Michelle M.
Yelp
Kusu Island is what you make of it. If you want to be entertained and you can't unplug, this isn't the island for you. However, if you want to get away to a (relatively*) peaceful and quiet island, enjoy the simpler things, and want to fit in some culture as well, then give Kusu a try!
To get to the island, you need to catch a ferry from Marina South Pier. A round trip ticket costs $18 per adult, and also includes St. John's Island. From Marina South Pier, it takes an hour to get to Kusu, only because you stop and wait a bit at St. John's first. But when you leave Kusu, you go directly to South Pier, which takes about 15 minutes.
A little background: Kusu Island means Tortoise Island. There are a few legends about it... the shortest one I can tell you is that a tortoise turned itself into an island to save some shipwrecked sailors. There is one Chinese temple near the entrance, and three Malay shrines on top of a hill. Between September and November, many people make a pilgrimage to the island for peace and good luck. (This year, the pilgrimage season is from October 5 to November 2, so I decided to take a trip now before the crowds come through!)
In addition to the temple and shrines, there is a tortoise sanctuary, where you can see a bunch of tortoises chillin'! But, unlike the Live Tortoise Museum, you can't feed them. :( If you're lucky, you'll also see a wild monkey wandering around!
There are many picnic areas and even a few grills, so if you're up to bringing a feast to the island, go for it! You can also swim in the lagoons. When I visited, there were barely any people, so if you're lucky you'll have the lagoon to yourself. (Apparently, there are showers available on the island, but I'm not sure where they are.)
There is a food center there, but it was empty when I visited. I'm not sure if it's functional during certain times of the year. It's best to bring food and drink with you just in case.
Overall, this is a good spot to relax. To make it more lively, I recommend going with a few friends and having a picnic!
*There was some construction going on while I was there, but I think it's because they're preparing for the 2013 pilgrimage. The noise wasn't bad; it's just that sometimes I feel I can't EVER get away from construction in Singers!