Sisters’ Islands

A quick 15-minute boat ride takes you from central Singapore to the Sisters’ Islands, two  small islets (Big Sister’s Island and Little Sister’s Island) just south of the main island of Singapore. If the crowds of Sentosa have you down, it’s quite common to find the Sisters’ delightfully devoid of other people, with only some wandering macaque monkeys to keep you company.

According to local folklore, the two islands had a tragic beginning. Two sisters, Minah and Linah, shared an unbreakable bond, and when a notorious pirate chief decided he wanted to marry Linah, he ripped her away from her sister and onto his ship. As the boat pulled away, Minah tried to swim after the boat but was pulled under by stormy waters, Linah dove in after her, and neither were seen again. The next day, two islands had sprung up where the girls had perished.

With some of the most colorful reefs in Singapore, the Sisters’ Islands are popular for snorkeling and diving, through the channel that passes between the two has a strong and dangerous current. While there’s no ferry service to the Sisters’ Islands, you can charter a boat from Marina South Pier.