and the reptilian theme persists with tortoise statues and a tortoise sanctuary with hundreds of the animals.

The island’s name originates from its creation story. Local folklore says a giant tortoise turned itself into the island to save two ship-wrecked sailors, one Malay and one Chinese. Both men returned to the island and built shrines to show their thanks to the magic tortoise, and to this day the island is an important place forreligious pilgrimage.

 Welcome to Kusu Island

Kusu Island temple

Little Kusu Island – that’s all of it!

A quiet place for a dip

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