The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced today, 25 September 2026, that this year's Kusu Pilgrimage Season (KPS) will run from Saturday 10 October to Sunday 8 November 2026. The one number that changed: the adult weekend ferry fare is now $18, down from $22 last season.
> Quick view: 10 Oct-8 Nov 2026 · ferries only from Marina South Pier · hourly departures, first boat 7am, last boat out 5pm, last boat back 7pm · adults $16 weekdays, $18 weekends and public holidays · children 1-12 $12 · buy at islandcruise.com.sg or at the pier · no overnight stays, no pets
What the pilgrimage season is
Every year in the Ninth Lunar Month, devotees take the ferry to Kusu Island to pray at the Da Bo Gong Temple and at the keramat on the hilltop, a shrine built to commemorate the 19th-century holy man Syed Abdul Rahman, his mother Nenek Ghalib and his sister Puteri Fatimah. SLA manages the island and sets the arrangements each season.
Ferry times and fares
Singapore Island Cruise & Ferry Services (SIC) is the appointed operator, and only its ferries may carry passengers to the main jetty during the season.
| Adult | Child (1-12) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | $16 | $12 |
| Weekends and public holidays | $18 (was $22 in 2025) | $12 |
- Departures: hourly, every day, from Marina South Pier.
- First ferry: 7am from Marina South Pier.
- Last ferry: 5pm from Marina South Pier, and 7pm from Kusu Island back to the mainland.
- SLA warns that delays can be expected on weekends and public holidays.
How to buy tickets
- Online at islandcruise.com.sg (SLA's release also carries a QR code to the same page). SIC emails a confirmation.
- Show that email at SIC's counter at Marina South Pier to collect the actual ferry tickets. The email alone does not get you on the boat.
- Or buy in person at SIC's KPS counter at the pier.
SIC's counter is at 31 Marina Coastal Drive, #01-04, Marina South Pier (tel 6534 9339).
Getting to Marina South Pier
Parking at the pier is limited, so SLA asks visitors to use public transport: Marina South Pier MRT station (Exit B) on the North-South Line, or SBS Transit bus 400, which goes straight to the pier.
Fine print
- Go on a weekday if you can. SLA specifically asks visitors to avoid the weekend crowds, and the weekday fare is also $2 cheaper.
- No overnight stays and no pets on Kusu Island.
- The bumboat jetty is still closed. The harbour-craft jetty has been shut since 24 April 2025 and must not be used, so private bumboats are not an option.
- The stairs up to and down from the keramat will be open for the season.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes; the keramat is up a long flight of steps.
Nanyin performance on 7 November
Siong Leng Musical Association will hold its annual heritage performance of Nanyin (Southern Chinese music) at the Chinese temple on Saturday 7 November 2026, 5pm to 10pm. That is the last weekend of the season, so expect the heaviest crowds, and remember the last ferry back leaves at 7pm.
What this means for you
- Budget $16 to $18 an adult and $12 a child for the return trip. A family of two adults and two kids pays $56 on a weekday or $60 on a weekend, versus $68 on a weekend last year.
- Book online before you go but still arrive early: you have to queue at the counter to swap the email for tickets.
- Plan around the last boat. Nothing leaves the island after 7pm, and overnight stays are not allowed.
- Dates and fares are SLA's; confirm the latest ferry arrangements with SIC before you travel.
*Source: Singapore Land Authority press release "Kusu Pilgrimage Season 2026", 25 September 2026; 2025 fares from SLA's 29 September 2025 release. Cover: MissLobang graphic based on SLA's announcement.*
