Set like a glittering jewel amidst the South China Sea the largest of a group of 64 volcanic islands, Tioman Island beckons the visitor with its white beaches and crystal clear azure seas. A sense of excitement and mystery pervades the island and the visitor will be enchanted by the picturesque beauty of this tropical paradise.

Tioman Island has its origins shrouded in mystery. According to legend, it is the resting place of a magical dragon princess, who was on her way from China to visit her prince in Singapore. This beautiful maiden stopped by at Tioman Island to seek solace during her flight and fell in love with the charms of this alluring isle. Enraptured by the wonder of Tioman, the princess discontinued her journey and vowed to spend the rest of her days giving pleasure and comfort to weary travellers.

Nowadays the dragon shaped outline of Tioman Island still draws visitors eager to experience the warmth and hospitality of this idyllic locale. Populated by friendly villagers who live an unhurried lifestyle, Tioman Island has a way of making your troubles seem like a thousand miles away. Untouched with its natural beauty, Tioman Island draw thousands of tourist yearly to its beaches.

Rest And Relaxation

A visit to Tioman Island is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Sun lovers and those who are fascinated by seashells will find the miles and miles of palm-fringed beaches a sheer delight with their myriad varieties of those lovely sea creatures.

You can spend hours just languishing on the white pearly beach, looking up the sun for the perfect tan. Popular beaches include the ones around the villages of Tekek, Genting and Salang and a walk on one of these beaches at sunset is truly enchanting and will simply take your breath away.

Taste Of Adventure

Tioman Island invites the adventurous to experience the variety of sun and sea activities on and around itself. Whether on land or at sea, visitors will be enchanted by the wonders of nature. Trek across the verdant hills to see cool, clear waterfalls cascading over moss covered rocks or delight in the fluorescent fishes swimming leisurely amidst pastel-coloured corals reef that surround the island.

The glassy quality of the waters around Tioman makes snorkeling and scuba diving excellent ways to explore these reef and a popular stretch can be found near Salang. Tulai and the nearby island of Renggis. These spots are easily accessible by canoe or boats which can be hired from Dive Asia, located next to enthusiasts you can spend hours capturing the beauty of the underwater world.

Fishing enthusiasts will have a bountiful time at Tioman Island, with its abundance of fishing areas. Just hire a boat for the day, anchor anywhere along the coast and by dusk you will have a large enough catch for a sumptuous barbecue on the beach and if you prefer something more challenging, try your hand at fishing in the deeper water further off the island`s coast.

The Sporting Life

For the restless and adventurous you`ll find a lot to do on Tioman island. Indulge in a variety of water-sports like skiing, wind surfing, boating or a ride in a glass bottom boat around the island. These activities at Tioman Island Resort in addition to table tennis, tennis or golf at the 18 holes International standard course. Glass bottom boat rides offer those wishing to see the fascinating underwater life an opportunity to do so without putting on your diving gear.

Getting There

From Mersing or Tanjung Gemuk, Tioman Island is just a 3 to 4 hour boat ride away. If you prefer a shorter comfortable ride, air-conditioned fast ferries which depart daily can make the trip in approximately 2 hours. From Singapore, a catamaran (Ferry) service makes the 41/2 hour trip from Finger Pier daily (except Wednesday).

Visitors who don`t enjoy sea travel can make the trip to Tioman by air from either Kuala Lumpur or Kuantan via Pelangi Air. Flights from Kuala Lumpur depart daily, while the Kuantan flight departs daily (except Wednesday), both trips take approximately 1 hour. The shuttle flight from Singapore departs daily from Changi Airport and it is operated by Tradewinds Charter Services.

To get about on and around the island, visitors may choose to trek, ride bicycle (which are available from Berjaya Tioman Beach Resorrt) for short excursions or hire boats to get to the surrounding islands and reefs. Regular boat services ply the villages (sea-buses) around the island.

Accommodation

For visitors accustomed to living in luxury, Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort offers 375 rooms that comes complete with all the trappings usually found at luxury hotels, including local and continental cuisine and fresh seafood. Those looking for adventure and willing to rough it out will find cheaper but comfortable accommodation in the villages. These A-frame huts and chalets are rented out by Malay families in the villages of Tekek, Salang, Genting and Air Batang for as low as RM 15 per night. Medium accommodation is as low as RM40 or RM50 per night.

You may make meal arrangement at your place of accommodation, but those living close to Tekek village will find the many eating spots there a real delight. Try the assortment of local dishes available at the little shops along the beach, they`re simply delicious.

Updated On: 03.12.10