Locals in wanting of a beach retreat may find Tioman Island to be a hidden gem. Situated in the state of Terengganu, this island is covered by lush tropical jungle. Legend has it that a dragon princess from China, while flying en-route to Singapore to visit her prince, rested in the calm waters of the South China Sea. Awed by the beauty of the area, she discontinued her journey and took the form of an island. Today, many associate the shape of the Tioman Island to a dragon, with the mountainous twin peaks that resemble a dragon's horns and big white boulders that look like the claws of a dragon.
A two-hour ferry ride from the Mersing jetty will take you to the main island (RM 35/person, one way), with a number of jetty stops along the way depending on where you are staying while on the island. Many people choose to stay in Kampung Genting, Salang, Tekek and also Paya. This is my first trip to the island with my husband. We chose to stay at the Paya Beach Resort, located five-minutes on foot from the Paya jetty (RM 330/person for a 3D2N full board package).
Beach retreat is all about sun, sand and sea and Tioman did not disappoint. The hot and sunny weather was great for all sorts of beach activities and the first in anyone's list would be snorkeling. There are many small enterprises offering snorkelling trips in Tioman (RM 50 - RM 100, depending on the number of snorkeling trips and locations). Popular snorkeling locations are Tulai and Renggis Islands as well as the Marine Park. Every visitor needs to pay a RM 5 conservation fee for the Marine Park which will also entitle you to a free entry at the Mersing jetty.
The untouched coral reefs and the clear blue sea beckoned as we sat in our speedboat from Paya jetty to Tulai Island, a.k.a Coral Island. Once under water, a whole new world emerges. The coral reefs are teeming with sea creatures such as sea cucumbers, sea urchins, fishes and shrimps. This beautiful ecosystem is to be cherished and preserved, not just for the tourism industry, but for the next generation of people to experience. For those who wanted to take a breather from all that snorkeling, they can choose to explore the white Long Beach of Tulai Island.
Our local guide then dropped us at the village of Salang, where we had packed lunches and rested for a bit. We also took the opportunity to explore the village on foot. There are a few sundry shops selling essential goods and crafts, including small eateries scattered around the village.
After that, we boarded our speedboat and went to the next stop, the Marine Park. Many local tourists love to buy breads and feed the fishes at the Marine Park. Hence, it is not a surprise to see that the fishes here are larger and friendlier towards people. I did not particularly enjoy the Marine Park as the visibility was poor and there were no coral reefs (just man-made ones).
One last stop was the Renggis Island. It is located a few minutes away from Salang. This is probably the best place for snorkeling. The water here is deeper and there are plenty of fishes to see. The more adventurous would snorkel the circumference of the small island, where there may be a good chance of spotting sharks. Although they do not attack humans, they are still a force to be reckoned with. Tioman Island is also a good place for people to pick up diving and to obtain their PADI cert for open water diving.
Besides snorkeling, nature lovers can try jungle trekking and a good start for novices would be the trail from the Paya Beach Resort to Berjaya Tioman Resort, by following the power lines. The 45-minute trek will take you to a turtle sanctuary called Tat.
From the sanctuary, you can choose to walk along the shoreline back to Paya when the tide is low. This is a faster route, often taken by the local villagers. However, you should exercise caution as the terrain can be difficult to walk on without proper shoes. Another trek you could do is the Tekek-Juara trail. The trek runs from Tekek to Juara and takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to complete. This trail is known to be treacherous and thus, it is advised to hire a guide who knows the place well.
Tioman is also a bird-watchers' paradise. There are a few species of birds one could easily spot, namely the common kingfisher, dollarbird, tailorbird, barn swallows, sunbirds and spotted doves.
Birds of prey such as the White-bellied Sea Eagle and Brahminy Kite were also spotted circling the island during noon times, as the rising hot air helps the raptors glide as opposed to flapping their wings which tires them. You can also see the terns, which are common seabirds, flying above the seawater, in search of fishes.
Fishing is a great way to spend your time in Tioman and although I did not have the chance to do any fishing this time, I am contented just by watching the locals fishing by the pier. Anchovies which are caught are best served deep-fried and go very well with cool drinks. The sea breeze that day was wonderful and relieved us of all stresses.
As for shopping, Tioman is a duty-free zone, thus making buying cigarettes and alcohol cheap. Tourists and locals normally purchase these when they were about to leave the island. The schedule for ferry (Blue express) can be unpredictable and frustrating, so better to buffer about one to two hours waiting at the pier for your ticket ride back to Mersing. Bring a book or magazine to read while waiting. In a nutshell, Tioman is a good place to recharge one's batteries before returning home, feeling fresh and positive.
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