Pulau Tioman

Pahang, Malaysia

Pulau Tioman is a duty-free island off Peninsular Malaysia's east coast, acclaimed as a geological wonder, ecological paradise and one of Southeast Asia's most beautiful travel destinations. Located 32 nautical miles off the mainland, but connected through Mersing (Johor) and Tanjung Gemuk (Pahang) via ferry, the island continues to enchant visitors with its warm beaches, lovely seas and lush greenery.

Gazetted as a marine park, the immediate waters are abundant with coral reefs and marine life - ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling. Much of the island is covered by pristine rainforest, home to several endemic wildlife species and suitable for nature explorations. Finally, Tioman Island attracts youthful travellers from around the world - truly a melting pot of cultures to meet on vacation.

Travel Information

Like mainland Malaysia, Tioman Island has a hot and humid climate, with sunny afternoons and warm evenings but cool nights. Temperatures are usually consistent and the calm weather peppered with occasional showers and storms. The tourist season peaks between May and August, when the weather generally displays the least rainfall.

The monsoon winds begin to blow from October, bringing heavy rain and strong waves till January (surfing season). During this time, ferries run once a day, while only a few hotels will open at discounted rates. Still sparsely populated, most villages are connected by sea taxi (speedboat) or jungle trail, which means visitors usually stay at their first ferry stop for the entire trip.

Commercial development at Tioman Island is still relatively low compared to other tourist islands such as Langkawi. This restricts most major facilities to Tekek, the largest village along the west coast that has a bank, air strip and marina. Since the island is duty-free, liquor is relatively cheap but limited at more rural villages. In future, a second larger airport will be built at Genting Village.