Pulau tioman which state

The tourist season peaks between May and August, when the weather generally displays the least rainfall. The monsoon winds begin to blow from October, bringing heavy rain and strong waves till January surfing season.

During this time, ferries run once a day, while only a few hotels will open at discounted rates. Still sparsely populated, most villages are connected by sea taxi speedboat or jungle trail, which means visitors usually stay at their first ferry stop for the entire trip.

Commercial development at Tioman Island is still relatively low compared to other tourist islands such as Langkawi. It is located in the South China Sea, approximately 32km from Mersing, the closest mainland port. Measuring some 22km long and 11km at the widest point. The island has a total land area of Pulau Tioman now belongs to the state of Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia. In its early history, Pulau Tioman was known as a stopover for sailors, fishermen and traders to get fresh water and firewood or simply for evading storms.

The island was a settlement for Malay fishermen several hundred years ago and there are now six major kampungs villages on the island, mainly on the west coast. The number of villagers is now some 2,, most of who were originally fishermen from Pahang or Johor. Rubber and coconut are the main crops planted on the flat coastal area. Tioman has beautiful beaches with surrounding marine areas. The landscape and the beauty of the island have attracted many tourists, locally as well as from abroad, and the island was once voted one of the 10 most beautiful in the world.

In addition to fishing activities, tourism has become a very important income generating activity on the island. Many tourist facilities such as chalets, rest houses and hotels have been built, either by the state government or the private sector.

Apart from beautiful beaches and marine ecosystems, Tioman has also been gazetted as a wildlife reserve by the state government to protect its flora and fauna. This gazzetement was done on 28 September for the inland forest area encompassing 12, ha, but in part of this area was excised for agriculture development and tourism activities.

The marine area around Pulau Tioman and eight other nearby islands have also been gazzetted as marine parks and marine reserves, confined to an area two nautical miles from the coast. Said to be the home of Malaysian diving, if truth be told, the diving visibility here can sometimes be disappointing due to currents that bring plankton and river run-off here. Deep-diving enthusiasts will love Pulau Chebeh, the site of several giant manta sightings and huge gorgonian sea fans.

Wreck divers will enjoy the Soyak Wreck — a sunken hull with soft and hard corals, Moorish idols, trevally and angelfish. Meanwhile, Labas — also known as Pirate Island — has a fascinating topography of submerged and semi-submerged boulders, making it perfect for muck diving. Officially the diving season stretches from March to October but monsoon season has been appearing later than usual; hence hardy divers who stay longer only have to share the island with a trickle of visitors.

Alternatively try the fresher-than-fresh seafood at the Salang Sayang Restaurant. Its mountainous jungle is home to a diverse array of flora and wildlife including flying foxes, monkeys and fruit bats. It has to be said that since Tioman ships most merchandise over from the mainland, these items come with decidedly exorbitant price tags, so be smart and stock up on supplies — especially mosquito repellent — before you head to the island.

With a wildlife-rich rainforest and waters that are liberally sprinkled with white coral reefs, Tioman is a much sought-after destination by both naturalists and divers across Asia. For a touch of adventure divers can take a boat ride out to Monkey Beach, or the uninhibited islands of Tulai and Renggis for a swim and picnic.

Duration 1h. USD 10 per adult. Duration 6h Free cancellation. USD 40 per adult. Duration 8h Free cancellation. USD 75 per adult.