Travel Guide Singapore to Tioman Island

Tioman Island is an ideal Holiday Destination for Families 

PULAU TIOMAN (Tioman Island), 30km northeast of Mersing, has long been one of Malaysia’s most popular holiday islands. Ever since the 1970s, Tioman was voted one of the ten most beautiful islands in the world by Time magazine.

You can take an MPV Transport from us to Ferry Terminal Mersing Jetty or Tanjung Gemok on land or you can take a direct flight to Tioman Island via Berjaya Air.

Tioman Island Must do:

1. Snorkel alongside parrotfish, clownfish, angelfish
2. Dive at the Marine Park Centre
3. Go island-hopping
4. Take a two-hour trek that cuts across the island
5. Visit the Asah Waterfall
6. Have a picnic at Monkey Bay
7. Rent a bicycle to explore the villages
8. Scale Mount Kajang, the highest peak on the island
9. Try rock climbing at the granite boulders
10. Go golfing
11. Rejuvenate at the spa

Map of Tioman Island

Getting around Tioman Island by Land

The most common type of public transportation here is by using cars or motorcycles. The main town in Tioman Island is Kampung Tekek (Tekek Village) where there is a main concrete road that connects the major locations here like the airport and the very popular Berjaya Resort. One thing to note is that there are not many roads around the island that you can drive around in especially in other areas besides Tekek village.

If you plan to self-drive, it would be best to rent a car on your own 4WD ‘taxi’ services.

TEKEK Village of Tioman Island

The sprawling village of TEKEK, the main settlement on the island. For a break from the beach, pop into the Tioman Island Museum (daily 8am–5pm;) on the first floor of the airstrip’s terminal complex. Apart from displaying some twelfth- to fourteenth- century Chinese ceramics, which were lost overboard from early trading vessels, it also outlines the facts and myths concerning the island.

North of the main jetty, at the very end of the bay, is the government-sponsored Marine Centre (daily 8am–5pm; free), its hefty concrete jetty and dazzlingly blue roofs making it hard to miss. Set up to protect the coral and marine life around the island, and to patrol the fishing taking place in its waters, the centre also contains an aquarium and displays of coral.

Most of the places to eat are attached to the chalet operations, and one of Tekek’s nicest restaurants, Liza, is at the far southern end of the bay, with a wide-ranging menu specializing in seafood and Western snacks

Air Batang and Penuba Bay

AIR BATANG (ABC), 2km north of Tekek from jetty to jetty, is still one of the best areas on Tioman, competing with Juara for the budget market, though having the inferior beach. Larger than Salang or Juara, far less developed than Tekek and well connected by boat services

A jetty divides the bay roughly in half; the beach is better at the southern end of the bay, where there are fewer rocks.The cement path that runs the length of the beach is interrupted by little wooden bridges over streams, overhung with greenery and soft evening lighting.

A fifteen-minute trail leads over the headland to the north which, after an initial scramble, flattens out into an easy walk, ending up at Penuba Bay. This secluded cove is littered with dead coral right up to the sea’s edge, which makes it hard to swim comfortably, though the snorkel- ling is good; many people prefer the peace and quiet here to the beach at Air Batang. From Penuba Bay, it’s an hour’s walk to Monkey Beach, beyond which is Salang.

Salang and Monkey Beach

Just over 4km north of Air Batang, SALANG is a smaller bay with a better beach at its southern end by the jetty. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of development and every suitable inch of land has been built on. The crowded accommodation here makes for a busy and vibrant atmosphere, and with a couple of lively bars, Salang is the only place on the island with much nightlife to speak of.

Just off the southern headland is a small island, Pulau Soyak, with a pretty reef for snorkelling.There are two good dive schools, Fisherman Divers and B&J’s Diving Centre, both of which run daily courses.

A rough trail takes you over the headland to the south for the 45-minute scramble to Monkey Beach. There are few monkeys around these days, but the well- hidden cove is more than adequate compensation. It’s a popular spot for trainee divers because of its clear, calm waters.

Eating, drinking and nightlife

Eating choices include the expensive restaurants at Salang Dream and Salang Beach Resort, where the emphasis is on Malay cuisine and seafood  and the more informal cafés around town, which serve excellent Western and Malay dishes. For nightlife, head to Four’s Bar next to B&J Diving Centre, which boasts a large cocktail list and, further north, the Sunset Boulevard that has the best views of the bay.

Juara 

Tioman Island JUARA, the only settlement on the east coast with simpler life and quiet and peaceful kampung . Although Juara’s seclusion may have saved it so far from the excesses all too apparent on the west coast plenty of simple chalet resorts have already been built.

For the time being, Juara has fewer speedboats and motorbikes buzzing around, while its lovely wide sweep of beach is far cleaner and less crowded than anywhere on the other side of the island. The constant sea breeze means that the water is always choppy and the waves can reach up to 4m in February on the southern beach, making it a popular time for surfers. The bay, facing out to the open sea, is the most susceptible on the island to bad weather.

There are a couple of very easy to a small waterfall with a big freshwater pond good for swimming, starting at the south beach, clearly marked by red dots and bottoms of cans, painted yellow. There is also a slightly harder hour-long jungle trek to Lubok Teja, another good spot for a dip.

Asah

On the southeast corner of the island are the deserted remains of the village, you can get here on the round-the-island boat trip, or take a sea  taxi from Genting. 

visit the famous waterfall deep-plunge pool  at  the foot of the waterfall provides a refreshing dip, there’s not much else to detain you in Asah, except for the stunning view of the dramatic, insurmountable twin peaks of Bukit Nenek Semukut, or “Dragon’s Horns” as referred to by the locals.

Mukut

MUKUT, a tiny fishing village just five minutes from Asah by sea taxi, in the shadow of granite outcrops. Shrouded by dense forest, and connected to the outside world by a solitary cardphone, it’s a wonderfully peaceful and friendly spot to unwind, though be warned that this is still a conservative place, unused to Western sunbathing habits, and open intake of alcohol is frowned upon.

Paya

Just 5km south of Tekek, the understated developments at PAYA, in contrast to those at Genting a little further south, seem relatively peaceful. Once again, package tours are the norm, and individual travellers turning up at this narrow stretch of pristine beach will find their options somewhat limited.

Jungle walks are worth exploring here, as the island’s greenery is at its most lush. The thirty-minute trail north to Bunut ends up at a fantastic, deserted beach. From here it’s a hot 45-minute walk through the golf course back to the Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort and a further half-hour to Tekek. You can also walk between Paya and Genting, a pretty thirty-minute route along a concrete coastal path.

Genting

Usually the first stop for boats from the mainland is GENTING, at the western extremity of the island, which looks the least inviting of the villages on the island. Genting’s cramped developments cater largely for Singaporean tour groups, with discos and karaoke bars and prices can double during the weekends and peak times.

The southern end of the beach is the best, and it’s here that you’ll find the least costly accommodation. The Idaman Beach Holiday, is a friendly place with a good restaurant. Sun Beach, the largest enterprise just north of the jetty, has the widest variety of rooms and a large balcony restaurant.

Places to eat are generally limited to big, open-plan restaurants attached to the resorts; the emphasis is on catering for large numbers rather than providing interesting, quality meals. Prices are predictably inflated, though the food court in front of the jetty has cheap noodle and rice dishes.

Nipah

For almost total isolation, head to NIPAH on Tioman’s southwest coast.This is the closest you’ll get to an idyllic beach hideaway on the island, comprising a clean, empty beach of white sand, and a landlocked lagoon with clear water. It has no village to speak of, though there is a dive centre with canoeing, and snorkelling at the nearby island is good. As there is no jetty, Nipah remains secluded and the only way to get here is by water taxi; the nearest ferry stop is Genting, where you would need to stock up on any essentials before heading over.

There’s only one place to stay: the A Nipah Chalets www.thenipah.com; offering basic chalets, as well as a nicely designed restaurant; the food can get a little monotonous, but the owner is very friendly.

Shopping and Food in Tioman Island

Tioman also offers duty-free goodies. For example, wine, beer, liquor and cigarettes at the duty-free shops on Tioman are lower in price than at most airports. And both, alcohol and cigarettes, are easy to get once you’ve arrived, especially if you’ve flown in.

To wit, the Vision Commerce store, in Tekek Village, just a few minutes’ walk from the airport, is one of the island’s largest duty-free shops. This single storey convenience store offers a whole range of products, such as batiks, t-shirts, souvenirs, fruit and tobacco and of course wine, beer and liquor. 

Lastly, should you need cash, there’s an ATM in Tekek, just around the corner from the airport.

Tioman Island Diving Season

Tioman Island, like the rest of Malaysia is a tropical country with low humidity, hot weather and occasional rainfall throughout the rest of the year. It is best to ensure the right season to dive.

November till February

• Monsoon Season.
• It brings strong waves and unusual high tides during those time.
• Diving is not allowed.

February till November

• Dry Season
• The warm water in the seas brings out the richness of the marine life.
• Possible to dive

March till May and September till November

• Best time for diving.
• Best visibility ranges from 15m to 30m.
• Water temperatures ranges from 27- 29°c

Getting around Tioman Island on Sea

There are many small island around Tioman island and you can get around those island using boat. Bluewater Ferry is the main transportation service operator that provides services if you plan to go around on sea. You can get from one village to another where the ferry stops at Salang and Genting en route between Mersing and the main Tioman jetty. 

Top 10 Island to visit Surrounding Tioman Island

1. Pulau Rawa –  well-known for extremely white fine sands on beach, the island is surrounded by coral reefs 
2. Pulau Soyak – dive sites for Open Water Divers
3. Pulau Tulai –  30 minutes from Tioman via Salang Village on the northeast and is a great diving site with clear waters
4. Pulau Sepoi – Next to pulau Tulai, another great diving area
5. Pulau Pemanggil – South west of Tioman Island, chalet within the rock mountain
6. Pulau Babi Besar – The water is so clear that even tiny sea creatures and coral reef can be seen from water surface.
7. Pulau Tengah – Those who visit the island between June and August have higher chances of watching turtles laying their eggs.
8. Pulau Sibu – The island offers no roads and transports or shops. Walk or get a boat if you wish to travel around. 
9. Pulau Harimau – Paradise for divers as the turquoise water has high clarity. Go for scuba diving and snorkelling
10. Pulau Tinggi –  Has the highest hill among the surrounding islands, homes to an extinct volcano, Mount Semudu.

How to get to Mersing Ferry Terminal or Tanjung Gemok Ferry Terminal

You use our MPV Transport from Singapore to Mersing or Tanjung Gemok, Singapore to Mersing Johor MPV-Taxi-SG-Mersing

How to Get to Tioman Island:

1. Mersing Ferry Terminal 
2. Tanjung Gemok Ferry Terminal

Mersing Ferry Terminal to Pulau Tioman

Popular Ferry Operators

There is one ferry operator that is well-known in Mersing Jetty for transporting travelers to several villages in Tioman Island. However, there is no ticket counter available on Tioman Island for travelers to get back to the mainland. Therefore, travellers are advised to buy 2-way tickets from Mersing Jetty to avoid disappointments.

• Blue Water Express
• Cataferry

By passenger boat services from Mersing.

Ex-Mersing Ferry Terminal Mersing to Tioman 

Speed Ferry (1 hour 30 minutes)
One way Adult – RM 35.00
Child – RM 30.00
Two way Adult – RM 70.00
Child – RM 60.00

Speed Boat (1 hour)
One way Adult – RM 45.00
Child – RM 40.00
Two way Adult – RM 90.00
Child – RM 60.00

Tanjung Gemok Ferry Terminal to Pulau Tioman

Tanjung Gemok is the other gateway from where you can catch the ferry to Tioman. Tanjung Gemok is located near Rompin, about 20-30 minutes north of Mersing. 

Some travelers prefer departing to Tioman from Tanjung Gemok, because there’s fewer local weather and water state issues that at times may plague Mersing. The downside of Tanjung Gemok

March 2019 Tanjung Gemok Tioman Ferry Schedule

Check the below link for schedule or book through the site

https://www.govisittioman.com/tg-gemok-to-tioman-island-ferry-schedule/ 

Mersing Town

Mersing town is the main port for ferries to Pulau Tioman and the more than 40 other beautiful islands. In the town of Mersing, you’ll find a wide assortment of stores, restaurants, traditional coffee shops, banks, and internet services. The town is located near beaches and other mainland scenic attractions rivalling those found on the islands.

In the town you can move around for Traditional Chinese Coffee – Sri Mersing Cafe

The coffee is roasted fresh on the premises, and is served strong. The baked goods are made at the shop and include breads, cakes and local pastries. Try the Kaya toast ( with or without butter , spread on a bun or a slice of thick toast). Have this along with a two soft boiled eggs and it will bring back memories or make new ones.

Guide Map around Mersing Town

Favourite places in and around Mersing is Penyabong, which is a small town centred around a jetty. A fishing town, you can purchase fresh fish straight from the boat at 4pm. The best part of going to Penyabong is the fresh fried food. There’s a small stall situated across the jetty owned by a boisterous Malay woman, who serves up a fried storm: fried crabs (ketam goreng), fried prawns on a skewer (head included, udang goreng), fried banana (pisang goreng), and fried fish cake (keropok lekor). You can purchase her dried keropok, and chilli sauce in a bottle.

Penyabong is located north of Mersing. The directions are convoluted, so ask for directions along the way. Penyabong is approximately 30 minutes drive away.

Eat at Loke Tien is a Chinese seafood restaurant

55 Jalan Abu Bakar, Mersing