Tioman Island (Pulau Tioman)

"For Underwater Thrills, Rainforest Treks, and Wild Things"

Bursting with natural goodness, Tioman Island remains one of the best wild getaways in Peninsula Malaysia. Located in the blue-green waters of the South China Sea and surrounded by a scattering of 64 islands, Tioman is the largest and most alluring island on the east coast.

A tropical paradise full of secluded coves, soft corals, rugged jungle trails and, of course, sun drenched beaches. Tioman Island's hilly forested interior harbours an wonderful menagerie of biological plant and animal life to merit its distinction as a Wildlife Reserve.

Whether diving among the kalaidoscope of colorful tropical fish or trekking among luxuriant tropical trees adorned with , exploring the biodiversity of coral reefs and tropical rainforests makes a visit to Tioman Island a special nature extravaganza.

So get underwater, trek overland and discover paradise with every sea turtle sighting, flying lizard jump, stangler fig embrace and whatever else crosses your path.

Natural Things To Do

• Tropical Beaches
• Diving & Snorkelling
• Jungle Trekking
• Pulau Tioman Marine Park

Tioman Island: Map of Main Features

Map Courtesy of Outskirt Outreach

Tioman Island: Nature Activities

Pick a bay, any bay. Sandy beaches ideal for lingering, lounging and sunning are available on any part of the island. Check out the map, find your options and choose your place in the sun:

Tekek - The beaches at Kampung Tekek are average, but the convenience of being next to the main jetty, the airport, the Marine Park, the cross-island trail and all the trappings of tropical living still make it a good choice for many. A new marina and other facilities are turning Tekek into a duty-free zone hub with all the usual tourism development suspects scheduled to be built up. So the quaint and traffic free village may soon turn into a busy town.

Air Batang - To get away from the hubbub, just walk a bit north to Air Batang that serves as a beach buffer zone. Known locally as ABC, this mix of wooden chalets, makeshift bars and cheap restaurants gets you away from island central and into a better tropical mood.

Salang - On the north end, Kampung Salang offers sunworshipers the basic amenities of beach life and a few more tourists to share it all with. Not the best place to swim, but you are always just a speedboat taxi away from any place on the island.

Mukut/Nipah - On the south end choose Kampung Mukut or Kampung Nipah for a quieter stay in seclusion. This end of the island remains less populated with a few resorts taking advantage of the solitude.

Juara - If you really want to escape, then go to Kampung Juara on the west coast. A picturesque locale nestled in a beautiful bay with great beaches, the choices for food and fun are limited but the leisure is divine.

Monkey Bay - Get some distance between yourself and most the tourists by spending a half-day on this semi-secluded bay accessible by speedboat taxi. Bring all your snorkel gear, snacks and lunch, a book, and plenty of liquid refreshment.

The Seribuat Archipelago comprises all the small dome-shaped isles found within an easy boat ride from the dominant island of Tioman. Good coral reefs fringe many of these satellite islands to offer every visitor a great chance to view marine life.
Discover the marine world

There are plenty of dive shops to cater to divers' equipment and training needs and ample opportunities for snorkelling off a fishing boat moving to several key locations each trip.

With nearly 200 species of hard and soft coral and an awesome assortment of reef fish, including triggerfish, parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish, barracuda and many others, the endless underwater parade keeps you entralled for hours.

Among the larger residents you might encounter include blacktip reef sharks, green turtles and manta rays, with seasonal whale sharks visiting between March and May. And search for endangered giant sea clams, up to a meter wide, with their colorful interior mosaics. There are many more reasons to get your feet wet with a snorkelling experience or just dive in and enjoy the show.

Tioman Island's spectacular natural heritage has drawn enthusiasts for over 100 years to investigate its diverse habitats and wildlife. Half of the island remains pristine as hill dipterocarp forests fill up the interior to form its natural nucleus.

The slanted slopes rise to over 1000 meters atop Gunung Kajang to transform the island into an ecological haven for small animals to exploit.

An expedition in 1999 found 45 mammals species, 138 bird species and 25 snakes. Later biological surveys searched the outer islands to find more reptiles and amphibians with 37 snakes, 32 lizards, 22 frogs, and one turtle.

The real magic of Tioman Island is that it offers everyone a chance to explore and marvel at its diverse wild creatures. It's not necessary to be a scientist, just go to the Tekek-Juara cross-island jungle trail.

Tekek-Juara is the best marked pathway and a great trail to find snakes, lizards and frogs. It cuts across secondary and primary hill forests to reveal the richness of the island's terrestrial flora and fauna.

Try to arrange one of these recommended jungle trekking routes. Remember all estimated times are for one-way only:

Route	Distance	Duration	Feature
Tekek-Juara	7 km	2 hours	rainforest, stream, wildlife
Mukut-Asah	2 km	1 hour	waterfall, pool
Mukut-Twin Peaks	4 km	2 hours	montane forest
Air Batang-Salang	8 km	4 hours	rainforest

Tioman Island is the largest in a group of nine islands (Pulau Tulai, Pulau Labas, Pulau Sepoi, Pulau Seri Buat, Pulau Tokong Bahara, Pulau Gut, Pulau Cebeh and Pulau Sembilang) that form the Tioman Marine Park.

Run by the Department of Fisheries, drop by the centre to ask about any particular places of interest or view the interpretive exhibits, maps, brochures, video shows and talks to increase your appreciation of the marine and island biodiversity.

The centre offers several facilities and services including:

• toilet and wash facilities
• picnic tables and barbeque pits
• a jetty to allow boats to come along shore
• mooring buoys over coral reefs for snorkelling and diving boats
• shopping for small items like food and drinks at village shops

For further information, please contact:

Pusat Taman Laut Pulau Tioman
Kampung Tekek
Pulau Tioman
Tel: 09-413 1273
Fax: 09-419 1595

Tioman Island: Hotels & Accommodations

Resorts and chalets dot the entire west coast of Tioman Island with ferries dropping off visitors at each bay. Budget accommodation consists of wooden chalets, A-frames and basic rooms with fans. Air-con rooms with hot showers are available too.

For those looking for a bit more relaxation and comfort, the resorts offer a nice option to have everything you need in one place.

Berjaya Beach Resort

Surrounded by lush gardens and a rainforest backdrop, Berjaya Tioman Beach fronts transparent turquoise waters teeming with reefs and coral life behind its white sandy beaches.

Nature travelers will enjoy great outdoor experiences such as diving, snorkelling, and jungle trekking.

As the island's only international standard hotel, Berjaya offers 361 chalets and elegant suites spread over 200 acres.

The resort has eight excellent choices of dining outlets and many water sport activities, even a glass bottom boat ride to view the outlying reefs. Miles of sandy white beaches and its surrounding waters promise diving enthusiasts a wondrous oasis.

Check prices and book your holiday at Berjaya Beach Resort

JapaMala Resort

Rated as one of World Top 10 Ultra Boutique Resorts, JapaMala Resort exudes the local flavor of a Malaysian tropical island. With only a dozen Malay village-style villas and chalets, the resort evokes a fashionably rustic ambiance inspired by nature.

Capturing the mood, even the rooms are called sarangs (Malay for nests). Chalets lie remotely hidden amidst luxuriant jungle, others are perched high on stilts above the turquoise lagoon.

The living spaces and outdoor features like plunge pool, day bed, sun deck and open air bath tubs are structured around the resort's magnificent landscape. And the design keeps the natural features - streams, steep cliff and towering boulders - intact to transcend elegance amidst mother nature.

JapaMala's concept is designed to offer some serious relaxation, and a way of life to escape from your everyday drama. With a strong emphasis on nature and habitat conservation, no trees were felled during the course of building the resort.

Check prices and book your holiday at JapaMala Resort

Tioman Island: Getting There

Tioman is off the southeast coast of Peninsula Malaysia. It is reachable by speedboat or ferry from the coastal towns of Mersing or from Tanjung Gemuk.

Speedboats and Ferries

Speedboats and ferries depart from Mersing or Tanjung Gemok with return fares available.

• From Mersing, speedboats (20 passengers) reach the island within 2 hours while the ferries (150 passengers) can take up to 3 hours.
• Tickets cost RM 35 each way (RM 45 for speedboats) and ferries leave every one to two hours between 09:30 and 17:30.
• Ferry and boat services are less frequent from Tanjung Gemuk, but prices and journey times are roughly the same.

Bus and Car

Take a bus from Kuala Lumpur to reach Mersing in 5 hours (Tickets RM 23).

Directions from Kuala Lumpur:

• Via the PLUS highway (E2) to the south, exiting at Segamat and continuing east on Route 50 through Kluang to Mersing.
• Or take the East Coast Highway (E8) from KL to Kuantan and Route No 3 southwards through Pekan and Rompin to Mersing.

Travellers familiar with Malaysian roads can use these less busy backroads. It is advisable to travel on these remote roads during the daytime due to limited services:

• Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Pilah (winding road) to Bandar Muazzam Shah; continue south to reach Mersing.
• Kuala Lumpur to Kluang to NITAR to Mersing (avoiding the winding road before reaching Jamaluang).

In Mersing there are plenty of restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets to stock up on snacks or other items. The jetty to Tioman Island is about a 20 minute walk. There are hotels for overnight stays and access to ATMs and internet cafes. For those who drive, use the secure car park (RM8 per day) next to the jetty.

Air

Arrive by air to Pulau Tioman at the airstrip in Tekek. Berjaya Air flies twice daily to the island from Kuala Lumpur (Subang Airport) and Singapore (Seletar Airport).