Tioman Island

Tioman Island an alluring holiday paradise in the South China Sea. Acclaimed as one of the best island getaways in the world, Tioman was the location of the Hollywood musical, 'South Pacific' in 1959.

The warm waters and good visibility make Tioman a paradise for divers. Discover astounding sights such as colourful Gorgonian sea fans, Staghorn corals, nudibranchs and beautifully sculptured sea sponges. Snorkellers can delight in swimming alongside huge Napoleon Wrasse, Golden Striped Trevally, Bumphead Parrotfish and shoals of Fusiliers.

This island is an idyllic spot for leisurely days under the sun. Swim in its emerald waters, enjoy a stroll by the beach or be lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves. There are several villages scattered around the coastline, the larger ones being Salang, Tekek, Genting, Paya and Juara.

Each village offers a different and unique atmosphere. Tioman's verdant greenery is home to a splendid variety of plants and small animals, including butterflies, monitor lizards, deer and monkeys. Its flora and fauna have been featured in National Geographic's documentaries.

The island's granite formations make for excellent rock-climbing expeditions. The more adventurous can attempt to scale the sheer cliff face of the legendary Gunung Nenek Semukut or Dragons Horns. Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort offers a luxurious stay amidst a backdrop of rolling hills and scenic views.

How to get there
By Road
Access the Tebrau Highway from Johor Bahru and go to Mersing via Kota Tinggi. Access the Karak Highway from Kuala Lumpur through Temerloh, Kuantan, Pekan, Kuala Rompin,Tanjung Gemuk to Mersing. Alternatively take the PLUS Highway from Kuala Lumpur via Seremban, Bahau, Muadzam Shah, Kuala Rompin, Tanjung Gemuk to Mersing.

By Public Transport
Express buses are available from Singapore at Newton Circus Court and Jalan Sultan Bus Station. From Kuala Lumpur, buses and taxis are available at Puduraya Bus Station. Buses leave at noon and 11.30 pm while taxis leave at any time. Estimated travel time 5-6 hours.

By Sea
Tioman is accessible by boat from Tanjung Gemok in Pahang and Mersing in Johor. Journey time is approximately 1.5 hours. It can also be reached by a 4-hour ferry ride from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore.

By Air
Berjaya Air operates daily direct 45-minute flights to Tioman from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Turtle Island Park

Turtle Island Park consists of a number of uninhabited islands lying in the Sulu Sea, off the east coast of Sabah. Turtle Island, or Selingan Island, is the largest of these islands and has been developed to house the park's headquarters, a visitors' centre, basic tourist facilities and a turtle hatchery.

The other islands are usually off limits to the casual visitor in order to keep the turtles' natural habitat pristine.

Turtle landings usually occur after dusk. The park has a sensible policy of allowing visitors to see only one landing a night. This allows undisturbed nestings to go on throughout the night. Whilst waiting for the evening's highlight, all that is left to do is to laze on the beach at sunset or snorkel. The west side of the island is ideal for this. It's clean, quiet, and offers some interesting coral and sea life. Wander around the island and you'll be surprised at how many turtles would have landed in the last few days; their tracks, like mini-tractors, remain in the sand for days.

The nearest mainland town to the park is Sandakan. Your tour operator will organise a speedboat pick-up service to and from Turtle Island. It takes about two hours to reach the islands by boat.

How to get there
By Boat
From Sandakan jetty, you can arrange a speedboat to take you to Turtle Island. The journey takes about two hours.

Batu Feringgi

Batu Feringgi, situated along the coastal road north-west of Georgetown and lined with a string of international-standard resorts, is the most popular beach in Penang.

Soak in the sun or unwind on the beach while you enjoy a host of aquatic thrills from wind-surfing to canoeing. For a spine-tingling adventure, try parasailing to enjoy the view of the beach from the sky.

As the sun sets, Batu Feringgi comes alive with a carnival-like atmosphere with an open-air bazaar selling anything from ornate curios to enticing souvenir items. Watch local artisans demonstrate the intricate art of craft-making and batik-painting. Dubbed the Feringgi Walk, the bazaar offers shoppers a host of attractions.

How to get there
By Taxi
Your best option to get to and from Batu Feringgi to Georgetown and back is by taxi. Buses are infrequent and it's just too far and too hot to cycle.

Sipadan Island

The late Jacques Cousteau, the world-renowned oceanographer, described Sipadan Island as ‘an untouched piece of art’, while divers around the world voted it as one of the top five dive sites in the world.

Malaysia’s only oceanic island, it is very small – only 12ha. in size. A 25-minute walk is all that is required to circle the island on foot. As an oceanic island, it rises about 700 metres from the sea floor, attracting diverse marine life from the blackness of the open sea. Surrounded by crystal clear waters, this crown jewel is a treasure trove of some of the most amazing marine animals.

Declared a bird sanctuary in 1933 by the Colonial Government of North Borneo and re-gazetted in 1963 by the Malaysian Government, the dense vegetation on Sipadan Island supports a large variety of tropical birds which include sea eagles, kingfishers, sunbirds, starlings and wood pigeons. Exotic crustaceans including the amazing coconut crab roam the beaches and scurry among the undergrowth.

When diving here, encounters with turtles, resident schools of jacks, bumphead parrotfish and barracudas are almost assured around the tiny coral island.

How to get there
By Air
The jump off point to Sipadan Island is Kota Kinabalu or Tawau.

By Car
Continue the journey by a 1-hour drive to Semporna town.

By Sea
A 30-minute speedboat will take you to Mabul, which is the jump off point for Sipadan Island explorations.