Malaysia island tioman. A wonderful holiday away from civilization! Divers insurance

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Tioman is one of the most beautiful islands in the world and is located in the vast expanses South China Sea, about 60 kilometers from the mainland Malaysia. According to legend, many thousands of years ago, a beautiful Chinese princess, in order to prove the strength of her feelings for her beloved Singaporean prince, decided to swim across the ocean, but sailing through the waves of the South China Sea, she felt that she could not achieve her goal and turned to the gods in prayer about them turning it into a beautiful island. The princess was heard, and thus, in these places, a piece of land of marvelous beauty appeared, resembling a dragon in shape, which to this day hospitably welcomes guests, introducing them to its natural wealth.

On the territory of the island there are several villages whose inhabitants are engaged in fishing and agriculture. Spread along the coast are amazing sandy beaches, carefully washed sea ​​waves and warmed by the gentle rays of the Malaysian sun. Tioman is considered part of National Reserve Pahang and is carefully protected by the state, so any actions that affect the ecology of the island are strictly suppressed here.

While in Malaysia, the easiest way to get to Tioman is from the city of Mersing, in the state of Johor. On a boat, such a boat trip takes no more than an hour and a half. In addition, the island has its own airport that receives domestic flights from major cities Malaysia and Singapore. Most of hotel buildings, which are classic chalets, are located on the west coast. They are well equipped and have everything you need for a pleasant and comfortable stay.

The largest village of Tioman is Tekek. He plays the role tourist center resort. There are restaurants, cafes, grocery and department stores, a bicycle rental along with a bicycle workshop, a marina, currency exchange offices, a police station and the only five-kilometer paved road on the island. It takes just a few minutes to reach both the airport and the five-star Berjaya Hotel, which is distinguished by exquisite luxury and decoration. Usually wealthy tourists who want to relax in solitude and silence stop here. Meanwhile, fans of dancing and fun music can satisfy their needs in the nightclub of Genting village. Here, in a local restaurant, you can taste exquisite Malaysian cuisine with an abundance of seafood and a whole bunch of exotic dishes. From the village of Paya, the most fascinating routes through the jungle of the island begin. At the same time, tourists are often accompanied by small impudent monkeys, who are the indigenous inhabitants of the village.

The most romantic beaches, Tiomana, are located near the village of Nipu. Usually few tourists rest here, preferring more lively beaches, including the largest of them, owned by the Berjaya hotel. It is especially crowded on local beaches on weekends, when guests from neighboring Singapore are added to the numerous tourists, from where specialized tourist ferries regularly go and airliners arrive.

The beachfront location, Kampong Juara, is also preferred by those seeking solitude and peace. In addition to traditional beach activities, diving and activities water sports sports, golf courses and several SPA centers are available to guests. Those who wish can rent water transport at one of the rental points and go to unforgettable journey between the islands of the Seribuat archipelago. Particular attention should be paid to the islands Mukita And Teluk Nipaha, distinguished by its inimitable beaches with the purest fine sand and wild untouched nature. One of the important features of the resort is the restriction of the sale of alcoholic beverages. They are forbidden to be sold outside of hotels, so fans of "strong" can "refuel" exclusively within the hotel. Generally, tourism infrastructure on the island is developed in the best possible way and allows its guests to concentrate entirely on their vacation, without being distracted by everyday trifles.

One of the most curious sights of Tioman are the famous " donkey ears". So called picturesque mountain, towering above the island and completely overgrown with dense tropical forest. She got her name for her appearance, which in shape really resembles these parts of the body of a stubborn animal. Not far from here is the village of Mukut, to which a dirt road leads, and next to it there is a stunning waterfall, symbolizing beauty wildlife islands. In these places you can make unforgettable bicycle rides and you can travel on foot or on horseback. Tioman is a particularly marvelous sight in the evening, when he bathes in the rays of the setting sun, and the outlines of the island shine with a bright red tint.

For divers, the nearby Tioman is of great interest. Chebeh island. Rare exotic specimens live off its shores, including "glass" fish, "nurse shark" and "surgeon fish". There is also an underwater cave somewhere here, which is often used as a tunnel by whale sharks and rays. On the surface of the island grow different kinds trees, on which seagulls live, soaring up in a white cloud, only seeing a boat approaching the shore.

Like most island archipelagos in Malaysia, Tioman has a humid equatorial climate. The average annual air temperature fluctuates around +30 degrees, and the traditional rainy season begins in November and ends in April. However, you can relax here at any time of the year, and the season is considered the period from May to October. Most tourists come here from Southeast Asia, although there are many beach lovers from other continents. Well-developed tourist infrastructure, a wide selection of diverse hotels and chalets, a colorful and varied cuisine, as well as the sincere hospitality of the locals, combined with an ideal climate, make Tioman one of the best island resorts in this part of the planet.

Tioman. Malaysia 2008

This is not a report or a fascinating story. Just a brief recap of what I saw this year in Malaysia.
The route was long and started in Vietnam, but ended in Malaysia, where we chose Tioman Island to visit and National Park Taman Negara.
It was known about the first place that it was just the season for turtles, and the jungle of Taman Negara is one of the oldest on Earth (according to scientists, the age is 130 million years). We flew to Kuala Lumpur to Air Asia, having only 1 reservation for 1 night - the Fortuna Hotel in the very center of the tourist place Bukit Bintang, 200 meters from the subway of the same name. The reservation was made much in advance, because. we flew in on Saturday. If anyone does not know what Friday and Saturday are in Malaysia, I will write about it in detail. The choice of the hotel was very good, the rooms are clean, in the heart of the city, with windows on the Twin Towers, and at only 158 ringit per standard. All are nearby shopping centers and Night Food Street - J.Alur. When booking online, simply fill out a form. It does not indicate credit card and no money is withdrawn. Very comfortably. Hotel Fortuna Jalan Berangan, 87 (www.fortunakl.com). As of August 2008, the exchange rate for 1 dollar was 3.25 ringit.

Itinerary: Kuala Lumpur (Fortuna hotel) - night transfer by local bus to Mersing - morning ferry to Tioman - Salang beach (Salang Sayang hotel) - ferry to Mersing - bus to Kuantan - transfer to bus to Jerantut (Sakura Cartle Inn hotel) - morning boat to Taman Negara - 2 days in the park - drive almost a day to Kuala Lumpur.

Buses to Mersing leave 2 times a day: in the morning and late in the evening (at night). We chose an evening transfer, intending to walk around Kuala Lumpur during the day. Tickets were purchased at the Pudu Raya bus station, which was reached from Bukit Bintang in 15 minutes. Company - Transnational (http://www.nadi.com.my/transportation_a ... keting.asp). VIP class ticket - 23 ringit.
Before leaving Kuala Lumpur, we went to the office of NKS Hotel #Trevel (www.taman-negara-nks.com) and booked a transfer and a boat to Taman Negara Park from Jerantut. The office is located at the Mandarin Pacific Hotel in Chinatown. For the transfer they gave 35 ringit. We received a piece of paper on how to find their office in Jerantut. The bus leaves from Sri Emas Hotel until boat station Kuala Tembeling at 2 pm, 17 km + by boat 3 hours up the Tembeling River.

All the amenities of a bus ride. At 9.30 pm we were already standing at the bus station and waiting for the VIP number to be given to us. When the number was given, we saw a simple bus with seating. I got the driver for a long time with questions, but he kept saying - this bass is VIP and we are already leaving. It is clear that you will not be able to sleep in such a bus. As soon as we drove off, another misfortune became clear - the bus had luxurious air conditioners that turned the interior into a freezer. We knew about the cold on the buses and stocked up on sweaters. But after an hour there was a desire to put on a jacket and a hat with earflaps. I had to resort to the old trick - armed with adhesive tape, sealed all the cracks and holes.
When selling tickets, my aunt informed me that we were arriving in Mersing at 6 am. That aunt was, to put it mildly, wrong. 2 buses leave at night - at 10 pm and at 11.30. Boarding the bus at 10pm, we were in Mersing at 3am! We were unloaded at some kind of fence, and left in the dark. The local people immediately disappeared somewhere, and several tourists, including us, went to hang out in the night city. We didn’t have to go far - cafe chairs and travel agency offices were found nearby. We spent the rest of the night on chairs. The bus leaving Kuala Lumpur at 11.30 arrives in Mersing at about half past four, and you probably should have bought tickets for it. The advantage of such a move is saving time and money for a hotel, the minus is that it is impossible to relax, early arrival, dog cold on the bus.

Mersing

The place of departure of tourists around the islands is arranged as follows. Offices of travel agencies selling package tours to the nearest islands, to the boat and buses, cafes, several shops, and after 300 meters - the pier. Ferries of 2 companies are recovering to Tioman (or 3? I got confused in them), the fare for all is standard - 35 ringit. The first boat leaves at 7.30 am and then -10.30, 11.30, 14.30, 17.00. In addition to the island of Tioman, several more islands can be reached from Mersing. Pictures of the most distant islands of Aur and Dayang (77 km) attracted my attention - white sand, palm trees, turquoise water, small bungalows ... well, Bounty! These hotels are mainly tailored for package tours and the main check-in takes place on Friday-Sunday. 3 days / 2 nights with meals, transfer, guide and snorkeling costs from 290 to 350 ringit. Here is the website of one of the travel agencies: http://www.myoutdoor.com/
Unfortunately, we did not have time to explore these islands, but something seems to me that they are no worse, and maybe even better than Tioman.
In Mersing you can buy alcohol, for example, 1 liter of local whiskey at a price of 39 ringit (300m from the boat station there are many shops). On this day, due to the early departure by boat, we did not have time to buy bus tickets to Kuantan. In one of the travel agencies we were assured that there is such a bus. It leaves Mersing at 12 noon and we can buy tickets after 9 am.

Tioman Island

Different sources say different travel times to the island. From 1 hour to 1.5. Probably, all the travel time depends on the beach you choose. We chose the most remote beach - Salang. How many sailed there, I do not know, but we got back to Mersing 2 hours and 20 minutes. The ferry makes stops at all beaches, dropping off and picking up tourists. On Monday morning, there were practically no people, and this made us very happy, because. we did not have a hotel reservation. At first glance, we liked the island, because. had pleasant greenery and fairly clear water.

abandoned hotel

the whole beach

our beach is salang

There is only 1 good hotel on the island. The rest is bungalows, bungalows and huts of average quality with a minimum set of amenities. Also 1 is the only town of Tekek where there are shops, including those with booze. There are no roads or normal shops on Salanga.

Salang beach

On the beach, we decided to stay at the Salang Sayang hotel - this is the most extreme corner of the beach on the right. Behind him on the hill is an abandoned hotel and a path to Monkey Bay (through the hill through the jungle). From the pier to Salang Sayang - 5 minutes along the path, and across the bridge of the stinky river. On the way we went into a bungalow, which our grandfather imposed on us for 140 ringit by the river with an abandoned garbage dump. They sent him .... In Salang Sayang, they had a conversation with the hostess, Malay appearance and sly eyes:

We want to rent a bungalow with a fan...
- Ooo! What do you! There is nothing! come back in 3 days...
- Okay, but with kondeem?
- There are no cheap ones with kondeem either. There is only deluxe.
- And for what?
- 220 ringit, but there is such a huge room that all five of you can fit there. This is how Singaporeans live here.
- And what? Nobody goes home on Monday?
- What do you! We have such a paradise, no one wants to move out! Well ... .. except that 1 room will be with a fan by the evening for 70 ringit.

We had to take what they offered us, with the condition of moving to cheap air-conditioned rooms for 170 ringit, as soon as they were free. What we saw as a result:
- Half of the bungalow was empty. It was beneficial for the hostess to give us the most expensive accommodation.
- The room with the fan reminded me very much of the $15 bungalow on Lipa. The minimum amenities are a mosquito net and 1 bed. Shower with cold water. The fan is like a helicopter propeller. At three in the morning I woke up from unbearable scabies - I was bitten by small living beings. Presumably - local bugs. Half the night I fought with them. Another creature entered the gap from under the floor and ate half a pack of cookies. In the morning I went to the manager and showed all my wounds, insisting on immediate relocation. "It was you who got bitten on the beach!" - "I was bitten on the bed by your little living creatures!". Without much arguing (probably the manager knew about these bedbugs), they gave me new keys to bungalow number 7 at a price of 170 ringit. The second room was larger, had a refrigerator, water heater, 2 beds and air conditioning. By evening, the air condo was dripping, and then it was noisy like Niagara. Water poured straight onto the floor. They threw in a towel so as not to listen to the sound of falling water. A day later, the condo died. It happened at night, and I kept thinking - I'll beat my aunt in the morning. In the morning I received the keys to the third room - room number 13. Thank God, everything was fine there. Although the price of 170 ringit did not meet the conditions.
- My fellow travelers also moved, though only once - from a room for 220 ringit to a room for 170 ringit. They differed only in the presence or absence of a refrigerator and a kettle.

Salang Sayang

Everyone can ask the question: "Why didn't we leave there?" The answer is very simple - it was impossible to move to any place with more normal conditions on this beach. With my fellow traveler, I quickly walked around the area available for observation, and made the following conclusions:
- The best beach (one might say the only one) at Salang Sayang.
- Palm trees grow near the beach, hotel bungalows behind the palm trees.
- Further (at 150 meters) the stink river, where 2-meter monitor lizards swam and frolicked,
- Next - a garbage dump, exuding a "flavor",
- Next, a few houses of local residents,
- Another abandoned hotel from rickety bungalows,
- And here is the already impassable jungle.

If you go from the Salang Sayang hotel to the pier and further, that is, to the left side of the beach, here's what you can see there:
- Salang Sayang Hotel restaurant (rather expensive);
- rental office;
- Shop "Pepsi-water";
- Bridge over the river;
- Pier;
- Several dive centers;
- A restaurant with European prices, always filled with Europeans;
- A small, but the most important beach house with a sign "booze to go." There you could buy beer in bulk, at a price of RM10 for 4 Chinese crap or RM12 for 3 cans of Kalsberg;
- Local supermarket….type;
- cheap restaurant, where you could eat well, mostly in the morning or in the afternoon;
- Hotel Salang Resort, where the roosters importantly walked around (I can imagine how fun it is there at 4-5 in the morning). The hotel looks good, but has a completely ugly beach:

The entire leisurely promenade along the beach takes no more than 15 minutes. All. There is nowhere else to go.

Food. Local food (and Malay in particular) I personally did not like. No wonder they say "Kitchen of Malaysia is a melting pot of various cuisines from other countries of the world." That's for sure - they mixed everything. On Tioman with food, from my point of view, it was bad - everything was monotonous and not very tasty. There were only 2 exceptions - morning roti chanai with filling, and evening barbecue in the only restaurant that was normal in price and quality (the one located across the river). The average cost of breakfast is 8-10 ringit, dinner is 30-35 ringit.
In addition, we drank a lot of water, juices and beer. It is impossible to buy something tasty in a single supermarket. The price of imported fruits and vegetables is very high, and the price of 1.5 ringit for 1 fresh tomato breaks all records. I was very surprised that the island is buried in the shade of coconut palms, but coconuts are not sold or offered anywhere.

Transport and movement around the island. There are no roads, there is only one way to travel - by boat. The price for moving from beach to beach is quite high - 35 ringit one way. There is no such variety of boats and fishermen as in Thailand. There is no competition either. If you want - go to Mersing for 35 ringit, if you want - to the neighboring beach. Or ... There is an option to go along the path through the jungle. We went to the nearby Monkey Bay beach. It took 3.5 hours of active cross-country with a tiring climb up the hill.

Monkey Bay is a deserted beach without monkeys (they are just rummaging through the garbage dumps of Salang at this time), with an abandoned small hotel.

top view of salang

decoy bay

It is impossible to swim on this beach, because. corals start almost immediately. On the way to this beach, passing through the jungle (by the way, no worse than the jungle of Taman Negara) we saw deer, monkeys, squirrels, lizards and iguanas.

Life on Tioman Island

The fact that with living creatures on the island is nishtyak, we understood immediately. Such a variety of everything that usually hides here ran, jumped, flew, jumped, crawled, swam ... The largest and closest contact of all the guests of the island occurred with two types of "small living creatures" - with sea fleas on the beach and with biting plankton in the water. Everyone was bitten! On the other hand, everyone has their own body reaction to bites. For some, the bites were painless, for some, real wounds formed. I was not the luckiest of all, probably my blood is delicious)))))) In a day everything itched, after two - wounds formed, after 3 - non-healing ulcers. More than 10 days have passed, and I still have traces of their vital activity. In addition to tourists, they were also bitten locals and hotel staff. In general, this is the trouble of the island, but it is quite possible that this is due to the season. Before that, we were on Koh Samui, there were no fleas, but the plankton in the water "bite" every day.

The second misfortune is flocks of impudent, gluttonous monkeys. Paying no attention to the people, they were busily talking to the dumpsters of the bungalow several times a day. They plucked everything that lay badly. We must pay tribute to the hotel staff - the garbage was taken out several times a day and the territory was cleaned. A specially hired uncle drove monkeys. In addition to monkeys, you could see:
- giant ants
- butterflies,
- various birds,
- bats,
- geckos,
- giant lizard lizards.
Pro marine life I will write separately. The monitor lizards of Tioman Island are much smaller than those on Komodo Island, but they look no less intimidating. You don’t really need to look for them, for this it’s enough to go behind the last house of the hotel and look at the stinky river. At low tide, when the water left the river, monitor lizards simply crawled along the muddy bottom. At high tide, they swam or basked in the sun. I walked along this river towards the jungle and in one place I counted at least 20 of them. Maximum amount pangolins crawling out from under the foliage - at noon, when it is most warm. According to some sources, monitor lizards of the island reach a length of 2 meters. Some of the specimens seemed simply gigantic to me.

Salang beach

Salang Beach is small and only the right side is suitable for swimming. The sand is medium-sized, yellowish. The entrance to the water is good only at the Salang Sayang hotel. After about 20 meters at the entrance to the water, coral fragments begin, turning further into real living corals. While we were there, we noticed that swimming is possible only until 13-14 hours. Then a strong low tide begins, exposing part of the corals by 4-5 pm. It is possible to enter the water at this time, but one must very carefully walk ankle-deep among stones and sharp debris. It's very easy to cut your legs. We divided our time on the beach into two periods - before lunch (when the tide was high, we swam) and after lunch (just lying around or walking around the local cafes). You can swim at low tide, but not very interesting - shallow and you have to constantly monitor the corals so as not to cut yourself.

Sea of ​​Tioman.

With all its disadvantages of life and service, Tioman conquered me with its underwater world. In any country South-East Asia I always went at least 1 day for snorkeling. Snorkeling from the shore is not always interesting, the best solution is to go on an excursion or rent a boat. Swimming in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma, I already had a good idea of ​​what a reef is, who lives there, what you can see and who you can catch. But I didn’t even imagine such a variety of living creatures that is present on Tioman, and not somewhere in the sea - 5-10 km, but right here - 100 meters from the coast.

What I liked very much - real live corals.
- Schools of colorful fish;
- Flocks (under 50 cm) of silver edible "herring";
- Napoleon fish, at least 1 meter in size;
- Stingrays;
- Squids;
- sea ​​urchins and cucumbers;
- Thousands of fry fry, creating the impression of an underwater silvery river;
- Turtles;
- And much more.

Turtles. They were my dream, I really wanted to see them in natural environment. And I saw it right away, on the first day. Turtles, as divers told us, swim up from the depths to shallow water closer to dinner to crunch on corals. It was during this activity that I saw my first green turtle (species name), about 70 cm. For 20 minutes we swam with her, then she briskly swam away somewhere. The remaining days, every day from 11 am to 1 pm we saw and swam with turtles, and not with the same one. On the last day, we saw the largest one that we met near the Salang beach: a shell of at least 1 meter. All the turtles we encountered were swimming next to the beach, in front of the Salang Sayang Hotel between rocks and an artificial pontoon.

Visibility. In August, visibility in the water was not very good, maybe no more than 10 meters. A lot of plankton swam, creating the impression of semolina mixed in the water. However, this did not interfere with viewing various fish from the surface. Maybe because these fish were crazy.

Water temperature and diving. According to divers, the water temperature was +29 degrees. It seemed to me a little cooler, I would rate it at 26 degrees. There were 2 divers in our company who immediately ordered diving for themselves. There are several dive centers on Salanga, the prices are the same for all, without bargaining. RM180 for 2 dives on day 1, RM170 for 2 dives on the second day and also night diving, the price of which I don't know. The guys had an underwater camera, filmed a lot. For those who want to dive for the first time, diving costs RM180 from the shore and RM200 from the boat. For a full 4-day training course, they asked for something like 900 ringit.

One day, my fellow travelers and I went on a day snorkeling trip to neighboring islands. The cost is 70 ringit, from 9 am to 2 pm, they promised to show 4 places. So, snorkeling nearest islands. All beach travel agencies offer this snorkel at a price of 70 ringit, but with a stop at 3 places. Salang Sayang Hotel offers tourists visiting 4 places, water, fins, masks.
The first snorkeling spot was the most interesting of all. We stopped near the rocky shore. We saw a lot of big and small fish. I constantly caught myself thinking that here you can shoot half a bag from an underwater gun in 5 minutes. Often the fish stopped and hovered not far from me, within 1.5 meters. Very beautiful corals, different in shape and color. At some point, they saw a 1.5 meter shark and shouting "Shark!" rushed to the boat. The boatman said that this is a "vegetarian shark", there is no need to be afraid of it.

Second snorkeling spot: Having circled the island, the boat moored at a small beach. White sand, blue water .... We were given 1 hour. Most of the tourists collapsed on the beach, but in vain! Literally 20 meters from the shore, a real fish soup began! What have you seen:
- octopus,
- turtle,
- a flock of sharks under 70 cm.
There is no underwater photo, but there is a photo of exactly the same shark that I saw on fish market Qatar. When approaching the cape from the right side, I felt a strong current and barely carried my fins away. Fins for rent are short, semi-children's. Moreover, these fins at the box office look the same throughout Salanga. So, if you want a normal snork, bring your own.

The claimed 70 ringit ($22) is the cost of a place in the boat, where there were 12 other people. I enjoyed the snorkeling very much. The only frustrating thing is that there is no such thing as in Thailand - you hired a boat and sail wherever you want. There are almost no boats on Salanga, the price is fixed and very expensive.

conclusions

Pluses of Tioman - gorgeous sea with good diving and snorkeling both from the shore and from the boat. The jungle of the island is no worse than the Taman Negara park, you can not only walk in them, but also see various animals.
Cons of Tioman (subjective opinion) - poor service, expensive accommodation with low quality housing, lack of entertainment, monotonous and not always tasty food, expensive travel between beaches by boat, lack of competition, abandonment of many hotels, grandiose garbage dumps just 100 meters from the beach, the presence of sea fleas, bad transport connection between Tioman and the mainland.

I would like to finish this part of the story with the words from the famous song "And the rest, beautiful Marquise, everything is fine, everything is fine."

Transportation across the country and to Taman Negara.

I already wrote about bus travel to Tioman. Now I would like to focus on transportation to Taman Negara and around the country in general. Back in Kuala Lumpur, at the Pudu Raya bus station, we tried to buy bus tickets from Mersing to Kuantan, and then to Jerantut. Having run around all the windows of the ticket kiosks, we made only one conclusion - it is impossible to buy tickets from one city to another without being in the first one. That is, the Transnational company has its own website and a scheme for moving around the country. Arriving in Kuala Lumpur at the office of the company, we not only could not buy tickets from Mersing to Kuantan, but also could not find out the bus schedule. I don't know if you can buy online.
- And what do you want? In Russia, everything is arranged the same way! - my companion thought, - try to buy bus tickets from Tambov to Saratov, while being in Moscow.
Therefore, we left the purchase of tickets to Kuantan for last, and decided to leave Tioman Island on Thursday. That is until Friday. Whoever said how lucky he was to travel freely in Malaysia on Friday, we wanted to avoid moving on that day. A year ago, my fellow travelers got into a complete w ... in some Malaysian outback, when all train and bus tickets were sold out in 4 days, and the taxi did not run due to some kind of holiday. We didn't want to repeat that mistake. Because Friday is a day off for Muslims. And if in some Arab countries If you don't see a lot of people on the streets on Friday, Malaysians are not like that. Having an admixture of Chinese in their blood, they are removed from their homes, and move in rows and columns throughout the country. Curious Singaporeans also join them. All this is reminiscent of an invasion of locusts.

On the beach of Salang, Tioman Island, passing by one sign, we saw the cherished inscription "Sale bus tickets Kuantan was also there.
- We want to buy!
- When?
- On Thursday.
- Alas, this bus runs only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- And then, from Kuantan to Jerantut, can you sell us tickets?
- No, you have to buy them at Kuantan bus station.
Frustrated, we considered the situation. We had to lose 1 day, which we allocated to Taman Negara Park. At the same time, it is not yet known whether we will buy tickets at the next point. On Friday we had booked a boat to the park. In the current situation, it turned out that we would reach Jerantut only in the evening and we would be able to get on the boat only on Saturday. Can we? We buy tickets for 20 ringit (their real price is 13) for Friday. We only hope for further successful movement. Already in Mersing we saw a bus to Dungun, which probably runs every day and passes by Kuantan. It was not possible to clarify the information for the reason .... no one knows anything. And who knows - it is not clear ....

The bus station in Mersing is half a kilometer from the pier. It took 10-15 minutes with backpacks. When approaching, they heard a call
- Where are you going?
- In Kuantan.
- There are no seats.
- We have tickets.
In the absence of tickets, they traveled on a bus, where there were 5-6 empty seats. I still can’t understand the logic of the transport company - why drive half-empty buses? Or is it some kind of game with local taxi drivers? By the way, they wanted 300 ringit for moving to this outback. The transfer took 3.5 hours.

Kuantan

Just a city in the middle of nowhere, a junction station for transfers. Let's go look for tickets to Jerantut. Again we find out that only 1 company is walking, the same Transnational. The bus just left, the next one was canceled, and the other one will be at 8 pm (only 3 buses - at 9 am, 3 pm, 8 pm). There are still tickets, 12 ringit each, and they are few. From Kuantan to Jerantut another 3-3.5 hours. If we arrive at Jerantut at night, we have a big problem finding accommodation. We decide to look for an alternative. An alternative nearby in the form of mustachioed taxi drivers of Hindu appearance. They want 220 ringit. We think. To better think, we went to a local catering. Local catering left an indelible impression. And a conversation with Indian chefs - too. After inspecting the food, there were two omnivores left - me and my fellow traveler ... After eating some simple Malay food, we decided to look for a taxi. We found an official booth and bargained for 2 cars (there were 5 of us) for 180 ringit.

We arrived in Jerantut in 2 hours and 20 minutes. We stayed at the Sakura Castle Inn, 170 ringit, there were no cheaper rooms. We called the travel agency where we ordered a boat to Taman Negara, they said that we were late for the day and we want to leave tomorrow at 9 am. We got consent. Travel agency that organizes transfers to the park in Jeranthut: Otel Sri Emas, 46 Main Road, T. 09-2664499. The return transfer from Jerantut to Mersing is possible in exactly the same way or by contacting the travel agency of Taman Negara Park, for 750 ringit / person.

Tioman. Malaysia, 2008

The island of Tioman was first mentioned in the diaries of Arabian merchants in the 10th century. Traders from India, Persia, and China also came here, because they bought betel, sandalwood and camphor from Tioman, and here they could take shelter during the monsoon storms. The ships that reached the island knew they could now turn northeast toward Cambodia.

In 1830, pirates landed on the island and captured 70 people, turning them into slavery - after that, 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 the Second World War, 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 South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Tioman Island is surrounded by many coral reefs, and there are several places for first-class diving. You can get around the island in a couple of hours, having examined the forest along the way, where many species of flora and fauna are found.

Combination of first-class housing and magnificent nature makes Pulau Tioman one of the most beautiful places in Asia. Here they refrain from harvesting timber, and therefore a tropical forest remained as untouched as possible. In the middle of the island at an altitude of 500 m lies a hilly mountain range, climbing up south end two granite peaks - "Donkey ears". The height of the highest 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 fishing village Mercing. The journey by fast boat takes approximately two hours.

On the west coast of the island, there is a wide choice of accommodation - from luxury apartments to modest but comfortable guesthouses, chalets and simple huts on Salang Beach located further north. 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 the fishermen charge quite a reasonable fee. From Tekek you can go hiking through the forest to the top of the hill located on the east coast. Or you can take a dip in the waters of the waterfall descending from the top of the hill, after which you can go back to the beach of Juara in the village, where you will be offered excellent seafood dishes. Here you can swim in the sea and, and if you don’t have the strength for a new trip, return to Tekek by boat.

Bird lovers can watch the colorful imperial pigeons, nightingales, frigatebirds, sunbirds and flower suckers. There are no large mammals in the forests of the island, only some reptiles have been discovered recently.

Picturesque island in azure waters The South China Sea is not in vain considered one of the the most beautiful islands not only Asia, but our entire amazing planet. The marvelous place is famous for its wild untouched beauty, unique flora and fauna and is considered a real Eden for diving enthusiasts. No wonder hundreds of tourists turn their eyes to protected area, and Tioman Airport welcomes guests from all over the world all year round.

Pearl of the South China Sea

Picturesque coral reef Tioman is located just 60 kilometers from east coast mainland Malaysia and is part of the Pahang Marine Reserve. colorful photo local beauties are able to convey only a small fraction of the local splendor, you must see it with your own eyes!

The pristine beauty of the national park opens up to the attention of visitors many delightful natural wonders- combination of emerald tropical jungle, waterfalls, endless green hills and marvelous in their beauty golden beaches that make reserved places the resort is an ideal corner for a relaxed and secluded holiday.

Unusual representatives of the animal world deserve special mention - amazing flying foxes, important monitor lizards, pygmy deer, all kinds of lizards, iguanas and monkeys, and the famous sweet-voiced minahu bird.

The virgin nature of the surrounding places was opened to a wide range of travelers after the release of the musical "South Pacific Ocean”, which was filmed on the coasts of the island.

Reviews of tourists about Tioman unanimously rank the island as a real paradise on earth.

Dragon Isle Legend

From a bird's eye view, the island, covered with legends, is surprisingly similar in outline to the image of an ancient snake that has gone into the arms of a centuries-old dream. The locals call it the Sleeping Dragon. And, of course, a beautiful old legend explains the history of these places.

The once beautiful dragon princess was on her way from her native China to the distant lands of Singapore for her fiancé's wedding. Her path lay through this magical land. The pristine charm of the local nature touched the girl so much that she turned into an island, forever becoming a part of the beauty that struck her. The mighty dragon crest turned into an emerald rainforest, sharp claws into coastal sea ​​stones, and the formidable horns of the lizard became the picturesque ridge of Gunung Nenek Semukut, crowned with two high peaks.

The amazing world of the underwater kingdom

Luxurious conditions for underwater diving and snorkeling are one of the main features of Tioman. According to the reviews of experienced divers, such a diverse variety of marine flora and fauna is difficult to find anywhere else. The necklace of coral reefs, spread out in a picturesque ring in the vicinity of the island, reveals to divers the bizarre outlines of underwater gardens. A warm tropical current draws flocks of barracudas, schools of neon fish and colorful parrot fish into the waters of the waters. Colorful thickets of gorgonian algae, huge moray eels, majestic leatherback turtles, giant Napoleon fish, amazing sea rabbits - all wonders and count!

Underwater walks will give you incomparable aesthetic impressions and vivid memorable photos of deep-sea landscapes.

The best diving spots on the island:

• Chebeh Island in the vicinity of Tioman is famous for its giant boulders, forming galleries of fascinating underwater holes and caves, and deep-sea black corals will amaze even experienced divers.
• The gorgonian garden near Tulai Island impresses with the beauty of coral reefs dotted with algae. And the picturesque representatives of the underwater fauna - sea bass and ruff, barracuda and mysterious green turtles will complement the colorful picture of the deep-sea kingdom.
• Bahara Rock is the perfect place for fans of spearfishing. At a depth of 5 to 25 meters, colorful slopes are spread, covered with iridescent corals and anemones in black, red and purple hues.
• Diving into the depths of the Tiger Reef will excite the imagination with an amazing landscape of hard and soft coral formations, will present an encounter with reef sharks, schools of pempheris, damselfish and barracudas.
• Renggis Island is located near the village of Tekek and has earned admiring reviews from vacationers in the popular Berjaya resort. The place is suitable not only for diving, but also for snorkelling. In addition to the richest underwater fauna, here you can admire the wrecks of sunken ships. And at sunset, the island lights up in colors that are unrealistic in its beauty.

Notable places and entertainment in Tioman

In addition to impressive underwater beauties, there is something to see on land. On the coastline of the island there are picturesque villages of local residents with their own customs and original atmosphere. The largest are Tekek, Jaura, Salang and Paya. Tioman is an amazing corner of Malaysia where time slows down. The serene atmosphere of the island gives an extraordinary sense of harmony with oneself and the surrounding splendor of nature. There is practically no noisy nightlife here, but for lovers of parties and discos in the village of Genting there is night club, bars and cafes are found in the villages of Tekek, Salang and Paya.

lovers active rest And thrill fascinating hiking tours on the untrodden paths of the island. In the vicinity of the village of Jaura there is a reserve of sea turtles.
Experienced climbers will enjoy climbing the remarkable mountain peaks - the Dragon Horns, which can be conquered as part of an unforgettable tour lasting several days. For beginner conquerors mountain peaks there are easier routes.

A fascinating excursion "Day around the island" provides an excellent opportunity to appreciate all the beauties of Tioman and take memorable photos while traveling on a comfortable boat.

Check out some of the features of visiting the island before buying a tour:

1. The best time to visit the island is from May to August.
2. There are two ways to get to the island: bus route from Kuala Lumpur to the town of Mersing, and then by ferry to the island. The second option is a flight from the capital of Malaysia to the island airport.
3. Tioman is a duty-free zone, so you can buy cheap quality cigarettes, souvenirs and alcohol here.
4. Tourists should beware of local monkeys, who have adapted to snatch digital equipment and other trifles from gaping vacationers right out of their hands.

One of the most beautiful islands on the planet is Tioman Island, the locals call it Pulau Tioman. This is a small but very popular area where lovers, honeymooners and Singaporeans often relax. Tourists are attracted here by pristine beaches, clean mountain rivers and waterfalls.

general information

Where to stay?

The Tioman Islands differ among themselves in the quality of the services provided and the level of service. The most popular of them are:

1. Japamala Resorts - By Samadhi is a comfortable hotel that offers private wooden rooms with private terraces, 2 restaurants, an outdoor pool, a massage parlour, and a seating area.
2. Simukut HillView - The hotel is rated 2 stars. It has a terrace, garden, private beach area, shared lounge, laundry. Cooking in the restaurant National dishes and the staff speaks English and Malaysian.
3. Tioman Cabana - the price includes breakfast and bed. Bicycle and canoe rentals are available, as well as a library, barbecue and tour desk, laundry and dry cleaning services.
4. Bagus Place Retreat - Cooking chalets with a sun terrace and a shuttle service. The staff speaks 2 languages.
5. Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort is a four-star spa hotel where visitors can take advantage of a wellness center, infinity pool, children's playroom and a restaurant.

Where to eat?

Food on Tioman will please every tourist with its variety. Dishes are prepared mainly from rice, which is stewed, boiled and fried here. It is used both as a side dish and as an additional ingredient. Tourists will also be offered seafood, coconut milk, local fruits and vegetables. For example: shark fin soup, cuttlefish salad, fish curry, fried scallops, rendang meat or sati ayam, as well as various fresh juices.

A large number of restaurants are located in the settlements of Salang, Dzhuar and Tehek. The most popular catering establishments are:

• Berjaya Resort - Malaysian and Chinese dishes are served here;
• Tioman Cabana Beach Bistro - guests can try Asian cuisine and seafood, suitable for vegetarians;
• Mia Cafe - the cafe serves traditional national dishes;
• Restoran Delima - the restaurant will offer you local and Asian cuisine;
• Warong Syahirah - they specialize in seafood.

Beaches on Tioman Island

The coastline is famous for its crystal clean water(visibility reaches 33 m), white sand, a variety of marine animals and corals that surround the island and create unique conditions for diving. Diving on Tioman is considered a real paradise not only for professionals, but also for amateurs. Those who dream of swimming with whale sharks come here.

The most popular beaches on Tioman are:

• Mentawak;
• Air Batang;
• Mukita;
• Salang;
• coast near the villages of Tekek and Gentings.

Here you can go fishing, swim in a canoe, a yacht, a boat and a boat, the bottom of which is completely made of glass.

Shopping on the island

Tioman is a duty-free zone, but taking goods out of here is not so easy. For example, to travel to Singapore with alcohol or cigarettes, you will need to pay a tax. Mostly tourists buy local souvenirs (t-shirts, bathing suits, figurines, magnets, national beads, wooden clogs or local jugs) and delicacies (sweets).

Transport on the island

Answering the question of how to get to Tioman from, it should be said that there is a small one on the island. Flights from the capital of Malaysia and from Singapore arrive here, the travel time takes 60 minutes and half an hour, respectively. From runway there is only one concrete road. It takes you to Berjaya and Tekek.

If you want to save money, then you can get here by ferry from the city of Tanjung Gemukili (Pahang) or take a boat from locality Mersing (Johor). The cost is approximately $5 per person one way. Tioman Island coordinates: 2.770351, 104.145927