Tioman Island (Malay language: Pulau
Tioman) is a small island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular
Malaysia in the state of Pahang, and is some 39 km long and 12 km wide. It has
eight main villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Tekek in the
north. The densely forested island is sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by
numerous coral reefs, making it a popular scuba diving spot. There are also a
lot of resorts and chalets around the island which has duty free status.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?
Pulau Tioman Marine Park can be visited all
year round but the best time to dive and snorkel is from the month of April
until October because the monsoon season is from November to March. Visitors
who wish to use the recreational facilities are required to register at the
Pulau Tioman Marine Park Centre.
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- Collecting, removing, destroying or having in possession of any marine resources such as shells, molluscs, corals and tropical fishes (aquarium fish) whether dead or alive.
- Possession and use of spear guns or spearfishing equipment and harpoon.
- Use of fish traps (bubu), poisons and electricity of other methods to catch fish.
- Anchoring of boats directly onto the reef (Please make use of the orange coloured mooring buoys found within the marine park for mooring of boats)
- Littering and disposal of waste/rubbish
- Removing and/or destroying any structure such as buoys, notice boards etc.
- Constructs or erects any building or other structure within the Marine Park Area
- Fishing within the Marine Park Area, that is 2 nautical miles from the shore of Pulau Tioman, Pulau Labas, Pulau Sepoi, Pulau Gut, Pulau Tokong Bahara, Pulau Chebeh, Pulau Tulai, Pulau Sembilang and Pulau Seri Buat.
Place of Interest
Marine Park
Pulau Tioman is the biggest marine park in
Malaysia. By diving and snorkeling, you can explore the underwater environment
of Pulau Tioman and get to see lots of marine life. Besides diving and
snorkeling at Pulau Tioman Marine Park, Renggis Island is recommended to
visitors. Renggis Island has good hard coral diversity and thus it is a good
place for diving. Before leaving to Marine Park, make sure the essentials
equipments of diving and snorkeling are prepared.
Scuba Diving
The abundance of marine life, accessibility
and fairly good visibility makes Tioman one of the most popular diving
destinations in Malaysia. There are many dive operators on the island offering
boat and shore dives as well as instruction and certification.
There are over twenty dive sites on Tioman,
with something for everyone from the newly certified to the experienced wreck
diver. There underwater topography is diverse and Tioman is also one of the few
places in Malaysia where you are likely to come across schools of dolphins.
Tioman Island Location Map
Swimming and sunbathing
There are lots of
beautiful beaches at Pulau Tioman such as Monkey Bay for you to swim. These
beaches with white sand are good place to swim. If you do not like swimming,
you can do sunbathing too.
Jungle trekking
The jungle walk across to
Monkey Bay is recommended. After reaching Monkey Bay, you can do sunbathing or
can swim. The ten minutes jungle trek to Rockfalls awards you with glimpse of
monitor lizards and exotic butterflies in their natural environment.
Monkey Bay
Monkey Beach may not have many monkeys
living there anymore, but it's a secluded and uncrowded beach for lazy days in
the sunshine or a gentle swim in the sea. You'll probably be sharing the waters
with a bubbling of trainee divers, as the shallow calm waters are perfect for
those first underwater breaths.
You have to look fairly hard these days to
recognise Tioman island as the Bali H'ai of the Hollywood film musical
"South Pacific", but with its secluded setting and dramatic hillside
backdrop, Monkey Beach invokes that laid-back atmosphere better than most.
You'll probably see a couple of monkeys at
Monkey Beach, but that's about it once the divers have gone back for lunch, as
permanent businesses have not set up here (yet) and there are no facilities. Of
course that's pretty much the charm of the place! So, just lie back on the golden
sandy beach, swim in the calm sea, or laze in the shade of the trees beside the
small river that flows into the sea here, a perfect spot for a picnic - just
remember to bring one! (And please don't share it with the monkeys.)
Monkey Bay and Monkey Beach are separated
by a small headland, so you can swim from one to the other rather than take the
footpath, which can get blocked with fallen trees after the monsoons.
Rock Climbing
for a real adventure in expert hands, join
in for one of the Dragon Peak adventures offered by Petit Climbing Centre – operated by Sharin Hashim himself. Three day, two night packages are RM 1 200
per person and include accommodation, food, climbing equipments, climbing
guides, porters and boat transfer to and from Mersing jetty. This is a once in
a lifetime adventure and for this site, there is no better guide.
Waterfalls
The hilly terrain of the island has
numerous places where mountain streams cascade over cliffs, granite boulders
and deep rock pools to find their way to the sea. Reaching the waterfalls
usually requires an uphill trek through the jungle, anything from 5 minutes to
two hours long, but the gorgeous sight and the fresh, cool mountain water make
the sweaty walk worthwhile every time.
The highest waterfalls are the Asah
waterfall close to Mukut village – which also has refreshingly cool mountain
pools to swim in – and the Juara waterfall in the hillside behind Juara
village. The rock falls behind Paya village is nothing more than a bubbling
river rushing into the lagoon over a series of boulders, but a peaceful, natural
sight nonetheless.
Duty-free Shopping
Tioman has been given duty-free status by
the Mlaysian government. The duty exemption mainly pertains to tobacco and
alcohol products and the best place to do this kind of shopping is in the
village of Tekek.
The larger stores in Tekek stock not only a
variety of tobacco and alcohol products, including wines, but also a good
selection of t-shirts, bathing suits and Tioman souvenirs.
There are some small duty-free stores in
the other villages, most notably in Paya village at the Paya Beach Resort.
Most round-island tours make a stop at
Tekek. Alternatively, you can hop on the regular ferry to or from the mainland
as it makes its way from one village to another (expect to pay RM 25-40 per
person) or charter a small boat.
Golfing
An 18-hole international standard golf
course is not something that you would expect to find on a tropical island, but
the Berjaya Tioman Resort has made it possible.
With the beach on the one side and the
jungle on the other, this par-71 course is filled with challenging hazards such
as ponds, bunkers and jungle-rough. On the par-3 7th hole, you will have to
cross seawater to reach the green.
Facilities at the golf course include
lockers, shower and changing rooms, a pro shop, practice green, gymnasium and
sauna rooms. Golf carts, clubs and shoes are available for hire.
The golf course is accessible from the
Berjaya Tioman Golf, Beach & Spa Resort. It is advisable to call ahead, but
pre-bookings are usually not required.
Spa
At present there are two Spas on Tioman.
The first is the Ayura Spa at the Berjaya Tioman Resort and the other is the
Paya Holistic Spa at the Paya Beach Resort.
The Ayura Spa is part of a network of Spas
affiliated with the Berjaya group of resorts and offers a range of traditional
and natural treatments.
Treatments include massages, body scrubs
and wraps, facials, hand and feet grooming and treatments and also a selection
of Hair Spa treatments. These can be combined in a Spa package lasting between
two and four hours. The signature treatment of the Ayura Spa is the Ayura
Signature Massage, which uses a traditional method of applying a heated
poultice of aromatic herbs and spices to meridian points of the body.
The Paya Holistic Spa focuses on providing
a relaxing and rejuvenating experience and uses a variety of natural
ingredients such as cucumber, coconut, herbs, papaya and yoghurt. This Spa
offers a range of massages, a herbal body scrub and wrap, a facial and an
Ayurvedic Hair treatment. There are also packages available that combine
treatments.
It is essential to make a booking for your
Spa treatment and to arrive on time. Enquire with the Berjaya Tioman Golf,
Beach & Spa Resort or the Paya Beach Resort for further information.
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