TIOMAN ISLAND
Pulau Tioman as it is
locally known, is a relatively small island of 90 square miles. Pulau
Tioman is a magnificent, ecologically rich and picturesque island,
regarded as a jewel in the sea. Set like a glittering jewel amidst
the South China Sea, Tioman Island, the largest of a group of 64 volcanic
islands, beckons the visitor with its white beaches and crystal clear
azure seas. It is believed to be one of the ten most beautiful islands
in the world.
This volcanic island
has steep slopes of lush green vegetation and a multicolored profusion
of orchids and other tropical flowers. Stunning waterfalls cascade
down these tropical slopes and make their way down through secluded
sandy beaches to the clear blue waters and its iridescent coral reefs.
A sense of excitement and mystery pervades the island and the visitor
will be enchanted by the picturesque beauty of this tropical paradise.
Populated by friendly villagers who live an unhurried lifestyle, Tioman
Island has a way of making your troubles seem like a thousand miles
away.
Pristine beaches hug the island's perimeter, lapped by the clear water
that reveals luminous coral reefs and abundant marine life.
The hilly inland area is virgin forest, best explored along the famous
Cross-Island walk. Scuba Diving and snorkelling equipment can be hired,
and PADI courses are offered in Salang and Air Batang. June to August
is high season while November to January is monsoon season ( low season).
Part of a marine national park, Tioman is a perfect place for nature
lovers. Its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and majestic peaks
attract adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. The island’s
tropical forest interior offers a haven for rock climbers, jungle
trekkers and naturalists with its cascading waterfalls, jungle paths
and tall trees. Walk out to some of Tioman’s reefs where novice
snorkellers will find easy snorkeling, while further offshore, deeper
waters provide excellent diving for Scuba enthusiasts.
There’s a series of peaks and ridges running along the central
spine of the island, of which Gunung Kajang is the highest point with
an altitude of 1049 metres. Other peaks that you may see are, Batu
Sirau (747m) and Nenek Si-muka (659m).
Tioman is still largely undiscovered - its small resident population
lives mostly along the west coast and the few resorts complexes on
the island are also on the western side, leaving the rest of the island
to nature’s devices. The island is divinely beautiful, pretty
as a picture or something straight out of movies with the twin peaks
of Batu Sirau and Nenek Semukut sloping dramatically up, deep green
jungles ringed by sparkling beaches surrounded by brilliant blue seas.
The outlying reefs are wonderful for diving, snorkelling or simply
swimming.
Deeper inland, Tioman is a paradise of verdant tropical jungles, rioting
wildflowers, trailing creepers of orchids, a profusion of feathery
ferns all coming together in an explosion of glorious colour. Silver
water cascade down mountainsides, metamorphose into placid pools and
gentle streams that wend their way down past palm fringed beaches
to the sea.
This is a great place to visit. The most popular beaches are located
around the villages of Tekek, Genting and Salang.
GETTING THERE
There are daily flights to Tioman Island from Singapore and Kuala
Lumpur. Departure point for boats is from the coastal town of Mersing,
the journey takes one hour by Speed boat and 2 hours by Ferry. There
is also a daily high-speed catamaran service between Singapore and
Tioman, a 4.5-hour trip.
CLIMATE
The climate is a typical tropical climate, it's hot and humid all
year round. The temperature rarely drops below 20C even at night,
and usually reaches 30C or more during the day. Humidity is generally
about 90%. The Monsoon Season is between December and early February.
WHEN TO GO
Peak season is between June and August.
During the monsoon season, from November to January when the island
is devoid of trippers and tourists, sunbathing and swimming take a
back seat to walks on the beaches around the villages of Tekek, Genting
and Salang. The other attraction is to simply sit ashore and admire
the stormy seas and grey-black skies.
Untouched with its natural beauty, Tioman Island draw thousands of
tourist yearly to its beaches. Sun lovers and those who are fascinated
by sea shells will find the miles and miles of palm-fringed beaches
a sheer delight with their myriad varieties of these 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. A walk on one of these
beaches at sunset is truly enchanting and will simply take your breath
away.
This mysterious island mesmerizes all with it's bewitching equatorial
beauty.
