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Saint John's Island
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| English | Saint John's Island |
| Chinese | 圣约翰岛 |
| (Pinyin | shèngyuēhàn dǎo) |
| Malay | Pulau Sakijang Bendera |
| Tamil | fill in |
Saint John's Island, previously known as Pulau Sakijang Bendera, is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore. It is located approximately 6.5 km to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore.
Saint John's Island formerly housed a quarantine station for leprosy cases detected among immigrants until the 1950s, a penal settlement and a drug rehabilitation centre. The 40.5-hectare hilly island was transformed in 1975 into a tranquil getaway with swimming lagoons, beaches, picnic grounds, trekking routes and soccer fields. The island is also a haven for a host of flora and fauna, and is popular for weekend visits.
The island, reputedly haunted according to some local traditions, was the site of Sir Raffles's anchorage before meeting the Malay chief of Singapore in 1819.
Also located on the island is the Tropical Marine Science Institute, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore's Marine Aquaculture Centre. A detention centre for illegal immigrants still remains.
Holiday-makers yearning for an island stay on Saint John's Island can book the Holiday Bungalow, which can accommodate up to 10 persons and comes furnished with a kitchen. Organised groups can stay over in the dormitories at the Holiday Camps which can take up to 60 persons. The dormitories are equipped with basic cooking facilities.
Overnight stays are only allowed for occupants at the Holiday Bungalow and Holiday Camps.
