Tioman
Discover Tioman
Tioman (Malay: Pulau Tioman, "Tioman Island") is a small island, 20 km long and 12 km wide, off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. In the 1970s, Time magazine selected Tioman as one of the world's most beautiful islands. The densely forested island is still sparsely inhabited. Also it is surrounded by numerous white coral reefs, making it a haven for scuba divers from around the region. Tioman is in Pahang off the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia within the Mersing Marine Park, which also contains less commercial islands such as Sibu Island. The primary gateway Mersing is in Johor.
What to Experience in Tioman
Taste of Tioman...
Depending on where you eat, food can be quite expensive on Tioman, compared to other places in Malaysia. Western food can be up to RM15 per plate, whilst local food is cheaper (between RM8-12). Especially if you eat at the restaurants attached to the resorts and chalets, you should plan around RM 30 per day (good breakfast, lunch and dinner). "Street food" in the form of fried rice or burger booths can be found everywhere, but opening times vary. During Ramadan, most of the restaurants around the island are closed for lunch. A 1.5 L bottle of water costs RM4, some places offer refill with locally filtered water for RM1-2. Canned soft drinks are about RM3, beer starts at RM3 (Skol Beer at local shop), but note that you cannot bring/consume alcohol in some restaurants. Food options in Juara are not particularly exciting. As everywhere on the island, the prices are a bit high. If you are staying at Juara Mutiara, avoid the buffet-style breakfast they try to sell you, one look at it will tell you why - and yes it is possible to just book a room, at a discount, without any food included. While they don't sell alcohol, they are ok with BYO. There is also a Chinese restaurant which has a great view from its veranda overlooking the beach, so even if you don't feel like you want to eat there it's a great place to have a drink before dinner. The food is decent, but relatively pricey for what it is.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsNo matter which way you choose to arrive, a marine park fee of RM35 (as of 2023) is levied on all visitors to the island. If you arrive by ferry this is payable at the ferry port in Mersing. Most visitors arrive by ferry from Mersing on the mainland. As of 2023, two ferry companies, Bluewater and Cataferry, provide services departing from Mersing, Johor and Tanjung Gemok to various jetties on Tioman including Genting, Paya, Tekek, Air Batang and Salang Jetty. You can purchase tickets online in advance or directly at the counter. The trip takes 1.5-2 hours to the first jetty. There are about one to three services per day in each direction, depending on tides. Some ferry companies overcrowd their vessels. If you ever feel uncomfortable boarding a vessel for any reason, refuse. A good way to avoid this is to avoid the last vessel as it is always the busiest....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Local transport is by bike, cars at Tekek, and by boat. A concrete road runs through Tekek, extending from the Berjaya resort in the south, past the airport, and to the northern end of Tekek village. There is a concrete path running the 800 m of Air Batang area and believe it or not: the Air Batang locals bought about 20 scooters and drive up and down this 800-m path that ruins the calm for the tourists. Elsewhere there are almost no roads on Tioman. Cars may charge around RM20 for the short distance from the end of Tekek jetty/parks info office to the airport and up to RM120 for the biggest distance with a minimum of 2 or 4 passengers. The east–west concrete track was started by the Japanese in WWII and was re-opened several years ago. It follows the main electricity cable between Tekek and Juara. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is required. When you arrive you may be asked for up to RM175 to charter a whole vehicle to take you across.
Where to Stay
While the most commercialized of Malaysia's East Coast islands, Tioman has yet to be invaded by mass tourism on the scale of Penang or Langkawi and there are plenty of cheap beds to be found. However, if you are heading for anywhere other than the backpackers' villages, reservations are advisable as getting to some of the more remote kampungs can be a hassle. Some places stay open year-round, but many close for the monsoon season (typically end of October to mid/late February). Most of Tioman's backpacker accommodation is in the north of the island, with numerous budget chalet operations clustered around Salang and Air Batang (sometimes also referred to as ABC - although this is the name of the resort at the northern end of the beach, not the beach), and to a lesser extent Tekek. Dorm beds start about RM 20, single rooms (huts) around RM 40 and up. A quieter beach on the east coast, also has a selection of budget rooms at similar prices.
Money & Budget
Tioman is a duty-free zone and offers a good selection of alcohol and cigarettes at very cheap prices. The main outlet is "Vision Duty Free". All the other villages have small outlets, but no alcohol can be found there. If you plan on continuing to Singapore with your loot, beware that there is no duty free allowance if coming from Malaysia. Depending on where you eat, food can be quite expensive on Tioman, compared to other places in Malaysia. Western food can be up to RM15 per plate, whilst local food is cheaper (between RM8-12). Especially if you eat at the restaurants attached to the resorts and chalets, you should plan around RM 30 per day (good breakfast, lunch and dinner). "Street food" in the form of fried rice or burger booths can be found everywhere, but opening times vary.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
There have been repeat outbreaks of Sarcocystosis, caused by a single-celled gut parasite, amongst travellers to Tioman, particularly in 2012 (more than 100 cases) and in May 2014 (more than 40 cases). While the parasites that cause sarcocystosis are endemic in Malaysia, is not well known amongst physicians and is often misdiagnosed. It is usually spread by eating raw or undercooked meat. If you have flu-like symptoms and severe muscle aches after traveling to Tioman consult a tropical disease specialist immediately. Treatments are available. Another infection risk comes from being cut by sharp corals while swimming. Coral are bacteria-laden and the resulting cuts can become infected if not disinfected and covered quickly. Bring alcohol wipes and antiseptic for coral cuts; wash and treat them immediately to avoid a nasty infection.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Tioman
people on beach during daytime
A view of a beach with a palm tree in the foreground
a sandy beach with waves coming in to shore
a man riding a wave on top of a surfboard
a sandy beach with a small island in the distance
Ali's Waterfall
Sunrise in the bedroom
pink roof in the middle of the sea, Tioman island
Ocean meets lush forest along the coastline.
jetty in the middle of nowhere, Tioman island
people on beach during daytime
A view of a beach with a palm tree in the foreground
a sandy beach with waves coming in to shore