A few kilometers from the main island of Singapore is a southern island known as Kusu. Translated from Chinese, the name means Tortoise or Turtle Island. It is home to a popular Chinese temple called the Do Bo Gong as a tribute to the two main deities that can be found inside the temple- Da Bo Gong and Guan Yin. Every ninth lunar month of the year, devotees come here in droves for the annual Kusu Pilgrimage to honor the deities and pray for good health, peace, happiness, luck and prosperity. Apart from the temple, the island also features a turtle sanctuary and a beach front where one can dip in the waters to beat the heat.
To get to Kusu, we signed up for the Admiral Cheng Ho Cruise wherein we set sail aboard a replica of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Vessel known as Cheng Ho. As we stepped inside the ship, we coulnd’t help but notice how they took care of every detail, making sure that the cruise was a truly unique experience. We went to all three decks exploring every corner, each offering a spectacular view of the sea. The ship circled around Singapore giving us a chance to see the different sides of island . Beverages and snacks were served onboard before we docked at Kusu Island.
This was a really uniqe experience for us, far from the usual mall crawls that we do during the weekends. It was relaxing to go out into the sea and feel the sun and wind on our faces. It was also fun to get sand on our feet after a long time. It made us miss going to beach even more! As we headed pack to the pier, we realized that past the airconditioned malls and hawker stalls, there’s something else to explore here.
Admiral Cheng Ho Cruise
Morning Glory Cruise- 10:30am
- $27/pax comes with beverages and snacks
Depart from Marina South Pier
Approximate time: 2 ½ hours
Website: www.watertours.com.sg
Kusu Island
No Entrance fees
No overnight stay
No access during the month of Kusu Pilgrimage
For more information, visit http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/nature/southern-islands/kusu-island/
