The final time I used to be anyplace close to Tioman, I used to be doing a dwell on board scuba diving journey on a dinky little boat. Cramped down within the hull in a bunk mattress dorm subsequent to the hum of the engine, I’ve since determined that I’m slightly extra prepared to pay for some consolation today. So when the Berjaya Tioman Resort invited me to take a look at their refurbished lodge, I used to be positively excited to make an extended awaited journey again to Tioman and see what it’d be like residing the excessive life on this lovely island for as soon as.
My keep on the Berjaya Tioman Resort was sponsored by the lodge. All opinions are my very own.
Location
South Tekek
Berjaya Tioman Resort is situated in Tekek, the most important village in Tioman and the place a lot of the administration and facilities are situated. The resort takes up about 200 acres of land to the south of the village.
The resort is simple to get to as the general public ferries (Bluewater & Cataferry) cease at Tekek. It’s positively extra handy in comparison with a number of the different resorts in additional distant villages that require a separate water taxi switch or personal ferry association.
The resort is about 20mins strolling distance from the ferry terminal, although I wouldn’t say it’s simple to stroll and and from the village as there’s a small steep hill in between. The lodge can drop you by way of automobile/van on the ferry terminal and predominant village space if requested.
Lodge
Kampung Model
Berjaya Tioman Resort opened again in 1985 so it is among the older villages on the island. Occupying a large space alongside the Tekek shoreline, the resort is virtually a village in itself which is what I feel the design was impressed by.
The principle constructing and the person chalets and duplexes are constructed like typical picket Malay homes with sloping roofs and raised flooring on stilts and appear to be grouped in little clusters, which makes it nice for households and teams reserving a number of rooms as there aren’t any massive family-style suites or rooms – every room solely homes 2 individuals although you may add 1 further mattress if you must.
*That mentioned, there are 2-bedroom chalets marked on the resort’s map although it’s not mirrored within the web site
Even in the event you can’t get a beachfront view that are the costliest rooms, the mountain view or backyard chalets has a pleasant inexperienced view, although a number of the Backyard rooms are fairly far-off from the principle reception and required buggy transfers in the event you don’t need to stroll.
Room
Snug
I stayed in Room 103, a Backyard Premier Terrace room which was in the identical block because the reception space. It’s one of many bigger rooms accessible and I appreciated that it was near reception and a lot of the resort’s facilities with out having to name a buggy.
The room itself was spacious with two queen beds and a settee set to relaxation on. There was a small desk within the nook the place I spent some late nights banging out some writing, and for leisure there’s a massive television with Netflix. One signal of the resort’s age is its energy outlet scenario – there have been shops at each the work desk and the dressing room desk, however not any proper subsequent to the mattress, nor any signal of USB shops both.
The bathroom was lengthy and spacious with an oddly massive dressing room space the place the wardrobes are. It had each tub tub and bathe, 2 sinks, a sitting bathroom and bidet subsequent to it.
I like that the room had a pleasant outside terrace with chairs, however the sea view was largely blocked by the very massive recreation corridor proper in entrance of it. Additionally, could be good if they’d a rack to hold moist garments out to dry on the terrace so we don’t must drape garments on the railing.
Eating
Berjaya Tioman’s predominant restaurant is the ASEAN All Day Eating the place you will get breakfast on a fundamental package deal. I obtained to attempt the resort’s new premium all entry package deal (extra 500 RM per day) the place you will get all three meals and tea together with free circulation drinks (beers, home pour wines and a few onerous liquors included!) – in the event you don’t intend to enterprise out of the resort in any respect, that is one thing you may take into account. The buffet dishes change each day and there’s a number of Malaysian and western dishes on the buffet and a la carte menu.
On Friday and Saturday nights, dinner is a extra raucous affair as they’ve dwell BBQ grills with meat and seafood as an alternative of the same old buffet meals. The odor is fairly wonderful all through the resort then. Additionally, look out for the workers performing an precise fireplace present!
In case you’re within the resort for a special day, the resort may customise some particular meals for you. They kindly let me expertise a few of these too. First, breakfast on the seashore in the event you’re a morning individual:
Berjaya Tioman Resort faces the west coast and its sunsets are its most spectacular pure sight. There’s a little elevated house above the pool that’s good for small events or personal dinners, the place they’ll even throw in some decorations together with a 3-course plated meal.
Seaside + water actions
The seashore is in fact the principle spotlight of Tioman, and the resort has an excellent stretch of personal white sand seashore, although for all of the seashores in Tioman: BEWARE OF SANDFLIES. The resort has a bunch of sprays with selfmade sandfly repellent close to the sand – spray that liberally on any uncovered physique components. I largely sprayed my ft however my higher thighs, arms and shoulders ended up fairly itchy >_<
You can too hire a kayak or SUP board if you would like a bit extra of a exercise, however I used to be joyful sufficient simply wading within the lovely blue waters. You can too hire snorkelling tools, although I’d advocate taking a snorkelling journey to close by Renggis Island or someplace additional for higher fish recognizing.
Scuba Diving
The resort has began its personal dive centre and one in every of its highlights is being only a literal stone’s throw away from Renggis Island, among the best spots for scuba diving and snorkelling in Tioman. Sea turtles and black-tipped sharks are recurrently noticed in these shallow waters right here which are about 10-15m deep.
I’ve dived in different components of Tioman earlier than and solely had time for 1 dive on this journey, however nonetheless managed to see some turtles and make associates with some sociable pufferfish. The visibility was not tremendous excessive, possibly 10-15m? Plenty of small fish shoals as effectively right here at Renggis Island.
Tioman truthfully isn’t a nasty place to get your dive certification as a result of there are sufficient fish and corals to curiosity newbies and water circumstances often aren’t too troublesome. These curious about scuba diving often keep alongside the west coast of Tioman – Salang up north is nearer to extra of the dive websites, although you could find plenty of dive outlets in Tekek, ABC, Paya and Genting as effectively.
Swim within the beachfront pool
In case you’re not a fan of sand, there’s a pretty swimming pool space that faces the seashore so you may get pleasure from a soak whereas nonetheless taking within the coastal views. There’s a swim up bar so you may seize a drink whereas within the water, and deck chairs for lounging across the pool.
Different land actions
Yoga by the seashore
One free factor you are able to do within the resort each day is to take a morning or night yoga class within the beachfront pavilion. Simply enroll, flip up and revel in a serene stretch with sea views and hill views to wake you up. We did a 1-hour yoga session within the morning which was a refreshing approach to begin the day.
Motion pictures on the seashore
Tioman doesn’t have a lot nightlife, so in the event you get bored at evening, you may come out to the film nights that they organise on the seashore. Simply pull up a mat and a few beanbags and catch what’s taking part in – we had The Secrets and techniques of Dumbledore working once we popped by. There’s Netflix in your room with a big TV if you would like higher decision and sound, nevertheless it’s good simply chilling out underneath the celebs on the seashore.
Taaras Spa
Kick off your journey with a soothing therapeutic massage, physique scrub or wrap on the lodge’s Taaras Spa. I had a fairly good 1hr deep tissue therapeutic massage, although you may go for aromatherapy as effectively. There’s a cute little jacuzzi pool in the midst of the spa’s backyard space which was being cleaned once we had been there sadly, however in any other case it has a very nice view of the mountains the place you may soak and loosen up.
ATV Rides
You possibly can hire bicycles, e-scooters and quadricycles to raised discover Berjaya Tioman Resort’s large 200 acre compound, however I assumed the ATV experience was really one of many extra enjoyable issues you are able to do. We obtained a fast primer on the way to deal with the ATV proper at the beginning, after which we adopted our information south previous the golf course…
… all the way in which to the Condotel property on the finish of the largely paved street. From there issues get a bit dicier because the gravel street turns into extra rocky and it’s a must to be fairly cautious to not steer your self off the downward sloping path.
However in the long run, you’re rewarded with a stunning secluded seashore recognized to the locals as Bunut Seaside, although it was renamed TAT Turtle Sanctuary afterward. There’s no sanctuary right here now although – it’s a must to head to Juara if you wish to see the precise turtle centre. There’s an deserted hut right here so possibly there have been actions right here earlier than, however now it’s only a very pretty quiet stretch of seashore the place you may try to experience your ATV on sand (simply don’t get caught in a sand pit like me…)
You possibly can’t experience your ATV past this seashore space due to the thick forests. Extra on that subsequent…
Jungle Trekking
One of many issues I used to be positively interested in was jungle trekking in Tioman. I’ve spent far more time underwater than on land in Tioman up to now, so it was good to have the ability to really discover its forests. Due to our restricted time, the resort organized for one in every of their workers to take us on a brief hike from the southern finish of the resort to the neighbouring village Paya.
This explicit hike is one thing you’ll most likely solely be capable to do with the Berjaya Tioman Resort because it passes by their personal property, however a number of the different villages are linked by jungle paths as effectively.
We saved a good quantity of strolling by getting a raise on the buggy so far as the Condotel property that’s perched on the cliffside, and from there we walked alongside the filth paths, previous Bunut seashore till we reached the forested space. This half requires some climbing, however there’s a path marked and a few handholds and ropes on the steeper bits to assist.
The crossing didn’t take that lengthy – about 20-Half-hour of strolling and climbing up and down the hilly forested ridge later, we discovered ourselves within the village of Paya!
Over there, we took one other trek to see some attention-grabbing issues across the space. First up: the rock falls.
After an extended stroll by the forest (ATV can be an choice in the event you don’t need to stroll a lot – there’s a rental place on the village space at the beginning of the trail), we made it to Mom Willow, an enormous tree on prime of a rock that’s apparently over 300 years outdated! You possibly can climb up by way of a ladder constructed into the aspect of the rock for a pleasant excessive view of the forest flooring.
There are different treks accessible – there’s a extra hardcore trek from Tekek to Juara, and a extra wildlife targeted one round Tekek to search for Rafflesia flowers. In case you’re actually into trekking, Mukut down south is the place you may climb the dual peaks, or scale Tioman’s highest peak Gunung Kajang, 1000m excessive between Paya and Juara.
Finest time to go to Tioman
Tioman’s excessive season is from March to October, when the climate is mostly drier and seas are calmer so you are able to do all of the outside actions as in comparison with November to February when it’s monsoon season. Nonetheless, it’s not that you could’t go to Tioman in any respect in the course of the wetter months. Berjaya Tioman Resort provides a effective climate assure the place you could get evening extensions or reductions in case your journey is affected by perpetual rain. Additionally, the rain in these tropical components is intermittent and customarily you’ll nonetheless get some solar even in the course of the wet season – having a bigger resort like Berjaya with many exercise choices allows you to tide over these wet moments in between.
How you can get from Singapore to Tioman
Regardless of its relative distance from Singapore, Tioman is definitely a little bit of a ache to get to from Singapore, largely as a result of there aren’t any direct choices from Singapore to Tioman.
You might have two choices:
Cheaper: Bus to Mersing, Ferry to Tekek Jetty
KKKL has a coach service from Kovan Hub (6am) or Tan Quee Lan Road (630am) to Mersing Ferry Terminal. The journey often takes about 3-3.5 hours however depends upon how briskly you get by customs. I visited over the varsity holidays and solely reached Mersing at round 1130am.
The bus is snug and a information hops on after you go Malaysian customs who will transient passengers on what to anticipate on the ferry terminal.
A one-way bus ticket on KKKL prices $39 and could be booked at kkkl.com.sg or subsidiaries like Busonlineticket or Easybook.
Another is to rearrange for a personal automobile switch from Singapore to Mersing. It could be dearer however provides extra flexibility and could also be worthwhile if travelling in a big group. Sgmytaxi.com has vehicles that begin from $440 per automobile (spherical journey).
The bus drops you in entrance of Mersing Ferry Terminal, however you have to to cross the street to Mersing Harbour Centre to choose up your ferry tickets in the event you haven’t already printed them out, in addition to to pay the obligatory Tioman Marine Park Payment. Search for the Taman Laut Malaysia signal. The payment is RM30 ($10) for non-Malaysians and a receipt is issued that you must present together with your ferry ticket once you board.
There are two ferry choices from Mersing to Tioman: Bluewater Ferry is older and their seats are extra rundown and has one commonplace worth of RM65 ($20). Regardless of the quantity on the ticket, it’s free seating so hustle on board for a superb seat. Cataferry is newer and has a nicer atmosphere with assigned seating and a premium choice on the higher deck.
The ferries sometimes make stops on the villages in a loop: Genting, Paya, Tekek, Air Batang (ABC) and Salang earlier than returning to Mersing. Take note of the place names which are shouted out and alight promptly when the boat is in dock. Some villages like Juara, Nipah and Mukut usually are not on the general public ferry route and require particular preparations to attach.
A one-way ferry ticket on Bluewater Ferry prices RM65 ($20) and could be booked at bluewater.my or Easybook.
Cataferry tickets have variable costs from RM40-300 ($12-94) relying on the day and seat class. Guide tickets at cataferry.com – they’re recognized to run promos the place costs drop as little as RM5, so e-book as early as potential.
A word that buses and ferries do hook up with Tioman from Tanjung Gemok as effectively, which is farther from Singapore, so your bus experience is roughly half an hour longer, and the ferry experience correspondingly shorter. There are much less ferry connections at Tanjung Gemok in comparison with Mersing, so within the occasion of missed connections, you have got a greater probability of rebooking at Mersing.
Costly: Flight to Subang Airport, Flight to Tioman Airport
In case you get seasick or are prepared to pay for it, you may fly from Seletar Airport to Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur. There are two flights per day that you could then take to Tioman’s airport in Tekek, however word that the airplane may be very small so there are very strict baggage limits (10kg max).
- Firefly Airline worldwide flight from Singapore Seletar Airport (XSP) to Sultan Abdul Azziz Shah Airport (SZB) in Subang, Selangor (1hr 20 minutes) – estimated $200-250 spherical journey price.
- SKS Airways home flight from Sultan Abdul Azziz Shah Airport (SZB) to Tioman Airport (TOD) in Tekek (1hr 30 minutes) – estimated price 600-1,000RM ($180-$320) relying on fare title
I’ve not tried this for myself, however given the timings of the flights and the necessity to transit within the airport, it looks like it’ll take about the identical period of time as taking the bus/ferry – the earliest you’ll arrive in Tioman is on the 2nd SKS Airways flight
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