Tioman Island, Pahang Malaysia | Naturalis Expeditions

Tioman Island, off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, boats miles of secluded palm-fringed beaches, clear turquoise waters, misty mountains and lush greenery. Divers and snorkelers can enjoy rich, Tioman’s colourful marine life just a few yards from the beach.

Highlights

Relax at the beautiful Paya Beach
Explore the lush rainforest of the island
Go swimming and snorkeling in the clear waters of Tioman Marine Park
Sit on the sand and watch the sunset

Hailed as one of the world’s finest beach destinations, Tioman Island is steeped in legend and natural beauty.

According to the local folklore, Tioman Island dragon-like shape is attributed to the tale of a dragon princess who was so enamoured by the beauty of the waters that she decided to stay there forever, becoming an island over time.

Tioman is the largest and most developed of the volcanic islands that form Tioman Marine Park. A sense of peace, tranquillity and simplicity embraces visitors upon arrival.

The island’s waters are a diver’s paradise, filled with a diverse range of aquatic species and vibrant corals. Discover astounding sight such as colourful gorgonian sea fans, staghorn corals, nudibranchs and beautifully sculptured sea sponges. Marine life such as Napoleon fish, golden striped trevally, bumphead parrotfish and shoals of fusiliers swim playfully in the depths.

Divers will enjoy trips to outlying island as it provides opportunities to encounter black-tip sharks, murray eels and other pelagic species.

HOW TO GET THERE

Tioman Island is accessible by ferry from Mersing Jetty in Johor. The ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on sea conditions.

The closest airport to Mersing is Johor Bahru. Mersing is about 5-6 hour-drive from Kuala Lumpur and 3 hour-drive from Singapore.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

Like mainland Malaysia, Tioman Island has a hot and humid climate, with sunny afternoons and warm evenings but cool nights. Temperatures are usually consistent and the calm weather peppered with occasional showers and storms.

The tourist season peaks between May and August, when the weather generally displays the least rainfall. The monsoon winds begin to blow from October, bring heavy rain and strong waves till January. During this time, ferries run once a day, while only select hotels (usually the larger ones) will open, providing significant discounts off their standard rates.

ACCOMMODATION

Japamala Resort & Spa

JapaMala prefers to call their rooms ‘Sarang’, which means ‘nest’ in Malay. Emerging from the wilderness like individual nests is a seris of wooden houses, hillside sarangs and beachside villas. Designed and built around the resort’s natural landscape, each rooms is therefore unique in layout.

JapaMala’s philosophy of preserving nature in every sense of the word has inspired this very concept of their ‘rustic-luxe’ design.