Lazarus Island Day Trip Guide: Explore Tokyo’s Hidden Gem

Let me start with a correction, because the earlier version of this page got it badly wrong. Lazarus Island is not in Tokyo. It has no giant Buddha, no Shinto shrine to Amaterasu and no village of wooden houses. It is a small, mostly empty island in Singapore's Southern Islands, a short ferry ride and a short walk from the city, and its main attractions are a quiet lagoon, a couple of pale beaches and the odd monitor lizard. I have walked it more than once, usually with a bottle of water too few, and I would rather give you the real island than a pretty fiction.

If you live in Singapore, or you are passing through on the way to somewhere bigger, Lazarus is one of the easiest ways to feel like you have left the country without leaving the country. This guide covers how to get there, what to do once you arrive, what it costs, when to go, and what to bring. Because many of our readers are Singaporeans planning their next trip abroad, and the original page was filed under Japan, I have also added a section near the end on pairing a lazy island day with a Japan trip, including the visa and flight paperwork that people tend to leave too late.

Where Lazarus Island actually is

Singapore has a cluster of small islands south of the main island, between Sentosa and the shipping lanes. The two you will hear about most are St John's Island and Kusu Island. Lazarus sits just beyond St John's, and the two are joined by a causeway, so you do not need a separate boat. You take the ferry to St John's, walk across, and you are on Lazarus within about fifteen minutes on foot. A smaller islet, Seringat-Kias, is attached on the other side by another causeway.

The three islands were once separate. Land reclamation joined them into one long, thin stretch, and some of the shoreline was reshaped for a planned development that never really arrived. That history is the reason the island feels so odd. You will find a wide, man-made lagoon with soft sand, planted coconut palms leaning over the water, and Sentosa's skyline looking oddly close on the other side. It looks like a resort brochure from which the resort has been removed.

Getting there by ferry

Ferries to the Southern Islands leave from Marina South Pier, which has its own MRT station on the North South Line, also called Marina South Pier. From the city it is a few stops and an easy transfer. The pier is small, with a ticket counter, a handful of benches and not much shade, so arrive a little early on weekends.

The ferry runs to St John's first, and on some sailings continues to Kusu. The crossing takes roughly half an hour. You sit inside with air conditioning or outside on the open deck, and the open deck is better, because you pass container ships at anchor and the whole Marina Bay skyline slides backwards as you leave. Schedules change by season and by weekday, and the operators adjust them for public holidays, so check the current timetable and fares with the operator before you set out. I am deliberately not printing a fixed fare here, because quoting a number that has since changed is worse than saying nothing.

Two practical notes. First, always know the last ferry back. People who lose track of time on Lazarus are the people you see waving at the pier at dusk. Second, ferry capacity on public holidays and sunny Saturdays can fill, so go early and expect a queue, not a guarantee.

What to do on Lazarus Island

The honest answer is: not much, and that is the point. Nobody is selling you anything. There are no rental stalls, no restaurants and no cinema-sized signs telling you where to stand for a photo. What you get is space.

Walk to the lagoon

The walk from the St John's jetty is part of the trip. The path is flat and mostly shaded in the first stretch, passing old colonial-era buildings and, on St John's, remnants of the quarantine and later rehabilitation station that once stood here. When you cross the causeway onto Lazarus the trees thin out and the light gets whiter. The lagoon opens up on your left, and the first time you see it you will probably stop walking.

Swim or wade

The water is calm because the lagoon is sheltered. It is not Phuket-clear, since this is one of the busiest shipping straits in the world, but it is perfectly pleasant for wading, floating and letting children splash about. There are no lifeguards, so treat it as an unsupervised beach: stay in your depth, watch the tide and keep small children within arm's reach.

Picnic and read

Bring a mat, because the sand gets hot and the grass can be damp. A paperback, a flask of cold barley water and sandwiches that will not melt will carry you through an afternoon. Pack everything out when you leave. There are few bins, and the island stays clean only because visitors take their rubbish home.

Look for wildlife

You are likely to see long-tailed macaques on St John's, who will go for any plastic bag with food in it, so keep snacks zipped inside your bag and do not feed them. Monitor lizards patrol the shore. In the rock pools at low tide you may find small crabs, snails and the occasional sea star. Kingfishers and sunbirds work the coconut palms. None of it is dramatic, but it adds up to a good slow afternoon.

Cycle or stroll the whole stretch

Because the three islands are linked, you can walk the entire length and end at Seringat-Kias, where the scenery turns scrubbier and quieter still. Bikes are not rented on site, and rules about bringing your own can vary, so confirm with the ferry operator before you try to wheel one aboard.

Best time to go

Singapore has no winter, but it does have weather that changes your day. The wetter months run roughly from November to January, with sudden storms in the afternoon, and the drier stretch tends to fall around February to September, with a hot, hazy spell in the middle when regional haze can drift in. The sweet spot for most people is a weekday morning in the drier months. If your plans are fixed and you can only go on a Saturday, aim for the first boat.

One rule I follow without exception: if I hear thunder, I head back towards the jetty. The island has very few places to hide, and open sand is a bad place to be in a storm.

What to bring

There is nowhere to buy anything on Lazarus, so what you pack is what you have. Here is the list I actually use.

• Water. At least a litre and a half each, more for children. This is the item people underbring.
• Sun protection. Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. Reef-safe sunscreen is a kind choice for the sea.
• Insect repellent. Sandflies and mosquitoes show up near the trees at dawn and dusk.
• Proper shoes. Sandals are fine for the beach, but the walk is long enough that I prefer light trainers.
• A dry bag or plastic pouch. For phones, wallets and the book you hope to read.
• Snacks in sealed containers. The macaques are persistent.
• A rubbish bag. Take everything back with you.
• A power bank. Your phone will work harder than usual as the camera and map are both in use.

Toilets exist on St John's near the jetty, but facilities beyond that are basic or absent, so use them before you set off across the causeway.

What a day trip really costs

Compared with almost any other day out in Singapore, this is a cheap one. Entry is free. The ferry is the main cost, and food and drink are whatever you bring or buy before you leave the mainland. I would rather give you categories than invented dollar amounts, since fares move.

For a family of four, it still comes out as a fraction of what a themed attraction would cost, which is a big reason it keeps drawing the same crowd of regulars.

Can you stay overnight?

There are no hotels on Lazarus. St John's has had chalet-style lodging and group camping facilities in the past that were run through the authorities, and camping rules have changed over time. If you are thinking about an overnight stay, contact the relevant national parks and land authorities well before your date, because permissions, group size and facilities are not something you can improvise on the day. Most people make this a day trip and sleep in their own bed, which I consider the sensible choice.

How to string it into a longer weekend

Here is a rhythm I like for a long weekend in Singapore. Saturday morning, early ferry to the Southern Islands, a slow walk to the lagoon, lunch you carried over, and the mid-afternoon boat back. Saturday evening, shower and a proper dinner, because you will have earned it. Sunday, something indoors and air-conditioned. If you are travelling with children, one beach day and one museum or attraction day is a good balance, and the second day gives everyone a chance to recover from the sun.

Lazarus works better as a contrast than as a headline. After a week of crowded itineraries elsewhere, a day with nothing scheduled reminds you why you like travelling in the first place.

Flying on to Japan afterwards

This is where the old page was filed, so let me be useful to anyone who landed here wanting Japan. Singapore passport holders can currently visit Japan for short tourist stays without a visa, but rules differ by nationality, and long-term residents of Singapore who hold other passports often need to check. Our visa requirements checker lets you pick your passport and destination and see the official options and fees we have on file. For Japan, the entries we hold include visa exemption for short stays, a short-term visa for those who need one, and an eVisa route for eligible residents. Always confirm against the official government source before you book anything non-refundable.

Some embassies and visa applications ask for proof of onward travel or a flight itinerary before they issue a visa. If that is your situation, our flight reservation service provides a flight reservation for visa applications. It is a reservation, not an issued ticket, and it does not guarantee that a visa will be approved, so do not buy it as a substitute for checking the rules. I mention it because plenty of people tell me they only discovered the requirement a few days before their appointment.

Once you land in Tokyo, a few practical things will make the first day smoother. Staying connected is the first. A data eSIM installed before you leave saves you from queuing at the arrivals hall.

You can compare plans and see today's price here: /japan/tokyo/japan-esim-free-roaming-mobile-data from S$4.00.

Getting from the airport into the city is the next puzzle. Private transfers are easier with luggage and children, particularly after a long flight.

The Haneda to downtown option is here: /japan/tokyo/airport-transfer-haneda-airport-to-tokyo-downtown, starting from S$130.52.

If you want your Japan trip to include something with the same unhurried feel as Lazarus, there are a few that I would point to. Hakone offers lake views and a sightseeing cruise.

You can look at the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise here: /japan/tokyo/hakone-sightseeing-cruise from S$15.21.

For something more ambitious, there is a Mt. Fuji and Hakone day by bullet train.

The tour is listed here: /japan/tokyo/mt-fuji-i-line-a-one-day-tour-of-the-mt-fuji-hakone-shinkansen-bullet-train, from S$85.05.

And if food is what you travel for, the tuna auction and Toyosu market experience gives you a real look at how Tokyo eats.

Details and dates: /japan/tokyo/tokyo-complete-tuna-auction-toyosu-fish-market-experience-45-hours-english, from S$146.62.

Moving around Tokyo itself is much simpler with a transit pass, and a three-day pass bundles in some attraction entry.

You can check it out at /japan/tokyo/tokyo-metro-pass-3-day-tokyo-city-pass3-day-subway-pass-landmark-attraction-ticket-surrounding-attractions-pass, from S$47.48.

If you intend to explore beyond Tokyo, a regional rail pass for the Kanto area is worth pricing against separate tickets.

See it here: /japan/tokyo/kanto-region-rail-passgreater-tokyo-pass-transport-passes, from S$55.93.

Etiquette and safety on the Southern Islands

A few habits keep these islands pleasant for everyone. Take your rubbish with you. Do not feed or tease the macaques, and do not wave food around. Keep to paths in areas with signage, and leave shells, coral and plants where they are, as the islands are managed with conservation in mind. Do not light fires or barbecue except where it is expressly allowed. Keep music low; sound carries a long way across water.

On safety, the main hazards are heat, sun and dehydration. Drink before you feel thirsty, rest in the shade in the middle of the day and watch for signs of heat exhaustion: dizziness, headaches and a sudden loss of energy. Phone coverage is generally decent, but do not count on a signal in every corner. Tell someone where you are going, and keep your phone charged.

What the old page got wrong

For readers who saw the earlier version, here is a plain list of what was incorrect, so you can trust what you read now. The island is in Singapore, not Tokyo. There is no large Buddha statue. There is no Shinto shrine dedicated to Amaterasu. There is no traditional wooden village. Costs are not quoted in yen. Entry is free, and the only meaningful expense is the ferry. I wrote this version from what the island is really like, and I would rather be corrected on a detail than repeat an invention.

A walk through the day, hour by hour

Numbers and tables only go so far, so here is how a good day on Lazarus tends to unfold when I do it properly. I leave home early enough to be at Marina South Pier before the first crowd. The terminal at that hour smells of coffee and sunscreen, and the families around you all have the same slightly overpacked look. I buy the ferry ticket, ask the counter staff for the last sailing back, and write that time on my hand, which sounds silly until the afternoon when I am thankful for it.

The crossing is the first small reward. Once the boat clears the pier the city thins into a line on the horizon, and the water turns from green-brown to a deeper blue. Ships sit at anchor in long rows, some of them bigger than the buildings behind them. If you have never seen how busy Singapore's harbour really is, this is the best free lesson you will get. The staff are used to people leaning over the rail with cameras, so go ahead.

At St John's you step off at the jetty and the island greets you with heat and the sound of cicadas. Use the toilets here, refill your bottle if there is a tap you trust, and then start walking. I like to keep the first half hour unhurried. The path takes you past old buildings with peeling paint and wide verandas, and past signs describing the island's earlier lives as a quarantine station for pilgrims and later as a place for the treatment of opium addiction. It is a quiet reminder that these islands were useful long before they were pretty.

When you reach the causeway and cross to Lazarus, the mood shifts. The trees open out, and you can smell salt. I walk straight to the lagoon, drop my bag under the palms and take my shoes off before doing anything else. If the tide is low you can wade out a surprising distance, and the sand is firm enough that children can run without sinking. By mid-morning there are usually a few other groups scattered along the shore, but the beach is long enough that nobody feels crowded.

Lunch is whatever I packed. My own rule is nothing that needs refrigeration and nothing in a bag the macaques can open. Rice balls, cut fruit, crackers and a flask of cold tea have never let me down. After eating I find a patch of shade and do nothing for an hour, which is the whole reason for coming. When the sun softens in the afternoon I walk the shoreline in the other direction, towards Seringat-Kias, where the path is rougher and you will see fewer people.

By about three I start the walk back, because the way out is always slower than I think it will be. I reach the jetty with time to spare, sit on the bench, finish my water and watch the ferry come in. On the ride home the skyline grows slowly back, and by the time I step onto the pier I have usually decided to do it again soon.

Making it work for different kinds of travellers

Families with young children. The lagoon is ideal for toddlers and primary-school children because the water is calm and shallow. Bring a hat for each child, a change of clothes, and a bucket and spade. Plan for the walk to take twice as long as you expect. Strollers are awkward on sandy sections, so a carrier is easier than wheels. Set a firm meeting point at the jetty in case anyone wanders.

Couples and friends. This is a fine place for a long chat if you are comfortable with an early return. Bring a speaker only if you keep the volume very low, as sound travels over water. A small picnic blanket, good snacks and a camera are all you need.

Solo travellers. It is easy and safe in daylight. I like going alone with a notebook. Keep your valuables light, tell someone your return time and keep your phone charged.

Photographers. The best light is early morning and the hour before the last ferry. The coconut palms against the lagoon, the long shadows on the sand and the container ships on the horizon make a surprisingly good set of frames. A wide lens helps. Protect your equipment from sand and salt spray on the ferry.

Visitors on a short stopover. If you have a day between flights, this is one of the few places where you can be properly out in nature and still be back in the city for dinner. Check your visa status first, since transit rules vary. Our visa requirements page can help you see what applies to your passport, and if an application asks for onward travel, the flight reservation page explains how a reservation for visa purposes works.

People with limited mobility. The walking distance is the main challenge. Paths are mostly paved on St John's but become sandier on Lazarus. If walking a long way is hard, consider whether a shorter outing around the jetty area on St John's suits you better, and confirm current access arrangements with the operators.

Common mistakes I see

The first mistake is underestimating the heat. Singapore feels humid in the city, but on an exposed beach with a white sky it is something else. People arrive in jeans, with one small bottle of water, and are miserable by eleven. Wear light, breathable clothes and treat water as the most important thing in your bag.

The second is missing the return ferry. Because the day slips by quietly on a beach, groups lose track of time. Set an alarm on your phone for thirty minutes before you need to start walking. Remember the walk back takes as long as the walk out.

The third is arriving with expectations from social media. Photos of the lagoon make it look like a faraway tropical resort. It is lovely, but it is also a short ferry from a major port, and you will see ships and the Sentosa shoreline. Embrace that. The contrast is what makes the place interesting.

The fourth is leaving rubbish. A single plastic bag left behind can end up in the sea by evening. Bring a spare bag, and if you see litter, pick up a piece or two on your way out. The island stays nice because visitors look after it.

The fifth is ignoring the wildlife rules. Macaques are strong and quick, and they can bite. Never carry food in your hand where they can see it, and never try to pet or feed them.

A short history, because it makes the walk better

St John's Island carries most of the history. In the nineteenth century it served as a quarantine station for immigrants and pilgrims arriving in Singapore, a precaution against disease spreading into the growing port. Later buildings were used for other purposes, including a period as a rehabilitation centre. Some of the older structures remain, and reading the information boards as you walk gives the island a weight that the beach alone does not have.

Lazarus Island, by contrast, was long a quiet place of small settlement and fishing before reclamation reshaped the Southern Islands. The lagoon and the connecting causeways are the product of modern engineering, and plans for the area have been discussed over the years. Because plans and access arrangements can change, treat anything you read about the island's future with caution and check current information before you travel.

I mention all this because a place reads differently when you know a little about it. The same sandy path feels like a stroll through a layered landscape rather than a stretch of pavement on the way to a beach.

If you only have a few hours

Not every visit needs a full day. If you only have a morning, take the earliest ferry, walk straight through to the lagoon, spend an hour there and come back on a mid-day sailing. You will be tired and happy, and you will still have the afternoon for errands. If you have a full day, spread it out: a slow walk in, a long picnic, a swim, a nap in the shade and a gentle walk back. Both versions work as long as you respect the heat and the ferry times.

Whichever version you choose, tell the people at home when you expect to be back. Island days have a way of stretching, and a quick message when you are boarding the boat home saves everyone worry.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lazarus Island free to enter?

Yes. There is no admission charge for the island itself. You pay for the ferry to St John's and then walk across the causeway.

How long does it take to get there?

Plan on about an hour from Marina South Pier door to lagoon: roughly half an hour on the ferry, then a walk of 15 to 25 minutes. Add the MRT ride to the pier on top of that.

Can I swim there?

People do, in the sheltered lagoon. There are no lifeguards, so swim within your ability, keep an eye on children and be cautious about boat traffic further out.

Are there shops or restaurants on the island?

No. Bring all the food and water you need, and carry your rubbish back with you.

Is it suitable for children and older relatives?

Children usually love it. The walk is flat but long and hot, so older relatives may prefer to go early, go slowly and bring a folding stool. There is little shade on the beach.

What if it rains?

Light rain is fine, but there is little shelter. If you hear thunder, head back towards the jetty and check the ferry timings, since services may be adjusted in bad weather.

Do I need a visa for Japan if I am a Singapore resident?

It depends on your passport, not your residency. Singapore passport holders can currently enter Japan for tourism without a visa, but other nationalities living in Singapore may need one. Use our visa requirements page to see the options on file, and confirm with the official source.

My visa application asks for a flight booking. What can I do?

Our flight reservation service can provide a flight reservation for visa applications. It is a reservation, not an issued ticket, and it cannot promise that a visa will be approved.