This website shows you about the facts about the islands around Singapore such as the location of the islands (There are altogether 35 islands around Singapore). There are also some myth of Kusu Island, Sisters' Island and Pulau Hantu.

- Southern and Northern Islands

- Myth of Kusu Island

- Myth of Sisters' Island

- Myth of Pulau Hantu

Here are the quick facts about the 35 islands.

Island

Location

About

Pulau Ayer Chawan

Off Jurong

Part of Jurong Islands now. Used to be a small fishing village up to the 1960s, with villagers living in Malay-style wooden stilt huses on the palm-fringed island. Then in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Esso decided to house their facilities there.

Pulau Ayer Merbau

Off Jurong

Houses the Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore

Pulau Bukum Kechil

West of Singapore

Used to be a smaller island next to Pulau Bukom, hence named after the larger island. This small island is now joined to the larger island.

Pulau Brani

South of Keppel Harbour

Means Island of the Brave in Malay. Selected to be developed as a naval base in early 1971 and has been an important naval base and busy port since it was officially declared open by former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.

Pulau Bukum

West of Singapore

The island, originally a mangrove swamp, was also a source of fresh water for ships. The island is currently the site of the Shell refinery. Shell association with the island dates back to 1891, when the company used the island to store kerosene.

Pulau Busing

Off Jurong

Pulau Busing, which is strategically located next to the shipping channel and naturally endowed with a deep waterfront harbour of more than 16 metres. Currently has a chemical logistics park on the island.

Pulau Biola
(Violin Island)

Next to Raffles Lighthouse

Another dive spot where waters can be very rough, with big waves and strong current. But expect better marine life than you can find elsewhere off Singapore .

Pulau Damar Laut

Off Jurong Industrial Estate

Location of several cement companies.

Pulau Hantu
(Ghost Island)

West of Singapore

Pulau Hantu is one of the most dived area in Singapore . Due to the great number of divers at this site, the coral reef has been damaged. However, due to its good conditions for a dive site, many divers still come here to dive.
This island is sometimes grouped with Pulau Brani as Ghost Island .

Pulau Jong
(Junk Island)

North of Pulau Seking and Pulau Sebarok

According to a local story, a Chinese junk was attacked by Malay pirates one night when the island now is. Just as the pirates were about to board the junk, the captain awoke, and uttered such a frightful yell that the sea spirit turned the whole junk into an island.

Pulau Khatib Bongsu

North of Singapore, near Yishun and Sembawang

Mangrove site identified in URA's master plan.

Pulau Merlimau

South of Singapore

Site of the Singapore Refinery Company. A major fire once broke out on the refinery on 25 Oct 1988 . This incident became a major disaster on the island.

Pulau Pawai

South of Singapore

Pawai is a lush green and brown forested island no more than half a kilometer in length. Pawai, however, is owned by the Ministry of Defence. It's used as a practice range for live-ammunition bombing both from the air and the ground. The Air Force and the Navy take turns using it. The airforce practices straffing, the navy practices shelling targets.

Pulau Pesek

off Jurong

Part of the new Jurong Islands now, home of Mobil Oil.

Pulau Sakijang Bendera
(St John's Island)

South of Singapore

A former quarantine station for leprosy cases detected in immigrants and a penal settlement, this large hilly island has been transformed into a tranquil getaway with swimming lagoons, beaches, picnic grounds, trekking routes and soccer fields. It is perfect for a weekend visit.

Pulau Sakijang Pelepah
(Lazarus Island)

South of Singapore

These tiny southern islands offer quiet respite from the big city with their laid-back ambience, sandy beaches and inviting waters. Swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving are recommended.

The waters off Lazarus and Sisters Islands are good for scuba diving although the currents are quite strong. They are recommended only for experienced divers.

Pulau Sakra

Off Jurong

The island houses petrochemical plants. Part of Jurong Island .

Pulau Sarimbun

west of Sungei Buloh

overwhelmed by the sight of the Dipteris. They were everywhere! We could see them all around the island, draping extensively over the steep slopes, like some Mesozoic 'butterflies' flapping their paired leafy 'wings' triumphantly in the wind. The Dipteris colony is simply huge.

Pulau Sebarok
(Middle Island)

Off Jurong

Oil multinational Exxon Mobil's oil base.

Pulau Seletar

Northwestof Singapore

Clean white beaches and calm waves make this an ideal spot for watersports.

Pulau Semakau

Off Tuas

The first offshore landfill and now the only remaning landfill in Singapore . It started its operation on 1 Apr 1999 .
Semakau proved to be quite scenic, offering an unparalleled view of the seas and islands around Singapore .

Pulau Senang
(Barn Island)

Southwest of Singapore

Isle of Ease'. Was a penal island, remembered for a revolt in 1963 in which the superintendent and others were brutally murdered.

Pulau Sekudu
(Frog Island)

Near Pulau Ubin

The islet (rock, sand and some vegetation) is referred to in Malay as the frog island based on a Malay folktale. The islet looks like a frog.

Pulau Selugu
(Sarong Island)

South of Singapore

Used to be owned by Ms Christina Lee, the maker of the famous SIA Singapore Girl perfume and ex-wife of the late Cathay cinema magnate Loke Wan Tho. The island is now taken over by the Government as part of its plan to develop Sentosa.

Pulau Satumu
(Raffles Lighthouse)

South of Pulau Sudong, southwest of Sentosa

Also known as one tree island, rated as a top dive site in Singapore . The lighthouse on the island is more than a century old.

Pulau Serangoon
(Coney Island)

Off Punggol

Some people go to the island for jet-skiing. It is slated for development to be linked by a bridge to Punggol.

Pulau Subar Darat / Pulau Subar Laut
(Sisters' Islands)

South of Singapore

The waters off Sisters Islands are good for scuba diving although the currents are quite strong. They are recommended only for experienced divers.

Pulau Seraya

3 kilometres south-west of mainland Singapore

Location of the Pulau Seraya Power Station, Singapore ?s first offshore power station. Built in phases since 1982.

Pulau Sudong

Southwest of Singapore

A beautiful island surrounded by a coral reef. Also houses the government malaria research station.

Pulau Tekong

East, off Changi

Largest island off Singapore (7 sq miles) and two miles away from Fairy Point. Wild pigs and deer were once plentiful and attracted hunters from the mainland. Today, Pulau Tekong is the training ground for NSmen.

Pulau Tekukor

South of Singapore

One of the 7 Southern Islands of Singapore . This island is earmarked to be the location of Singapore 's first waterfront housing, along with the other Southern Islands in the next century. In the past, this island was the fighting arena of competing warriors, thereby earning it the name of 'island of deadly duels'.

Pulau Tembakul
(Kusu Island)

South of Singapore

One of the small southern islands on which is a Malay temple and Chinese shrine. Taoists make annual pilgrimages to the Tua Pekong Temple on Kusu Island to pray for prosperity, good luck and fertility while Muslims visit the Kramat Kusu. Legend has it that a giant sea turtle turned into an island to save 2 shipwrecked sailors - a Malay and a Chinese. The warm waters of the lagoon on Kusu Island are also ideal for swimming.

Pulau Ubin

Northeast of Singapore in the Johor Straits

Since the British founding of Singapore , this island has been known for its granite. The numerous granite quarries on the island supply the local construction industry.
Pulau Ubin today is being developed as a nature reserve for outdoor activities and is also where the Ubin Resort is located.

Pulau Blakang Mati
(Sentosa)

South of Singapore

Singapore 's most famous outlying island. Truly an island in the sun for attractions, beach activities and resort getaways.

Pulau Ujong / Temasek
(Singapore Island)

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Pulau Ujong is the earliest reference to Singapore Island .

There was once a Chinese fisherman who lived on the island of Singapura. His family was poor so he had to go out to sea everyday to catch fish to sell. One day, although there was a thunderstorm, he insisted on going out to sea, against his wife's advice.

The choppy waters and heavy rain made it very difficult to fish. The fisherman's little boat swayed vigorously from side to side. As he was about to throw his net into the sea, a huge wave rocked his boat, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the sea. "God, please help me!" he screamed in the water, "Who is going to take care of my wife and children?"

Just when the fisherman was about to give up, a large turtle swam slowly towards him. It was the biggest turtle he had ever seen! To his surprise, the turtle signalled to him to climb onto its back and carried him safely to a nearby island.

The Chinese fisherman soon made the island his home. He was able to live quite well, as fruits grew abundantly on the island.

One stormy day, while the fisherman was resting, he heard a loud cry. "Help! Help! I am drowning!" a man cried. Guess what the fisherman saw? The same turtle that helped him was carrying a Malay fisherman to the island!

The two men soon became good friends. They spent their time hunting for animals and fruits.

To thank the turtle for saving their lives, the two men built a Chinese temple, a Malay shrine and a huge turtle sculpture, all of which can still be found on Kusu Island, which is also known as Turtle Island.

Today, during the ninth month of the lunar calendar (usually October in the calendar we use now), many Chinese go to Kusu Island to pray to Tua Pek Kong, the deity of prosperity, at the Chinese temple.

A long time ago lived a pair of beautiful sisters, Minah & Lina, who shared a bond so strong that nothing can separate them. But one day, the notorious chief of the Orang Laut met and fell in love with Lina. Despite the sisters' pleas, the chief took her away and forced her into the sampan. Just then, the sky turned dark and a storm broke out. As Minah made a final attempt to save her sister from leaving the jetty, a large wave came and engulfed her. On seeing this, Lina freed herself from her captors and jumped into the sea to join Minah.

The storm subsided but nowhere can the sisters be found. Instead, two islands emerged from where they had drowned. Called Subar Laut (3.9 ha) & Subar Darat (1.7ha), the two small islands are now known as Sisters' Islands . It was said that every year on that very day when the sisters turned into islands, there will always be storm and rain.

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There were once two great warriors locked in a fierce battle at sea. Many people died and the blue seas slowly became polluted with human blood, upsetting the Jinns at the bottom of the ocean. In anger, one powerful Jinn created a whirlpool and sucked the 2 warriors into the deep sea to drown them. Not deterred, they continued their battle. Suddenly, the Jinn sprayed water on one of them, and the other warrior seeing his opponent blinded, thrusted his sword into his abdomen. At the same time, the wounded warrior forced his sword into the other man. Both collapsed and died.

The gods felt it was wrong for the seas spirits to interfere in human affairs, thus, the Jinn transformed the two warriors into islets so that their spirits can continue to live on them. As one of the warriors was smaller than the other, his islet was known as "Pulau Hantu Kecil" while the bigger one was called "Pulau Hantu Besar".

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