Top 19 Best Things To Do In Tioman Island [2024]

If you are looking for paradise, Tioman could be it!

Located in the South China Sea off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia, the Tioman Islands are the perfectly balanced island beach destination in Malaysia – it’s close enough to Singapore to get enough visitors and have some good tourism infrastructure, without becoming overcrowded or overdeveloped with too many resorts.

If you love gorgeous beaches, every-shade-of-blue water, water sports and pristine jungle with waterfalls, there are many things to do in Tioman Island which you will love.

Likewise, if you just want an island escape where you can relax with a good book by beautiful scenery then Tioman Island is also for you!

Below is our guide to Tioman Island attractions as well as an overview of the best hotels and essential information like how to get to Tioman Island, how to get around and the best time to visit Pulau Tioman. We also include a map at the bottom so you can get an idea of where all the places to visit in Tioman Island are located.

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Top 19 Best Things To Do In Tioman Island, Malaysia

An Introduction To Tioman Island

Before I share what to do in Tioman Island, Malaysia (also called Pulau Tioman), I will introduce you to this island so you have an idea what to expect!

Tioman Island is 20 kilometres long and 11 kilometres wide, so it is bigger than you might imagine. The main town is Tekek and this is where you will find the airport (currently only used for flights from Kuala Lumpur), the only ATM, clinic, the main shops and the main transportation hub. It’s on the smaller side and there are no big towns, let alone cities, on Tioman.

The main beach towns are Kampung Salang, Kampung Air Batang (also known as ABC), Kampung Paya, Kampung Genting, Kampung Nipah, Kamping Mukut and Kampung Juara. There are also resorts dotted around the island so you can choose whether you stay in a busier spot or you may well find that the Pulau Tioman best place for you is a private hideout away from everyone else. All places are on the slow and quiet side though. You can read more about the different areas here.

There are very few roads. There’s only a small stretch of paved road on the west coast and a road across to Juara on the east coast so you will need to catch water taxis or walk to get to most places. More about this and island hopping Tioman options below.

When wondering what are the Tioman Island things to do I’ll state the obvious first – you don’t have to do anything! Tioman is the perfect island to just kick back, relax, and not do very much at all… Of course, if you want to do more than that, there are many options below for you to choose from!

Try Scuba Diving & Snorkelling

By far the top of the list of the top Tioman Island activities is a snorkeling or diving trip. The water around Tioman offers some of the best diving in Malaysia as well as some of the most accessible.

Diving and snorkeling tours are easy to find and good value and one of the best Tioman things to do if you want to see how beautiful the underwater life is here. There are some great dive centres on Tioman. You can also do your PADI Open Water Diver certification here for a competitive price.

Alternatively, there are introductory dives available where you don’t have to be certified or do a course.

Dive schools are mainly in Salang, ABC, Tekek, Paya and Juara, but your resort should be able to book you a trip. The best time of year for diving is at the end of the dry season, as the water gets churned up during monsoon and you’ll get less under-water clarity.

There is good snorkelling off some points of the west coast of the island, but the best option is around Pulau Tulai (also called Coral Island). Many places across the island rent snorkelling equipment.

For full details of the best diving packages on the island and exactly how much it costs, read our article here. This covers everything at the B&J Diving Centre which is located at Tioman Dive Resort and is the top place to organise diving through on the island.

We even have a special discount at this place if you book accommodation and diving together. Click here to see it.

We also offer two special experiences for our readers. You can find the learn-to-dive experience here (perfect if you want to become a certified diver) and our leisure dive experience here (for certified divers).

Relax at Paya Beach

If you’re looking for Tioman attractions, then Paya Beach may be of interest to you for it’s nice scenery, and it’s easy to reach as well.

Paya Beach is located to the south of Tekek and is a nice beach area lined by some resorts and restaurants. It’s a nice place to have a meal while seeing more of the island. You can walk here from Berjaya Resort Tioman or catch a sea taxi. The main ferries also stop here.

Go Surfing at Juara Beach

Juara Beach, on Tioman Island’s east coast, is worth adding to your things to do on Tioman Island list just for its great beach and beautiful sunrises. It’s definitely one of the top beaches on the island.

It’s also great to visit if you’re looking for more active Pulau Tioman things to do as it also has the best surfing on the island. It’s becoming increasingly popular as a surfing destination. The downside is that this is only a great surfing spot during the monsoon from Novermber to February when you will also have to deal with a lot of rain.

This is low tourist time so there won’t be many people around which can be an advantage in itself (if you don’t mind the rain).

It’s possible to hire a surfboard but it’s expensive so bring your own if you can.

Click here to read our full article on Juara Beach.

Go Jungle Trekking From Tekek Village to Juara

One of the main Pulau Tioman activities is jungle trekking – as there are many places you can trek to on Tioman Island and it’s a great way to get away from it all. It’s also the most inexpensive way to get around, and one of the best activities in Tioman Island if you feel the need to get some exercise or just want a change of scenery!

There’s plenty of wildlife and it’s easy to do it yourself – although note that paths can be steep and its hot and humid so take plenty of water. Also, go in daylight, take your time and leave behind any big packs if you can. Closed shoes are also recommended with 25 species of snake on the island!

There are many hiking routes and a popular option is from Tekek to Berjaya Tioman Resort and on to Paya and Genting.

However, the best option to really get a taste of Tioman is the jungle hike from Tekek to Juara. This involves cutting across the island so you can see the interior. At 7 kilometres long, there are some steep sections and you should have a moderate level of fitness. Again, take plenty of water.

If you want something easy, I recommend the hike from Tekek to Berjaya Tioman. It’s relatively quick and easy with just one hill. I walked it with my 7 year old easily.

Get Away From It All At Mukut

Mukut is a more traditional village and is in the running for the prettiest village on the island. This village definitely makes my short list for best place in Tioman. It has a great beach and some superb scenery including the “donkey’s ears” you can see pictured above.

At the south of the island, you do feel like you are getting away from it all as well.

If your what to do in Pulau Tioman includes relaxing and beautiful scenery, definitely consider Mukut.

Visit Genting Village

Genting not only has a nice beach on this list of things to do in Pulau Tioman but also is home to a renowned Malaysian batik artist, Suhadi Mahadi. If you’re looking for an interesting place in Pulau Tioman, then you can visit his Suzila Batik Arts and Crafts Centre in Genting and even attend one of his batik-making classes.

The main ferry stops here or you can take a sea taxi.

Go Kayaking In Tioman Island Waters

One of my favourite things to do Tioman has is to head out in a sea kayak for a paddle around the bays and coves of Tioman island. It’s perfect to do as a couple, solo, or with kids, too.

A fun option for what to do on Tioman Island outside the monsoon months is to go kayaking. You can do this around your closest beach or take yourself on a tour of the island in search of your own private beach.

Kayaks are available to rent at the Berjaya Resort and this is a great place to do this activity. This is because a short kayak away is Renggis Island where you can find some great snorkeling as well. There are also other places on the island where you can hire kayaks.

Learn More About Marine Life At The Marine Park Information Centre

The free Marine Park Information Centre to the north of Tekek is the place to go on Tioman Island to learn about its underwater life.

There are coral displays, short videos and lots of information to learn more about the flora and fauna under the sea. It’s a useful place to go before your snorkeling and diving trip if you can.

It’s on the small side, well presented and has a good kids’ area with things to look at and touch and a reading area. The beach out the front is also great and has a roped off area with plenty of fish where you can snorkel and dive.

It’s on the road from Tekek so you can drive here and at the start of the path to Air Batang.

Enjoy Island Hopping

If you’re still wondering Tioman Island – what to do, then maybe island hopping will be just the thing for you! It’s definitely one of the interesting activities in Pulau Tioman has to offer and a great way to see even more secluded bays and coves if you’ve always dreamed of having a beach to yourself.

There are a variety of uninhabited islands around Tioman which you can explore by boat and hopefully snorkel around too. This is a great way to explore more of the island while getting to see more of its underwater life as well.

Check with your hotel reception for options or you can talk to the water taxi drivers.

Be More Adventurous With ATV Rides

For some adventurous things to do at Pulau Tioman and great jungle views without all the sweat, consider adding an ATV ride to your list of what can we do in Tioman Island. At either the Berjaya Resort or Paya Beach Resort, you can go on an ATV ride through the surrounding jungle.

I especially recommend this in the later afternoon from Berjaya where you head towards Bunut Beach for a great sunset.

Play A Game Of Golf

Berjaya Tioman is also home to an 18-hole golf course. It must be up there with most beautiful courses in the world as you will get great sea and jungle views as you make your way around. It’s also possible to have basic golf lessons here. If you love golf, then this course at Berjaya is the answer to the question Tioman: What to do?

After your match, there are the bars and restaurants of the Berjaya resort to enjoy.

Walk To Kampung Air Batang (ABC)

ABC is located just to the north of Tekek town and only a 30 minute walk away.

While it doesn’t have the best beach on the island, it makes it to this list of places to visit in Pulau Tioman thanks to having great sunsets and a good range of restaurants. It’s worth having dinner here one evening while watching the sunset.

But what is an essential activity on Tioman Island is taking the coastal, over-the-water path from the north of Tekek to ABC. This path is great with many opportunities to spot fish and marine life as you walk around from the boardwalk. This was one of my family’s favourite activities in Tioman.

You can ride on this path, but I suggest walking so you can take your time spotting fish. The area around it is roped off so you can also easily snorkel here.

It was especially great for my 7 year old son who doesn’t want to snorkel but found spotting different fish amazing.

Click here to read our full article on ABC Beach.

Explore Tioman Island By Bike

Cycling is not just a fun activity but also a great way to get around on Tioman with taxi options being limited and expensive.

While it can be hard to cycle on some parts of the island thanks to steep paths, there is a new coastal path between ABC and Tekek which is great for this option. You can rent bikes in Tekek or from some resorts and I do especially recommend this as a way to explore both Tekek and ABC (Air Batang) beach.

Splash At Asah Waterfall

If you love nature and want some fresh (non-salty) water, then Asah Waterfall is definitely the best place in Pulau Tioman for you. A top Pulau Tioman attraction, Asah Waterfall makes for a scenic spot, a fresh water dip or just a nice view at the end of the jungle trek to get there.

This beautiful waterfall is located in the jungle and you can walk to it via a trail from Mukut. Bring your swim suit as it also has a nice water hole for that dip!

Indulge And Enjoy Delicious Local Food

When looking for what to do at Pulau Tioman, eating and enjoying the local food is bound to be top of your list!

There are some great eating options on Tioman so it pays to not just eat in your resort. Not only are many of the local restaurants a lot cheaper, but we found them to have better food a lot of the time, too. Try whatever you can!

There are no lack of restaurants and food stalls and you won’t have problems finding something to please your taste buds.

Do Some Duty-Free Shopping

If you’re looking for a Tioman activity that involves working out your credit card then Tioman Island has duty free status so alcohol and tobacco are cheap and good to stock up on if you need them. Most other things are more expensive though thanks to needing to be shipped over.

In the main town of Tekek, you will find most shops.

Note that if you are travelling to Singapore afterwards that customs will fine you for bringing in alcohol and tobacco from here.

Have An Encounter With Turtles At The Juara Turtle Hatchery

This volunteer organisation protects sea turtles by collecting eggs, moving them to a hatchery and patrolling beaches for predators and poachers. They also do clean up operations. If you’re looking for a Pulau Tioman activity where you can help make a positive difference, you can learn more about volunteering options here.

You can tour the centre or volunteer. Volunteers sign up for a minimum of 4 nights and get food and basic dorm accommodation in return for helping out.

Turtles nest here from February to October and there are public releases of turtles from June to November. If you do decide to join in here, this is bound to be a Pulau Tioman place to visit and experience that will stay with you for years to come.

Read more here.

Enjoy Beautiful Sunsets At The Beach

Not least, if you’re still wondering about what to do in Pulau Tioman, one thing you don’t want to miss on Tioman Island is the sunsets!

Anywhere along the west coast, head to the beach to watch the sunset while you’re staying on Tioman, Malaysia. While ABC can be a great place to do this, you can have a great sunset anywhere along this stretch of coast so remember to hit the beach at sunset time!

Relax and Enjoy Nipah Beach

Our final one of the Pulau Tioman tourist attractions is Nipah Beach. Located down the bottom of the west coast, this is the place to go for a more isolated island experience, and perfect if you’re looking for a place to stay on Tioman that is private and secluded. There is a nice beach, with good snorkelling and jungle hiking available.

Best Hotels In Tioman Island

You can find our full list of the best hotels in Tioman Island as well as information to help you chose between which village to stay in here.

Tioman Dive Resort Review

Tioman Dive Resort is definitely your best option of where to stay on the island if you want to dive.

This resort has some great rooms ranging from double and twins to quad options. They also have dorm rooms for budget seekers.

They have a great beach bar right on ABC Beach.

However, what really makes this resort stand out is the attached B&J Diving Centre. This is the best place to go for diving.

The best part is that if you book via this site, you can also get RM50 off per person for any diving and accommodation package using the code DIVE50.

We also offer two special experiences for our readers staying here and diving at the diving centre. These include accommodation, diving and breakfast. If you are new to diving, the learn to dive experience includes everything you need to get your PADI open water qualification.

If you want a more personalised experience, you can either click here for the prices or fill in the form below for a detailed quote.

Tioman Dive Resort Package Booking Form

If you’d like to book a personalised package, please fill in the form here and Tioman Dive Resort will get back to you with the total price. Remember to keep the coupon code DIVE50 for your RM50 off.

You’ll need to pay a deposit to confirm the booking and then you pay the rest on check-out. Easy!

Berjaya Tioman Resort Review

This is where we stayed on our last visit. We love all the facilities, the relative ease of getting to other parts of the island from here and how easy it is to be at this resort.

The Berjaya Tioman is located on the western side of the island just south of the main village, Tekek. It’s a 4 star resort on a beautiful beach. There are many things to do here with multiple restaurants, bars, gym, tennish courts, children’s playground, day spa, two swimming pools (one for kids with a slide and one with a swim up bar) and golf course.

The tour desk will organise whatever tours you want and it’s also easy to get to Tekek and Juara from here thanks to it being on a road.

The accommodation is in spacious, Malay style chalets with wooden furnishings, air conditioning, TV, tea and coffee making facilities and private balconies. There are a range of types and I recommend one with a sea view. The cheaper room types need to be renovated so avoid these if at all possible. There are family room options as well.

My only complaint is the food is hit and miss, but there are local restuarants just outside the front gates!

Click here for more information and the latest prices or read our full review here.

Best Time To Visit Tioman Island

The best time to visit Tioman Island is from March to October. Like the other east coast islands in Malaysia, Tioman is basically shut down during the monsoon season from the end of October to the start of March. It rains a lot, underwater visiblity is bad and most businesses (including accommodation) are shut.

During this time, boat rides across to the island don’t run often, are regularly cancelled and delayed and you may get stuck on the island. There is also a higher chance of sea sickness and boats can capsize.

However, if you are a surfer, this is the best time to come and the best time for surfing on Pulao Tioman.

The peak time to visit is during Malaysian and Singapore school holidays. If possible, avoid these periods (a couple of weeks in each of March, June and September) as it becomes a lot pricier on the island.

You can read our full guide to the best time to visit Tioman here.

Getting To Tioman Island

If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, the easiest way to get here is via direct flight. Unfortunately, you cannot fly here from anywhere else directly.

Any overland trip here is going to involve at least two segments – getting to a ferry terminal and then taking the ferry across.

There are two choices for ferry terminals – Mersing and Tanjung Gemok. Mersing is closer to Singapore and Tanjung Gemok from Kuala Lumpur. You can look at ferry timetables from Mersing here and from Tanjung Gemok here.

Both places have car parking if you drive and direct buses from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and some other nearby points. You can look at bus timetables here.

Taking a private, long-distance taxi is the easiest way to get to a ferry terminal. We can book a taxi for you with a safe and trustworthy local operator.

Click here for more details and prices.

You can read full details about getting from Mersing to Tioman Island here which includes ferry timetables, photos of each step of the process at Mersing and what to do to make sure you get to Tioman safely.

If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, read our step-by-step guide to getting to Tioman Island here or from Singapore here.

We also have a full guide of how to get to Tioman from anywhere here.

Getting Around Tioman Island

Once you are on Tioman Island, the main way of getting around is by sea taxi. These rates are often per person with a minimum of 4 and you’ll need to pay more if you are solo. In a main area, there is likely to be a sea taxi stall near the jetty. Otherwise, your resort or a tour desk can help you organise one.

They can be very expensive.

You can also hop on the ferries that run from Mersing and Tanjung Gemok as they make their stops at various beaches but these don’t run often.

Other options include a taxi if you are going between Tekek and Juara or Berjaya Tioman. You can also hire a scooter to make this journey.

Walking is a great option where good tracks exist like the ones mentioned above. Bike hire is also possible, but it’s limited where you can use these. I only really recommend bikes between ABC – Tekek and Berjaya Tioman.

Tioman Island Activities Map

Tioman Island With Kids

Tioman Island is a fantastic place to visit with kids. I know because I’ve done it! Natural attractions work very well with kids, and they are likely to love the adventure of boating off to an island and then exploring the beaches, underwater world and jungles of Tioman.

Many resorts are well set up for kids. I know at least one that does not allow them though so check you are booking a kid friendly one, like the Berjaya Tioman above.

My son particularly enjoyed the walk to Air Batang, the Marine Park Information Centre and the drive to Juara. It’s quite steep in parts and not like any road we have been on before. It felt very adventurous!

Final Words

If you are looking for an easy island to visit on Malaysia’s east coast which is beautiful with a great range of accommodation for reasonable prices then come here! It’s a great place to visit, and we like it a lot.

I only wish it was a bit cheaper to get around. It is easy to feel somewhat stuck because of the price of getting around. Otherwise, a huge thumbs up for Tioman Island!

Don’t forget our two special experiences for our readers. You can find the learn-to-dive experience here (perfect if you want to become a certified diver) and our leisure dive experience here (for certified divers).

What do you think of our list of things to do at Tioman Island? You can also find all our other Tioman Island guides here or our full guide to Tioman Island resorts here and packages here.

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