Planning a trip to Tioman ? I’ll list here the best things to do in Tioman.
From the best snorkelling spots to the amazing beaches, including the most amazing treks, I’ll make a list of the best things to do on the island with all the details you need to get there !
The only way to get there from Kuala Lumpur is to first take a bus from TBS in KL. The journey is about five hours and the easiest way to book your trip is on 12Go.Asia. It costs around 8€ per person.
From Mersing, you have to take a ferry at Mersing Harbour. It costs around 12€ (60MYR) and you can book online on BusOnlineTicket.
Departures are only in the morning at either 7:30am, 9am or 11am, and the journey is around 2 hours, but it will depends where you go off in Tioman.
That’s why you have to stay one night in Mersing, because bus departures in KL will not get you there in time.
Note : I would recommend to book in advance because there is only one departure per day during the low season, it can happen that you need to stay two nights in Mersing due to no availability.
We stayed at Ella’s Place Salang and I would absolutely recommend it. It was located in the northwest of the island, near Kampung Salang.
The hosts are really kind and helpful, the room is located near the beach and had everything we needed despite being a simple bungalow.
Prices are around 25-30€ per night for two people, depending on the season.
Note : The island is mainly a jungle, which makes it is very difficult to get around. There are only few roads, and no possibilities to rent scooters. Hence, the place where you stay needs to be carefully chosen depending on what you plan to visit, and where on the island. This is the reason why we didn’t visit the East side of the island (also where you won’t see any sunsets).
If you are coming to Tioman, snorkelling and diving are a must !
You can book a snorkelling day trip with your host and they will bring you around to see the best spots.
I would recommend to go to Coral Island to see baby sharks and turtles (see picture below).
For beautiful corals and underwater seabed you can head to Pulau Soyak and Renggis Islands, two very small islands located West of Tioman.
I would definitely recommend doing the trek to Monkey Beach.
You can start from Kampung Salang and it lasts about one hour and a half until you reach the beach. Come prepared as it is a real jungle and it is hot and humid. So bring along water bottles, covering clothes, insect repellent and good hiking shoes.
Before starting the trek, find out the tides schedules, as it is better to go there at low tide.
Once you arrive at the beach, be careful there are a lot of monkeys, so hold on tightly to your belongings and don’t bring food.
We were there in April and had the beach all to ourselves, so you can really enjoy the peace and quiet.
For heading back, you have to take the same path you arrived by.
Another hike worth doing in Tioman would be Tekek South Bay. If you are staying at Kampung Salang, you can take the small taxi boats that will drop you off at Tekek Harbour.
From there, there is a path along the coastline that you walk on until you reach Jeti Kampung ABC. Here you take another taxi boat to head back to your place. The walk lasts about one hour and you will get nice views of the sea all along. Be aware of monitor lizards, you can encounter many on this path.
Located near Ella’s place, Kampung Salang Beach is a long and beautiful beach where you can enjoy some peaceful time.
It’s even better for sunset, there is a little bar serving refreshing drinks and beers on the beach :
And that wraps up the best places to see in Tioman !
It was truly a magical and wonderful trip, if you plan on going there check out my article about everything to know before going to Malaysia.
I have also wrote an article about a day in Kuala Lumpur, an unmissable when coming to Malaysia.
If you need a personalized itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll find you the best accommodations, flights and itinerary !
