Pulau Tioman

Date: May 2006 [4D/3N]
Location: Pulau Tioman, Malaysia
Transport: Flight
No. of dives: 4

Accessibility to dive sites: 8.0
Marine Animal Density: 5.0
Dive site terrain Quality: 7.5
Marine Animal Diversity: 6.0
Visibility: 5.0
Overall Score: 6.3

Entry: Boat
Difficulty: OW
Dive Sites: Fringing reefs/Boulders

Underwater Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Underwater casing: Canon Waterproof Case WP-DC900 for Powershot A80 by Canon
Underwater Strobe: NIL
Land Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Land Lens: Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC
Land Filter: Hoya CPL
Post editing: PS CS2
My reason to go there: I though I would never go to Tioman in my life time, because it is too far and not worth the $ for a Penangite. But since there is an opportunity to go there at low cost, I went for it.

 

I have been to Pulau Tioman on Apr-May 2006, it was a ad-hoc trip. Scuba diving in Tioman was just average to me. Mainly because there are a lot of dead corals and visibility was just average with a lot of floating particles.
I guess if you are from Southern Peninsular Malaysia, Tioman is still worth a visit because of the close proximity. However if you are from North Peninsular Malaysia, I say give Tioman a skip, not worth the $, time and energy. Those in Terengganu and Kelantan are better, or you should go 3-5 hours north to Koh Lepe, Koh Rawa, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai, Koh Tarutau, Koh Bulon, Koh Adang, etc. cheaper, nicer and less conservative tourists

Pulau Tioman has been used for thousands of years by fishermen as an important navigation point and a source of fresh water and wood. During the past thousand years, it has played host to Chinese, Arab, and European trading ships, and often porcelain shards can be found on beaches around the island.

In more recent history, Pulau Tioman has played host to both the British and the Japanese during the Second World War, and the waters around the island are littered with war remains (including HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales).
The local resident population is 100% bumiputera (Malay people).

Pulau Tioman is a small island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Pahang, and is some 39 km long and 12 km wide. It has eight main villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Tekek in the north. Yet, the densely forested island is still sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a scuba diving haven.

Its beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie, South Pacific as Bali Hai. In the 1970s, TIME magazine selected Tioman as one of the world’s most beautiful islands.

 

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