Tioman Island Everything You Need To Know: A Tropical Escape Guide

Flo MBT
Jan 30
4 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Crystal-clear waters, jungle treks, and untouched beaches—Tioman Island is the perfect blend of adventure and paradise waiting to be explored!

Person on a swing under palm trees by a sandy beach. Clear blue sky and ocean, with a wooden hut and boat in the background. Relaxed mood. — *Juara Beach, East Coast*

Important note: When you go to Tioman Island by ferry (From Mersing Jetty or Teluk Gading), make sure you know which jetty you’ll be getting off at, as not all villages are connected by road. If you don't get off at the correct jetty, you’ll need to take a taxi boat.

Our adventure on Tioman Island was definitely different from your typical Tioman experience. Why? Because we spent one week at the end of January, during the low season. And on Tioman during the low season, there aren't many tourists, nor are many restaurants or shops open. We won’t lie, we were a little confused at first. We had read online that the island would be closed during the low season, but what did that really mean? People live here year-round, right?

Short story long, we enjoyed every moment of this experience. We felt good and relaxed, lived with the locals, and embraced a slower pace of life.

Depending on what you are looking for, the beginning or end of the high season might be a great in-between. We haven't experienced the high season, but we saw all the restaurants, diving centers, and accommodations, and suspect that it might get busy, but still be enjoyable.

**This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support the upkeep of this blog.

Pathway leads to a brown cabin with green roof, surrounded by lush garden and colorful flowers. Beach and ocean visible in the background. — *Concrete path - ABC Village*

What to expect on Tioman Island

On Tioman Island, one thing we absolutely LOVED is that, on most of the island, there are no real roads or cars. We stayed in ABC (Air Batang) Village, where there is only a small concrete pathway that pedestrians, bicycles, and motorbikes share.

As mentioned earlier, not every village is connected by road. For some, you’ll need to take a taxi boat; for others, you can walk or cycle on the concrete path, and some are connected by jungle treks.

How long to spend on Tioman Island

You could easily spend a week on this beautiful island! However, if you have limited time, we recommend at least 2 full days.

When to visit Tioman Island

May to September: The summer months, with calm seas and pleasant weather.
March to June: The best time for diving, with good weather and conditions.
June to September: The best time for diving, with visibility of up to 30 meters.

Things To Do on Tioman Island

Activities on Tioman Island are perfect for nature lovers! Whether it's snorkeling or diving in the beautiful waters and swimming with turtles, or hiking the jungle treks and discovering the many waterfalls, Tioman is a paradise for outdoor activities. There are many tours that offer full-day snorkeling trips, taking you to 4-5 different spots.

Here are two jungle treks we enjoyed:

ABC jetty to Selang jetty: At the very end of ABC Village and the concrete path, you will find the beginning of the jungle trek. It took us 3 hours to reach Selang, as we stopped at Monkey Bay for a swim. Monkey Beach and Monkey Bay are definitely worth the hike. The second part of the trek, from Monkey Bay to Selang Jetty, was rather challenging and not always easy to follow, as many trees had fallen and we couldn’t find the path. However, if you follow the pipe, you're on the right track. We decided to return to ABC Jetty by ferry, as it happened to be there.
ABC to Genting: We hired bicycles to ride as far as we could (Berjaya Tioman Resort). From there, you'll need to walk along the beach, cross the golf course, and find your way back onto a small road. The first part of the trek isn’t well-defined, but the second part, from Tumuk to Genting, is well-marked. It took us about 4-5 hours round trip; don’t forget your swimwear for a refreshing swim!

Tip: We never get a SIM card when traveling to a new country, so we use the Maps.me app a lot. It allows you to download maps and get geolocated offline.

Where did we stay?

We stayed at ABC chalet (Booking.com) and booked a chalet right on the beach. The chalet is simple and comfortable, with a nice deck and an outdoor shower. The view and location are everything you could wish for a relaxing stay!

ABC Village is known to be more of a hotspot for backpackers, offering cheaper accommodations and a younger vibe.

Where to Next?

How to Travel Around Malaysia

Let’s start at the beginning — how to get around Malaysia. Nothing could be easier! We booked all our transportation through 12go.asia, which made planning super smooth. The bus system in Malaysia is excellent — always clean, comfortable, and reliable. It’s one of the easiest and most affordable ways to travel between cities.