Navigating Your Way to Tioman Island: Your How-To Travel Guide

Traveloka MY
22 Apr 2024 - 6 min read

Who doesn’t know about this beautiful Tioman island? Located in the South China Sea, off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Tioman Island provides plenty of experiences for you to get connected with nature. Are you in?

Tioman Island is popular for the pristine beaches, the lush rainforests, and the coral reefs underwater. That’s why it’s the perfect place to connect with nature. After doing the hustle and bustle in the city, why don’t you take a moment off and enjoy every second of your life by joining the water activities in Tioman Island? Or, exploring culture in Tioman Island village by village? You know the island has plenty of villages worth exploring.

So, before you go, we made you a guide on how to get to Tioman Island and what you can actually do when you’re on the island! Keep reading!

How to Get to Tioman Island?

Well, getting to Tioman Island is actually pretty easy, especially when you’re in the major cities in Malaysia, or Singapore. Tioman Island is very close, you can even spend the weekend there because the trip won’t take too long.

Here’s our guide:

1. From Kuala Lumpur

By Air:

The fastest way to reach Tioman from Kuala Lumpur is by taking a flight to Tioman Airport (Tioman Island).
There are regular flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Tioman Airport. It will take you around an hour only.

By Bus and Ferry:

Take a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing, a coastal town in the state of Johor.
From Mersing, you can ride a ferry to Tioman Island. The ferry ride takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

2. From Johor Bahru

By Bus and Ferry:

Take a bus from Johor Bahru to Mersing. Approximately 3-4 hours.
From Mersing, ride a ferry to Tioman Island. You'll arrive in 2 hours max.

3. From Singapore

By Bus and Ferry:

Take a bus from Singapore to Mersing.
From Mersing, catch a ferry to Tioman Island. It can be around 7 hours maximum to get from Singapore to Tioman Island.

4. From Penang

By Air:

Fly from Penang International Airport to Tioman Airport. It will take around 2-3 hours.

By Bus and Ferry:

Take a bus from Penang to Mersing.
From Mersing, board a ferry to Tioman Island. The total hours to finally arrive in Tioman Island can reach up to 10 hours.

5. From Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) or Kuching (Sarawak)

By Air:

Fly to Kuala Lumpur and then take a connecting flight to Tioman Airport. The connecting flight from KL to Tioman Airport will be around 1 hour, but the duration between Kota Kinabalu or Kuching to KL will be varied.

Before you go, please make sure about the weather and only go if the weather is good. Riding a ferry or airlines won’t be safe without the support of good weather. Also, don’t forget to check the schedules for each transportation. It can vary even day by day.

Check the price for each transportation and suit it to your budget.If possible, book your tickets in advance.

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1. Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, and Kayaking!

Tioman Island is a perfect destination for people that love water activities! From snorkeling to kayaking, you can experience it all here. Tioman Island has plenty of spots perfect for each activity.

For snorkeling, you should come to Coral Island (Pulau Tulai) or Renggis Island. Both have vibrant coral reefs. Renggis Island even has shallow waters aside from having a diverse marine life.

Meanwhile, the best spots for scuba diving are Chebeh Island, Labas Island, and Tiger Reef. Experience the wonderful marine life under! In Labas Island, you can encounter the school of fish, turtles, and reef sharks.

People usually kayak in Genting Bay, Tekek Bay, and Juara Bay. They are perfect spots because of the calm waters and scenic view around you. In Tekek Bay, the area for kayaking is sheltered, so you can kayak at your own pace safely. You can explore the hidden coves in Genting Bay and admire how clear the water in Juara Bay.

2. Relaxing at The Beaches

We’re sure you’re already in Tioman Island to enjoy the beaches. The island has plenty of stunning beaches, where each has its own charm. If you’re staying here for longer time, it’s a great idea to explore these beaches one by one:

Long Beach (Pantai Panjang), where people usually sunbathe and do all the beach activities like playing volleyball on the sand! Various accommodations, restaurants, and beach bars are available around.
ABC Beach (Air Batang Beach), where you can find a lot of budget-friendly accommodation. The atmosphere of the beach is good for people that look for a more serene situation.
Salang Beach is for people that need a more lively and vibrant atmosphere. It's heaven for divers too!
Genting Beach, another option for a beach that is not too crowded. It’s famous for the beautiful coral reefs. Suitable for swimming or snorkeling.
Juara Beach, a quieter beach, beautiful and very tranquil. It’s also suitable for swimming since the waves are mostly calm and gentle. There’s a turtle hatchery too, so you can see how to protect turtles and actually release turtle hatchlings into the sea.
Tekek Beach, which is located in the famous Tekek Village in Tioman Island. Seafood restaurants are available on the side of the beach.

3. Jungle Trekking to The Rainforest

Tioman’s rainforest is rich with diverse flora and fauna. That’s why nature lovers should try jungle trekking to the rainforest. It’s your chance to disconnect with modern life for a while and engage yourself in the middle of nature, where everything is serene, fresh, and stunning.

Prepare yourself with the most comfortable and safe clothing and shoes for trekking and enjoy every step you take in the rainforest. Meet the colorful birds, butterflies, and perhaps even some elusive wildlife!

4. Visiting Asah Waterfall

You’ve known the beaches and rainforest in Tioman Island, now you should explore the most popular waterfall in the island: Asah Waterfall. Visiting the waterfall would be a refreshing experience! Imagine the sound of the water hitting the clear pool. The view and the air would be so fresh too, as Asah Waterfall is located in the middle of Tioman Island’s rainforest.

Not only that you can admire the view, you can actually jump in the cool waters and swim! Hence, don’t forget to wear your swimsuit when you trek all the way to Asah Waterfall. Yup, the journey to the waterfall itself is already adventurous!

Asah waterfall is definitely a great place to take some photos and to enjoy the serene atmosphere. It’s good to be here. It feels like the load has finally taken off your body.

5. Food Hunting!

Your trip to Tioman Island won’t be completed if you haven’t tried food hunting around the island. The highlight foods in Tioman Island is, of course, the fresh seafood. The food prices are in a wide range, you can find both the cheap and the expensive ones.

Most of the seafood is cooked in Chinese cuisine style, so most of the visitors around don’t need to adapt much as Chinese cuisines are already familiar around. Among all nice restaurants in Tioman Island, several places that are popular so far are the Sunset Bar at ABC Village, Mandi Mandi Restaurant, and Mawar Beach Restaurant.

Tekek Village is also heaven for food enthusiasts. Try these when you’re in Tekek Village: Tioman Cabana Beach Bistro and Al Jannah Paledang Restaurant.

6. Cycling Around

Where else can you enjoy cycling around and admire the picturesque view other than in Tioman Island? Calling all cycling enthusiasts, Tioman Island actually has so many spots great for cycling, like Tekek Village, the eastern coastal road that offers you the scenic view of the sea and the lush greenery.

Cycling in Tekek Village will get you easier to other villages nearby, like Salang Village or Juara Village. Now, don’t worry, tourists will be able to embark on this cycling journey in Tioman Island by renting the bikes! The rental shops are available around Tekek Village and you can choose what kind of bike that you need. They can even rent you cruisers and mountain bikes!

7. Visiting Kampung Air Batang

Kampung Air Batang is the most popular village in Tioman Island, and it houses many of the best resorts in Tioman Island. The village is indeed rich with scenic beauty, from the lush greenery to the white sandy beaches.

The culture here is very unique. You can still see the traditional houses when you walk around, and the people here are also very nice and warm.

Anyway, the laid-back atmosphere that the village has will make you enjoy every second spent here. Browse for some cafes and restaurants to taste the authentic foods of Tioman Island. If you love snorkeling and diving, you can do it here as well!Whatever activity you want to try in Tioman Island, don’t forget to book the best hotels in Tioman Island earlier through Traveloka. As your lifestyle super app, Traveloka will cover all your trip needs, including flights and attraction tickets. Now that it’s clear about how to go to Tioman Island and what to do, what else are you waiting for?

Discover flight with Traveloka

Thu, 21 Aug 2025

Batik Air Malaysia

Surabaya (SUB) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Start from RM 274.04

Sat, 23 Aug 2025

Batik Air Malaysia

Kota Kinabalu (BKI) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Start from RM 137.48

Thu, 21 Aug 2025

Citilink

Jakarta (CGK) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Start from RM 187.73

In This Article

• How to Get to Tioman Island?
• 1. From Kuala Lumpur
• 2. From Johor Bahru
• 3. From Singapore
• 4. From Penang
• 5. From Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) or Kuching (Sarawak)
• Recommended Activities and Attractions in Tioman Island
• 1. Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, and Kayaking!
• 2. Relaxing at The Beaches
• 3. Jungle Trekking to The Rainforest
• 4. Visiting Asah Waterfall
• 5. Food Hunting!
• 6. Cycling Around
• 7. Visiting Kampung Air Batang

Flights Featured in This Article

Thu, 21 Aug 2025
Batik Air Malaysia
Surabaya (SUB) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Start from RM 274.04
Book Now
Sat, 23 Aug 2025
Batik Air Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu (BKI) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Start from RM 137.48
Book Now
Thu, 21 Aug 2025
Citilink
Jakarta (CGK) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Start from RM 187.73
Book Now
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