Pulau Tioman (Tioman Island) is the largest in a group of nine islands (Pulau Tioman, Pulau Tulai, Pulau Labas, Pulau Sepoi, Pulau Seri Buat, Pulau Tokong Bahara, Pulau Gut, Pulau Cebeh and Pulau Sembilang) that form the Pulau Tioman Marine Park. Located about 32 nautical miles east from Tanjung Gemok, Pahang.
The island archipelago and its surrounding waters was gazetted as a Marine Park in 1994 under the Fisheries Act 985 (Amended 1993). In addition, five other islands, i.e. Pulau Renggis, Pulau Tumok, Pulau Soyak, Pulau Tasu and Pulau Raja, also fall within the park boundaries.
Pulau Tioman itself is approximately 19 km long and about 11 km wide. The island has a coastline of about 69 km, of which 29 km (42%) consists of sandy beaches while the remaining 58% is made up of cliffs and rocky headlands. Most of the sandy beaches are found on its west coast, particularly between Tanjung Berhala and Tanjung Mesoh. Small stretches are also found at Kg. Juara and Kg. Mukut, in the eastern and southern part of the island.
The island is dominated by granitite boulders-beds, which give rise to rocky structures such as exposed granite rocks with a thin overlay of soil. Exposed boulders are found along the coast at Kampung Paya, Batu Sirau (747m), Nenek Si Mukut (685m) and at several other places along the trail to the summit of Gunung Kajang, which has the highest peak at 1,030 meters.
The climate of the island group is typically hot and humid all year round. The temperature rarely drops below 20°C even at night, and usually reaches 30°C or more during the day. Humidity is generally about 90%. The monsoon season is between Novembers until March. During this time there is heavy rainfall and the surrounding seas are rough, making the island group almost inaccessible by boat.
The main economic activity on the island is tourism. Tourism development is concentrated mainly on the western side of Pulau Tioman, from Kg. Air Batang down south to Kg. Tekek/Tanjung Said and Tanjung Permata.
Pulau Tioman is moderately populated, with at least 9 villages and roughly 3,000 residents who live and work on the island mainly as fishermen and resort employees among others. During height of the tourist season, visitors often out-number residents.
While at the park vicinity, do stop by at the Marine Park Center and allow us to assist in your orientation and provide you with all necessary information to organise your visit and make it an enjoyable one. Interpretation of the island group and surrounding waters in the form of exhibits, maps, brochures, video shows and talks to increase your enjoyment and appreciation of the marine and island biodiversity are available at the centre.
Toilet and wash facilities, picnic tables and barbeque pits are provided at selected sites. A jetty at the visitors centre allows boats to come along shore. The park management provides mooring buoys over coral reefs to allow for snorkelling and diving boats. Visitors can shop for small items of food and drinks at the village shops. For hiring of diving equipment and filling of air tanks, visitors can enquire at the respective dive shops.
To avoid destruction of corals by anchoring activities, vessels are only allowed to anchor within designated areas. The park managers provide mooring buoys over the coral reef areas to allow for mooring of boats.
The park provides a variety of approriate outdoor recreational opportunities on land and on the sea. There are some specially designed trails and sight that can be seen here includes watching lizards, monkeys, eagles, turtles and moths. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) also nest near Kampung Nipah and Pulau Tulai. Other activities include rock climbing, water skiing and diving. Scuba diving and snorkeling are the most popular activities.
By Air
There is an airstrip in Pulau Tioman. Berjaya Air flies twice daily to the island from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Land Road and Sea
The main staging points to the Tioman Marine Park are Tanjung Gemuk (in Pahang) and Mersing (Johor). Scheduled ferry services (21⁄2 hour journey) from the Tanjung Gemuk or Mersing jetties link to Pulau Tioman on a daily basis. Express bus services from major towns and cities to these two points are also readily available. The major routes are as follows:
- From Kuala Lumpur to Tanjung Gemok Jetty or Mersing Jetty (51⁄2 hours journey).
- From Singapore to Tanjung Gemok Jetty or Mersing Jetty (21⁄2 hours journey).
List of Scuba Diver Operators at Pahang Marine Park
| No. | Name of Operator | Telephone No. | Fax No. | Mobile | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minang Cove | Kg. Mukut | 07- 799 7372 | sales@minangcove.com.my | ||
| 2 | Tunamaya Resort & Spa | Kg. Mukut | 07-766 8886 / 8887 / 8888 | info.tbsr@careluxuryhotels.com | ||
| 3 | The Scuba Shop Sdn Bhd | Kg. Genting | ||||
| 4 | Bayu Tioman Chalet | Kg. Genting | 09-419 7039 | gentingbayu@yahoo.com | ||
| 5 | Tioman Dive Buddy | Kg. Genting | 09-419 7000 | tiomandivebuddy@gmail.com | ||
| 6 | Island Message Dive Centre | Kg. Genting | 012-297 3963 | inquiry@islandmessagedivecentre.com | ||
| 7 | Elite Tioman Dive Centre | Kg. Genting | 017-373 2258 | elilte.tioman.dive.centre@hotmail.com | ||
| 8 | Sorte Met Stell Scuba | Kg. Genting | 012-214 1979 | sortemetstella@gmail.com | ||
| 9 | Paya Beach Resort | Kg. Paya | 1 800 818 848 | sales@payabeach.com | ||
| 10 | Sea Lantis Dive Centre Sdn Bhd | Kg. Paya | 012-284 4622 | sales@sealantis.com | ||
| 11 | U Dive Sdn Bhd | Kg. Paya | 012-245 9883 | info@udive.com.my | ||
| 12 | Burger Dive Team | Kg. Paya | 012-717 0695 | burgerdiveteam@gmail.com | ||
| 13 | Aman Tioman Beach Resort Sdn Bhd | Kg. Paya | 09-419 7788 | 012-772 9880 | sales@amantioman.com | |
| 14 | DE Dive Centre | Kg. Paya | 019-606 3482 | info@dedivecentre.com | ||
| 15 | Tioman Reef Divers | Kg. Tekek | 09-419 1342 | tiomanreefdivers@yahoo.com | ||
| 16 | Abect Aqua Dive | Kg. Tekek | 012-703 9878 | info@abectaquadive.net | ||
| 17 | Berjaya Tioman Resort | Kg. Tekek | 09-419 1000 | tioman.rsvn@berjayahotel.com | ||
| 18 | Tioman Dive Center | Kg. Tekek | 09-419 1228 | enquiries@tioman-dive-centre.com | ||
| 19 | Go Deeper Tioman Chalet | Kg. Tekek | 03-9082 1560 | info@godeeperchalets.com | ||
| 20 | J&E Advanced Training Centre | Kg. Tekek | ||||
| 21 | Freedive Tioman Sdn Bhd | Kg. Tekek | 017-609 6702 | info@freedivetioman.com | ||
| 22 | Blue Bubbles Scuba Training Centre Sdn Bhd | Kg. Tekek | 09-419 1121 | 019-311 0948 | bluebubbles.scuba@yahoo.com | |
| 23 | Barat Tioman | Kg. Juara | 09-419 3288 | 010-252 6888 | barattioman@gmail.com | |
| 24 | Tiongman Scuba Cafe' | Kg. Juara | 013-381 8311 | tiongmanscuba@yahoo.com | ||
| 25 | Ray's Dive Adventure | Kg. Juara | 013-522 3450 | raysdive@gmail.com | ||
| 26 | Eco Divers Ocean Expedition | Kg. Air Batang | 03-4106 0228 | |||
| 27 | B&J Diving Centre Sdn Bhd | Kg. Air Batang | 09-419 1218 | info@divetioman.com | ||
| 28 | Blue Heaven Serve Sdn Bhd | Kg. Air Batang | 09-4191 142 | tioman@blueheavendivers.com | ||
| 29 | Moby Tek Dive Centre | Kg. Air Batang | 012-774 8269 | info@moby-tek.com | ||
| 30 | Marine Monkees Tioman | Kg. Salang | 09-419 5111 | info@marinemonkees.com.my | ||
| 31 | Azmi Dive Resources | Kg. Salang | 013-792 3756 | |||
| 32 | Scuba-Naut Dive Centre | Kg. Salang | 013-766 4363 | |||
| 33 | Salang Bay Divers | Kg. Salang | 019-355 5499 |
