Tioman turtle island

Pulau Tioman is also known as the turtle island of Malaysia. From May – September sea turtles come to the beaches of this island off the south-western coast of Malaysia to lay their eggs. Just a few years ago Tioman island Malaysia was crowned one of the most beautiful ‘deserted’ beaches in the world by Time Magazine, though nowadays the island is more of a popular beach resort. One thing that hasn’t changed on Tioman though are the dazzling white beaches, the azure sea and the ever present swaying palm trees.

Tioman has a couple of challenging hiking trails across the island past mosques, waterfalls and virtually impenetrable jungle reaching all the way to the sea’s edge. Tioman is also an excellent destination for diving and snorkelling. If you’re travelling to Tioman between May – September there’s a chance of spotting sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach.

Duration	4 days / 3 nights departs daily March - mid October	Accommodation	Wooden bungalow (within row of 4) in resort directly on beach. Comfort level 3 (see accommodation).
Price	£198 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	3 nights accommodation with breakfast, boat transfers
Transport	Boat	Excludes	Other

Day 1: Mersing - Tioman Island, Malaysia

Travel time: 1 hour

The boat to Tioman Island departs from Mersing at 7:30am, 10:30am and 12:30pm. The jetty is about 5 minutes’ walk from Mersing, next to the R&R plaza with the blue roof. The crossing takes about an hour and stops off at the different beaches. You’ll be dropped off at your resort on the west side of the island between Lalang and Genting village. The resort is surrounded by palm trees right on a lovely white beach. As soon as you arrive on Tioman head straight for the beach and lie back in the warm sand. In the evening you can dinner at the resort restaurant, but if you want to try somewhere else you’ll need to take a water taxi to one of the nearby beaches; there aren’t many places to eat in the direct vicinity of the resort. Alcohol isn’t served in some places, but if you’re craving a cold beer, try the Sunset Boulevard on Salang Beach in the north of the island. They also have a fantastic fresh fish barbecue.

Day 2 and 3: Tioman Island

In the morning enjoy a relaxed breakfast with the sound of waves lapping in the background. If you’d like to go diving or snorkelling, or at least learn to, try one of the local diving schools. You can rent a snorkel and goggles for £5 for an entire day. The best place for snorkelling is the Marine Park by Tekek village. You can also book a snorkelling trip to the surrounding islands at the resort. A dive with professional instructor will set you back around £17-18.

If you’d rather stay on dry land you can visit the little kampungs (villages) and beaches along the west coast. They’re easiest to get to by water taxi which sails around the island. For around £9 you can take the water taxi to Juara on the east coast where you’ll find a beautiful long-swept beach. The beach is off the main route so it’s quiet with a great relaxed atmosphere and very friendly people.

For a real taste of the jungle you can take one of the challenging hiking trails across the island. We did the trail from the mosque at Tekek (buy some delicious fruit for on the way at Pak Asli Nasir’s stall) across the island to Juara. The reasonably marked trail passes several natural waterfalls and thick, almost impenetrable jungle. You could take a guide if you like but it’s not really necessary. The hike takes about 3 hours and in Juara you can take the bus back to the west, but you might want to grab a bite to eat first. Try the fresh fish at the Riverview Palace. For an even more challenging hike you can stay on the west coast and continue the trail from Ayer Batang (ABC) to kampung Salang.

For about £80 you can rent a boat with skipper to take you to the little uninhabited islands in the area (Tulai, Rengis and Coral Island) where you can do some fantastic snorkelling. For an extra few £ you can even organise a barbecue lunch on one of the islands.

Tioman Island Malaysia - Plenty of room on the beach

Day 4: Tioman Island - Mersing - End of tour

At 9am it's time to take the boat back to Mersing on the mainland. If you're not planning on visiting any other of the east coast islands and you have enough time in your travel schedule you could always choose to add a couple of extra days on Tioman. We'll be happy to discuss the various options with you.

If you're up for a thrilling jungle adventure after your relaxed island break, then check out our jungle trekking module in Endau Rompin National Park. For another taste of Malaysian city life, head back to Kuala Lumpur and lose yourself in the vibe of this lively Asian metropolis.

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Tioman Island Malaysia accommodation

Tioman Island Malaysia - Hotel exterior Tioman Island Malaysia - Where better to relax?

Travel tips

Best time to travel to Tioman Island in Malaysia
Like the rest of the east coast, March – mid October. Most resorts on Pulau Tioman are closed from mid-October - February due to the monsoon season. The sea turtles start coming ashore around May.

Money matters
There are no cash machines on the islands so make sure you withdraw plenty of cash on the mainland. Most resorts and diving schools accept credit cards.

Alcohol
The more traditional east coast Malaysians don’t always appreciate the use of alcohol by tourists, though on the islands, the larger resorts and a couple of restaurants alcohol is available. When you’re in public, please respect the locals and their values.

Tioman Island Malaysia - Turtle in its natural habitat

Tioman Island Malaysia - Local transport

Hiking
The east coast in particular has several intersting hiking trails along the coast and into the jungle further inland.There's also a spectacular trail across the island from the west side to the east. The island's interior also has several hill that you can climb along unmarked trails. The resort can give you more information on the various trails.

Kampungs
On Pulau Tioman, it's possible to explore the local viallges (kampungs). They're easiest to get to by sea bus, a kind of water taxi that sails round the island.

Diving
There are plenty of excellent diving spots around Tioman. Mid-February - September are the best months for diving. A number of coral reefs directly around the island have been badly damaged by local fishermen but there's a spectacular reef by the tiny island of Pulau Renggis on the west coast of Tioman. More experienced divers can go cave diving at Pulau Chebeh in the north-west. Other interesting reefs include: Golden Reef, Tiger Reef, Magician Rock and Bahara Rock. Diving trips to these and other spots can be booked through one of the many diving schools on the island.

Tioman island Malaysia - Stick around a little longer!

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