27 top things to do in Tioman Island

If you think there’s nothing to do on Tioman Island other than the usual beach activities, think again!

Yes, there are the awesome snorkeling and diving opportunities, but you can have some amazing hikes among pristine jungle too. Take a dip at a waterfall if you wish!

Cycling, kayaking, surfing, and even duty-free shopping are some other things you can do on Tioman Island as well.

And if that’s still not enough, you can hop on a boat to check out the other islands around Tioman!

Without further ado, here are 27 things you can do in Tioman Island:

27 Things To Do In Tioman Island

1. Lounge On One Of The Island’s Many Beaches

There’s ABC beach (or Air Batong), Genting, Paya, Juara, Nipah, Salang, and a couple more.

But for some peace and quiet, you’re better off at Juara. You do need some inland transport to get to it though.

Paya beach has golden sand and is another great option with fewer crowds. Nipah is great for the whole day.

Juara Beach at Tioman Island
Beautiful Juara Beach at Tioman Island (Source: tioman.org)

Tip: Choose your accommodation according to the beach you want to go to!

2. Discover What Makes Nipah Beach Special

Speaking of Nipah Tioman, there’s a reason why you might want to stay until dark at this isolated beach.

The beach is at the edge of a forest and the sand is golden and clean.

But when night falls, you can see phosphorescent seaweed illuminate the water! How cool is that?

Golden Sand, Granite Wall and Lagoon at Nipah, Tioman Island, Johor
Golden Sand, Granite Wall and Lagoon at Nipah, Tioman Island (Source: tioman.org)

3. Walk To ABC Beach And Go On A Scenic Trail

ABC or Air Batang is hard to miss on Tioman.

Besides the numerous eateries and accommodation choices, there are plenty of scenic trails including a walk all the way to Tekek village.

Indeed, one of the more popular trails is to walk on over to the next item on this list!

Tip: Sandflies are particularly abundant on ABC beach and Juara. Their bites are worse than mosquitoes! Frequent applications of repellent will stop them from harassing you.

4. Hike From Monkey Beach To Monkey Bay

Not done with beaches yet?

Then on over to Monkey Beach for a good hike all the way to the hourglass-shaped Monkey Bay. Snorkelling is a good idea here. Oh, and there are monkeys here of course!

Monkey Beach at Tioman Island
Monkey Beach. (Source: trainsnotplanes.blog)

Tip: If you think the monkeys on the mainland are bold, these ones are even more so. Don’t feed them and watch out for your bags!

5. Beat The Heat And Go For A Swim

Have a refreshing swim after a hike! Take note that despite the many beaches on Tioman, not all of them are good for swimming because of dead corals that can cut your feet.

Juara and Salang are your best bet for a swim!

Salang Beach at Tioman Island
Crystal clear sea water at Salang Beach. (Source: pulautioman.com.my)

Tip: Be aware of dead coral debris if you want to enjoy the rest of your vacation!

6. Educate Yourself At The Marine Park Information Centre

Learn everything about the marine life (including flora and fauna) present in the seas surrounding Tioman Island. Entrance is free.

Marine Park (a coral sanctuary) is just opposite too.

Make it a point to stop here before you go for a dive or snorkeling session!

Marine Park Information Center at Tioman Island
Marine Park Information Center. (Source: ttnotes.com)

Tip: The centre is closed during monsoon season. But you can still go to the marine park!

7. Get Certified For Diving At Tioman

Besides the clear waters, Tioman Island is a good place to learn diving as you have a wide selection of dive schools (like Dive Asia) to choose from.

More importantly, PADI certification is cheap here at around RM 1,000!

If you’ve already had a PADI cert, then you may want to head over to Chebeh Island, Labas Island and Tiger Reef – these are the best diving spots in Tioman!

Diving with Sea Turtle at Tioman Island
Diving with Sea Turtle at Tioman Island.

8. Snorkel Among The Fish At Coral Or Renggis Island

It goes without saying that Tioman is also a fantastic spot to go snorkeling. So, tioman snorkeling is a must-do activity.

Start at Salang beach or ABC jetty (go towards Salang). The reefs are not too far away.

Coral island and Renggis island are great for snorkeling too. You might even spot a black-tip reef shark among all the colorful fishes!

Get rental gear at any dive shop.

Snorkeling among the fish at Tioman Island
Snorkeling among the fish at Renggis Island (Source: tioman.org)

Tip: Do check the best time to visit Tioman Island before heading there.

Get a wet suit if you’re planning to go during May and October. This is jellyfish season.

Read also: Tioman Island Package Review & Comparison (How To Choose Tioman Island Package – The Complete Guide For The First-Timer)

9. Kayak In The Pristine Waters Around Tioman

You don’t have to put your head underwater to see the fish, there’s still kayaking! A lot of hotels (like Berjaya Tioman Resort) rent out kayaks.

Or you can grab one at ABC beach or Salang too.

On a clear day, you can kayak right to Turtle beach and even Monkey Bay!

Kayaking at Tioman Island with Dragon Horns
Kayaking at Tioman Island with Dragon Horns - Photo credits to livingnomads.com

10. Get Your Surf On At Tioman

Surfing buffs, take note! Juara is your go-to for some serious waves. The swells can be massive during the rainy season. Sometimes even up to 20 meters!

If you don’t happen to have a surfboard with you, you can rent one at Juara Village. But they can frequently run out of boards during peak (monsoon) season!

Surfing at Tioman Island
Surfing at Juara, Tioman Island (Source: tioman.org)

11. Shop Duty-Free in Tioman

Like Langkawi, Tioman is a duty free zone. So if you’re in the mood for shopping, head over to Vision Duty Free in Tekek village.

You can get cheap alcohol and other items like tobacco, batik prints and chocolate.

There are some smaller outlets at Paya and Salang Village.

Duty-free shop at Tekek - Vision Commerce
Duty-free shop at Tekek. (Source: tioman.org)

Tip: If you are heading to Singapore right after Tioman, you will have to pay duty for the items such as alcohol and tobacco.

12. Catch Your Own Dinner On A Fishing Trip

Because you can only fish a maximum of 25km from the cost of Tioman Island, you can either take a package or stay at the shore.

Have what you catch for dinner when you join these sorts of fishing trips!

Actually, you can also combine this activity with the next one on the list!

Fishing trip around Tioman Island
Fishing trip around Tioman Island. (Source: robalor300.blogspot.com)

13. Go Island Hopping in Mersing Marine Park

Tioman Island is only one of many other (8 to be exact) islands in the Mersing Marine Park.

To get to Tioman Island, you have to take a ferry from either Mersing Jetty or Tanjung Gemok Jetty. See the Tioman ferry schedule here.

Once you are at Tioman, you can charter a boat to explore some of the other islands! Combine this activity with swimming, fishing or snorkeling if you can!

Johor Islands Around South China Sea
Islands location around Johor.

Tip: Bring an extra set of clothes and keep your valuables in a dry bag. Waves can be big.

14. Spend The Day At Coral Island

If you don’t know which island you should visit, then go with this beautiful one. With a name like Coral island, you can expect that this is a hotspot for marine life.

Your best chance to spot a turtle or sharks is here!

Top view of Coral Island
Crystal clear sea water at Coral Island. (Source: tioman.org)

Tip: You can take the ferry or hire a private boat service.

15. Golf And Enjoy The Views At Tioman

If you prefer to be on dry land and admire the scenery while having a challenging game of golf, then you can why not go to Tioman Island Golf Course?

It’s about RM300 on a weekend to play at all 18 holes, including a buggy and rented clubs.

There are a total of 18 holes at this golf course. Half of which are facing the sea and the other half has views of a lush jungle.

16. Watch The Glorious Sunset At The Beach

This one wholly depends on the weather but if you’re lucky, the sunsets at Tioman are especially gorgeous on clear days.

Sunsets at ABC beach are quite nice. There, you can chill out at Sunset Bar with a slice of yummy pizza and a non-alcoholic drink. You are free to bring your own alcohol over though.

Beautiful sunset at Tioman Air Batang Beach
Gorgeous sunset at ABC Beach, Tioman Island (Source: travel-letics.com)

Tip: The sun sets around 7pm in Malaysia

17. Have A Refreshing Dip At Asah waterfall

You can choose to hike to Asah waterfall (or Mukut Waterfall) or take a water taxi to reduce the hiking time.

There is a 100% guarantee that you will encounter virgin rainforest on the way to the waterfall.

Did you know that this waterfall has appeared in a film (South Pacific 1958) before?

Asah Waterfall at the abandoned village of Kampung Asah
Asah Waterfall at Mukut, Tioman Island. (Source: tioman.org)

Tip: Some boat trips to the waterfall include a picnic lunch and snorkeling. If you fancy a swim, bring along your swimming suit!

18. See The Traditional Island Village Of Mukut

Close to Asah waterfall, is Mukut – a peaceful village (one of the 8 on Tioman Island) with a golden beach to boot! You will definitely find yourself away from the tourist crowds here.

Look out for the striking twin peaks of Gunung Semukut while you are there.

Also known as “Dragon Horns”, you can actually go on a rock climbing adventure up here starting from Mukut Village.

The view of Gunung Semukut from Mukut village
Dragon Horns View from Mukut Village. (Source: tioman.org)

19. Observe A Fishing Community In Genting Village

The beach and water is rather rocky but that adds to its picturesque charm.

It’s worth waking up early here to see the fishermen bring in their haul and what village life on Tioman Island really looks like.

And if you’re feeling hungry, there are quite a lot of local eateries here.

20. Breeze Around Tioman Island On A Bicycle

Your accommodation may have bicycles (Including tandem) for rent. Take one out and explore Tioman Island.

The island has payments which make cycling in Tioman all too easy. This is a fantastic way to spend the evening.

Rental rates are something like RM10/hour. You can also rent one at Tekek village.

Cycling around Juara Beach, Tioman Island
Cycling around Juara Beach, Tioman Island. (Source: trainsnotplanes.blog)

21. Hike Up To The Summit Of Gunung Kajang

Gunung Kajang (or Mount Kajang) stands at a height of 1038m on Tioman Island.

In fact, it is the highest peak if you’re considering the islands around this side of Malaysia (West Malaysia).

This hike is not easy and will take an average of 10 hours (including the return journey). A guide is a must. And you may even have to camp overnight in the jungle.

There are two starting points – Kampung Juara or Kampung Paya.

Gunung Kajang, the tallest mountain at Tioman Island.
Gunung Kajang, the highest mountain at Tioman Island.

22. Admire Nature While Jungle Trekking At Tioman

Have your hiking shoes and insect repellent ready – many of the trails go through jungle. Be on the lookout for wildlife!

For a relatively easy jungle trek, try the 2-hour trail from Tekek Village to Juara. Another trails you can try is the one from Salang Bay to Monkey Bay or Turtle Bay.

If you take a guide, you can learn about some medicinal plants along the way!

Jungle trekking at Tioman Island
Jungle trails at Tioman Island. (Source: tioman.org)

Read also: Singapore To Tioman Package: All-inclusive Package For Fuss-free Trip To Tioman

23. Enjoy The Nightlife On Tioman Island

Ok, there aren’t too many options when it comes to nightlife on Tioman. Especially not if you’re looking for a good clubbing scene.

But if you want to have a beer or a cocktail and chill with fellow travellers, then make your way to Tioman Cabana Bar in Tekek Village.

Sometimes, they have bonfires or fire shows (or ‘poipoi’) on the beach.

24. See Baby Turtles Or Turtle Eggs!

This is a good opportunity to see marine conservation in action.

The volunteers at Juara Turtle Project work very hard to save the turtle population around Tioman. They have a lot of different species of turtles here.

You may see baby turtles or eggs depending on what they have under their care at the moment.

Hatching Release of green turtle at Tioman Island
Hatching release at Tioman Island. (source: alloutafrica.com)

Tip: Turtle season is from Mid-March until the end of October.

25. Have A Fun Game Of Frisbee Or Volleyball

Check out your chosen accommodation to see if you can rent a Frisbee or volleyball. Or bring your own Frisbee along. You might make some new friends who also love the sport!

Any of these beaches would be great for a game – Salang Beach, Monkey Beach, Berjaya Beach, Juara Beach or Genting Beach.

26. Get Your Seafood Fix At ABCD Restaurant

There is sure to be a crowd here during the evenings so come early! The restaurant is known for their seafood barbecue. Beer is available.

Another restaurant you can sample some seafood at is Golden Dish Café:

This Chinese restaurant uses its own organically grown vegetables. You can also grab an ice cold beer here!

If you want some Asian flavor, try the Tom Yum seafood soup at Riverside Café. They serve other Thai and Malay dishes here too.

Seafood at Tioman Island
Seafood at Tioman Island.

27. Fruits Galore On Tioman

Keep yourself hydrated! There is no shortage of fresh coconut water here!

Other tropical fruits are of course, easily available too. Think papayas, pineapples, and bananas. Cheap and delightful!

There are two main supermarkets on Tioman if you want to go crazy on fruit!

Conclusion:

Use this list as reference and make the most of your precious time in Tioman Island! There’s something for everyone on Tioman as this list goes to show.