Saint John's Island formerly housed a quarantine station for cholera cases detected among immigrants in the late 19th century, and starting from 1901, victims of beriberi were also brought to the island. By 1930, the island gained world recognition as a quarantine centre screening immigrants and pilgrims returning from Mecca. The quarantine station was eventually also used to house victims of other diseases, such as leprosy. When mass immigration was closed in mid-20th century, the island was used to house a penal settlement and from 1955 a
drug rehabilitation centre. The 40.5-
hectare hilly island was transformed in 1975 into a tranquil getaway with swimming lagoons, beaches, picnic grounds, trekking routes and football fields. The island is also a haven for a host of flora and fauna, and is popular for weekend visits. There is also a small jetty at the southern end of the island to transport visitors to and from the mainland.