| Situated approximately 6.5km south of Singapore, St. John's Island - a beautiful and serene island, is famous for having a penal settlement but today it is a perfect getaway spot to relax, a picnic on the sandy beach, swim by the lagoon and to get a glorious tan. Other facilities include picnic areas, trekking routes, holiday bungalow (from S$53.50 for 4 days) and cosy dormitories at the Holiday Camps (can take up to 60 persons, from S$64.20 per day) are managed by Sentosa. No food or drinks on sale on the island.
 For many of Singapore's immigrants, St.
John's Island (previously known as Pulau Sekijang
Bendara) was the first place of disembarkation. Here, they were registered and screened for disease. Immigrants who were found to be carriers of tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, typhoid, etc were
quarantined on the island.
When
the island ceased to be a screening centre, it became a colony for cholera patients. It has since also been used as a drug rehabilitation centre and a place of exile for political dissidents and ringleaders of secret societies.
Do you know that Sir Stamford Raffles, sailing on the Indiana actually anchored off this island on 28 February 1819 before taking a small ketch to get to the shores of Singapore the next day.
In recent
times, the western end of the island hosts a $30 million Marine Aquaculture Centre. With effect from 21 November 2006, ferries departs from Marina South Pier instead. Ferry services will no longer run
from Sentosa's ferry terminal.
 There
is no guided tours on St. John Island. You may want to visit Lazarus
Island, opposite of St. John Island. You can get
to the Island on foot via a link.
|
Dec 2009.