(16-11-09) Our Associate Editor takes us to waters of one of the “ten most beautiful islands in the world.” Located on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, Tioman Island offers all the splendour of the Indo-Pacific coral, in a little-known destination.
In many cases, the reputation of certain areas of diving frequently mentioned in the whole field of underwater world, make “little jewels” be forgotten. They are not as exuberant, but are worth a calm visit. In the case of Malaysia, we have in mind two great classics, such as Sipadan and Layan-Layang, and we forget other interesting places like Tioman, a wonderful island.
Tioman is a small island in the southern sea of China, 32 km west of the coast of the Malay Peninsula, belonging to the state of Pahang. It is not very big: 20 km long by 11 wide. It became famous in the 1950s thanks to Hollywood. In 1958 the film “South Pacific” was shot, serving its exotic landscape as set for exteriors. Thanks to this halo, in 1960 Time magazine included the island among the “ten most beautiful islands in the world.”
Obviously, Tioman is a very attractive place. Far away from tropical cliché, it has a beauty that we could define as wild. The whole island is covered with a thick rainforest, very dense, that makes difficult inner exploration. There are mountainous relieves in the centre and also some challenging peaks near the coast where mountain climbing is practising.
Numerous beaches and palm trees serve as the frontier for a deep blue sea. To this varied landscape it is added their biological importance with many animals and several endemic species of invertebrates and, particularly, the treasures of the sea bottom
THE UNDERSEA WORLD OF TIOMAN
Waters around Tioman are of great biological richness. They have been counted 233 species of fish and 183 of corals. This has made the whole island and several islets be declared protected areas within the Pahagang Marine Park.
Also, although occasionally and being lucky, we can even meet big animals like some tuna and sharks. Even sometimes some manta ray and whale sharks are seen from March to May.
The best conditions for diving are after the monsoon, between March and May. Water temperature stands between 26ºC and 32°C, which makes it very nice for diving. The island has over 20 dive sites located in the west area and in the surrounding islets.
CORAL, CORAL AND MORE CORAL
Dives in Tioman stand out by their great coralline richness. Numerous species, generally well developed, cover the different layers of the bottom of the islands. Depending on deepness, light exposure and currents, we find different species.
In many dives, most of the times in those in the close islets of Palau Soyak and Palau Labas, the bottom us an enormous garden of coral, dotted only with great pink anemones and their clownfish. We have to be careful to enjoy this image and control buoyancy not to damage the delicate coralline structures.
On this spectacular bottom there is a varied fauna composed of small fish and invertebrates. There are lots of species of butterfly fish, many of which are specialized in just one species of coral; angelfish also abound, a real spectacle for view.
In the blue side of a lonely turtle we can see small groups of barracudas, always lying in wait. Colourful nudibranchs mill around the reef with their striking livery, as well as moray eels hidden in cracks or big halibuts.
RENGGIS ISLAND
It is a small islet located near the coast and, like everything here, covered with luxurious vegetation. This is a good place, very popular by its good conditions and especially suitable for diving at night, and in general to enjoy calm: there are usually no currents, and the bottom hardly reaches 40 ft, with all the coralline life at our disposal.
Just inside the water we are surprised by the striking hemispherical structures situated on the sandy bottom. This is an idea of the AWARE Project of PADI to create coral reef and study the process of colonization. A different vision.
Near the island, coral is again omnipresent. We see several lion fish specimens swimming among the points of Acropora, waiting for a prey. Something similar happens with the beautiful manta ray with blue dots, sheltered under large coral tables, waiting its chance.
THE BIG WRECKS OF TIOMAN
Although it is quite unknown for most divers, these waters hide in the bottom some of the biggest and most interesting wrecks that can be explored. Due to its proximity to the strategic city of Singapore, this area had great war activity during World War II.
For this reason, the flagship of the British navy, the battleship Prince of Walles lies here. This is a battleship 43.786tm travel and 745 ft. long, famous for having participated in the victory against the famous German battleship Bismark. Nearby it is its escort, the cruise ship Repulse. We even find more variety in wrecks: two Dutch submarines.
The problem is depth, since all these ships are below 130 ft in higher areas, to 230 ft in the deepest. For example, the Prince of Wales lies between 148 ft and 230 ft beyond the reach of recreational dive.
Conscious of the potential of the area, where there are several diving centres offering special dives with mixtures and technical diving courses of most important international organizations. For the less adventurous there are several wrecks of fishing ships, much more affordable, as Sawadee, one of the most popular.
THE REBIRTH OF THE TURTLES
It is usually said that Tioman Island is shaped like a turtle. True or not, the fact is that the whole area is of vital importance for the breeding of these animals. There are four species that can be seen in these waters, including the giant leatherback turtle, but it is of vital importance for two species in particular: green turtle and hawksbill.
There have been some actions on the island, although perhaps the most important is the one of TAT (Tengku Arif Temenggong) Turtle Sanctuary, located on the west coast. An English enthusiast, John Amos, has estimated that since 2006 between 19,000 and 20,000 turtle eggs have been laid in this place.
The simple facilities are located in a quiet little beach, where they lay eggs that are removed from other more exposed places or directly bought from fishermen. There, in a controlled and enclosed place, we only have to wait for the birth.
The project is run by volunteers, both nationally and internationally, and is supported by several resorts and recently even the Sultan of Malaysia, who is interested in the project.
The idea is to involve all sectors concerned: local people, schools, fishermen, tour operators and authorities, to get to recover the species and those waters of Tioman once again become the hotbed of turtles that were in the past.
PRACTICAL DATA
How to get: different airlines fly to Kuala Lumpur. There we have to change airport to fly to Tioman with Berjaya Air Company. It is also accessible by car and then by ship, but along the way people discourage this option.
Step entry: valid passport.
Time difference: + 7 GMT
Currency: ringgit (1€ is about 5 ringgits). All major credit cards are accepted.
Electricity: 220-240 V, 3-pin plugs.
Language: Malay, although most of the population in tourist areas speak English.
Recommended period: although you can dive all year round, the best period extends from April to October. It is recommended to avoid the monsoon months, from November to February.
Diving conditions: since we are in a tropical zone, water temperature ranges between 26 and 32 º C, so a neoprene suit of 3mm or a lycra to protect corals are enough. The bottles are made of aluminium with international taps; in case of DIN it is advisable to carry adapters.
More information: www.ontmalaisie.com/spain
Text and pictures: Juan Carlos García
