| Pulau Jong | |
| Translit Lang1: | Name |
| Translit Lang1 Type: | Chinese |
| Translit Lang1 Info: | 炯岛 |
| Translit Lang1 Info1: | jiǒng dǎo |
| Translit Lang1 Type4: | Malay |
| Translit Lang1 Info4: | Pulau Jong |
| Translit Lang1 Type5: | Tamil |
| Pushpin Map: | Singapore |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Pulau Jong within Singapore |
| Coordinates: | 1.215°N 103.7867°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Singapore |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
Pulau Jong or Junk Island is a 6000m2 conical island about 60NaN0 off the southern coast of Singapore. The small island lies north of Pulau Sebarok and the former Pulau Sakeng (now merged with Pulau Semakau). The island is uninhabited, undeveloped, and largely inaccessible.
According to a local legend behind the island's name, a Chinese junk invader was attacked by Malay pirates one night where the island now is. Just as the pirates were about to board the junk, the captain (the Nakhodah) awoke. When the captain saw the pirates, he uttered such a frightful yell that the sea spirit turned the whole junk into an island.[1]
The island is surrounded by a reef, has no landing jetty, and is composed mostly of cliffs. It is therefore extremely difficult to access the interior. Although the reefs are accessible to kayak, no formal expedition to study the island's interior has been mounted.
In July 2014, a private expedition was conducted with the permission of the Singapore government.[2] An individual swam to shore, climbed the island, and recorded video footage of the island's interior. He found no evidence of terrestrial animals of any kind, and suggested that the island is inhabited exclusively by insects, spiders, and the occasional bird.[3]
Some large-billed crows were seen in the trees by a bird watch group in February 2018.[4]