Tioman Island

[Gareth Davies]

Has anyone here been to Tioman island, it's on the south east coast of Malaysia? I'm off to Kuala lumper next w.end and will have a few days spare at the end so was thinking of booking a flight over to the island and staying in "Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort" and try to get in 2 or 3 days diving.

I'm just wondering what to expect ,I know it's the wet season at the moment and had thought I might go to Redang but there's a 3 month maintenance plan / refit going on at the moment.

A quote from the website "Technical divers can explore the famous South China Sea wrecks. Name includes the Prince of Wales, the Repulse, Varella and many other exciting sub marines and battle ships."

thanks
gareth

[Andy Wade]

Has anyone here been to Tioman island, it's on the south east coast of Malaysia? I'm off to Kuala lumper next w.end and will have a few days spare at the end so was thinking of booking a flight over to the island and staying in "Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort" and try to get in 2 or 3 days diving.

I'm just wondering what to expect ,I know it's the wet season at the moment and had thought I might go to Redang but there's a 3 month maintenance plan / refit going on at the moment.

A quote from the website "Technical divers can explore the famous South China Sea wrecks. Name includes the Prince of Wales, the Repulse, Varella and many other exciting sub marines and battle ships."

thanks
gareth

Well, if you're lucky enough to get a chance to dive HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, I wonder if you might like to take the opportunity to read about how they got there:
http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/
:)

[Gareth Davies]

Thanks for that and I'm well aware of the history and some of the arguments surrounding the sites. I have my opinion and we'll leave it at that.

I very much doubt I'll get the chance as I'm only there for a few days, was more concerned regarding conditions during the month of december.

[Andy Wade]

Thanks for that and I'm well aware of the history and some of the arguments surrounding the sites. I have my opinion and we'll leave it at that.

I very much doubt I'll get the chance as I'm only there for a few days, was more concerned regarding conditions during the month of december.

That would be a shame if you did miss out.
It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but I doubt I'll ever have the money:)
I wonder if there are a few boat operators that might be better placed to advise you of how the weather might affect the sites at this time of year, Google usually picks up three in the first search page.
I'm not sure how the weather system affects the sites themselves, they are quite a way off shore.
Interestingly the time of year they were sunk was only three weeks from this date, and it was excellent weather on the day and that was a significant factor, so I guess you never can tell really.

Edit: Actually I was just thinking that maybe Jack Ingle would be able to advise you, he has run a lot of trips out there.
His web site is www.jackingle.co.uk (http://www.jackingle.co.uk)

[Alison Boler]

Hi Gareth

We visited Tioman Island about 5 years ago in March and stayed at the Berjaya Resort.

The resort has a dive centre attached to it, but there are others around. Having said that we were only there about 5 days so it didn't seem worth the effort of going elsewhere because the in house centre seemed perfectly fine. They operate out of quite a large clubhouse on the beach and launch their small boats - ribs and dories from out front.

The water was extremely warm in March - 29C - no need for a suit at all other than as a protection against the odd brush with a stingy thing! Vis was about 30m.

Tioman is a very tropical island - when we were there, it was very hot - high 80s and with cloudless skies most of the time. Then - generally in the evenings - you would get an absolutely torrential downpour of rain - and then it would pass. The island has primary rainforest right behind the resort and throughout the centre and the weather is as you would expect to keep it this green.

We did a number of the local sites. They didn't seem at all keen on going very far, quoting seasonal fast currents as reasons, but then again it is very much a sports diving centre - or was at that time - so maybe they just like to stick to normal sports diving type of dives. Anyway, there was loads to see in the water - reef and nurse sharks on most dives, turtles, large fish, huge cuttle fish and the coral was very good. It was really enjoyable. Just offshore of the resort there is a little islet where they take you for the first check out dive. To be quite honest it became our favourite dive site because it had a friendly current that took you around it, it was just the right size for a good hour or so's poddle and there were always sharks out there.

The other thing to look out for - and which they will definitely take you to see on one of the dives are the huge monitor lizards. They are big. The first time we met them was between dives out on one of the islets and one emerged from the jungle and wandered down the beach. Everyone stood in the shallow water watching it and someone said "don't worry, they can't swim". With that, the beast moved straight down the beach - and they move fast - and swam towards us! You have never seen grown men jump back in a boat so fast in your life!!!! They are harmless I - I think - but they do look a bit fierce.

We found the dive centre staff to be very friendly and helpful. Our daughters weren't diving at that point and they looked after them for us while we were out. The hotel itself was fine and there was plenty of activities. There was a chap there called Mr Chong - or something like that - on the activities desk and he lead treks into the jungle pointing out interesting bits of nature. If they still do it, definitely go. He was brilliant - we saw things we would never have spotted on our own. You end up at a waterfall pool in the jungle and can swim.

The beach at the hotel is pure white sand - it really is the stereotype tropical paradise. We had b&b but also ate in the hotel restaurant at night quite often. They did a variety of buffets - there were several restaurants to pick from.

Don't know how you are getting there. We flew from KL and the landing is a memorable experience. As I say, the interior of the island is a mountain covered in rainforest. The airstrip is tiny, right on the bit of flat land behind the beach. The plane seems to go straight for the mountain and then right at the last minute, it seems, it banks and goes down - pretty sharply - to land. Very interesting! The other wierd bit was shortly after take off, white smoke began to fill the plane at floor level. It took a nailbiting 30 seconds - seemed like a lifetime - to realise that it was actually condensation from the air conditioning which had just come on.

Anyway, hope you have a good time. We have a page of info on Peninsular Malaysia with a trip report on Tioman.. I have included a link to it.

Allie

http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/where/malaysiapenin.htm

PS Don't forget to send us a trip report when you get back.

[Steve Parry]

Hi Gareth,

I was considering a trip to Tioman earlier in 2005. The plan was to
do a week diving the local sites (cos thats the sort of diving the
missus likes and I can play cameras). However, I thought terminal
boredom would set in after a week and I would take myself off
on a mini liveaboard from Tioman for 3-4 days to do the deep wrecks.
I made further enquiries to try set this up. There was a dive centre
called B&J's (I think) who were advertising the deep wreck trips.
I then found out this was old information as thier Tekkie guide had
left the previous season and no one else on Tioman was prepared to
run these trips.

I can tell you that the weather in nearby Singapore is wet/windy
in December/Jan and Tioman is close by and tiny dot in the South China Sea,
so it is possible to get blown out. This is why the east side of
pennisular Malaysia not in full swing (low season) so a lot of operators
use the time to renovate/maintain/refurbish etc.

Regards

Steve

[NickPheas]

Ah Tioman... happy days.

I did my PADI Open Water in Salang. Beautiful clear water, despite it nominally being the wet season, February 1997.

When I was there you had a choice of how to do it. Most of the Island was given over to small chalet style places catering to backpackers. There was one modern style resort, but I was in chalets.

I trained with http://www.divetioman.com/ and from the look of it they'll arrange Force Z trips. Don't think it's in their regular itinery though.

[Gareth Davies]

I trained with http://www.divetioman.com/ and from the look of it they'll arrange Force Z trips. Don't think it's in their regular itinery though.

They're shut until the rainy season is over. Maybe it's a trip to MIRI on east malaysia, or somewhere in that region