The islands of Malaysia are amazing nature, beautiful beaches and amazing diving. Many of these islands - including Langkawi and Penang - are off the coast. Therefore, you can get from Kuala Lumpur to the islands not only by plane, but also by bus. But do not forget that air tickets to Malaysia are quite inexpensive and it makes sense to travel on land only if you really want to. Or if you just did not have time to buy cheap air tickets)
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to the islands of Malaysia
In a previous article, we talked about how to get from the capital of Malaysia to the most popular cities in the country:
Today we will talk about how to get from Kuala Lumpur to the islands of Malaysia: Langkawi, Tioman, Penang, Redang and Borneo.
Here are the websites of airlines (including low-cost) that fly from Kuala Lumpur to the islands of Malaysia:
Also, the price of flights from Kuala Lumpur to the islands of Malaysia can and should be sought using search engine Aviasales.ru . He compares prices at all airlines and ticket agencies and finds the best options for you. For your convenience, we present the search form from Aviasales at the end of each review. And for starters - a map of Kuala Lumpur bus stations, which you may need when planning a trip to the islands of Malaysia:
You can get from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi (the main city is Pantai Cenang) with a ferry bus. Ferries from the mainland to Langkawi Island depart from Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis from 7:00 to 19:00.
- From Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis can be reached from the Puduraya bus station (Pudu Sentral).
- Departure - every hour, there is a night bus.
- Ticket price - from 40 ringgit.
- Travel time is 8-10 hours.
Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi:
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman
You can also get from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island by ferry bus. First you need to get from Kuala Lumpur to the city of Mersing.
- Buses from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing depart from Bersepadu Selatan Station.
- Departure times: 09:00, 12:30, 18:00 and 23:30.
- Ticket price - about 30 ringgit.
- Travel time is about 4.5 hours.
The ferry from Mersing to Tioman leaves every two to three hours from 07:30 to 18:00, the ticket costs about 35 ringgit. There is a small airport on Tioman Island, where so far only one airline flies - Berjaya Air. You can buy tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman on the carrier’s website . However, there is not always relevant information. It is better to contact the airline by phone: +603 7847 1338 (ext. 202), +601 8220 0744 or by e-mail: [email protected]
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to the islands of Malaysia: local airlines will cheaply deliver you anywhere in the country. In the photo: AirAsia Airbus at Borneo Airport.
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang
Penang Island is very close to the mainland, with a "big land" it is connected by a bridge. therefore you can get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang directly by buswithout any ferries.
- Most buses from Kuala Lumpur to Penang (Georgetown) run from the Pudu Sentral (Puduraya) bus station.
- The first flight is at 7:00, the last at midnight.
- Ticket price - about 45 ringgit.
- Travel time is from 4 to 5 hours.
Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Penang:
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Redang
There are several ways to get from Kuala Lumpur to Redang Island - a paradise for divers and lovers of beautiful nature.
The first way - using the already mentioned airline Berjaya Air, which flies to Redang on major holidays. This method is the most expensive.
The second way is to get from Kuala Lumpur to the city of Kuala Terengganu (also called Kuala Terengganu), and from there by ferry to Redang. Kuala Terengganu can be reached by bus or plane.
- Buses from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terengganu depart from the Hentian Putra Bus Terminal at half-hour-hour intervals.
- The first flight is at 07:30, the last at 23:00.
- Ticket price - from 40 ringgit.
- Travel time is from 7 to 10 hours.
By the way, there is a special bus from Kuala Lumpur at 22:30, which will take you directly to the Shahbandar Jetty pier, from where a ferry takes you to Redang in an hour and a half. From the Kuala Terengganu city bus station to the Shahbandar pier - 20 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi (25-30 ringgit). From the airport to this pier - 20 minutes by taxi. Departure time is 09:00, 10:30 and 15:00, the price is about 50 ringgit.
There is another ferry pier, it is called Merang (Merang) and is located 40 minutes from Kuala Terengganu or 30 minutes from the airport (taxi - 50-70 ringgit). This pier is closer to Redang, the ticket will cost less. Departure times are 9:30, 10:00 and 12:00.
Please note that ferries must be registered at Merang and Shahbandar piers at least half an hour before departure. So carefully calculate the time! Also do not forget that, depending on the weather, ferry timetables may change. If you book hotel on redang in advance, check this moment with the hotel administration.
Tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terenggana:
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Borneo
But here everything is simple: there are no buses here and cannot be, since the island of Borneo is located far in the ocean. Therefore, there is only one way to get from Kuala Lumpur to Borneo: by plane. On the island of Borneo, there are two large cities: Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Each of them from the capital of Malaysia can be accessed inexpensively by plane. Here you are sure to find cheap flights from Kuala Lumpur to Borneo (links lead to the Aviasales website).
Tioman Island (Malaysia) is located at a distance of 60 km from the mainland. It is part of Pahang National Park in Malaysia. Tioman can be safely considered one of the most picturesque islands in the territory of Southeast Asia, his amazing nature is shown in the musical “South Passifik”. The main attraction of the island - beaches with clear turquoise water, white sand and exotic nature.
general information
Tioman Island has a length of 20 km and a width of 12 km, there are about a thousand inhabitants in eight settlements, many of them are descendants of pirates and fishermen. Some villages resemble villages in Indonesia.
Gunung kajang The center of the island is densely covered with forest, some plants are unique. The highest point is the top of Mount Gunung Kajang, height 1038 m.
Interesting fact! The streets are very clean, and river water can be drunk without prior boiling. However, it is not worth checking this fact in practice; it is better to buy purified water in stores.
People surrounded the island of Tioman in Malaysia with various legends. One of them tells about the Chinese princess, who, going to the groom, was fascinated by nature and decided to stay here forever, turning into a pearl of Tioman.
To get to this part of Malaysia is recommended to everyone who seeks solitude, dreams of a comfortable beach vacation, exotic nature. In addition, here is a real paradise for diving enthusiasts, because the underwater world is as colorful as the animal and plant world of Tioman.
sights
The main attraction is a comfortable coastline, nature and wildlife. Unique animals and plants live here. A popular village of the island is Juara, here the cleanest sand on the island is a reserve of sea turtles, where animals can be fed and stroked.
Juara Beach On Tioman there are two mountains covered with thick jungle - “Donkey's Ears” and “Dragon Horns”. It is noteworthy that only a few people were able to get to the top of the "Dragon Horn".
Dragon Horns Another interesting place to visit is the village of Tekek, here you can visit the marine park Marine Park, which contains unique types of corals - soft, hard.
Purchases
The island is a duty free zone, however, shopping here is unlikely to be profitable. Most of the outlets are located in the village of Tekek. Here you can buy food, drinks, cigarettes, sweets.
Good to know! If the purchased goods must be transported to Singapore, a fee should be paid.
Clogs There are a lot of souvenirs in the settlement - T-shirts with interesting patterns, pumpkin-shaped dishes, jewelry in the traditional Malaysian power, wooden clogs.
In the resort areas there are small shops where you can buy personal hygiene items, insect protection, and other necessary goods.
It is important! It is forbidden to break off and take out corals from the island; you can purchase a branch in a souvenir shop.
Transport
There are practically no high-quality asphalt highways on Tioman Island in Malaysia, the only road leads to the village of Tekek, and then to the resort of Berjaya. The fastest and most comfortable way of communication between the settlements is the ferry, following from Mersing to Tioman. The fare varies from 3 to 5 $. You can get to the resort by private boat, it will cost $ 16.
Also on the island there are SUVs - an analogue of a taxi. The cost of travel:
- $ 24 per passenger;
- $ 38 for two;
- $ 11 if there are four passengers.
Communication
The best mobile communications in the south of the island. The Internet is almost everywhere. Most Internet cafes in Tekek and Air Batang. The cost of one session, as a rule, is $ 3. The hotels have wireless internet.
Calling is better from hotels, as most telephones are broken. Wherever there is Internet, you can contact the subscriber via Skype.
Infrastructure
Hotels on an island in Malaysia are completely unlike traditional European modern buildings. Most often these are compact chalets with 7-9 rooms, decorated in national, Malaysian style. Natural wood predominates in the interior.
The largest village on the island is Tekek, nearby is the local airport, there are grocery stores, an Internet cafe, you can rent a transport. Ferries from the continental part of Malaysia moor near the settlement of Tekek, they immediately work: a police department, currency exchange points and customs.
Genting is an entertainment center with a night club, a restaurant (Chinese cuisine prevails in the menu), and a disco.
If you want to get into the jungle, it is best to go to the village of Paya, from here excursions go deep into the tropics, tourists are always accompanied by funny monkeys who strive to get to the personal belongings of vacationers.
The village of Nipa attracts lovers of romance, there are many deserted beaches and almost no vacationers.
Good to know! The widest coastline is located near the hotel Berjaya and belongs to him. On many beaches, there is an influx of Singaporeans at the weekend. This is due to the fact that Tioman is a center for diving and spa services and golf.
Accommodation
Aguna resort Tioman has accommodation for every taste and budget, most hotels are located in the western part of the island. Here are presented luxury hotels, affordable hotels, as well as individual houses and chalets. Most hotels are villas decorated in the traditional Malaysian style.
Many inexpensive hotels and chalets are concentrated in the village of Tekek. Living in a simple chalet with a minimum set of amenities will cost $ 12-13, in a slightly more comfortable hotel it costs from $ 30 to $ 60. In expensive hotels a room costs an average of about $ 100. One of the most prestigious resorts on the island of Tioman - Berjaya. The hotel has a swimming pool, spa, wi-fi zone, private beach. The hotel also owns a huge picturesque territory of the island.
Good to know! With a budget of 200 ringit (about $ 50), you can find good housing in any part of the island. The cost of living is determined by the season - from January to March, prices are 50% less than in the high season - from July to August.
Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form
Nutrition
Local restaurants and cafes serve national and European dishes. Here you can taste traditional Malay dishes, as well as traditional European cuisine. It is better to have an inexpensive meal in eateries, most of them in the villages of Tekek and Juar.
Interesting fact! Be sure to try the nashi rice, served as a side dish, also cooked in coconut milk. Interesting and unusual taste meat prepared according to local recipes. Indulge in the pleasure of tasting seafood. It is better to buy alcoholic beverages in duty-free stores.
Compared to other Malaysian resorts, food on Tioman is quite expensive. Local dishes cost from 3 to 10 ringgit. European dishes are more expensive - up to 15 ringgit. Three meals a day in the hotel restaurant will cost from 30 to 40 ringgit.
Safety
The main feature of the locals is their friendliness, which is why crimes on the island are extremely rare. However, even with such external calmness and serenity, one cannot forget about precautionary measures. Women should dress more modestly, especially when planning a walk to local villages.
Before the trip, it is recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B and against malaria. Tourists are advised to use mosquito nets, insect repellents, sunscreen and headwear. If you plan to snorkel, be sure to specify which underwater inhabitants are poisonous and can be dangerous.
TOP 8 beaches of Tioman Island
This is a small islet, which is located 4 km from the island of Tioman. The coast is covered with exotic vegetation, white sand, and the water is perfectly clear. It is here that there are more places for diving and snorkeling. The seabed is sandy.
2. Monkey Beach
This is a wild, secluded place located in the northwestern part of the island. The beach got its name because of the large number of monkeys that live here. The seabed is covered with sand and stones.
Great place in the eastern part of the island. Many turtles live here. The coast is not crowded because it is difficult to get here. The seabed is covered with sand.
A popular holiday destination in the north of Tioman. There are many palm trees on the shore, clean, white sand, clear water. Lovers of nightlife come here, as this is the only place on Tioman where there are night bars and discos. To do snorkeling, you need to get to the southern part. The seabed is covered with sand and stones. Here you can go diving, well-developed tourist infrastructure.
A resting place in the west of the island, the coast is covered with palm trees, which give a pleasant shadow. The descent into the water is comfortable, and in the northern part a convenient place for snorkeling.
6. Genting
A picturesque beach in the western part of the island, it is here that you can find picturesque landscapes, beautiful bays, but the sea bottom is covered with stones. The beach has a well-developed tourist infrastructure.
7. Air Batang
A beach in the western part of the island, also known as ABC. The coastline is 1 km long, the seabed is mostly rocky, and some places are suitable for snorkeling. Sufficiently developed infrastructure.
The main village on the island, ferries arrive here, and the beach is located north and south of the port. Compared to the beaches in other villages, this holiday destination is inferior, but in general you can sunbathe on the seashore.
In Malaysia, there are two seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in November and ends in March, at this time it is difficult to get to the island and the weather does not have a rest - a gale is blowing, and the sea is stormy. Not all hotels accept tourists at this time of the year.
The best weather on Tioman in Malaysia is set in May and lasts until September. The maximum number of tourists arrives from June to August.
Diving and snorkeling
For fans of diving, Tioman in Malaysia is a real paradise. Transparent, warm water, a variety of aquatic inhabitants and vibrant corals create ideal conditions for sea diving. Diving centers operate in every village and in all resort areas. The cost of one dive is 150 ringgit.
The best places on Tioman for snorkeling and diving:
Snorkelling equipment can be rented for the whole day, the service is provided on each beach:
- Vest and flippers - 10 ringgit each;
- mask and tube - 15 ringgit.
Some hotels and guesthouses offer half or full day snorkelling excursions. Cost from 60 to 150 ringgit.
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman
1. How to get to Tioman by plane
The runway is located near the village of Tekek, there is also a customs office and a marina where ferries moor.
Air carrier - Berjaya Air, small planes with a capacity of only 48 people depart from Subang Airport. The duration of the flight is 60 minutes. The frequency of flights depends on the season - in high season planes leave daily, in the rainy season - two to three times a week. The weight limit for luggage is 10 kg. To get to Tioman, first visit the airline’s website and check the flight schedule.
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2. How to get to Tioman island by bus and ferry
The route involves a transfer in the city of Mersing. The route is as follows:
In the city of Mersing will have to spend the night and get to the pier by 6-00. Here you can buy tickets to Tioman round trip, cost 79 ringgit. In addition, you need to pay 20 ringgit for visiting the island in Malaysia and 5 ringgit for garbage collection. On the way, the ferry makes stops on the beaches of the island.
Now you know how to get to Tioman in Malaysia, which beach to relax on and how to organize leisure. Be sure to visit this corner in Malaysia and experience the exotic color of the resort.
Prices on the page are for February 2018.
Watch a video of what Tioman Island looks like from the air.
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We dreamed about Tioman for a long time, and only recently, our dream, at last, was destined to come true. Firstly, I had to wait a long time when a conference close in scientific subjects (and the conference should be in physics!) Will be held, if not on the island itself, then at least in close proximity to it. Vacation is only once a year, and there are so many islands that you often have to combine outdoor activities with scientific interests! This condition is very desirable, but as it turned out, it is insufficient. The time and weather factor is also important, especially if this applies to tropical islands, where monsoon rains often continue for several months a year, and any communication with the island is interrupted for an indefinite period. It happened with us six months ago. As you know, Tioman is located in the South China Sea, 60 km from the east coast of Malaysia. A conference on fluorescent materials was held in Kuala Lumpur in January 2009. Naturally, the flippers, mask and all the necessary equipment for scuba diving were packed and brought to the conference, since then it was supposed to rest for a week on Tioman. Although I read that in winter (meaning on our calendar in winter - and in the tropics all year round +30!) It is better to relax on the west coast. The Indian Ocean and the Andaman Sea are surprisingly calm at this time, and the South China Sea, as a rule, is stormy! A rule is a rule, but there are exceptions in it, which we really hoped for, but, alas, there was no exception. From December to March, the island of Tioman, as well as many other islands of the east coast, was closed due to bad weather, and we had no choice but to look for an alternative. By the way, we had a good rest on the island [ Pangkor ], to which I dedicated a separate story, but the dream of Tioman remained unfulfilled, and at night he continued to often dream about me. And now, after six months, once again a ray of hope flashed. The next conference this time takes place in May in Singapore, and Tioman from Singapore is as close as from Kuala Lumpur. There are three possible options on how to get to the island: 1) direct ferry to Tioman (many people have doubts about this on the Internet, so I confirm that the ferry really runs in the summer between Singapore and Tioman), 2) fly by plane (the inconvenience is that you have to arrive at the airport in 2 hours, and then on Tioman get to the pier and look for a boat on which to sail to the desired bay, since there are no roads on the island!), and 3) by bus or taxi to Mersing, and a speedboat to the island. Oddly enough, in time all three options turn out to be about the same, and the price, even taking into account a taxi, is much cheaper than the third option, which we chose. Early in the morning, they ordered a taxi to the hotel, drove to the border with Malaysia, crossed the border on foot and ended up in Johar Bahor, from where they reached Mersing by bus, and had an 11-hour speed boat (they run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from about 2 a.m. hourly interval). At 2 p.m. we were already swimming in the warm waters of Salang Bay.
Quite a lot has been written about Tioman on the Internet, so you can carefully prepare for the trip in advance and choose exactly the bay that is closest to your goals and meets your requirements. The fact is that on Tioman there are about a dozen isolated bays with hotels and beaches, and communication between them is only by boat, since there are impassable jungles and there are no roads around. For us, Salang turned out to be the ideal place, because here, according to the description, the best beach, the richest underwater world, the most interesting places for diving and the most transparent water.
You do not need to book a hotel in advance, there is always free space, even on Saturday and Sunday, you only need to choose a bungalow closer to the water and away from monkeys and monitor lizards, which is very problematic. Actually, the local village of Salang is divided by the pier into 2 parts: on the left side, if you look from the sea to the shore, there are most of the shops, eateries, restaurants, cafes, several dive clubs and many hotels for every taste. The main drawback is that at low tide, swimming in this place is almost impossible due to the abundance of exposed stones and corals. The right side of the pier is much better. It is here that there is a wonderful sandy beach and a very good hotel Sayang, in which we settled.
We were given the choice of any bungalow, since on weekdays 3 or 4 families lived here except us. After much deliberation (it’s good when there is a right to choose!), We preferred a house with all the amenities for a nominal price - 60 ringgit per day ($ 17). The lack of a TV did not bother us at all, and the fan at night successfully coped with its task. You could, of course, choose a bungalow with normal air conditioning and TV, which would be a little more expensive and away from the sea, but this was not particularly necessary, since all the same we spent the whole day on the beach or under water. But in the evenings, tired of the day from diving and swimming, lazily sipping beer or wine, we admired beautiful views of the sea and magnificent sunsets directly from the terrace.
The sun, tired for the day, slowly sank into the sea. A bright ball of fire in his eyes changed color from dazzling white to pink-orange and red. At this moment, a sunny path appeared on the turquoise surface of the sea. White clouds in the afternoon were illuminated in red, and merging with the sea, they resembled the red sails of romantic caravels floating in the distance.
When the last rays of the sun were hiding behind the horizon, stars very soon lit up in the sky. Large and bright in the southern latitudes, they were fascinating, and you could enjoy peace and quiet for hours under the gentle rustle of the surf. The sea at night at low tide went far, and it was interesting to walk on those places where in the morning and in the afternoon fish comes to feed and huge turtles come.
The underwater world on Tioman is fabulously rich. I can compare these places with the ones I liked in my time Thailand with a charming Filipino island Boracay , with other islands of paradise, included in the top ten world, where I had to swim and dive, but such diversity and abundance, as on Tioman, I have not seen anywhere else. Corals begin close to the shore, and where there are corals, there is a fish of all conceivable and unimaginable colors and shades: monochromatic bright yellow, blue, red, green, black, white, striped horizontal and vertical, checked, checkered, which only nature does not come up! As a rule, larger fish are passionate about their important occupation - eating corals, so they do not pay any attention to curious creatures in masks and snorkels. But small things the size of a palm shows genuine interest in swimmers - swims up close and begins to bite. Sometimes it hurts, so you have to drive them away. In Singapore, I saw a special foot massage when people, for a certain price, immerse their feet in a small fish pool that nibbles and cleanses their skin. It is said to be beneficial and relieves leg fatigue. Here, this procedure, if you stand still, can be taken absolutely free and in vivo!
If you sail away from the coast, the underwater world becomes even more beautiful and diverse. At a distance of 50-100 meters from the coast and at a depth of 3-5 meters, coral gardens begin. Here you can find larger fish. At the bottom are stingrays with blue peas that are best left untouched. If he strikes with his tail, then there will be enough problems for 3-4 months, and there may be deaths. Predators are hiding under the stones, who are looking for their prey from crevices. There are a lot of moray eels on Tioman, and of such sizes that it becomes uncomfortable. Moray - in appearance it is a thick eel with teeth. If you put your hand in the moray eel, you can lose your limb: even a small bite does not heal and fester well. Once I hunted moray eels in Algeria, shot her open mouth and always measured whether it would really be pulled out and whether it would bite me with its poisonous teeth. The head with poisonous teeth was immediately chopped off on the shore, and we preferred to smoke the fish itself - it turned out tastier than eel! But these were specimens within a meter, here they came across more than you in length and not the size of a hand, but the foot of a well-fed woman! Closer than 2 meters, I did not dare to swim to them, since what they have in mind is unknown to anyone. I especially saw a lot of moray eels around a small coral island, which is located relatively close to the coast, about 500 meters, no more.
Sailing to this island is not difficult, but you need to be careful and careful, because you have to cross the forwarding path, through which motorboats and speedboats scurry about. The depth here reaches 20 meters, sometimes in crevices and more, but the bottom is clearly visible everywhere, as the transparency of the water is perfect. A small reef shark met, but it is quite safe, it feeds mainly on vegetarian food. I liked the Napoleonic fish that I met on Tioman for the first time. Napoleon fish got its name because of the protrusion on the head, reminiscent of Napoleon's famous cocked hat. It seemed to me that they really are somewhat similar to Bonaparte after Austerlitz - thoughtful and sad! And the size is very impressive - almost the same as the emperor! Adult fish reach two meters in length, and the weight of such Napoleons can exceed 200 kg.
On the coral island, I met my first big leatherback turtle. She is considered the largest representative of modern turtles: her body length reaches two meters, and weight - 600 kilograms. This one was smaller, but, nevertheless, in diameter the shell approached one meter. She swam gracefully past, not paying any attention to me. Such neglect of my person prompted me to a rash act - to catch up with her and ride! On the second attempt, I managed to do this. I grabbed her carapace from behind so that she could not peck at me and for a few meters she rolled me with a breeze until I ran out of air. It turns out that turtles swim fast enough! When I told this story ashore, my wife, of course, did not believe me and began to demand evidence. The next day, I had to catch a smaller turtle (you can’t lift a large one, it’s too heavy!) And together with it we sailed to the shore for photography.
We took some pictures and videos, evidence is attached! It seems that she did not really like to pose, and during the shooting, she slapped a good slap in the face with my paw. In the pictures, the dynamics are difficult to convey, but in the film it is clearly visible, and you can also see how fast the turtle began to swim into the sea, working with its four fins! There are a lot of turtles on Tioman, and every day, swimming with a mask, I met 4-6 pieces of different sizes, but more often small ones, about the same as in these pictures. Moreover, they came across at a relatively shallow depth of 3-5 meters. When I scuba dived 20 meters, I did not see them there. Diving was not very different from snorkeling in variety and experience. Maybe corals are prettier and underwater caves are richer. I saw a barracuda, she has very strong teeth, the front ones even look like fangs. It’s just that it doesn’t rush at people, but it’s better not to swim close to it. A few more strange fish were remembered, which were then identified with reference books along with the instructor. One of them was called Bump-head fish.
Fish with a huge hump on its nose, with which it hammer, like a jackhammer, corals. It doesn’t attack people, although the size is per person! One such fish scared me a lot when suddenly it was 1.5-2 meters away from me, and, opening its huge mouth, began to look at me with curiosity. She had almost no teeth, as they later explained to me - it was an old fish, she broke her teeth on corals even in her youth and now she beats out pieces with the size of a good brick with her nose and grinds them with her jaws. Then there was a lot of adrenaline, and still I remember this meeting with goosebumps. A few days later I persuaded my wife to swim with me, and we were lucky. In front of the coral island, a deep cliff begins, and in the blue abyss we saw 5 pieces of Bump-head fish. Maybe she herself will describe her impressions, but I was amazed at how fast the wife swam towards the shore.
I was carried away by the description of marine and underwater impressions, and have not said anything about terrestrial creatures. After Pangkor, we were already used to monkeys, and were not particularly surprised at seeing them.
In the morning, whole herds of wild and hungry monkeys emerge from the jungle, and while the people are still sleeping, they raid hotels, knock over trash cans, pull out bags of leftover food, and, after swearing, leave for the forest.
The administration and attendants do not like them scary, because after them they have to re-clean the territory and put everything in proper order. However, nothing can be done with them, and this picture is repeated every morning. If you try to drive them away with sticks, then the monkeys really do not like it, they become aggressive, grind their teeth, hiss and attack you. If you leave the door or window open, they can climb into the room and steal something. This time we were vigilant, and did not suffer any damage from them. Moreover, for moral damage inflicted on me earlier, I took several coconuts from the monkeys this time. It's a shame, of course, but now we are even with them.
Not far from Salang Bay there is even a monkey beach - Monkey bay. There is a trail to this bay in the jungle, and you can get there in about an hour. One day I made such a transition, but honestly, I did not really like it. The bay is beautiful, with turquoise water, but the road in the jungle was boring. In addition to birds, a monitor lizard and beetles, I did not find anything interesting, and I did not meet a single monkey. Much more I liked the other option: to sail in this bay in flippers and with a mask, combining the road with excellent snorkeling along the coast. I don’t know exactly how many kilometers I sailed, but I got there in 1.5 hours and was very pleased. The underwater world was much more interesting than the surface.
Between Salang and Monkey bay there is another small bay with a sandy beach, where there is no road from the shore, and you can get into it only from the sea. In this bay, turtles lay their eggs in the sand.
Not sure if cats are Tioman's attraction, but I managed to make some funny shots
Feline still life
From the exotic of Tioman, it is imperative to note the lizards.
Lizards belong to the reptile class. Lizards differ from other lizards with their completely ossified skull. The head is small, there are almost no brains at all, they think poorly. Their tongue is bifurcated, like that of snakes, their eyes are located on the sides of their heads. The largest representatives belong to the form Komodo Dragon, up to 3 meters in length.
I met the first monitor lizard, oddly enough, on the street in Kuala Lumpur by the orchid garden. What he did there, I do not know, but he made an impression on me then, although he did not differ in large sizes. The lizards on Tioman are not as large as those on Komodo, but one and a half and two-meter can often be found.
Imagine crocodiles that crawl around your bungalows on land and swim in the water. I almost stepped on one such crocodile in the jungle, and on the very pass in the mountains, when I made my way to the neighboring bay - the feeling was not one of the most pleasant. Several monitor lizards crawled under our house, and from there I drove them out with a stick. But most of them can be found at the stream.
Without exception, all monitor lizards are predators and eat a wide variety of animals. They seek their prey using their eyesight, carefully creep up to it and grab it in the final throw. Some carrion eaters have a well-developed sense of smell, searching for food by smell. Often, after the monkeys, they crawl to the urns and eat up what they left to them or did not have time to carry away with them.
From the small living creatures, bats are remembered, which hang in clusters on trees in the daytime, and fly at night. The most noticeable distinguishing feature of these animals is the presence of flying membranes on their forepaws, so these bats can fly. If there is any creature that seems to be generated by the forces of darkness, it’s bat. With webbed wings and an ominous muzzle, they seem to be the offspring of a monstrous union of a bird and a rodent. Since ancient times, the opinion that these creatures are vile and nasty has been firmly established in human consciousness. Not surprisingly, they have become an integral attribute of countless horror stories and horror films.
Mice hang upside down - it's so convenient !.
In general, Tioman left a very pleasant impression. This island is for those who love nature, solitude, diving, snorkeling and do not really miss without nightlife and discos. The food is very tasty, fresh fish in banana leaves on the grat was served to the table daily, we also did not experience a shortage of German beer or Australian delicious wines. There may be some lack of fruit, but it can be compensated for by bananas and coconuts, which are abundant on the island, you just need not to be lazy and go behind them into the jungle.
Tioman - the island featured in the Hollywood musical South Pass, is considered one of the most beautiful in Asia. Tioman is also among the ten most beautiful and clean islands in the world.
White sandy beaches and crystal clear blue water
Goodbye Tioman, and see you soon!
Photo by Mikhail and Tatyana Nazarov
May 2009
In more detail with all questions related to budget trips to Malaysia, with options for choosing interesting and unusual islands, with diving and snorkeling, with the dangers and surprises that await you, etc., you can get acquainted in the book: " MALAYSIA "
The collection includes stories about life and work in the wonderful country of Malaysia. During the year we traveled by car to almost the whole country. We visited difficult mountain areas where the oldest jungle on the planet grows, found the largest flowers in the world - rafflesia, visited many islands, both on the East and West coasts with great diving, swam with sharks, admired wonderful coral reefs , and, of course, got acquainted with the original and peculiar culture and life of Malaysia. This collection can serve and it really serves as a detailed guide to Malaysia and its islands. The book will be interesting for both tourists and divers, as here all the most interesting places for scuba diving are described in detail. The book has 587 pages and a large number of photographs.
The price of the book is 100 rubles
Read about exotic and interesting islands in the book Islands to Visit
ISLANDS TO BE VISITED
The ranking of the best islands is exclusively individual, and is based on the personal impressions of the author. As the main selection criteria and priorities for me, more important is beautiful nature, a rich and interesting underwater world with clean and clear water, snorkeling, diving, fishing, photo hunting and a variety of outdoor activities. Passive lying on the beach, luxury hotels, restaurants, shopping and other benefits of civilization, of course, are also pleasant and important, but they are all in the background. In the announcement for each island, I briefly indicated its pros and cons, the nuances of a budget trip, how to get, where to stay, and who are interested in the details, they can be found by reading the description of the island and its attractions
The price of the book is 100 rubles
♦ Topic:,.Tags:\u003e\u003e\u003e
Tioman Island is first mentioned in the diaries of Arabian merchants in the X century. Merchants from India, Persia and China also came here, because they bought betel, sandalwood and camphor on Tioman, and here they could hide for the time of monsoon storms. The ships that reached the island knew that now it was possible to turn to the northeast, to Cambodia.
In 1830, pirates landed on the island and captured 70 people, enslaving them, after which the islanders left their homes for 15 years. In the 1920s, the island was again abandoned after the population died from an outbreak of malaria. After World War II, when the Japanese army used the island as a military base, it was again forgotten, and only in the late 1950s the island was chosen as the scenery for the musical Rogers and Hammer-matte South Pacific.
Tioman Island is surrounded by many coral reefs, there are several places for first-class diving. You can get around the island in a couple of hours by examining the forest along the road, where many species of flora and fauna are found.
The combination of first-class accommodation and magnificent nature makes Pulau Tioman one of the most beautiful places in Asia. Here they refrain from harvesting wood, and therefore the rainforest has remained as untouched as possible. In the middle of the island at an altitude of 500 m lies a hilly mountain range, rising at the southern end with two granite peaks - "Donkey's Ears". The height of the higher of them - Gunung-Kajang - 1038 m.
You can get to Tioman Island by plane from Kuala Lumpur (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) or by boat from the fishing village of Mersing. A fast boat ride takes approximately two hours.
On the west coast of the island, there is a wide selection of accommodation - from luxurious apartments to modest but comfortable guest houses, chalets and simple huts in the north of Salang Beach. Around the main port of the island - Tekek - there are many restaurants, shops for divers and duty free shops where you can buy alcohol and cigarettes.
Trips on the island are carried out mainly by boat, and fishermen charge quite a reasonable fee. From Tekek, you can hike through the woods to the top of a hill located on the east coast. Or you can plunge into the water of a waterfall descending from the top of the hill, after which you can go on the return trip to the Juara beach in the village, where you will be offered excellent dishes from the seafood. Here you can swim in the sea and, and if you no longer have the strength for a new trip, return to Tekek by boat.
Bird lovers can watch the colorful emperor pigeons, nightingales, frigates, nectaries and peduncles. There are no large mammals in the forests of the island; only some reptiles have recently been discovered.
Tioman Island is located 50 km from the mainland in southeastern Malaysia in the state of Johor. Pulau Tioman is a large and mountainous island, almost completely covered in the jungle. The combination of impenetrable forests, high mountains and huge stones on the shore make it one of the most beautiful islands in Malaysia. There are also duty-free shops on Tioman.
Tioman photo
Overview of Tioman Island
How to get there
- From Kuala Lumpur, take the bus to Mersing. Travel time 5.5 hours. You can buy tickets in advance here: 12Go Asia or here: Easybook. We recommend the Transnasional bus at 17:00 with wide seats in 3 rows.
- Next by ferry 1.5 hours. You cannot fly to Tioman by plane right now.
- It will be more convenient to spend the night in Mersing in, and in the morning to go to the island than to take the night bus, since he arrives too early, you will have to walk somewhere in the dark 3 hours to the first ferry.
- The schedule of ferries changes every month, departure times are different every day. You can find out here. .
When to go, season and weather on Tioman
The air temperature is always about the same, about + 30C. Therefore, I’m not going to insert monthly graphs that no one needs. The most important thing you need to know about the weather on Tioman:
- Tioman season in summer. Ideally, go from June to September, in the summer there are no waves and it is sunny. We traveled in September, also the season, there were no waves, the sun and the drizzle were alternating. Officially, the season is from March to September, inclusive, but it is best to go in the summer.
- In winter, Tioman has a rainy season of storms. It is not recommended to travel in December, January and February. At sea, big waves, cloudiness, it often rains.
The route to the most beautiful places of Tioman
We prepared for the trip for a long time, carefully studied the information in Russian and English-language forums, blogs, guidebooks, watched a lot of videos and made up an ideal route for 3 days. Our thoughtful plan allowed us to visit the best beaches and see all the most beautiful on the island of Pulau Tioman in a short time.
This independent Tioman route is convenient and minimally costly in terms of travel.
1. Hotel Tunamaya and the best view of the island
We book a room in Tunamaya. The hotel provides a free boat transfer from the ferry. We write by e-mail to the hotel to be met and at what time the ferry will be. The hotel is not cheap, but believe me, it's worth it, the money will be beaten off twice.
Probably 1% of all tourists get to this part of the island. The view is such that you can spend hours standing on the pier looking at these magnificent mountains. For the sake of this species alone it is already worth going to Tioman. .
Tioman, Malaysia, Tunamai Beach
2. Berjaya - the most popular hotel on Tioman
On the second day, transfer to the western part of the island to the hotel Berjaya. In the morning from Tunamaya by free transfer at 12 o’clock we get to Tekek pier. Convenient and saving tens of dollars on taxi boats. From the pier we take the Berjai free bus to the hotel.
Relax in the famous Berjaya Beach Resort hotel on the first line. A long beautiful beach with palm trees, a swimming pool, a restaurant, you can go to the village on foot to duty free. .
Malaysia, Tioman, photo of Berjaya beach
3. Juara Beach and The Barat Tioman Hotel
On the third day, transfer to one of Tioman's best beaches and check into a hotel The barat. New hotel on the first line with a pool and an inexpensive restaurant. How to get to Juara Beach from Berjaya - book a transfer at the Barat Hotel. Price RM30 per person ($ 8). A fascinating 30-minute jeep ride on a mountain road through the jungle.
On Juara we relax, swim in the sea, walk along the beach, enjoy the views of tropical nature. .
Beach Juara. Pulau Tioman, Malaysia
We traveled along Tioman along such a route, lived in the three best hotels and looked at the most interesting, in our opinion, places. For completeness, I will briefly tell you about all the other beaches on the island.
Tioman Beaches
Only about a dozen inhabited beaches where there are hotels or villages. And a dozen more wild ones. Briefly about all the beaches of Tioman clockwise from the bottom up:
- South side of the island. Hotels Tunamaya, Bagus, Minang Cove. Bad beaches, rocky bottom, but the best view of the rocks, for which it is worth visiting this part.
- Genting Beach. The first ferry stop from the mainland. You can swim. There is cheap housing. Mountains in the south of the island are not visible from here.
- Paya beach. Hotel beach Paya beach resort and a few more guesthouses. Second ferry stop.
- Beach hotel Berjaya. A long well-kept beach with beautiful palm trees on the shore. The entire beach is occupied by the Berjaya resort. Access to the beach is free. .
- Tekek Beach. The largest village on the island. The beach is normal, the water is clear. Developed village, there are ATMs and duty free. .
- Beach ABC or Air Batang. Recommended by all guidebooks. But in fact, according to recent tourist reviews, the beach is bad, the bottom is rocky, there are many abandoned hotels and shops. The only plus is cheap housing from $ 15-20.
- Monkey Beach A wild beach that can be reached by water taxi or on foot from the neighboring beaches of ABC and Salang. The road through the forest will take 1.5-2 hours one way.
- Salang Beach. According to numerous reviews, Salang beach is one of Tioman's best beaches. There is also a developed area, there is duty free and a good selection of housing. The final stop of the ferry.
- Juara. One of the best beaches of Tioman. The only beach on the opposite eastern side of the island. Getting cheaper by taxi on the ground. .
Where to order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
They ordered a taxi online, paid with a card. At the airport we were greeted with a sign with our name. Drove to the hotel in a comfortable car. We have already talked about your experience in this article.
Our beach experience
The beaches of Tioman cannot be called ideal. But they are beautiful in their own way. On all beaches there are a lot of greenery, trees, in some places there are hanging palms, huge blocks of stones. Visually the beaches can be given the highest was. We expected such landscapes from, but did not wait, but about.Tioman in this regard was out of competition.
Sea
The sea cannot boast of its beauty. On Tioman, the water is clear, without debris, but ... ordinary. You can compare the sea with an island in Thailand or Vietnam. You can swim, but do not expect a bright blue water and snow-white sand. One thing is that at least there are no waves at all, it’s comfortable to swim. In season, of course.
Ebb at Tioman
Low tides every day. In September, the tide is early in the morning, and somewhere after 10 in the morning the tide begins and you can swim fully. By evening, the ebb again. After 6 p.m. all rocky-bottom beaches look ominously
Infrastructure
The villages of Tekek and Juara are the most developed areas. Local people live here. There are schools, mosques, a hospital (accepted with and without), an ATM. The areas of Genting, ABC and Salang are also well developed.
All developed beaches always have cafes, dive centers, excursion tents, boat transfers to other beaches and islands, tents with souvenirs and tourist clothes. In which hotel you would not check in, there will be no particular difficulties.
Of course, there are such beaches where there are only one or two resorts, there are no shops and everything is expensive. for instance Japamala resort. But these are, as a rule, high-level hotels; you don’t even want to go somewhere to eat in another place, because the food is delicious in your restaurant.
As for the beaches, where there are many hotels, everything is well developed there. You can eat both in the restaurant at the hotel and in the cafe on the street. Do not like the price in your hotel, go eat 2 times cheaper around the corner.
Prices on Tioman
- Food prices: in a restaurant of a good hotel, the cost of dishes is on average from 30-40 ringit ($ 8-10). In cheap street cafes, prices are 3 times lower, dishes for 8-12 ringit ($ 2-3).
Expensive -\u003e Cheap
- Hotel prices are also perfectly for every traveler's budget. On the island there are both cheap bungalows for $ 15 and resorts for $ 150 with a swimming pool on the first line. Choose only for you.
Expensive hotel 
Cheap hotel 
Very cheap housing
Duty free
Tioman has a duty free zone. Duty free shops are located in the village of Tekek and maybe somewhere else. Alcohol prices are nice. We could not resist and took a bottle of wine and champagne. Dutiks accept bank cards. Examples of prices in the photo below. Course 1 $ \u003d RM4.
Transport
Moving between beaches in taxi boats is something that for some reason is unreasonably expensive. Such prices, as in the Perhentians, are not here. For a one-way boat for one person, the price can reach up to 100 ringit ($ 25). Flights to Malaysia sometimes cost so much
There are almost no roads on the island, and walking along forest paths for several hours one way. So you have to pay a lot of money for a boat-taxi, or just sit in your hotel and see only your own and maybe a nearby beach.
Therefore, we advise you to draw up your travel itinerary in Tioman. Or use ours. Changing hotels every day and moving in some places is even free (due to a transfer to an expensive hotel as a compliment).
Rent a bike on Tioman
If you check into the Tekek area, at the Berjaya hotel or at Juara Beach, you can rent a bike. Motobikes are rented for a day and there is an hourly pay. The first time we see this.
- Scooter rental is expensive compared to Thailand or Vietnam. The average price is 30 ringit per hour or 50 per day ($ 8-12). An automatic machine is more expensive than a manual box. Petrol is refueled.
- There are no helmets, no police, no rights are asked.
- In order not to leave a passport as a deposit, take a moped in your hotel. In the village, local bike rental is cheaper, but it can be with a passport and without gasoline.
- The movement is the most active in Tekek. Local bikes are worn and even have cars.
- There’s nowhere to go especially here, so taking a bike for 1-2 hours is just that. You can’t run into much of Tioman, unless you drive from Berjaya in duty free.
- There is a road through the forest from Tekek to Dzhuara, but they do not advise riding a bike on it, a slope of 45 degrees in some places, and still turns.
Tourists
Tioman in Malaysia is a huge island and there are few tourists on the beaches. Contingent - Europeans of all ages, Malays, tourists from, Chinese. We visited five different beaches. On the boat, 10 more beaches sailed, people everywhere at least. A couple of people on the shore, somewhere there is no one at all.
Even the most popular hotel in Berjaya with 400 houses was almost empty. Therefore, you can safely come to Tioman in the season, during the peak months, anyway the beaches will be without crowds. If possible, you should avoid the weekend, as well as Malay and Singaporean holidays, otherwise there may be such a picture:
Cat island
Muslim island. Therefore, there are practically no dogs, but many cats.
Tioman reviews
We awarded Tioman the honorary title of the most beautiful island in Malaysia. Tioman island looks more spectacular than many islands in other countries. But I want to clarify what kind of beauty in question.
Tioman is not the best island for a beach holiday. Beaches are more for contemplation than for swimming. For a beach holiday with blue water, white sand and gorgeous sea you need to go to the island. On Tioman, the beaches are long and deserted, but there is no vivid water of bright turquoise color here.
So why is Tioman Island the most beautiful:
- Nature! Wild tropical nature here is full of strength and power. So much greenery we have not seen even in. Tioman's jungle is very unusual. Dense equatorial vegetation through which it seems to never get through. Wildlife island. All this tropical beauty so overshadows the simplicity of the beaches that you stop focusing on them.
- And the mountains! Such mountains still need to search. In some places, the species resembles Tahiti. All Tioman is surrounded by high mountains. The most famous rocks “Donkey's Ears” and “Dragon Horns” cause a storm of delight. Therefore, we called this view as the most magnificent, which we only saw on the islands. It’s like from the movie Jurassic Park. All Tioman is insanely photogenic.
Is it worth going to Tioman
Yes. If you have the financial ability and you travel to Malaysia in the summer, then do not be lazy and visit Tioman. The road is not long, but it is definitely worth it. Especially if you have already traveled around the islands of 20-30 and want something original and inimitable.
Tioman or Perhentian
In the Perhentian Islands, beaches are better for swimming. More precisely, there is a pair with perfect blue water, which can not be found on Tiomanchik. In Perhentiani, cheaper taxis are boats. But worse hotels and more tourists. At the same price island.
We liked Tioman more because of its species and wildlife. If the priority is swimming in the sea and beach holidays, then choose Perhi or. And better to visit yourself on all these islands and make up your mind. If you have already, write your comments in the comments.
Trip budget
- Transport: 418
- Products: 94
- Duty free: 84
- Cafe: 298
- Hotels 1117
- Other: 112 (entrance to the national park, bike, other little things)
Total: 2148 ringgit ($ 520) for 2 people in 3 days for everything, including a round-trip trip from KL. If you do not translate into rubles, then not so much. The amount can be halved if you choose a budget hotel and there is a cafe for locals.
Tioman on the map
Map of Pulau Tioman island with roads, hiking trails, paths between beaches and trekking to the waterfalls.