It's a little surprising that Pulau Tioman isn't better known and more popular. The island, which stood in for Bali in the original Bali Hai film, features lush jungles fringing sandy beaches lined with simple bungalows. Granted, it can be a little difficult to get there, but who says the best destinations have to be easy?
Tioman will be especially attractive to people looking for a tropical island that isn't too developed, but still has a few choices for places to stay and eat. Most of the developed areas line the small bays of the west coast of the island. The hotels and resorts tend to be low end with very few high end, or even middle class, accommodations.
Tioman Island Map
The best time to visit Tioman is from April to October, when the rains have gone. Of course, this is also when rates will be higher, but some resorts even close during the low season. There are lots of the customary things to do on Tioman, although the very best activity by far is the diving.
Note that, as part of a National Marine Park, there is a RM 5 admission fee for adults to access Tioman. You will pay this fee either on landing at the airport, or boarding the ferry.
Tioman offers all of the typical beach activities, such as swimming, snorkeling, etc. The snorkeling is particularly good, as almost every beach has its own shallow reef, and just about every resort will have masks and fins for rent.
Anemones and their cute little friends can be found all around Tioman As good as the snorkeling is, the diving is even better. While it won't quite match the very best sites such as Thailand's Similans, the diving at Tioman is extremely enjoyable, and there are more than a dozen great sites within 30 minutes or so of most resorts.
Most of the accommodations on Tioman Island are small collections of bungalows, many of which don't have an Internet presence, although that is changing rapidly. Use the search box below to find out what is available, and get the best rate by comparing dozens of sites at once. When selecting your accommodation, you'll want to give some thought to which area you want to stay in. There are several small somewhat isolated beach resorts that have their own small bays to themselves.
With the exception of the main village of Tekek, there are no real roads on the island. Each of the developed bays has some paved paths, but generally they're only big enough for motorbikes. The bays are connected by paths over the rocky points, but these are generally little more than dirt trails beaten through the jungle. They can be quite rough, and very difficult to negotiate at night.
You can fly to Tioman. Berjaya Air flies once or twice daily (depending on the season) to Tioman from both Kuala Lumpur's Subang Airport and Singapore's Changi. Flights arrive at Tioman Airport in Tekek.
Tioman Island Area Map The alternative to flying is to travel overland from elsewhere in peninsular Malaysia or Singapore to Mersing on the coast, and from there take a ferry to Tioman. The ferry takes about one hour and 30 minutes.
There is no regularly reporting weather station on Tioman. The closest place to get current conditions and forecasts is Mersing, on the Mainland. The west side of Malaysia is much more exposed to the eastern monsoon, than the west, so it is relatively dry from February to August, making this the best time to visit. As with most monsoon climates, the rains come in heavy late afternoon downpours, usually leaving the rest of the day clear and dry.
