Tioman Island
Coral Island, Tioman Island
The stunning beach of Tioman Island

Tioman Island

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Pahang Malaysia
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Tioman Island Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 2-3 Days

Best Time: May to September Read More

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"Scuba Diving Haven"

Tioman Island Tourism

Tioman Island is located in Rompin District of Pahang, Malaysia. The 20km long and 11km wide island has cascading waterfalls, rigoruous jungles, laid-back fishing villages and idyllic beaches. Major area of the island is forest cover and is a habitat to a variety of flora and fauna. Coral Reefs are the prime attraction of Tioman making it a hotspot for water activities like snorkelling, surfing and scuba diving. Despite of being a popular attraction in Malaysia, Tioman Island remains unspoilt and pristine.

Nature lovers would love to know that Tioman is a habitat to several indigenous species. All the nearby areas and islands are declared as marine parks and marine reserves. Tioman, thus, has some excellent hiking trails. The island also offers some of the best diving and snorkelling spots in Malaysia and it is one of the few places to spot the pods of dolphins. Since Tioman is rich in coral reefs, one can witness the different sizes and colors of these reefs while snorkelling or diving in crystal clear water. The Tioman rainforest awaits with cascading waterfalls to be explored by adventurous hikers.

Among the seven villages, Air Batang Village (more commonly referred as ABC Village), Juara and Kampung Tekek are the prime destinations. Kampung Telek is the administrative centre and the largest village of Tioman Island. It is the major spot connecting the island to Mersing and Tanjung Gemok through ferries. Tioman Airport is also located in Kampung Tekek. Sunbathing at Paya beach, rustic relaxation at Genting village, surfing at Juara beach, hike to Asah Waterfall, snorkeling at Salang and a visit to a Marine Park Information Center is a must.

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Things to do in Tioman Island

1. Paya Beach

Paya Beach
Located in Tioman Island, Paya Beach is an exotic attraction bordering the South China sea on this beautiful island. The island is home to several hotels and beach resorts at Paya Beach offering fun b (Read More)each sports like thrilling ATV rides, beach volleyball, etc. The magnificent blue waters call for fantastic activities offered like kayaking, snorkeling and canoeing amongst the others.

2. Genting Village

Genting Village
The local Genting village extending to the west coast of Tioman island is a popular attraction located between the tropical rainforests and sea. The village is small but offers a variety of places to (Read More)visit, relax and indulge in enjoyable activities at their marvelous beaches. Widely known for its diverse environment, wooden houses, mouth-watering food and interactive locals around town, there is no lack of accommodation and places are easily available to stay. You can shop for souvenirs and native products at the local shops.

3. Diving in Tioman Island

Diving in Tioman Island
Tioman Island on the eastern coast of Malaysia is home to enormous marine life, thriving coral reefs, tropical fishes, etc. Over 25 diving centers can be easily found across the island at diving hotsp (Read More)ots like Tiger Reef and Soyak Wreck to appreciate the corals, granite boulders, caves, canyons, etc. Diving here is suitable for most age-groups and divers having a range of popular diving spots for beginners and advanced scuba divers.
Best time to dive: March-May and September-November

4. Surfing in Tioman Island

Surfing in Tioman Island
Surfing at the beaches of Tioman Island and riding the waves across the ocean on a good windy day is a thrilling experience. The gorgeous coasts of the island have not only timid waves that let beginn (Read More)ers learn and practice the sport but also have mightier waves at the Juara Beach for regular surfers. There are surf lessons offered for newbies along with rental surfboards and bodysuits.
Best time to surf: November-February

5. Asah Waterfall

Asah Waterfall
One of the finest waterfalls on Tioman island, the Asah waterfall is located close to the Mukut village and offers breathtaking views from the top. You can ride a boat to get to the waterfalls or hike (Read More) a long way to the top enjoying the serene nature, the rushing loud waterfall environment and the birds chirping. The way to the top has a few resorts and shops to relax after a tough climb. Being so close to the village, you can relish some local delicacies and interact with locals.

6. Kampung Mukut

Kampung Mukut
This traditional fishing village of Mukut is based at the foot of the Dragon Horn twin peaks and offers a calm escape from the city’s chaotic lifestyle. The village is also located close to pict (Read More)uresque waterfalls, lush green jungles and tropical rainforests making it the perfect place to enjoy nature. It is a small village with limited residents but some mouth-watering local Malaya food to taste. You can find a few guesthouses and accommodation to stay in while visiting the Asah waterfalls, beaches or the Dragon Horn peak.

7. Air Batang

Air Batang
Air Batang is a traditional village located on the western coast of the small Tioman Island. Popularly known as the ABC village, it boasts of a beautiful sandy beach with pristine blue waters and gree (Read More)n landscapes. There is a wonderful myriad of boulders, pebbles, reefs, etc underwater. You can find decent accommodation for your visit to the village with easily available local and western cuisine food at the restaurants.

8. Nipah

Nipah
Located close to the rural Genting village at Tioman island, the Nipah Bay is unexplored and remotely situated making it an ideal getaway between the lush green environment and tranquil nature. The un (Read More)touched clearwater beach is surrounded by tropical rainforests, mangroves, etc. You can soak in the lovely sight of radiant-looking fishes swimming underwater close to the shore. You can take a speed boat ride to get here and stay at one of the vintage-looking resorts.

9. Monkey Beach

Monkey Beach
Monkey beach is a splendid bay area beach located on the western coast of Tioman island, close to the village of Salang. The beachfront offers excellent views and is a fun snorkeling spot for many. It (Read More) has a calm atmosphere with green landscapes and exceptionally blue waters. It is an undisturbed and secluded place making it very relaxing and rejuvenating. Visitors can get here by hiking up a trail or taking a quick speed boat.

10. Coral Island

Coral Island
Situated northwest of Tioman island, this small Coral island is enriched with colourful marine life and extensive coral reefs. Also known as Pulau Tulai, this little island has beaches and amazing cle (Read More)ar sea waters making it a very popular diving and snorkeling hotspot. You can ride up here from Salang village via ferry and enjoy the picturesque island.

11. Kayaking in Tioman Island

Kayaking in Tioman Island
Tioman island has the perfect calm pristine waters that are suitable for a kayaking expedition. Close to Tioman island are plenty of little islands just a few minutes away to explore while kayaking. S (Read More)ince the island is a kayaking hotspot, good sturdy Kayaks are easily available at the beaches to paddle away and adventure in the deep waters.

12. Juara Beach

Juara Beach
The windy Juara beach is located on the eastern coast of Tioman island and is accessible from Tekek village. Despite being a little developed town, the beach remains to be immaculate with lush gr (Read More)een landscapes, pristine waters and beautiful views. Being a popular destination amongst tourists and surfers, the beach is filled with guest accommodation and resorts to stay at. There are plenty of restaurants with fantastic food surrounding this beach.

13. Fishing at Tioman Island

Fishing at Tioman Island
The sparsely populated Tioman island is the perfect destination for fishing. The beach resorts on the island offer full-day or overnight game fishing trips along with their charter boats. Anglers can (Read More)opt to fish from Kuala Rompin on the mainland to the Tioman island and back. This gives you an excellent opportunity to go game fishing for seawater fishes like King Mackerel, Wahoo, Black Marlin, etc. The waters are deep here and a variety of species can be found with the help of several Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) placed around the area.

14. Salang

Salang
Salang village, located on the western coast of Tioman Island, is a small isolated bay area with undisturbed clear blue waters and sandy beaches. It is a highly preferred destination by divers because (Read More) of its proximity to the beautiful fishes, coral reefs and wreck sites like Fan Canyon, Batu Malang, Chebeh, etc. The village has some excellent beach resorts with a high amount of bonfire parties, clubs, restaurants and an alluring nightlife, attracting plentiful youth to the village.

15. Gunung Kajang

Gunung Kajang
Gunung Kajang is an extinct mountain volcano on the island of Tioman, located on the east coast of the island. The mountain is a hiker’s heaven due to its difficulty of climbing and navigating. (Read More)It is a beautiful trekking journey exploring the mountain with very few hikers making it to the top amidst the dense jungle. Being the highest point of Tioman island, it offers breathtaking views after a long tiring hike. As the trek gets tougher the higher you go, you can climb the mountain at your own pace and enjoy the vegetation along with stunning forest backdrops.

Must Know Before You Travel to Tioman Island

1. Overseas visitors to Tioman Island, are required to pay the Marine Park Fee which is RM 30.

2. The most common way of getting to Tioman Island is by ferry from Mersing. Note that an entry fee of RM 10 known as 'Tioaman Toll' has to be paid here.

3. Ferries can also be availed from  Tanjung Gemok to Tioman Island. No toll has to be paid in this instance.

4. Buses can also be availed from Mersing to Tioman Island but the journey takes about five to six hours.

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Local Food and Restaurants in Tioman Island

  • Tioman is well-known for its freshly barbecued seafood. Most of the restaurants set up barbeque after 7 PM.
  • Visitors can try their barbecue shrimps, fish, crabs and squids- all freshly caught!
  • International and local cuisine are both available on the island.
  • However, the price of food is in general higher, while western cuisine is particularly expensive. This is mainly because all essentials are imported from the mainland.

Shopping in Tioman Island

  • Tioman is particularly famous for being a duty-free island. However, many products are exported from the mainland and are expensive, apart from tobacco and liquor. People usually buy luxurious items like liquor, crystals, wines and designer accessories.
  • The most famous duty-free shop is Vision. Nevertheless, the island has a lot more small shops to buy from.
  • Alcohol and Cigarettes can be bought at very reasonable rates.
  • Also on offer are a wide variety of souvenirs, key rings, bikinis and Batik Prints.
  • Apart from these, there are traditional open-air markets with local handicrafts and food.

Best Time to Visit Tioman Island

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How to Reach Tioman Island

How to Reach Overview

Being an island, there are only two ways to travel to Tioman Island: Airways and Waterways. Taking a flight to Tioman Airport is one of the easiest ways to reach the island. Since the airport is relatively small and only charter flights are operable, per-seat costs are high. The flights to Tioman Airport are only to and from Subang. The ideal way is to take a ferry from Mersing, Johor or Tanjung Gemok, Pahang. 

How to reach Tioman Island by waterways

The ideal way to travel to Tioman Island is to take a ferry from Mersing, Johor or Tanjung Gemok, Pahang. You can take a flight to Senai International Airport and then travel to Mersing or take a flight to Kuantan Airport and then travel to Tanjung Gemok. Ferries are available from both of these towns and you can spot many tourists waiting for the ferries to Tioman Island beside the ports. Ferries charge RM 45 for an adult and RM 40 for a child one way. It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to cover one-way distance.

From Mersing, the ferry usually stops at several jetties or locally referred to as “kampong” including Genting Kampong, Paya Kampong, Tekek Kampong, Air Batang Kampong, Panuba Jetty, and Kampong Salang. Well established ferry operators include Blue Water Express and Cata Ferry. The ferries run from both the places at different intervals starting from 5 AM till 7 PM.

There are usually 3 ferries per day from Mersing and Tanjung Gemok to Tioman while 2 ferries on an average from Tioman to Mersing and Tanjung Gemok each. The timings are uncertain as tides affect the timings of the ferries. While visiting Tioman Island by waterways, always book a ferry in advance as most of the tickets sell out quickly especially during the peak tourist season. Morning ferries are usually light and on time while afternoon ferries are the busiest and the last ferry is usually overcrowded.

Local transport in Tioman Island

The roadways are not very well developed at Tioman Island. There is only one well constructed 800m road. Bikes and Cars are available to cover up this small distance. Jeeps are also available to travel from village to village. However, the tourists only need the car when they have to travel from the port to the main area. Other than that, walking around the island while discovering finer elements of nature is convenient. 

Boats are suitable to travel from one village to another village. The charges are high but negotiable. Boat services charge higher rates at night, so travelling during the day is preferred. Despite the higher charges, boat travelling is cheaper than roadways. Most hotels in Tioman arrange for boat charter and it is not an inconvenience. Taxis from Tekek to Juara charge an approximate fare of RM 70. Sea-Taxi fares from Tekek to other places is as follows:

Salang - RM35
Paya Beach - RM 35
Nipah - RM 20
Genting  - RM 50
Panuba - RM 25
Mukut - RM 150

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The stunning beach of Tioman Island

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