Island Day Trip: Guide to Lazarus Island and St John’s Island 15-30 Mins from Singapore!

Ready for a Singapore island getaway (no passports required)? Have you been to Lazarus Island and St John’s Island just 30 minutes from Singapore? There’s now accommodation on Lazarus plus water sports too.

If you are looking for some holiday feels without the travel, why not explore the islands just off Singapore? Lazarus Island and St. John’s Island, two of the eight Southern Islands of Singapore are just a quick 30-minute trip away (or 15 mins from Sentosa!). The other islands off Singapore are Kusu Island, Pulau Seringat, Pulau Tekukor, Sentosa and two Sisters’ Islands. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your day at Lazarus Island and St John’s Island!

How to get to Lazarus Island 

Lazarus Island falls in between St. John’s Island and Kusu Island and provides a lovely stretch of beach with powdery sand and some endemic flora and fauna that give this island its own distinct signature. Up until recently, there was no direct ferry to Lazarus Island, so visitors had to take a ferry to St John’s Island first, before walking 10 minutes to Lazarus Island over a 100-meter paved causeway. However, there is a fairly new ferry service to Lazarus Island, direct from Sentosa Jetty @Cove, promising more convenience! If you want to be really fancy, you can head to any of these places for affordable and luxurious yacht rentals.

Lazarus Island ferry

Lazarus Island ferry from Marina South:

Ferries to Lazarus Island (via St John’s Island) leave from Marina South Pier five times daily. There are two ferry companies that go between the Southern Islands.

• Marina South Ferries (click here to see the schedule) and Island Cruise (click here to see the schedule). You can island hop between St. John Island, Lazarus Island, Kusu Island and Sisters’ Island with Marina South Ferries. Big Sisters’ Island is open to the public from 7am to 7pm daily. All other areas within the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park are not open to the public.
• Island Cruise ferry only goes to St. John’s Island, Lazarus Island and Kusu Island. If you are looking to go to Kusu Island, take either ferry from Marina South Pier to St John’s then stay on the ferry to Kusu Island. Marina South Ferries also has direct ferries to Kusu Island in the later half of the day.
  Tip: Marina South Ferries has a fun grassy roof deck that you can sit on when you are going to Lazarus Island (it’s all open-air) and kids will love the views!

Lazarus Island ferry from Sentosa (NEW!)

Ferry services between Sentosa Cove Village and Lazarus Island are now available! It’s just 15 mins to get from  Sentosa Cove Village jetty to Lazarus. The first ferry service of the day will depart Sentosa Cove Village at 9am, while the last ferry will leave Lazarus Seringat jetty at 5.30pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for kids 2-12 years old, while a family package (two adults and one child) is available at $64.

How long does it take to get to Lazarus Island?

The trip to Lazarus island takes just 30-minutes from Singapore. The ferry ride to St. John’s Island and back is a wonderful way of seeing the city’s iconic skyline from another vantage point. You might spot some pink dolphins on your way (located in the waters between Singapore and Batam, around Lazarus Island is one of the sites where they are more frequently spotted in Singapore).
How much: $15 Adults; $12 for children; infants (0-1) travel for free 

Beach at Lazarus Island

If you are looking for a perfect pristine beach, be warned that while the water is clear-ish and the surf is calm, garbage and plastic bottles can be sometimes found swept ashore at Lazarus Island which makes sitting on the beach and enjoying a picnic not as appealing.

However at other times Lazarus Island beach has been beautifully clean so perhaps it depends on the tides and if your fellow picnickers have cleaned up after themselves. Bring large plastic bags and gloves yourself and get the kiddos involved in a beach clean up first to do your good deed and then enjoy the clean beach (remember to dispose of the collected garbage in a responsible manner!)

Lazarus Island Accommodation

Lazarus Island now offers different accommodation options for people who want to escape the bustle of the city. Bookings for the recently launched tiny house staycations by Tiny Away Escape@Lazarus Island are available now and will feature fully-equipped essentials that make for a comfortable stay, including air-conditioning, a bathroom and more. The island is also set to open an overnight beachfront glamping option, Into the Woods,  by the end of 2023, where family tents come complete with air-conditioning and a welcome kit featuring eco-friendly products from local businesses.

Accommodation on the neighbouring St John’s Island is also available, where guests can book chalet-like stays during their island getaway. The Eagle Lodge, is actually a former bungalow and comfortably accommodates 10 people. It also comes fully equipped with air-conditioning, a stocked kitchen with basic cooking essentials and shower facilities. Other larger accommodation options available on the island include the Turtle, Dolphin and Otter lodges.

Watersports at Lazarus Island

Lazarus Island has just unveiled its new Lazarus Sea Sports Centre (LSSC), perfect for an action-packed island getaway. It’ll offer a wide range of non-motorized water activities that are sure to elevate your island experience, including Singapore’s very first floating yoga boards – a unique way to enjoy the scenic views of the Southern Islands. Other exciting activities include sea cycling, stand-up paddling, and double kayaking.

Exploring St John’s Island

You can have fun identifying flora and fauna along St John’s trails, such as kites and a small patch of mangroves. The clear water lagoons to the right of the jetty are rich in starfish, crabs, other marine life like horseshoe crabs and tropical fish and you might also spot smooth-coated otters and migratory birds. Check out this DIY trail e-guide from NParks to help. The 2.8km St John’s Island Trail is said to take between 1 and 1.5 hours to complete and comprises 15 stations with signboards to mark out each station and explain a bit about the diversity of flora and fauna as well as the island’s colourful history. There are etching activities along the trail for children to etch and collect different designs of biodiversity as they explore the island.

Shopping for groceries and essentials on Lazarus Island

Lazarus Island recently opened a gourmet grocery store, making your island getaways more convenient. Aside from your basic grocery essentials and ready-to-eat meals, Sol by BDC also serves up gourmet meat and cheese platters, perfect if you’re feeling a little bougie on your picnics!

Getting around Lazarus Island and St John’s Island

Getting around Lazarus and St John’s Islands is more fun with bicycle and kick scooter rentals from Gogreen Southern Island Bicycle Rental. The company also sells kites, beach mats, beach tents and more for a perfect day out. There are also several paved walking trails located around the two islands to get your steps in!

Yacht trips to Lazarus Island

If you’re feeling flush, you could day trip on Lazarus Island by renting a yacht! Most yachts will give you the option of mooring at Lazarus Island for the day so you can enjoy the beach and swim. Do make sure you establish if your boat will be mooring in the harbour area (which is calmer for kayaking or other sea activities but has no views out to sea thanks to the concrete walls) or right next to Lazarus Island (which will give you beach access).

Tips for your trip to Lazarus island:

• Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, an umbrella, a water bottle with lots of water.
• Bring mosquito repellant (lots of mozzies near the mangroves of Lazarus Island)
• There are small stores at Marina South Pier ferry terminal before your trip for you to pick up essentials like water.
• Lazarus Island and St. John’s Islands are for the most part quite stroller- and wheelchair-friendly.
• There are officially no toilets however one reader spotted one toilet near the walkway connecting Lazarus Island and St John’s Island
• Please take your rubbish home with you and help keep Lazarus Island beach pristine!

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