Beach Guide: Tioman Island

The beautiful beaches of Pulau Tioman were first made famous as the setting of the 1958 movie South Pacific. Since then, tourism has intensified on the island, and Tioman’s gorgeous landscape has slowly filled with new developments. The recent addition of a small airstrip has made Tioman much more accessible – flights arrive regularly from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur – but has also accelerated other construction projects. Already plans are underway to build a luxury marina at Kampung Tektek, on the western side of the island. So if you want to see the Tioman beaches in all their unspoiled glory, you should get out there sooner rather than later.

Cheap and regular ferries run to Tioman from Mersing on the mainland. Salang Beach is the most popular destination on the island, with some nice hotels, and plenty of bars and restaurants. Like Langkawi, Tioman is a duty-free zone, so alcohol is significantly cheaper than anywhere on the mainland. The beaches of Tioman are often rockier than the other Malaysian islands, but Salang Beach boasts luxuriantly soft sand. Berjaya Beach is equally beautiful, and is the place to go if you’re looking for something more up-market. Outside Berjaya, hotels are generally clean and friendly, if a little rough and ready.

Diving around Tioman’s Beaches

The beaches around Pulau Tioman offer some of the best marine wildlife anywhere in peninsular Malaysia. There are dive shops scattered all over the island, and PADI diving instruction is offered everywhere, for all skill-levels. The waters around Tioman are incredibly clear, so conditions are perfect for snorkeling. The rocky areas are particularly good – you can check out all kinds of tropical fish and coral, without having to make a deep dive. Snorkels and masks are available for hire almost everywhere. Ask in your hotel, or pick them up from any of the dive centers along the beaches.

If you really want to get away from it all, there are a couple of remote yet accessible beaches dotted around the island. Juara Beach, on the eastern side of the island, is a wide sweep of pristine sand, with very few tourists. If you’re feeling adventurous, a one-hour jungle trek from Salang will bring you to the isolated Monkey Beach. Avoid bringing food – the monkeys can get a little pushy. Traveling off-peak, in monsoon season, means that you’ll have most of the beaches all to yourself. The rain is heavy in November and December, but if you travel in January or February you should expect weeks of uninterrputed sunshine, and miles of deserted, tropical beach.