You got to know these 8 stunningly islands that you can easily go to from S’pore

Fancy a short holiday where life is less frantic and busy? Beach vacations are the solution for you. With the sun, sand and the sea, you’re bound to relax with the amazing view and relaxing activities to do there. Here are some beautiful locations that you can travel to without spending too much time travelling because they’re so near to Singapore!

Pangkil Island

Travelling to a beach because of the sun, sand and sea? Why not take it up a notch by renting the whole island? Yes, the entire island! Pangkil Island is an island situated near Bintan, Indonesia. Grab a group of friends and enjoy lying in the multiple hammocks, relaxing in the sea or spending time laughing away while playing a volleyball game by the beach.

Rental for 1-10 persons costs SGD$6,900 for 3 days 2 nights inclusive of accommodation and food prepared by the friendly staff there. It may sound quite costly but hey, you get to have the entire island to yourselves!

How to get there: Take a ferry from Singapore to the Tanjung Pinang terminal that is located in Bintan, it will take you about 2 hours. After that, hop on to a bus to the Pama jetty for an hour before taking a 15-30 minutes boat ride to Pangkil Island.

Rawa Island

Freshest seafood during a vacation at the beach is not to be missed. The Rawa Island is owned by the family of the Sultanate of Johor. Their menu includes a buffet filled with plenty of choices for you to indulge in.

About 4 hours away from Singapore, you’ll be able to spend more time at the beach as you don’t need much time to travel there. Water sports are also available there including kayaking, windsurfing and snorkelling.

If you prefer something more relaxing, feel free to go fishing or hop onto a cruise around the island.

How to get there: By coach, travel to Mersing for 3 hours before you proceed to the island through boat for 1 hour or speedboat for 30 minutes. You may approach the resort there to help arrange your transportation as well.

Pulau Tengah

Looking for a place to dive into the clear blue waters? This island provides you that experience with their private diving instructors. Kids can also enjoy themselves by learning about the marine life and checking out turtles (you may even catch some hatching) making it a wholesome family experience.

How to get there: From Singapore, you can get a coach to Mersing which will take you about 3 hours, after that, speed to Pulau Tengah from Mersing Jetty via a speedboat which will be 20 minutes.

Layang Layang Island

Another favourite destination for divers is the Layang Layang Island also known as Swallow Reef. The island is located in the middle of the sea, creating a perfect diving spot for divers to explore the marine life under the sea.

How to get there: Fly to Kota Kinabalu from Singapore which would take you about 2 and a half hours before you take another flight to Layang Layang Island from Kota Kinabalu which will take you about 1 hour.

Perhentian Islands

With beautiful shells and corals under the sea, the island creates a beautiful environment ready for your Instagrammable moments. Located in Malaysia, the Perhentian Islands consists of a few islands. However, do note that it is advised against going during the period of November to May as the sea gets choppy and swimming will be quite risky.

How to get there: Either by an overnight bus to Kuala Terengganu Tanjung bus terminal or by a flight to Kota Bahru Airport (you may need to transit at Kuala Lumpur). Get to Kuala Besut jetty via a cab before boarding a speedboat or slow boat to the islands. 

Nikoi Island

A quiet and windy location, perfect for a retreat and vacation, the Nikoi Island is located near Bintan. Active travellers can find themselves trekking at their rainforest, ready for adventures. If you prefer simply lying and relaxing by the beach, you’ll surely find yourself with a perfect beach environment for that.

How to get there: Board a ferry from Tanah Merah ferry terminal to Bintan before grabbing a cab across Bintan towards the jetty to Nikoi Island. Total travelling time will take you about 2 and a half hours from Singapore.

Dayang Island

The clearest seas you’ll find closest to home, the Dayang Island is a favourite location for scuba divers as the seas are so clear, you can simply peer in and find yourself a beautiful array of marine life. Whale sharks are also said to be able to be seen there when you climb up onto their Reyners rock boulder.

How to get there: By coach, travel to Mersing for about 3 hours before taking a 3-4 hours boat ride towards Pulau Dayang from the Mersing Jetty.

Karimun Island

This beach claims to have really clear water ready for you to snorkel. Located near the Riau Islands of Indonesia, dive in and relax by wandering around the cool waters. A waterfall, named Air Terjun, is also located nearby with artificial pools that are made to capture the water that flows down from the mountain.

How to get there: From Harbourfront’s Singapore Cruise Centre, board a ferry to the Karimun Island in under 2 hours.

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com