There are plenty of offshore Singapore islands for Singaporeans to explore. Pulau Ubin, of course, is the OG where many of us have P5 camp memories. And then there’s Lazarus Island, which is increasing in popularity lately – especially with the opening of Tiny Away Escape and Into The Woods. But chances are, you’ve probably never heard of Sarong Island, also known as “Singapore’s first tourist isle”.
Well, that’s because it no longer exists, but let’s go back in time when it was believed to be Singapore’s first island to become a popular tourist destination for entertainment and stunning views.
Image credit: Blog To Express
Before Sentosa became the go-to weekend getaway, there was Sarong Island. It was about the size of 3 football fields, and it used to sit just off the northwestern coast of Pulau Belakang Mati. In 1967, socialite Christina Lee – ex-wife of cinema magnate Loke Wan Tho – bought the little isle and turned it into Singapore’s first true entertainment spot.
And by “entertainment destination”, we’re not talking just picnics by the beach. Sarong Island came complete with a restaurant dishing out lavish meals, an open-air amphitheatre for live performances, and even its own gift shop. It was, in many ways, a precursor to the leisure island vibes we now associate with Sentosa.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore.
The only known structure on Sarong Island at the time is the White House. Built by Frank Blackwood Sewell, Senior Superintendent of Surveys of the Straits Settlements from 1927 to 1932, the house later became Christina’s residence after she bought the island.
Not long after, she transformed it into The White House Restaurant, a lively weekend spot for visiting guests. Sundays were all about hearty curry buffets with European touches, while Saturday nights took things up a notch with air-flown steaks, imported capon chicken, and whole rock lobsters.
While guests drank and dined, there were music and dance performances by local groups. Among those who performed on the island was Cultural Medallion recipient Santha Bhaskar. Guests could also spot ships passing through the harbour.
Christina initially continued living in the White House, and then eventually moved to another house on Sarong Island.
Image from the Straits Times, 9 August 1968.
Image credit: NewspaperSG
If you’re hoping to track down Sarong Island today, you’re out of luck – it no longer exists in its original form. The island was notoriously tricky to access by sampan or boat during monsoon season, and by 1971, it was acquired by the Singapore government as part of the master plan to transform Sentosa into a full-fledged leisure hub.
The $7M project was announced in 1978 and also included the nearby Selegu Island. Both islands were combined with Sentosa through land reclamation.
A 1992 nautical chart showing how both Sarong Island and Pulau Selegu became part of Sentosa.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore
Where Sarong Island once sat is now the site of the former Hard Rock Hotel – a reminder of how the island’s story was folded into the larger Sentosa we know today.
Sarong Island may no longer be around, but its legacy was what first inspired Sentosa Island. Instead of The White House Restaurant, there are top-tier dining establishments like Fiamma, FOC By The Beach, and Sol & Ora. And paying homage to it being an entertainment enclave, we still have it in the form of Hendrick’s Sunset Cinema and HyperDrive.
More things to do in Sentosa:
Cover image adapted from: National Archives of Singapore, Blog To Express
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