Everything you need to know about Tioman Island

Tioman is one of Malaysia’s most popular small islands, at 39 km long and 12 km wide, located off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia.

Such is its popularity that Time magazine has even called Tioman one of the world’s most beautiful islands.

The rainforest that covers Tioman is rich in life and the waters littered with numerous white coral reefs, making it a much-sought after destination by divers across Asia.

Accessible by speedboat or ferry from Mersing, Tioman has several resorts to accommodate visitors on vacation.

There are many things to do here; primarily snorkelling and scuba diving. If you’re into nature, then the island has some fascinating flora and fauna to discover.

Where to stay in Tioman Island??

No matter where you stay on Tioman Island, you are guaranteed of crystal clear waters, perfect tranquility and a magnificent view. No matter what your budget, there is a wide range of accommodation available around the island, from luxury studio suites such as Berjaya Tioman Suites, to the humble wooden chalets by the beach.

Beaches

The sandy bays and white sand make Tioman a place to relax for beach-bummers and families. The island’s resorts are quite well-developed as tourism has become the main source of income for the island.

There are many rest-houses, chalets and hotels available for accommodation but despite the development, Tioman still remains a beautiful place.

Water-sports such as jet-skiing can be done at certain parts of the island. The best beaches are found in Salang, Juara, Air Batang and Bunut.

Snorkeling & Scuba Driving

The islands around Tioman have been gazetted as a marine park and are thus protected by law. While not as pristine as some spots like Redang and Perhentian Island, Tioman does have a nice sea bed to explore. Divers can expect visibility to between 5-10 metres in the water. This is enough to admire the beauty of its coral reefs, an underwater garden of colourful marine life.

The reefs around Tioman are believed to be thousands of years old and hence hold many varieties of coral and tropical reef fish, as well as larger species such as turtles and sharks. The rare giant clam is also found here. Fishes such as parrot fish, butterfly fish, Napolean fish and silver snappers will come right to you so do bring along an underwater camera to snap those moments. If you don’t want to get wet, you can charter boats with glass bottoms, enabling you to view the marine oasis below.

The popular reefs for diving include those of Pulau Tulai, Pulau Renggis, Pulau Sepoi and Pulau Labas. There are even underwater caves at Pulau Chebeh to explore.


Nature & Based Activity

Apart from the beautiful beaches and rich marine ecosystems, Tioman has a protected rainforest brimming with life. Visitors can opt to explore the natural scenery through jungle trails that start from Tekek and Juara.

If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot one of the 45 mammal species on the island, such as the binturong (bearcat), long-tailed macaque, slow loris, black giant squirrel, brush-tailed porcupine, red-giant flying squirrel, common palm civet and mouse deer.

Tioman is also a haven for bird-watchers; some 138 species of birds have been recorded on the island, including hill mynahs and swifts. Snakes in all sorts of colours such as the twin-barred and paradise tree snake slither among the trees. It is indeed an experience to walk through the jungles and discover Tioman’s rich eco-system.

Beaches In Malaysia (overall)

Malaysia Beaches

It would be an impossible task to describe every one of Malaysia's thousands of beautiful beaches. Ranging from the powdery stretches of sand that characterize the eastern coastline of Peninsular Malaysia to the black sand beach of Pantai Pasir Hitam and the smooth pebble beach of Pantai Batu Kerikil, Malaysia's shores offer more idyllic locales than one could explore in many lifetimes.

In addition to the plenitude of beaches along the the peninsula and the coast of Eastern Malaysia, the country also possesses over a hundred tropical islands. Many of these are so beautiful as to have entered into legend centuries ago, like the islands of Langkawi remain desert isles, marked , or Pulau Tioman. Others only by the imprint of the South China Sea on their sands.

Despite such abundance and variety, Malaysia's beaches are noticeably different from those in other parts of the world. They are often less differentiated from the shoreline than those of the Caribbean, for example, tending instead to be almost nestled up against the lush forests that this nation is famous for. The color palette is different as well--golden sands and emerald waters imbue Malaysian beaches with an air of succulent sweetness that isn't found in the cool whites and blues of many western strands.

The result is that these beaches impart a very different sensation, a sense of languid peace and a distinct feeling that the division between land and sea is less a sharp line than a smooth continuum