Tioman

Tioman (Malay: Pulau Tioman) is a small island, 39 km long and 12 km wide, located off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. The southern mountains of Tioman Understand Map of Tioman Tioman is in Pahang ("East Coast") within the Mersing Marine Park, which contains less commerical islands such as Sibu Island. The primary gateway Mersing is in Johor ("South"). Tioman's beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie South Pacific as "Bali Hai". 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. Already the most commercially developed of Malaysia's eastern islands, a controversial RM 40 million marina project for Kampung Tekek, complete with 175 m cargo jetty, now threatens to speed up the pace of development on Tioman considerably. The marina is finished and the jetty is under construction. However, visitors with an aversion to such progress can avoid this part of the island and stay elsewhere without any impact. Monitor Lizards roaming the village in Salang). You will find enormous monitor lizards across the island and in the kampongs you will often see them sifting through the rubbish piles looking for food. There is also an abundance of domestic cats. Rubbish control on the island is still in a development stage, apart from in some of the resorts. So expect some less than pristine circumstances, but there is no doubt that at June 2011 places such as Air Batong are making progress on this front, encouragement required. Get in There is a RM5 conservation fee to enter the island, which can be paid at a little kiosk just before departing from the Mersing ferry terminal). In june 2013 the admission fee was not present, By Ferry Tioman Ferry Most visitors arrive by ferry from Mersing on the mainland. Bluewater Express operates the ferry services and its boats are fast and comfortable taking approx 2 hours to the first jetty. This ferry is now the only option, the smaller and faster services being cancelled because of safety concerns after a tragedy. The boat is sometimes boarded by the Malaysian coast guard but it appears that the operators' are aware of when this will take place and take pains to follow the rules only on those days. Coast Guard boards Tioman ferry for safety check There are three services per day in each direction (sometimes only 2 during week days), but tidal issues (or lack of passengers) may cause cancellation. Bluewater Express charges RM 35 (RM 55 before 7.30am and after 7.30pm) for an adult ticket, RM 25 for a child ticket (babies in arm free, as of last info). The timetable is variable and depends on the tide. Contact Bluewater for info. The ferry operator tends to leave Mersing when the tide is high enough for the ferry to be able to pass through the mouth of the river, there are sufficient passengers aboard, or perhaps they are waiting for a connecting bus. So, if you are planning onward journeys based on the timetable, then leave sufficient buffers (1-2 Hours). In Mersing, the main bus terminal is about 1000 metres up river from the ferry terminal. From the terminal face the river and go right. Follow through the commercial centre of Mersing, past the stadium to the ferry terminal. The bus may also drop you off at the corner where a conveniently located travel agent will attempt to sell you accommodation on the island. It may suit some to make a booking in the town before going to the island, others may prefer to take their chances and check out the offering on the island. In the instance where the afternoon ferry (4.30pm) is not running, one may have to stay in Mersing, which can be a fairly low expectation affair, depending on demand. Suggestion is to head straight to the ferry terminal, buy a ticket and worry about other matters later. Alternatively, you simply buy your ferry tickets in advance at Tioman Ferry Tickets [1], so your ferry seats are guaranteed. If you are not heading for the island, boats are available for private boat charter, scuba dive, fishing & Islands Tour along Jalan Dato Onn, Mersing. Some ferries also depart from Tanjung Gemuk to the north of Mersing. During the monsoon season (late October to mid/late February) the ferries run much less frequently and exceptionally bad conditions may shut them down completely for several days at a time. Please note, if you are coming from Johor Bahru with the bus of 2.30pm or later, there is a big chance to have no more ferry when you arrive and you will be force to take a night at Mersing. Enjoy it and take time for shopping as it will be more expensive on islands. Please note, most shops will be close in early morning (before 10am). In Mersing you can find on the way to the jetty a 24h food court serving Malay food. You can spend a few hours there if you are going to take the first ferry in the morning and you are arriving from Johor Baru at night. Bus ticket from Johor Bahru to Mersing csot around 11 MYR one way and there are only 3-4 connections a day. Bus ticket can be bought on line at [2] By dive operator Many dive operators in Singapore operate their own trips to Tioman, and this would usually include taking a bus from Singapore to Mersing, then boarding the ferry for Tioman in Mersing. While it might be more expensive, this would probably be one of the most hassle-free ways to visit Tioman. By plane Tioman Airport (IATA: TOD, ICAO: WMBT), also known as Pulau Tioman Airport is located next to Tekek village (Kampung Tekek). The sole commercial operator to the island's small airstrip near Tekek is Berjaya Air [3], which flies 48 seat Dash-7 turboprops from Kuala Lumpur (60 min; RM214 one-way; daily) and Singapore (35 min; RM240 / S$111 one-way; daily peak season, several times a week during the monsoon season). Discounted fares are available if booked online more than 3 days in advance, and may be available if booked in a package with accommodation. Maximum baggage weight is 10 kg. Excess baggage charges seem to depend on how many passengers are on the flight. Airlines Destinations Berjaya Air Singapore—Changi Budget Terminal Kuala Lumpur—Subang Airport T3 (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) The landing at Tekek involves a tight banking to avoid one mountain, a right-hand tight turn, then a relatively quick drop onto the airstrip which is at the base of Gunung Kajan, another mountain. Since the airstrip has been extended this is no longer the hairy procedure it once used to be. The flight from KL takes around 1 hr. These flights use the secondary airports of Subang (IATA: SZB) in Kuala Lumpur and Changi Budget Terminal in Singapore (IATA: SIN), so factor in transfer time from KLIA/Changi when making your plans. As a general guide, allow 1 hr on the road to travel between KLIA and Subang. No matter which way you choose to arrive, a marine park fee of RM5 should be levied on all visitors to the island. In practice, ferry passengers are not charged. Transfers can be arranged directly with resorts. By Yacht Tekek now boasts a recently built harbour with substantial wave break walls. The Tekek anchorage does not look like the nicest part of Tioman to hang about in, especially given the carefully chosen high intensity sky polluting orange lights installed in abundance. With any luck for all residents and visitors to the island the usual non-existant standards of maintenance will apply and these lights will fail over time. NB: The map shown on this page has an incorrect scale shown; as an estimate, the distance between Kg Paya and Kg Bunut on the west coast is 1 kilometre. Get 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 length of Air Batang area. 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 rough concrete track was started by the Japanese in WWII and was re-opened several years ago. It follows the main electricty cable across to 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. In May 2012 chartering a whole vehicle from Juara to Tekek cost RM60, though individual passengers in shared vehicles were quoted as RM35/head. It takes 45 min and is an interesting, steep and hairy ride. One alternative to paying a vehicle to take you down this road is to walk through the spectacular forest trail instead. The entrance to this trail is part-way up the mountains when coming from Juara (turn right at the sign), or when coming from Tekek (or ABC) simply turn east at the northern end of the airport. By boat By far the best and cheapest way of hopping from one village to the other is to use the Mersing/Tioman ferry service. On its way to and from Mersing it goes between Salang in the north and Genting in the south. The ferry will take you to most villages between from RM20 per person (for the Bluewater ferry) and is much cheaper than the private speedboat services. As of July 2011, the ferry operators do not appear to be charging for the island-hopping. Speedboats charge from about RM20-60 for a single trip, depending on the destination. For example, a speedboat from Salang to Tekek will cost about RM 30, but a trip from Salang to Juara will cost about RM60-100. Although you can try to negotiate, they know full well that they're the only game in town (unless you hike). A single trip by boat as far as from the west coast to the east coast is RM150 and can be shared if there are more passengers. Expect to pay double at night. By jeep There are 4WD "taxis" from Tekek to Juara. In May 2012 only RM60 was requested. In fact a new road has been built between Juara and Tekek and now also normal car can run between the 2 villages. The ride is around 35 ringitt a persons. (depends on the number of persons9 Don't be forced into using those who tout directly outside the airstrip. Slow down to local pace and take your time over everything. On foot Trek from Tekek to Juara. Stairs facilitate the way up. There are several jungle treks , following the power lines, which connect the Kampungs. Depending on your condition and preferences, it could be better to have walking/trekking shoes and long pant. Tekek - Juara It is relatively easy to cross the island on foot from Tekek to Juara. The path up from Tekek is a well established but unpaved, 7 km long track with occasional stone steps to assist and a few fallen tree trunks to keep things interesting. You cannot lose the trail because it follws the powerline to Juara. It's feasible with a small backpack, but fairly strenuous, so allow plenty of time (at least two hours each way for the trail itself, or three and a half hours if crossing from settlement to settlement). In Tekek, the trail starts north of the airport (sign to Juara). Close to the waterworks, one leaves the road and continues on the trail. On the east side, it's an easy broad concrete footpath with no steps all the way from the summit down to Juara. Allow a minimum of at least two hours for the whole thing, significantly more if you want to stop along the way or if you're carrying anything, and take plenty of water (and optionally bug repellent). You can refill water bottles in the stream that feeds the Tekek town as drinking water catchment area about half way. Bear in mind that the path is unlit and that it gets dark early in the jungle (especially on the Tekek side). There is no cheap way to go back. Alternatives to walking are speed boat or 4WD, 50-100RM. Tekek - Air Batang It is also possible to walk from Tekek to Air Batang (ABC), and the path is relatively level. It is made in concrete Air Batang - Monkey Bay Again following the power cable, the hike is possible, though this is less level. First comes Panuba resort. Next there is Monkey Beach which is beautiful (it takes about 70 min to get from ABC to Monkey Beach). Make sure to follow the established trail by the power cable. Shortly thereafter is Monkey Bay. The two lie next to each other (in fact, one can swim out of the bay of Monkey Beach and reach Monkey Bay on the right without problems). There is hut at Monkey Bay. Don't try it with a heavy backpack. Monkey Bay If you continue along Monkey Beach to it's northern end, you will find a foot path that leads to the side of Monkey Bay, a very pretty hourglass indented beach. The foot pad is subject to treefall so expect it to be hard to follow in places, but panic not if you lose the path, use your head and nut it out. The more use the better the path will get. Both beaches offer very good snorkelling. The other way to reach them is by water taxis. There are ruins of attempts to set up business here, but otherwise no development, but the writer definitely saw a family of monkeys, who ignored the humans and didn't seem to expect any food. Of course don't feed them. Following the power lines between Salang and Monkey Bay (photo by Paul Farr). Monkey Bay - Salang Keep following the power cable to get to Salang. Remember to follow the power lines, since the path may be hard to see sometimes. This path is more steep than the previous paths. It may take upto 90 min for this part of the hike. Don't try it with a heavy backpack. Monkey Beach with its yellow sand See Air Batang (ABC) Air Batang is a village which is spreaded a couple of kms along the coast. It is full of basic accommodation charging around 50 MYR a night for a fan room (in June 2013). There are also more upscale accommodation with air conditioning. Mini markets are available. Restaurants in this area have low quality. Drinks are available at a few place where you can also enjoy the beautiful sunset sipping a cheap beer (5 MYR in June 2013).Regarding snorkeling, the quality of the reef is poor on the north of ABC. Also a trip for snorkeling at Coral bay and Monkey beach (costing 85 MYR a person - negotiable but price high due to the fact you hire a boat) does not offer much to see underwater. A 40minute walk to Tekek airport allows to go to the duty-free shop where you can buy a beer as low as 2.5 MYR for a can. It is a minimarket where you can buy also other products. Juara The local village is spread back from the little track which follows the line of the sea. People live all over the place normally in simple huts. The tourist huts and accommodation is within 20 m of high water mark. Juara is a very quiet beach at the east coast especially in the off season, when almost nobody is there. There are three rivers coming from the mountains, delivering cold freshwater to the beach, a chilling alternative to swimming in the sea. A path leads to waterfalls in the jungle, which is nice for a swim and climb over the large rocks. To reach the waterfalls, just follow a marked path for about 30 min. The path starts at the south beach, next to the turtle breeding farm. Opposite of the great rocks, which lie on the beach. The path is marked by the bottoms of cans, nailed to the trees and painted yellow and red. At the beginning of the path there are three such signs at a tree. If you walk along the only concrete road towards south to the turtle breeding farm, you can not miss it. The place itself is divided into two beaches that are separated by a small hill, which is said to be the "origin" of Tioman. Some locals say: "you have not been on Tioman, if you did not stand on these rocks". The beach more towards the north where the jetty has very nice sand but with some dead coral in the shallow water. Swimming is OK, but walking in the water can be painful. At both ends of this beach is the mouth of one of the rivers. The beach more towards the south is even quieter. The sand again is very nice and there are no obstacles in the water. At the south end of this beach the last of the three rivers meets the sea. A basin of the waterfalls near Juara At the southern end of Mrntawak beach there is a turtle hatchery. Juara Turtle Project, (about 30min of crossing to tetek by walk), ☎ 09 419 3244 (contact@juaraturtleproject.com), [4]. open during the day to visitors. available volunteer and group programs. sea turtle conservation / sustainable living / habitat protection. privately funded and operated. 1-2h to understand more how live sea turtle and how to preserve them, you may see eggs or injured sea turtles depending on current situation. Minimum donation of RM10 as entrance fee.  edit Do Scuba facilities are readily available, and the diving is reasonably good, especially in view of the proximity to Singapore. Most villages have a variety of dive shops. Padi Open water courses average at about RM990 (4 day course), and for licensed divers each dive is roughly RM90). You plan to dive and are travelling with small budget? Go to Air Batang (ABC) since accomodation is about RM30 and not RM40 like in Salang. DiveAsia - PADI 5 Star IDC, Salang Village (From the jetty, turn left, walk straight and it's on the left.), ☎ +60 9 419 5017 (diveasia@tm.net.my), [5]. Established in 1976. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Excellent dive sites (Salang is best for diving). Helpful with arranging accommodation. The first and only Instructor Development Centre on Tioman Island. Services include boat dives, day and night shore dives, equipment servicing, air/nitrox/trimix refill, hydro testing, PADI recreational dive courses (Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Emergency First Response, Rescue Diver, Master Scuba Diver, Divemaster and Instructor). RM900 for PADI Open Water course.  edit B&J Dive Center, Salang Village. Has two full-service dive shops, at Air Batang and Salang. A very accommodating bunch of people with good dives. B&J can cater to technical divers offering nitrox and trimix as well as deeper wreck expeditions. Can also help to arrange accommodation. Don't just dive: plan and extra day or two to explore this island's other attractions.  edit Tioman Dive Centre:[6], Enjoy diving in clear blue waters over beautiful coral reefs teeming with marine life. Tioman is perfect for both learning to dive (TDC offer a comprehensive range of PADI dive training courses) and diving for fun at over 20 dive sites. Safety is, of course, their primary concern, but your fun and enjoyment are also important. They maintain a friendly, informal atmosphere in the dive centre, and hope you will enjoy their hospitality. Their many repeat visitors are testament to the fact that they are doing something right. ☎ +60 9 4191 228 Tioman Cabana Sport & Ray Dive Adventure :[7] Dive with local guided Shamrock to explore underwater world..with friendly staff and have most the best experienced and recommended from backpackers diver call 013-7176677 Fisherman Divers: [8] Very professional PADI certified dive shop with experienced instructors & divemasters and really friendly staff. They can provide Nitrox (EANx) fills as well. Located at Salang beach, opposite to Four "S" cafe. Eco Divers: [9] in Air Batang, ☎ +60+60 13 602 2640, +60 13 368 7833. A small diving centre with limited equipment. Bali Hai dive shop UK run operation with a surprisingly large office on the jetty and a variety of diving craft moored in the vicinity. They offer the usual programs including night dives on the home reef from the jetty. Perhaps the most popular activity for visitors is snorkelling. Most resorts can arrange for speedboats or seabuses to take you to the beaches and small uninhabited islands nearby (such as Pulau Tulai, aka "Coral Island") and Renggis island where the snorkelling is at its best. The water is almost pristine save for the occasional litter. Just be careful of the small jellyfish, as they can pack a sting, and try not to lose your rental gear or you'll be subject to the renter's arbitrary fines. However, snorkelling is fantastic in front of most beaches and can rival that of any snorkelling trip at a fraction of the cost. However, do note that the beaches are home to several "Portugese Man of War". These prickly creatures tend to rest on rocks and if snorkelling in shallow waters, one should be especially careful of not coming in contact with these. They pack quite a sting and might require medical attention. Snorkellers who are squeamish about brushing against thick clouds of jellyfish in the water (as can happen in the May-September period) can try wearing a long-sleeved shirt or a rash guard when snorkelling. Alternately, you can rent a wetsuit from one of the dive shops if you're not comfortable with the jellies. You can rent snorkelling equipment for about 15RM/day (mask, scuba, fins). Some of the best locations are as follows. Paya: A group of rocks adjacent from the beach offers a variety of colourful coral and fish. Tekek: The marine park, 3 km north of Tekek, has a man-made artificial reef just off its jetty. The visibility can be questionable and theres not much coral but is teeming with fish. Air Batang: The best village for snorkelling. At ABC (the far end of the beach) one can snorkel around the rocks towards panuba with a full reef full of colourful coral and fish. Its not too deep, making it perfect for snorkelling. In june2013 snorkeling around panuba offers a limited quantity of tropical fishes Even more colourful is the reef on either side of the jetty where one can see turtles and a vast garden of yellow coral. Tioman Cabana:[10], ☎ +60 13 717 6677, watersport at Tg Saik Beach, Tekek Village. Salang: South of the Jetty the coral begins almost as soon as the water is deep enough to swim in, offering some great views of a variety of fish and even turtles to the less confident swimmer. Following the rocks further out and around the headland gives an even greater variety of marine life. It is also worth swimming out to the small Island just off the headland for the possibility of seeing black tip reef sharks. For those who are surf junkies, Tioman receives swells up to 2 m from the South China Sea. However, they only come during the wet season which is from November to March and only hit the eastern side of the island. Buy 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" (past the hospital and school) and at the airport. Other villages such as Paya and Salang have small outlets. However, do note that in case you intend to purchase alcohol or cigarettes and carry them into neighbouring Singapore, then you would need to pay duty on these goods and hence the cost advantage vanishes. Refer to Singapore customs website on duty free allowances; the Singapore authorities can be pretty strict, always declare tobacco and alcohol to Singapore customs officials and be prepared to pay high duty or dispose of the items. ATM is available at Tekek. From the wharf go left, the bank with the attached ATM is on the left of the road about 250 metres on. The ATM is a 10-second walk from the airport. Eat 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 cheap (between RM3-10 normally). 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). The 1.5 l bottle of water costs RM4 (Dec 2010), some places offer refill with locally filtered water for RM1-2. Canned soft drinks are about RM 2.50, beer starts at RM2 (Tiger beer at local shop), but note that you cannot take/consume alcohol in some restaurants. Village restaurant at Coral Reef Holidays the most Malay and western food also good view (by the beach) There are several places to eat in Kampung Genting, particularly around the jetty where you can find Roti Canai, Nasi Goreng and Ramli burger stalls. Arini's Family Restaurant (Arini Rock Cafe), ABC Beach (Ayer Batang), [11]. 5PM-10PM. A small family restaurant on the ABC beach. The food is well prepared by the owner himself and the menu is an eclectic mix of many cultures with the Malayan traditional food as the main focus. The mixes of spices and herbs are done to taste and "in action" by "Man" himself. Chicken and egg burger RM8 Bargain. (104-09-27E,02-50-52N) edit ThaiFun Restaurant (ThaiFun 2011), near Berjaya Tioman Resort. 24 hr/day. Thai restaurant opened in 2011. You can watch Thai television there.  edit The food in Salang is similarly priced and there is a variety of western and local fare. For those who enjoy seafood there are numerous barbeque restaurants offering freshly caught fish, shrimp, squid and crabs, these begin opening around 7pm. Drink If you want nightlife and atmosphere, there are some bars between Tekek Village till ABC which serve everything from cheap beer to cocktails and most do bonfire nights on the beach on occasions. Allo bar, Air Batang (turn left at the jetty towards Nazri 2) Fantastic beach bar, perhaps the best on the island. Beautifully arranged, cheap alcohol with a great atmosphere. Beer, like at most bars on Tioman is 3 for RM10 from 5PM-7PM. Otherwise expect to pay RM5 a can. B&J Bar, Air Batang (near Johan's). Has a large selection of cocktails and liquors. Very chilled out. Mañana, Juara (southernmost beach) [12]. Wooden open air lounge/terrace at the beach with cushions, very good selection of chilled music in the evening, good food and a nice flair. But don't expect any wild parties going on there. The place is almost in the middle of the south beach. At time of writing (April 2006) there was a volleyball net in front of it on the beach. Bar Rumah, Genting (5 minutes walk north from the jetty). Newly opened in 2011, cosy intimate place right on the beach run by a friendly young local couple who have taken a lot of effort to give the place an individual feel: coral chandeliers, driftwood construction, amazing tree and swinging picnic table. Drinks are a decent price and the cocktails are really well made. Sunset Bar, Air Batang (Nazri's place). Serves a variety of homemade pizza ranging from RM10-15, sunset bar is right on the beach. Tioman Cabana Bar, Tekek Village (between Coral Reef Holidays Chalets & Wak Cottage). Good selection of music from the 70s onwards, Sells beer and cocktails, also hosts private parties. Fireball (poipoi) shows and lessons most nights, plus bonfires The owners are backpackers and also good place to meet backpackers, travellers and locals. Open by 8PM-3AM. Coconut tree, bamboo and tree building. Ari's Cafe, Between ABC and Tekek (make your way from ABC to Tekek, You can't miss it.).  edit Sleep 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 heading for anywhere other than the backpackers' villages, reservations are advisable as getting to some of the more remote kampungs can be a hassle. Note that some places stay open year round, but many close for the monsoon season (typically end of October to mid/late February). Budget Most of Tioman's backpacker accommodation is to 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 itself), and to a lesser extent Tekek. Dorm beds start about RM 20, single rooms (huts) around RM 40 and up. Tekek Coral Reef Chalets[13], Kg Tekek. RM40-RM80 onward. Wak Cottage (previous Sri Tioman), Kg Tekek. RM25 onward. Babura Seaview[14], Kg Tekek. RM55 onward. Air Batang Mokhtar's Place, Kg Air Batang. RM30 onward. My friend's place, Kg Air Batang. RM25 onward. Nazri 2[15], Kg. Air Batang. RM80 onward. ☎ +60 9 4191329 South Pacific, Kg Air Batang. RM45 onward. Y & P chalets, Kg Air Batang. RM20 onward. Mawar beach chalets & restaurant. mosquito screen, fan, only 1 power outlet/fan, clean, no towel/soap/repellent/trashbin/blanket about RM30.  edit Salang Salang Indah Resorts, Kg Salang. RM50 onward. ☎ +60 9 419 5015, no wifi Salang Pusaka Resort (Khalid`s Place), Kg Salang. RM45 onward. Puteri Salang Inn, Kg Salang. RM30 for a hut with fan and mosquito vent. Free coffee. 2°52'27.79"N, 104° 9'16.51"E. Juara A quieter beach on the east coast, also has a selection of budget rooms at similar prices. Surf season from November through February (monsoon). Juara Mutiara Resort. single room fan or ac RM30/100.  edit Beach Shack Chalet, Kg. Juara (Southern Juara beach), ☎ +60 9 4193148 (timstormsurve@yahoo.au), [16]. Basic huts and restaurant right on the paradise like beach, Tioman Surf Center RM40 onward.  edit Paradise Point is right on the beach; six rooms with fan and attached bathroom (cold shower), double (RM30), triple (RM60). ☎ +60 94193145, +60 13 746 2787 May collect you if you phone ahead. Mid-range Practically every kampung on the west coast of the island has a self-styled resort or two. A typical air-conditioned chalet will set you back in the vicinity of RM 100, although significant discounts can be negotiated in the off-season, in package deals or just by showing up and smiling. In off-season it is advisable to just show up and pick the best and cheapest spots. Genting resorts are largely owned and operated by friendly local fisherman families. For the support of the local community, you are likely to have a chance to pick the best fish at the beach in the evening and have it prepared by the women. Coral Reef Holidays, ☎ +60 9 4191868 or Mobile: ☎ +60 13 7176677, Located on a relatively private beach and is the longest beach in Tekek Village,With main facilities like restaurant,cafe,diveshop,laundry.Various rooms are available with a choice of either a seaview and/or garden view room.Rates start from RM45 to RM150 per room. Coral Resort Kampung Mukut, ☎ +60 9 4191868, RM100 A/C room, wifi RM5 for 5 days. Refurbished older resort under new management. Idaman Beach Holiday, Kampung Genting. From RM80 per night. At the far Southern end of Genting, Idaman Beach Holiday is located on a beautiful stretch of beach, while much of Genting's beach is a little rocky, Idaman enjoys a beautiful sandy beach at all tides. The rooms are simple and can accommodate two to four persons. All rooms face the beach and it is only a few steps from your doorstep to the shore. Bamboo Hill Chalets, northern end of Air Batang, [17]. A very small resort with just six rooms. RM70-RM120 . The boulder-top chalets are simple (no A/C or hot water or TV) but to a very high standard, and all directly overlook the sea. The majority of guests are repeat visitors, and booking well in advance is pretty much essential. Closed during the monsoon season. Melina Beach Resort, [18]. About halfway between the Genting and Paya jetties, Melina Beach Resort is a small, non-Malaysian owned and run resort. While the resort is comparably cramped with the 2009 addition of a new building, the semi-private beach is long and shaded rests are great. It offers both A/C and fan rooms built in typical chalet-style, and other more original rooms such as a tree hut. The restaurant also caters for western tastes with some German specialties, and is clearly above average price. Free pick-up and drop from the Genting jetty can be arranged. Alternatively, it is a pleasant 20 min walk. Minang Cove Resort, [19]. The three villas and nine chalets are all A/C with ensuite facilities situated on the south tip of Tioman Island. Paya Beach Resort, Kampung Paya (south of Tekek), [20]. A typical Tioman resort featuring an almost-private beach, a particularly good restaurant, a swimming pool, a dive shop and chalets of varying standards. The crumbling Standard chalets are poor value, the newer Superiors are much better. Get a package here as the rack rates are extortionate. Nipah Paradise Resort. A nice small bay in the south of Tioman, with only two small resorts, the beach and a creek. Nipah is the right beach for people, who want to get away from it all because there is not even a public telephone! The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed, most of the travelers are backpackers who put up at Nipah Beach Chalets. The second resort - Nipah Paradise - is a haven for the backpackers. It offers small cheap chalets. The nice owners offer a two days trekking tour through the jungle to the peak of Gunung Kajang, Tioman's highest peak (1038 m). Nazri's Place, ☎ +60 9 4191329, [21]. You can camp too there with the price of RM3 person per day. Ask to build camp next to pizza "hut" near beach. This camp place will suite for 2 tent (4 man tent). There are field behind for more tent, but it is far a bit from beach. Panuba Resort, ☎ +60 7 7996349, [22]. Located at a very small kampong about 200 m north of Air Batang and the second last ferry stop. This kg has now been subsumed by an adhoc collection of accommodation structures that climb the rocky headland. The growing technical prowess of the builders results in a mixed grill of style from Malaysian hut to alpine chalet, and a switch from environmentally sympathetic timber to more intrusive concrete, the remnants of previous structures being carelessly preserved. From RM45 to RM140 en-suite, A/C, kettle (but no tea or coffee) breakfast, and a view from a balcony. In front is a 100 m beach which is great for swimming at the top half of the tide, and a reef for snorkling. Restaurant kampong grown fruit and drinks. Tiger beer at RM5 and red wine, sold from the snorkling gear hire shop. Swiss Cottage, ☎ +60 9 4191642 [23]. Swiss Cottage, where Tioman Dive Centre [24] is based, was one of the first chalet operators on Tioman. The resort has a variety of rooms built around a central area which is shaded by trees. It has a relaxed feeling and is a great place to hang out. The resort has 5 types of room, all of which are fan cooled, except for the Terrace A/C rooms and Garden View Chalet A/C. Fan is usually sufficient given the beach front location. All rooms are with bathroom and hot water shower, breakfast is included in the price. Tioman Paya Resort, [25]. Located behind the Paya Beach Resort, this resort is in need of upgrading. The chalets have hot water, A/C and TV. However, the A/C in the chalets are of the 1980s model that can vibrate strongly. The toilet is not what you expect to see in a mid-range resort, and the towels and blanket are very worn out. Ella Place. Located at the northern end of Salang Bay and one of the quieter options in Salang. A few small, simple chalets all face the sea. Each chalet has a fan and an attached bathroom with cold shower, while some also come with air-conditioning. Impiana inn, Kampung Genting [26]. Located 5 minutes South of Genting Jetty in a garden setting just off the beach, Impiana Inn has 18 units of chalets including 2 honeymoon suites, 1 family room & 16 standard rooms. The small basic rooms are kept immaculately clean and all come with air-cond, water heater, in-house coffee-making and basic amenities. The main building where breakfast is served also provides unlimited complimentary drinking water and cordial drinks. Impiana Inn is also the first and only Tioman resort with hemodialysis facility. Splurge Japamala Resort Berjaya Tioman Resort, ☎ +60-9-419 1000, [27]. 18 hole golf course, Ayura Spa, and a wide variety of restaurant and bars.  edit Berjaya Tioman Suite, tel. +60-9-4191000, [28]. 7 blocks of fully furnished units comprising 1-bedroom studios, 2 bedroom family suites and 3 bedroom penthouses. On a hill, with most of the rooms facing the sea and a swimming pool. Shuttle transfers every 10 min to Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort. Japamala Resort, [29]. Tel: +609-4197777 A very private and intimate resort with just 12 villas and chalets, a beautiful beach and 2 amazing restaurants, Tamarind Terrace & Mandi Mandi. Note that there is no mobile network coverage at Japamala which makes it an real getaway from the rest of the world. Impeccable service from its attentive staff. Bagus Place, at the Southern tip near Minang, [30]. Recently built chalet resort run by young Europeans as an eco-resort. Private beach, with a small number of simple and tasteful luxurious chalets. Starting at a whooping RM900 a night this resort still manages to get fully booked for many months.. Cope Internet Broadband: There is an Internet café across from the airport in Tekek. The rate is 10rm/hour. It is open 09:00-18:00. There is also broadband available at Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort for similar rates, and one at Paya Beach Resort. Dial-up: most of the villages have a couple of dial-up spots. In Air Batang, there are 2 Bamboo Hill has dialup for RM10/hr available 8:30AM-7:30PM. There is also an Internet café near the jetty with 2 computers, open until late Tioman Cabana You can surf the internet and also have access to hotspot-wifi, The rate is RM10/hour.Open from 9AM-2AM. Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort if you have a laptop, wireless broadband is free but only available in public areas - poolside, restaurant, café and lobby. Tioman Dive Centre [31] Located at Swiss Cottage, Tioman Dive Centre offers free wifi for customers with their own laptops who are diving with them, for the duration of their stay. They also have an on-site computer with internet access for RM10/hr. Panuba offers a single internet service for RM1 per 5 min. 3G Mobile Broadband If you have your own laptop then by far the cheapest way to get online on Tioman is to subscribe to a mobile broadband service from Celcom] [http://www.celcom.com.my or Maxis. The cost from Celcom is only RM20 per week for unlimited access (5GB). Tioman Cozy Hotel internet is available for free and unlimited time at the 1st floor after the last room. Telephone Most, but not all, of Tioman has cellphone coverage. Celcom, DIGI and Maxis coverages are available but may be limited due geographical conditions. You can buy prepaid SIM cards from the shops at Tioman or at the airport. Malaysia Communication and Multimedia Commission's new regulation (MCMC/G/06/06 dated 5 June 2006) , prepaid registration is mandatory, expect a day or two for line activation. Tioman advertises that it has a number of payphones that can be used upon purchasing a phonecard, and a lot of travellers buy the cards before realising that none of these phones work.If you want to call home, a lot of chalet complexes offer international call services at a price, otherwise consider using skype via the internet (call credit can be purchased online in order to call regular telephones thru skype). Television Now, in Tioman, does not have television available without satellite except TV3, the only way is setting up a satellite. On Salang, the 4 S Cafe (which is in fact a bar) and the Salang Dreams Cafe both have cable TV. Ask nicely, and you might get the staff to change the channel - though watching TV is usually low on the list of things to do in Tioman. Stay Safe Theft is not generally an issue in private rooms. One thing to watch out for is coral cuts, which are bacteria-laden and turn septic very quickly if not treated in good time. Bring sterile wound wash and antiseptic cream for coral cuts; wash and treat them immediately to avoid a nasty infection. Watch out for the triggerfish as well; these little pointy-nosed fish are very cute but they do get territorial and attack swimmers during their mating season. The monkeys can be quite feral, and have been known to attempt to force open windows and doors to look for food, thanks to irresponsible tourists who insist on feeding the monkeys. Some young men (in their 20s) may invite female tourists to have drinks. If you're not interested, politely but firmly decline their offer. This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!