By far the smallest of the three islands, Kusu is also the most pleasant. Step off the boat and into an area of picnic-friendly landscaped gardens, home to a small turtle sanctuary and the colourful Taoist Tua Pek Kong Temple . Further on is the beach , its shallow water ideal for young kids. All of this, though, is on reclaimed flat land, which surrounds the original piece of Kusu – a forest-covered rock topped by the Kusu Kramats , three 19th-century Malay shrines.
You can visit the shrines, all painted a bright canary yellow, by climbing the 152 steps up through the trees to the top. Chances are you'll find devotees in the middle of prayer, their requests ranging from wealth, harmony and health, to marital bliss and (in the case of childless couples) the pitter patter of little feet.
