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Sisters
Islands
Two separate islands each with rich coral reefs and
sandy shores. Swimming, camping.
Uniquely Singapore!
The reefs of Sisters Islands are only 15 minutes from the city
centre by fast boat! More about our city
reefs.
The Legend of the Sisters Islands
Legend tells of a poor widow who had two pretty daughters, Minah and
Linah who were very close to each other. After the widow died, the
sisters left the village to live with a distant uncle.
One unfortunate day, Linah met a group of pirates while fetching water
from a well near the sea. Frightened, she ran home with the pirate
chief giving chase. At the uncle's home, brandishing a dagger, he
made known his wish to marry Linah. That night, the two sisters wept
bitterly in each other's arms. When dawn broke, the pirate chief and
16 of his men came to take Linah away. Clinging to each other, they
were forced apart by the pirates, and Linah was carried away. The
desperate Minah swam after the boat but was drowned and Linah dived
into the stormy waters in grief.
The next day, the villagers were shocked to see two islands at the
spot where the two sisters had drowned.
The two tranquil islands, called Subar Laut and Subar Darat, was henceforth
known as Sisters Island.
The Two Sisters
Big Sister island (Subar Laut) faces the open sea while Little Sister
island (Subar Darat) faces the mainland. The two islands are separated
by a narrow but deep channel. Currents through this channel can be
very dangerous. It is NOT possible to swim from one island to the
other.
What to see and do?
Their beaches laze in the sun and warm blue waters make snorkeling
a favourite pastime. Shady palms and tree and beach shelters and conveniences
make these islands popular with picnickers and campers.
The Sisters islands are home to some Long-tailed
macaques. These monkeys can be aggressive. Please leave them alone
and do not feed them. Do not leave food unattended
and dispose of your rubbish properly into the monkey-proof bins provided.
Marine life on the Sisters
The islands are home to some of our richest reefs.
Many kinds of hard and soft corals are found here, providing shelter
to an amazing variety of fishes, crabs and other marine life.
Singapore's first Marine Park!
The Sisters Islands were announced as part of Singapore's first Marine Park in Jul 2014! The Marine Park also includes the western shores of Pulau Tekukor and St John's Island. More about the Marine Park and about public walks at Sisters Islands on the wild shores of singapore blog and NParks website.
More
tips for visitors
There
is no ferry to the Sisters Islands. To visit, you will need to charter
a fast work boat from Marina
South Pier. Rates will have to be negotiated with the operator
which depends on their availability and diesel prices among others.
The work boats operate 24-hours, but the booking desks at the Pier
only opens during office hours. The work boats generally service business
for ships in our harbour. These boats are not intended for leisure
trips and are not designed for comfort.
Current around the Sisters Islands are very strong and swimming is
not advisable outside the swimming lagoons.
There are wild monkeys on both islands. Please do
NOT feed the monkeys and ensure you safeguard all personal belongings
as the monkeys may carry them off and disperse contents of bags over
a wide area.
More about preparing for a trip to the shores
More FAQs about visiting the shores
How to take photos on the shores.
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Links
Field
guides and references
- Wildfact
sheets introduction to common marine life in Singapore.
- Tan, Leo
W. H. & Ng, Peter K. L., 1988. A
Guide to Seashore Life. The Singapore Science Centre,
Singapore. 160 pp.
- Lim, Kelvin
K. P. & Jeffrey K. Y. Low, 1998. A
Guide to the Common Marine Fishes of Singapore. Singapore
Science Centre. 163 pp.
- Tan, Ria
and Loh Tse-Lynn, 2004. Guidesheet
to the Amazing Marine Life of the Southern Shores of Singapore.
- Tan, Ria
and Alan Yeo, 2003. Chek
Jawa Guidebook. Simply Green. 219.
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