Sisters' Islands Marine Park (Big Sister's Island)

Singapore spent three years rebuilding a small island so that part of it could float.

Big Sister's Island is the Singapore island for people who have done Sentosa and want somewhere that still feels wild: a floating boardwalk, a tidal lagoon, a hilltop deck over the Strait and, at low tide, sea creatures in the pools. Go on a low-tide morning with your own food and water, because the island sells neither. It is the half of Sisters' Islands Marine Park you are allowed on; Small Sister's next door is kept for conservation and research, and most of the 40-hectare park is underwater, stretching across to the western reefs of St John's and Pulau Tekukor.

The island reopened in late October 2024 after a three-year revamp, and the headline is Singapore's first floating boardwalk, a 220-metre walkway that rises and falls with the tide. NParks describes it as a coral habitat and research site as well as a path, with coral nursery panels underneath and five "moon pools" used for marine experiments. Manage expectations from the deck: the wildlife is real, but it doesn't perform on cue, and most of the interesting things are underwater.

Inland, a 230-metre Coastal Forest Trail loops up to a two-storey Hilltop View Deck looking over the Singapore Strait, a ten-to-fifteen-minute stroll. The list of residents reads like a dare: lesser dog-faced fruit bats, paradise tree snakes, white-bellied sea eagles and the critically endangered great-billed heron. The lagoon has been reshaped into a tidal pool that holds seawater at all times, with a white sand edge.

The best way to see the reef life is a low-tide guided walk, when NParks volunteer spotters find sea stars, anemones and nudibranchs in the lagoons, show them up close and put them back. NParks has listed a free monthly guided walk on Big Sister's Island; places are limited, so sign up as soon as dates are released, and check what is running when you plan.

The house rules matter more here than on most outings. There is no food or drink for sale, no water coolers and no lifeguard, and NParks has warned of jellyfish in the lagoon, so cover up before you swim. No collecting shells, no fishing, no barbecues. Macaques patrol the jetty, so stash food and plastic bags before you step off the boat. The island is closed on the first and third Wednesday of each month unless it is a public holiday, which is an easy one to miss when you are booking a ferry.

Ferries leave from Marina South Pier with commercial operators. Check the tide table before you pick a date, pack lunch, and come back sunburnt and smug.

Good to know Ferries to Big Sister's Island leave from Marina South Pier (Marina South Pier MRT), run by Singapore Island Cruise and Marina South Ferries; check fares with the operator. NParks lists the island as open 7am–7pm, closed on the first and third Wednesday of each month unless it is a public holiday. Bring water, food, sun protection and reef-friendly shoes.

Sisters' Islands Marine Park (Big Sister's Island) | Southern Islands | Nearest MRT: Marina South Pier (ferry from Marina South Pier)