Tioman Island - general information, weather, seasons

General information

Tioman (Tioman, Pulau Tioman) is a small island off the east coast of the Malacca Peninsula (Malaysia). The island measures 20 by 12 kilometers and is located 40 kilometers from the mainland (Tioman on the map of Malaysia).

Tioman belongs to the largest state of Malaysia-Pahang (Pahang). The population of the island is estimated at several hundred inhabitants. Most of the people you will meet here are tourists and travelers.

From a bird's eye view, the island resembles a huge sleeping dragon, so the locals call it "The Sleeping Dragon". According to legend, a very beautiful Chinese dragon princess sailed to her lover in Singapore, but was so struck by the beauty of these places that she wanted to stay in these places forever, for which she turned to the gods with a request to turn her into an island. The gods heard her and turned her into the island of Tioman.

Tourists who have visited Tioman speak about the island in few words: "Paradise!". The island is a nature reserve, and the untouched nature on it is carefully preserved (to get to the island, you even need to pay a small fee of 5 ringgit to the reserve fund). It is one of the ten cleanest and most beautiful islands in the world. The island has many "ideal" virgin beaches, clear mountain rivers and waterfalls. There are no parties and nightlife, and time passes slowly.

Tourists, first of all, go here to go diving and admire the beauty of nature. All year round, diving enthusiasts from all over the world come here to swim with whale sharks and observe underwater life that can not be seen anywhere else in the world. We can even safely say that Tioman is a real paradise for divers. Visibility under water reaches 35 meters, which allows snorkeling, and the water temperature all year round does not fall below 29 degrees. The island is surrounded by a ring of coral reefs and amazes with the diversity and beauty of underwater life. Scattered around Tioman are several other small islands, some of which are not at all explored by tourists, and you have a chance to become a "discoverer".

The infrastructure on the island is not developed, but there is everything you need for recreation. Of the 7 villages on the island, not even all have electricity, and only one has an asphalt road-from the airport to the Berjaya Hotel. Some hotels on the island can only be reached by water.

There are several hotels of different price categories, including very inexpensive, but they are booked almost one year in advance. In general, rest on Tioman can be called expensive and elite, but independent economical travelers can afford to spend a few days here, renting a room in one of the inexpensive hostels owned by local residents.

An excellent gift to the guests of the island was made by the Malaysian government, including the island in the number of duty-free islands. In duty-free shops on the island, you can buy alcohol and cigarettes at very low prices, which is very nice, given that in Malaysia, due to high duties, alcohol and cigarettes are very expensive.

The island is very rarely visited by Russian tourists. Nevertheless, not only independent travelers, but also ordinary tourists can afford to visit it: there are package tours to Tioman Island, the cost of which is quite reasonable.

Tioman weather, tourist seasons

Tioman is known for its very mild and stable climate throughout the year. The temperature of air and water during the year from month to month varies slightly. The average air temperature during the day is 32 degrees.

Unfortunately, weather stability does not extend to precipitation throughout the year. The rainy season stands out when there is a lot of precipitation, while during the dry season there is almost no precipitation.

Dry season, also known as the high tourist season, lasts from May to September, and the influx of tourists is observed from June to August.

Rainy season lasts almost the rest of the year, from November to March. At this time, you should not strive to visit the island. Along with heavy rains, strong winds blow and dangerous waves form, and some of the hotels close during this period.

Current weather on Tioman and forecast for the near future:

Time on Tioman

The time difference between Moscow and Tioman is +5 hours.

Useful information

Currency exchange. You can exchange currency on Tioman at the airport, but at an unfavorable rate. It is better to do this in advance in Kuala Lumpur or at Kuala Lumpur International Airport if you will not call in the city. If you get to Tioman from Singapore, it also makes sense to change money to currency of Malaysia in the city or airport of Singapore.

ATM. An ATM is installed on the island in the village of Tetek, but according to our information only plastic cards of local banks work there.

Communication. Cellular communication on the island does not work everywhere (you can catch the signal in the southern part of the island). Not every village on the island even has a wired telephone connection. You can find the internet, but it is not in every hotel.

Alcohol. Often on the Internet you can find information that the sale of alcohol outside hotels is prohibited on Tioman. That's not true. Tioman, like Langkawi, is a duty-free zone, and the duty-free shops on the island offer alcohol and cigarettes at very low prices.

Protection against insects. If you plan to settle in an inexpensive room without air conditioning, be sure to take care of a fumigator (to repel mosquitoes). In some hotels they are available in the rooms, but not everywhere. On the street, especially in the evening, the use of mosquito sprays (preferably locally produced) is also highly recommended.

Reviews of Tioman

Review: April-May 2011. Savages in Malaysia. Part 4. Tioman Island