It’s quite a long overdue blog post about my trip to Pulau Tioman after MCO last year. Like many of you, I share the crave for traveling again after a historic 3-month lockdown due to Covid-19. It was June 2020, and I’ve heard that the waters at Pulau Tioman has become even clearer after the lockdown. So I was pretty excited about my trip ^^
Pulau Tioman – A Diving Haven
Pulau Tioman is one of the most popular islands in Peninsular Malaysia especially among divers thanks to its rich marine biodiversity. Located at approximately 32km off the East coast of Pahang State, Pulau Tioman is easily accessible by a 2-hour-ride ferry from Mersing Jetty or Tanjung Gemok Jetty. Being a large island itself, there are altogether 7 villages on Pulau Tioman, namely: Kampung Genting, Paya, Tekek, Air Batang (a.k.a. ABC), Salang, Mukut and Juara, all of which has its own jetty. This means that there will be several stops for the ferry, so make sure you alight at the right jetty when you reach Pulau Tioman.
Kampung Genting, Paya, Tekek, ABC and Salang are located on the West coast of Tioman, facing the mainland. Kampung Mukut is located at the South whereas Kampung Juara is located on the East coast (back) of the island, facing the vast South China Sea.
Oh ya in case you are not aware, Pulau Tioman is a duty-free island. So cheap alcohol is guaranteed hehe.
Ferry Ticket Purchase
The resort that I will be spending my 3D2N vacation is Aman Tioman Beach Resort which is on Kampung Paya Beach – the second ferry stop. As most resort packages do not include ferry tickets, you can either purchase the ferry tickets online or through registered agents. Pick your preferred ferry departure time (ferry journey to Tioman is about 2 hours) and also your destination jetty. Once you have purchased the tickets, you will have to exchange it with a boarding pass and also pay up the Marine Park Fees (RM10 for Malaysian, RM35 for Foreigner) at Mersing Harbour Centre on the day of departure.
Once it’s done, proceed to Mersing Jetty (right opposite the Harbour Centre) and wait for the ferry. Be sure to arrive at the jetty one hour before your ferry departure time as sometimes the ferry arrives early. As we were in the Recovery MCO phase, all passengers on the ferry were encouraged to put on face masks.
Arrival at Aman Tioman Beach Resort
The moment I got off the ferry at Kampung Paya Jetty, I was totally stunned by the crystal clear waters here. It was so clear that I could see the rocks and corals right from the jetty.
damn it feels so good to travel again!
Waves were gently caressing the shore and the beach looked much cleaner than last time. Absolutely love the fresh air and scent of sea breeze here. It’s so liberating!
Getting to Aman Tioman Beach Resort was pretty straightforward. From the jetty, head right pass the seafood restaurant and the resort entrance is just around the corner.
It is a very modern looking resort with beautiful architecture. The front desk itself was pretty elaborate. I was assigned and brought to my room by Wai Wei, a friendly receptionist at Aman Tioman Beach Resort. Wow the first impression when I enter the room was:
this resort does indeed live up to expectations!
The room was new, clean and cozy. One of the best so far alongside Summer Bay Resort Lang Tengah. Wai Wei also shared with me some MCO stories at the resort, how some of the staffs had to be let go in order for the resort to stay afloat.
Day 1: Free & Easy
My first day here was free and easy. Took some time to explore around the resort as well as Paya Beach. Due to the SOPs imposed, some social activities were not allowed at the resort – the games rooms and pool were closed. Fortunately, dine-ins were still allowed.
Dive Centre Wow transparent kayak!
Meals from Aman Tioman Beach Resort were sumptuous. But even if you opt out of the resort meals, you can easily find things to eat and drink nearby. There are many gerai-gerai (stalls) and restaurants along the beach where you can find delicious local food. My favourite is the Meehoon Kueh stall at the back of Paya Beach Resort, near the ATV vendor. You guys can check it out!
One way to spend a free and easy day here is some evening shore snorkeling. The best spot is the pile of rocks not too far away from the shore. Wow~ it’s been awhile since I soak myself in the sea.
As night falls…
The beach took on a whole different facade after sunset especially when the lights were turned on. I love chilling by the jetty, watching the gradually changing tide. As Tioman is a duty free island that sells alcohol, it’s quite happening here at night with guests entertaining themselves with bottles of beer.
Day 2: Snorkeling Trip
The highlight of Day 2 has to be our snorkeling trip. Oh ya before that, I must talk about the smoked duck porridge breakfast I had at Aman Tioman Beach Resort. Not too sure if it is still on their menu but if it is, you guys MUST order it!
It was the BEST porridge I’ve had in my life!
After breakfast, we headed out to the first snorkeling spot point at Renggis Island. It’s my second time to Renggis and it was a similar experience. Lots of fishes here but due to high tide, the coral visibility was not the best.
We spent about an hour here before we headed to Tekek Village for a short break. Still remember my bladder was about to burst when I reached Tekek lol. There is a duty free shopping complex here which we were supposed to visit. However, it was temporarily closed due to the MCO. So we just hanged around the village. It was very quiet, a stark contrast to a year before when the village was bustling with tourists.
After Tekek, we set off for our last snorkeling point at Pulau Tomok. It was already raining but who cares lol. Apart from snorkeling, our guide also taught us how to make underwater bubbles. I tried many times but still couldn’t get the hang of it. We spent about an hour here also before heading back to the resort for lunch.
I spent the rest of the day exploring the neighbouring Paya Beach Resort and strolling along Paya Beach, enjoying the beautiful sunset. It’s so nice to see friends and families enjoying among themselves after the lockdown. These are the things that I value more today, the in-person interactions and relationships. Suddenly thought of my brother and friends in Singapore.
It’s been months (and at the time of writing, a year) since we last met. Really miss you guys.
Day 3: Bye bye Tioman
After a delicious English Breakfast at the seaview deck, I packed my stuff and headed to the jetty for the return ferry back to Mersing. I was such a fulfilling trip having been on lock down for months. Also not to mention the amazing service offered by Aman Tioman Beach Resort. Their rooms really make you don’t want to leave as it is so comfy. Highly recommended if you are looking for a nice island resort to unwind.
Fancying a trip to Pulau Tioman yourself?
Check out the latest Pulau Tioman Package offered by Aman Tioman Beach Resort by clicking the link below!
