Where: Tioman Island is on the South East Coast of Malaysia.
How to get there:
Bus:
- Book your bus via EasyBook from TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan), Kuala Lumpur to Tanjung Gemok Jetty ~4-5hrs OR Mersing Jetty (Gateway to Tioman), Johor~5-6hrs.
I would not recommend the overnight bus, it’s not a particularly great time and you will be wrecked on the day of arrival. - Book a ferry ticket upon arrival, 30RM return and pay the park entrance fee of 5RM.
- The first ferry is at 7 AM and the latest return ferry is 2:30 PM.
Driving:
- Drive from Kuala Lumpur to Tanjung Gemok or to Mersling Jetty.
Before you go:
Cash is king.
Food is readily available via restaurants but convenience goods are limited.
Upon arrival: Depending on where your accommodation is, depends on where you will get dropped. But you will let the ferry driver know which Jetty, I was ABC. From here I walked to my resort and checked in.
Attractions/Things to do:
Diving! I chose to dive with B&J Diving Resort who were fantastic. The staff were helpful, the place was setup as expect of a dive club, the instructors are fantastic. The gear was in good shape and everything was organised very well. You head out in the boat ~8:30AM for two morning dives, back in for lunch and then out at 1:30PM for an afternoon dive. I paid 1010MYR for 3D2N in dorm with A/C. I extended my stay an extra night and two dives because it was that awesome and two nights is not enough time. You’ll fall in love with the place as I did.
B&J Bar is a great place to chill and meet the locals + travellers.
AF Cafe and Restaurant is the perfect place for a variety of meals, serving lunch and dinner. It’s well priced and good sizing. It was my go-to.
Sunset Corner is a pizza restaurant, about a 15min walk but the view while eating dinner is amazing. The owner is hilarious and shares her energy with you, while she makes the best pizza on the island for you to enjoy watching the sunset.
Adventures:
Juara Bay Hike starts from Pantai Kampung Tekek Beach, follow the road up until you hit a water tank and enter the jungle, if you dare… ~1hr until you come out to the road. Stick to your left and follow this until you see a sign on your ride (there may be taxi’s or shuttles here) because directly opposite is ?? Waterfall. Head down the track for 2 minutes to be there. Jump in for a swim and a photo opportunity. It’s deep enough to not touch the bottom and a refreshing moment. Continue following your original path, towards Juara Beach. Enjoy waltzing around the small town and meeting the locals. See the Turtle Scantury there. Catch a taxi back to Kampung Tekek for ~30MYR. Then walk ~40mins to ABC.
Island/Snorkelling Tours are on offer everywhere here and completely worth it. A great way to visit a bunch of the most popular places and enjoy a casual swimming day out.