No one wants to be trapped with problems and deadlines. Unless it’s in the form of an escape room where we get to solve mysteries with our besties and pretend to save ourselves from death, then we’re here for it.
If you’re also a fan, you might want to check out Escape From St. John’s Island – a new outdoor treasure hunt. You’ll be playing Elle – a researcher’s daughter who’s searching for a cure to save the island from a deadly plague. To do that, you’ll need to connect the clues, locate the missing journal pages and retrieve a secret object.
Read on to get a taste of the game. We promise there won’t be any spoilers.
You don’t need to be an escape room pro to know you’ll need a good team to win the game. So, go ahead and hit your friends up. You can have a maximum of five teammates.
Unlike regular escape rooms, there’s no set “room” here. You’ll have the entire island and five hours to scour for clues and decode them. This means you also need to fully prep yourself with proper walking shoes, comfy clothes, bug spray, water and food.
Take note there’s no convenient store or vending machine on the island for you to restock so it’s best to bring extra snacks.
P.S. Check out our guide to St. John’s and Lazarus Islands before heading over.
The game starts with a short ferry ride that departs from Marina South Pier. Together with the rest of the players, you’ll all be taken to St. John’s Island. Think Squid Game, except you’ll be wide awake and probably taking selfies. Cameras at the ready because the view of the straits is picture-perfect.
Once you arrive on the island, there’ll be a quick briefing. Here, you’ll receive a stations map, an iPad and a notebook to help you solve puzzles. Follow the map, rummage the island for clues, plug them into your iPad and decipher the questions in your notebook – easy peasy.
Beware: some puzzles require serious brainpower to solve and Googling is not an option. That’s why you’ll need true teamwork.
Along your journey, keep an eye out for the two haunted locations – the Water Tank and the Watch Tower 5. They lost us at the word “haunted” since we were a bunch of scaredy cats. But if you’re game, go on and explore the giant human chessboard up there. It’s thought to be where prisoners of war were executed whenever they lost a game of human chess during World War II. Yikes.
One more thing – some answers you need to solve your quest are stashed near this area, so enter at your own risk.
Thankfully, the rest of the locations are – as far as we know – not possessed. You’ll most likely not encounter any ghosts, although the resident island monkeys can be rowdy and might steal your snacks. Resist the urge to feed or go near them unless you want to be actually running for your life.
Once you’ve retrieved all the missing journal pages, connect the dots and you’ll unlock two secrets. One of them is a big ‘ol twist that’s too good to give away, so you’ll have to play to find out.
But if you fail to escape the island, you can still take pics at some of the most photogenic spots and Instagram your whole adventure.
If you think you have what it takes to find the cure and save the island, sign up for Escape From St. John’s Island. Some clues are so good, they’ll make you feel proud after you get them right.
On top of that, you’ll be able to give your legs a good 5-hour outdoor workout while hanging out with your friends or even colleagues. Bond over puzzles, problems and your fear of monkeys and ghosts.
To book a session, head over to the Klook website to secure your tickets. Booking is now open for thrill-seekers who want to spend a Saturday morning playing detective in a unique escape room concept on the island.
Add this onto your weekend itinerary, round up your squad and start sleuthing.
Address: 31 Marina Coastal Drive, Singapore 018988
Opening hours: Sat 9AM-2.30PM
Telephone: 9660 0687
Photography by Alvin Wong.
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