Destinations
Tioman, I ’m in Love!
Te x t & I m a g e s b y H A N I A R A F E I
Editor: Nia, you’re going to Tioman Me: *freeze for a while* Oh okay, sure! (Trying hard to hide my excitement) I’ve never been to Tioman before, but it has always been on my bucket list. Imagine the excitement when I was told I’ll be going there for four days and three nights to follow a media familiarisation trip! With my suitcase already packed together in my island outfit, hat, and sunblock, I was raring to go. Follow me as I share my experience on Tioman Island for the first time in my life.
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The name Tioman is believed to have been derived from the combination of the words tiong (a type of a local bird classified as common myna) and man (meaning ‘mine’ in local slang). If you look closely at the shape of the island on the map, it seems to resemble a tear drop. Tioman has always been one of the cleanest islands in Malaysia because it is well maintained. How to get to Tioman/Getting to Tioman If you come from Kuala Lumpur, you can simply drive your car or ride a bus to Jeti Tanjung Gemok in Pahang. The journey takes around five hours. The jetty provides ample parking spaces and you don’t have to worry about anyone breaking into your car because it is well guarded. Once you arrived at the jetty, you can buy your tickets to board the ferry at MYR35 per adult and MYR30 per child one way. Each return ticket costs MYR70 per adult and MY60 per child. The journey to Tioman from Tanjung Gemok by ferry takes another two hours. If you’re heading to Kampung Juara, which is on the eastern side of the island, there’s a four-wheel drive service that takes you there from Kampung Tekek, the place where you disembark form the ferry. Due to the rough road conditions and uneven terrain passing through the middle of the island, it is obvious why fourwheel drive is the only type of vehicle used on the island. The journey from Kampung Tekek to Kampung Juara is between 30 to 40 minutes.
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An alternative way to reach Tioman is to directly board the ferry from Mersing, which makes sense if you come from Johor or Singapore. » Though the ferry ticket displays your seat number, it is actually free seating when you get on board, so don’t be surprised if you find someone else sitting at the seat that bears your number; just plonk yourself in any other available seat. » The four-wheel drive service is only available at Kampung Tekek jetty and it will take you to Kampung Juara using the sole road on Tioman that connects the two villages. To get to the other parts of the island, you need water taxi or speedboat provided at each jetty that dot around the island or at the resort where you choose to stay.
WHAT TO DO IN TIOMAN When you’re going to an island, you definitely have your own bucket list on what to do there. Check the following activities to see whether you would like to do them when you are in Tioman, which are quite varied! Snorkelling Snorkelling is a must-do activity when you’re in Tioman! The water is crystal clear that you can see all the fish and corals beneath you. You can snorkel anywhere in Tioman, but the best spots for snorkelling are Pulau Rengis, Marine Park and Pulau Tumok. If you’re planning to snorkel at two spots, then I suggest that you choose Pulau Rengis and Pulau Tumok, which are unique and beautiful in their own way. When you snorkel at Pulau Rengis, you will witness a variety of beautiful fishes; when you are in Pulau Tumok, you will see beautiful corals in many sizes.
