Tioman Island A to Z

Another popular beach here is Salang beach where the crescent shaped location has a great view of the seas. You will find a lot of people snorkelling here on any day because of its crystal, clear waters while the local village is a popular hangout as well.

Golf – If you are a golfer and would like to enjoy a game amidst the sea breeze and the sea side, then head out to the Tioman Island Golf Course. This is where you can choose between the 2 courses designed by top international golfers.

Turtles – Like most east coast islands, Tioman has its own Turtle conservation project. This is called the Juara Turtle Project where the centre is open for visitors. You can choose to volunteer to help out in this centre and be part of a bigger good.

Waterfalls – If you like to visit the peaceful ponds and gushing waters, then you will like the Asah Waterfalls. Known as the Mukut falls, it is where the 1958 movie South Pacific was shot. To get here, you can take water taxis which will be a great experience.

There are a lot of very exciting locations to go if you like snorkelling or scuba diving. Diving here is among the top activities where you will find some of the most beautiful corals and underwater creatures. Whether you are a seasoned diver or one who is starting out, there are many operators here that offer PADI courses and other excursions.

Meanwhile, snorkelling is available at most resorts and hotels. There are several operators located along the beaches who can rent out snorkelling gear at affordable rates. Take some time to dive in and swim with the water creatures where you can spot some very beautiful fishes and even baby sharks.

Tioman Island is actually a very small island where it has a land area of only 136km2. Gunung Kajang is the highest peak here which sets at 1,038 meters while it has less than 500 people who are mostly from the Malay and Chinese communities.

As such, the best time to visit Tioman Island during the middle of the year which is around May to July. This is the time when western countries get their summer while those in the southern hemisphere has their winter. Around these times, you will enjoy the warm and clear coastline with June being the super peak season.

This means that there will be a lot of foreign tourists particularly during these months. For divers, August would be the best time to come to Tioman Island as marine life will be at the richest due to the warm water in the seas or just to head out for a dip into the clear waters of the ocean.

You would be advised to visit Tioman Island around the middle of the year. Anytime between February to October is fine while the May to August would be ideal when the island experiences the dryer seasons. If you must come during the year end monsoon, it would be best to check the availability and the current weather as it can be quite heavy at times.

Flying in using Berjaya Air will limit your luggage to 10kgs. This means that you should travel as light as possible. In fact, you should bring basic clothing and daily necessities that are sufficient for your stay. Light clothing would be required especially if you plan to head out to the jungles or into the beach areas.

Basically, Tioman Island is very safe. When you go snorkelling or scuba diving, be wary of cuts when you hit the some corals which if left untreated could turn septic and cause infections. Triggerfish is another concern as they can be very territorial during the mating season and could cause injuries. The local tour guide and scuba instructors will guide you on this and you are 100% safe with them.

Generally, the locals in Tioman Island are very friendly. They might not be big in numbers but the Malays are Muslims which mean that you need to be mindful and sensitive to their customs.

Avoid wearing clothes that are too revealing when you are in their midst while you should find out and observe the traditions that they practice in their communities as well. If you are unsure, it is polite to ask instead of making assumptions which can be offensive.

The best method to get to Tioman Island is via Mersing. Take note that there is an RM5 fee to enter the island. If you are coming to Tioman for a holiday, ensure that you have made the necessary arrangements.

To ensure everything is taken care of when visiting Tioman Island is to engage a travel package. Most of these packages include transfer from Mersing by boat to the island as well as the entrance fee. If you are coming in via ferry, there are several stops along the way at the many villages including Paya, Genting, Tekek, Salang and Air Batang.

You will have to first travel to Mersing, which is in Johor. Take the North-South Expressway if you are coming in from the northern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. From there, you need to find the jetty which is about a few minutes away. Park your vehicle and you can then take the ferry or speedboat into Tioman. In the island, you can then rent a bike to get around as the island is quite small.

For those who are flying in, the Tioman Airport provides service for those coming in from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Take note that only Berjaya Air serves this route.

Being a top tourist destination, you will have no problem when it comes to food in Tioman Island. However, you might find that the prices here are on the higher side as compared to other parts of Malaysia. This is because most of the restaurants and cafes are associated to the hotels and resorts in one way or another.

If you are staying around the local villages like Juara and Genting, you will be able to find a lot of local dishes and food. This is where you can try out the likes of the Roti Canai or the Mee Goreng which are local favourites. Salang is another town where you can find seafood and local declicacies.

However, if you are looking for a more upscale and perhaps romantic option, then the resorts and hotels would be your best bet. Some of them like Juara Mutiara actually offer buffet meals. There are cruise dinners as well where you get to dine while enjoying the sunset.

There are certain places where food are quite popular like Nazri’s Place that offers barbecue dinner, the Bushman’s in Juara and several Chinese restaurants. Besides that, there are several bars around Tekek and Juara which are great to unwind and relax too.

Food in Tioman Island can be a challenge if you are the picky type. However, if you are open to all types of food, then you will find a lot of options that might attract your taste buds. Visitors to Pulau Tioman are always encouraged to try out the local cuisine although there are some continental choices as well.

One of the major factors of food in Tioman Island is on pricing. The rule of thumb here is that local dishes are very cheap while continental and western cuisine are comparatively more expensive particularly if you are dining in a restaurant in the upscale resorts or hotels. To be entirely safe, you might want to buy bottled drinking water which is very cheap.

If you are around the villages, you will find a lot of shops that sell local food. Take some time to choose the best places you are comfortable with especially the mamak shops that serve great Nasi Goreng or Roti Canai. Besides that, they have stalls that sell the local Ramly Burger and hot dogs. Around Juara, you will find a few local food stalls that serve Malay dishes at affordable rates.

If you are around the Coral Reef Holidays, the Village Restaurant here serves great western cuisine as well as Malay dishes. Guests here can enjoy the specially cooked food as well as the great view that overlooks the waters. Meanwhile, there are quite a lot of options at the buffet breakfast served at the Juara Mutiara or you can head out to the Bushman restaurant.

Other places where you can find food around Tioman Island is the Ayer Batang, the Arini Rock Café, ThaiFun Restaurant and others, all of which have their own set of unique offerings in their menu.

Foreign visitors can be seen hanging around the bars and pubs around Tioman Island especially in the evenings and sometimes to the wee hours of the morning. This includes the likes of the B&J Bar, the open air lounge at Manana in Juara, Allo Bar in Air Batang, Sunset Bar, Ari’s Café, the Tioman Cabana Bar and the very unique and traditional Bar Rumah where you can find both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

One of the highlights of visiting Tioman Island is that you will see large monitor lizards in a lot of places. They will be wandering in public places most of the time while you could see lots of cats too.

To get into Tioman, there is a nominal fee to pay and another RM20 fee to enter the Marine Park. You will need to do this prior to departing at the ferry terminal in Mersing. Most of the ferries will bring you to Tekek village, the largest one here. Among the transportation modes to get into Tioman includes:

Within the island, you can easily get around using boat, motorcycles, cars or even on foot.

Depending on your budget and range, you will be able to find many different types of hotels and resorts in Tioman Island. The Paya Beach Resort is among some of the popular names you will come across that provide value-for-money rooms which come with the best facilities and services.

Besides that, you can find other hotels like the Melina Beach Resort and the Tioman Dive Resort. The latter is very popular for being one of the top diving operators around. Packages here will include dive trips to the sites around Tioman while you get to enjoy a good night’s stay at affordable rates.

Other known places here include Marina Bay Resort, Genting Bayu Chalet, the Tamara Resort and the Sea Side Chalet, among others. The hotels and resorts here provide different types of rooms catered for groups of varying sizes which would be ideal for small groups of visitors and families.

This type of hotels make up the majority of options you can find in Tioman Island. There are several options located around the northern part of Pulau Tioman as well as in the Air Batang and Salang vicinities. You can rent a small room at very low rates with basic facilities or go for a dormitory-styled accommodation.

Among the popular places here include Mokhtar’s Place, Nazri, South Pacific Y&P Chalets and My Friend’s Place in Air Batang, the Wak Cottage and Babura Seaview in Tekek, the Puteri Salang Inn and Salang Indah Resorts in Salang and the Beach Shack Chalet and Tamara Resort located in Juara.

If you are looking for a more comfortable stay which provides you with hotel facilities and services but which do not come with exorbitant rates, there are several choices to choose from as well. These options usually come with the standard facilities like internet access, hot shower and such. In Tekek, the Coral Reef Holidays is among the most prominent while you can stay at the Idaman Beach Holiday in Kampung Genting.

Meanwhile, in Air Batang, there is a small resort here with rates starting from below RM100 known as the Bamboo Hill Chalets or you can stay at the Paya Beach Resort in Paya. Other known places around this range includes the Nipah Paradise Resort, the Minang Cove Resort, Impiana Inn and Panuba Resort.

As it is with any island destinations, there will be the upscale resorts and hotels which are very luxurious and a lot costlier than others. These are places you can stay with top-class services and facilities.

Jungles – If you like to take a break from the waters and the sun, then you can head out to the jungle for some trekking. This is where you can spend some time enjoying the sights and sounds of the glorious flora and fauna of the island. There are many paths and treks that have been designed for people in every level. This includes the Tekek-ABC trail which is the shortest around here.

If you are in for something more extreme, try out the Tekek-Juara trek where you will be cutting across most parts of the island.

Adventure – Apart from all that have been mentioned, you can actually go on your own adventure around Tioman Island by renting a bicycle or a motorbike which can be as low as RM20 per vehicle per day.

A guide to Tioman Island will come in handy if you are looking for the perfect island getaway. You can now plan your trip better once you know how to go about visiting Tioman Island and what to expect when you are here.

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