Kusu Island
Encyclopedia
Kusu Island is one of the Southern Islands
in Singapore
, located about 5.6 kilometres to the south of the main island of Singapore
, off the Straits of Singapore. The name means "Tortoise
Island" or "Turtle
Island" in Chinese
; the island is also known as Peak Island or Pulau Tembakul in Malay
. From two tiny outcrops on a reef
, the island was enlarged and transformed into an island holiday resort of 85,000 square metres.
Story passed down by both Malays and Chinese in Singapore says a magical tortoise turned itself into an island to save two shipwrecked sailors - a Malay and a Chinese. The two men gave thanks according to his belief system, the former by building a Muslim kramat (keramat) (shrine), and the latter by establishing a Taoist shrine.
Located on Kusu island is the popular Chinese temple - Da Bo Gong 大伯公 or Tua Pek Kong
(Grand Uncle). Built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman, the temple houses two main deities - the Da Bo Gong and Guan Yin 观音 (Goddess of Mercy). The former is highly regarded as having the power to confer prosperity, cure diseases, calm the sea and avert danger, while Guan Yin is known as the 'giver of sons'.
At the top of the rugged hillock on Kusu Island stands three kramats (or holy shrines of Malay saints) to commemorate a pious man (Syed Abdul Rahman), his mother (Nenek Ghalib) and sister (Puteri Fatimah) who lived in the 19th century. Many devotees will climb the 152 steps leading to the kramats to pray for wealth, good marriage, good health and harmony. The shrines are also popular with childless couples who would pray for children. Despite misconceptions, they do not pray to the kramats.
It is popular for its lagoons, pristine beaches and tranquil settings. Visits are often made by ferry from the nearby Marina South Pier
to see the wishing well
and Tortoise Sanctuary.
Afternoon picnics are also very popular. Overnight stay is not permitted on the island. However, most ferries to Kusu Island also take in Saint John's Island
which does have overnight lodging.
Southern Islands
The Southern Islands are an urban planning area in the Central Region of Singapore, along with the eight major islands of Kusu Island, Lazarus Island, Pulau Seringat, Pulau Tekukor, Saint John's Island, Sentosa and the two Sisters' Islands. The islands encompass a total land area of about...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, located about 5.6 kilometres to the south of the main island of Singapore
Pulau Ujong
Pulau Ujong or Singapore Island is the main island of the island country of Singapore. It forms the majority of the island country in terms of area and population...
, off the Straits of Singapore. The name means "Tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
Island" or "Turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
Island" in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
; the island is also known as Peak Island or Pulau Tembakul in Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
. From two tiny outcrops on a reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
, the island was enlarged and transformed into an island holiday resort of 85,000 square metres.
Story passed down by both Malays and Chinese in Singapore says a magical tortoise turned itself into an island to save two shipwrecked sailors - a Malay and a Chinese. The two men gave thanks according to his belief system, the former by building a Muslim kramat (keramat) (shrine), and the latter by establishing a Taoist shrine.
Located on Kusu island is the popular Chinese temple - Da Bo Gong 大伯公 or Tua Pek Kong
Tua Pek Kong
Tua Pek Kong , literally means "Grand Uncle", is one of the pantheon of Malaysian Chinese Gods. It was believed the date Tua Pek Kong arrived in Penang was 40 years before Francis Light in 1746.Tua Pek Kong was a man named Zhang Li from the Hakka clan...
(Grand Uncle). Built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman, the temple houses two main deities - the Da Bo Gong and Guan Yin 观音 (Goddess of Mercy). The former is highly regarded as having the power to confer prosperity, cure diseases, calm the sea and avert danger, while Guan Yin is known as the 'giver of sons'.
At the top of the rugged hillock on Kusu Island stands three kramats (or holy shrines of Malay saints) to commemorate a pious man (Syed Abdul Rahman), his mother (Nenek Ghalib) and sister (Puteri Fatimah) who lived in the 19th century. Many devotees will climb the 152 steps leading to the kramats to pray for wealth, good marriage, good health and harmony. The shrines are also popular with childless couples who would pray for children. Despite misconceptions, they do not pray to the kramats.
It is popular for its lagoons, pristine beaches and tranquil settings. Visits are often made by ferry from the nearby Marina South Pier
Marina South Pier
Marina South Pier is a pier that is located in Marina South, Singapore. It is used as a terminal for tourists and day trippers who are boarding small boats and ferries heading for the Southern Islands. Regular ferries to Kusu Island and Saint John's Island operate daily.Marina South Pier was...
to see the wishing well
Wishing well
A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the idea that water housed deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods, since water was a source of life and...
and Tortoise Sanctuary.
Afternoon picnics are also very popular. Overnight stay is not permitted on the island. However, most ferries to Kusu Island also take in Saint John's Island
Saint John's Island
Saint John's Island, previously known as Pulau Sakijang Bendera, is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore. It is located approximately 6.5 km to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore....
which does have overnight lodging.
External links
- Satellite image of Peak Island - Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Info for visitors on wildsingapore
- Kusu Island Coral Reef Survey Data on Coral Reefs of Singapore