Tioman Island
About 58 kilometres off Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast, in the South China Sea, lies Tioman Island, a tear-shaped island paradise. Tioman Island, measuring 38 kilometres long and 19 kilometres at its widest, is the largest in a group of the 64 volcanic islands. The striking profile of the twin peaks of Simukut Mountain provides a remarkable landmark to this beautiful island, reputed to be one of the ten most beautiful and idyllic islands in the world.
Tioman Island is said to be the final resting place of a fabled dragon princess from China. Legend has it that on her way to visit a prince in Temasek (Singapore), she made a stop at Tioman where she immediately fell in love with the charms and beauty of the island. She decided to dedicate her life to weary travelers by giving them shelter and comfort while resting on the island.
There are several villages in Tioman Island : Tekek, Genting, Paya, Nipah, Mukut, Juara, Salang and Air Batang Village.
Explore
A Nature Lover’s Delight
White, sandy beaches with hidden coves, waterfalls set against the towering twin peaks, and lush forest throughout the island makes Pulau Tioman a Paradise on earth.
The thick jungle of Tioman holds many species of wildlife and plants that are endemic to the island. The isolation of the island, coupled with the short generation times of most insects and plants, make Tioman island a worthy topic of study by botanists and others.
Boulder strewn stream beds are common in the island’s interior and are a source of cool water to refresh oneself after a hot and sticky trek. Some of the vegetation in the hills is primary forest where little or no disturbance has occurred. Here, the undergrowth is relatively light and characterized by the presence of many palms and shrubs.
Places to Visit in Tioman Island:
Midday Beach / Funny River / Panuba Bay / Salang / tekek Village / Minang Cove / Asah Waterfall / Bagus Place Retreat / Juara Turtle Project
Places to Visit around Tioman Island:
Poseidon’s House / Tulai Island / Sepoi Island / Labas Island / Soyak Island
Things To Do:
- TREKKING:
Trekking is the best way to enjoy and discover sights and sounds of the tropical jungle. It will reveal the secrets of the jungle as you go deeper. There are several trek paths in Tioman. The most favorite trek path is the 7 km. route between Tekek – Juara links East and West coast of the island. Here are some of the trek routes suggested to the the visitors, namely Mukut – Asah (2km), Mukut – Twin Peak (4km), Air Batang – Saloang (8km). Trekkers can stop to refresh themselves at the stream along the way. - WATERFALL:
There are a several waterfall on the island. The largest of them all is the Asah waterfall where waters cascade down to the rocky pool. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from Mukut village, and 20 minutes from Asah village to get to the waterfall. Another worth going waterfall is the Lubok Tija waterfall which is only half an hour walk from Juara village. The splash of cascading cool water make this place an ideal for picnics.
- MOUNTAIN CLIMBING:
Climbers can take a six hours hike to conquer Mount Kajang (1,038 meters) the highest peak on the island. For rock climbing enthusiasts the sites at Tekek, Mukut and Juara are ideal for scaling. Experienced climbers can embark on an adrenaline- pumping ascent over the Gunong Si Mukut (Twin Peaks), Malaysia’s highest freestanding spire.
- WILDLIFE:
Tioman is covered with hilly virgin and untouched tropical rain forest sprinkled with amazing ‘flora & fauna’. The dense and lush vegetation is home to many wildlife including protected species such as mouse deer, slow loris, binturong, long tailed macaque, giant squirrel, porcupine, reptiles and amphibians. For Birders, there are 141 species of birds on the island to be watched. - DUTY FREE ZONE:Gazette in 2002 as a Free Duty Zone Tioman Island play an important role to the people who lives around the island, as well as developing Tioman into a major and favorite tourist destination. Tekek is the main village and entry point to Tioman via air and sea. It is also the largest village as well as an administrative centre for the island. Being as an administrative centre, there are government offices, air strip, police station, custom & Immigration, bank, money changer, school, mosque, clinic, shops and restaurants. Visitors can tour the village and also purchase items like cigarettes, liquor, clothes and households.
- GOLFING:For golf enthusiasts, tee off at the 18 holes golf course at Berjaya Tioman Golf and Spa Resort at Tekek village. This international resort offer splendid beaches, restaurant, swimming pool, sea sport centre as well as scuba and snorkeling equipment. This make Berjaya Tioman is a perfect hideaway for honeymooners.
Underwater Paradise
Noted for the crystal-clear waters, as far down as 30 of colourful marine life, offering underwater sportsmen some of the best diving sites in the world. The shallow reefs at the nearby islands of Tulai and Renggis are popular spots for scuba diving and snorkeling. Divers can also explore the underwater cave around Chebeh Islands are uninhabited and within an hour’s boat ride from the main highlands. Around the waters near Mukut Village, divers have a chance to view a coral encrusted wreck of a Japanese warship. At the Marine Park Centre located between Tekek and Air Batang, you can also savour the thrill of swimming among the fishes as they swim out to greet you.
Things To Do :
SCUBA DIVING:
Tioman Island is a heaven for divers of all levels. The calm water and dive sites such as a little islands of Renggis and Soyak are ideal for beginners and underwater photography. Dive sites like Chebeh and Magicienne Rock are popular spot among the advanced divers. They occasionally sighting of huge Manta Ray, Whale Shark, Black Tip Reef Shark, Great Barracuda and Turtle. The seabed around Tioman holds many secrets and mysteries. It is the final resting place for numerous vessels, mainly scuttled wooden hulled fishing trawlers. Night dives can also be arranged to witness the display of nocturnal marine life.
SNORKELING:
Snorkeling in Tioman is a paradise for you to discover the underwater world. Warm waters and high visibility make Tioman is a popular destination for snorkeling. Small marine life nearer to the beach is ideal and suitable for beginners. For those who wish to swim alongside fishes, marine park is a favorite spot and at the same time enjoy the beauty of underwater garden.
MARINE PARK:
The cluster of Tioman Island was gazette as marine park to protect its precious marine life. The water of Tioman are home to splendid marine life and colorful dense corals. The Marine Park centre is located between Tekek and Air Batang village and manage by the Fishery Department. As a protected area, only certain activities are permitted such as snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and underwater photography. Coral, shell picking and other damaging activities are strictly forbidden. Fishing is not allowed within 3 km. radius of the island. Great efforts has been made to protect the island, visitors are urged to help and support the local authority to preserve the nature.
ISLAND HOPPING:
Another popular activity in Tioman is the Island Hopping. There are several Islands around Tioman that can be visited such as Tulai, Chebeh, Sepoi, Labas, Sembilang, Sri Buat Tokong Bahara and Jahat. Located about 45 minutes off Salang Village is the Tulai Island, reputed to be the best, the water is crystal clear, white sandy beach, swaying coconut trees, colorful corals and fishes has made Tulai island a perfect place for swimming and picnicking. On your lucky day, you will be greeted by ‘Dolphins’ a friendly mammals that occasionally spotted around Tioman.
DIVING COURSE:
(PADI) Tioman also offer an opportunity for diving enthusiasts. Most dive operators and instructors cater to varied preferences from introductory dives, night dives to technical diving ‘PADI’ certification courses are also conduct by many dive operators on the island. This course can be conducted only within a week of your stay.
