Ideas to spend time

[JR8]

Sure Tioman has changed. The whole new marina complex for a start.

But I think development as a whole is restricted by the lack of roads on the island.

They're building a new airport building (heavens knows why). Word is, (and has been for several years now), that Berjaya are building a new airstrip at their hotel. Meanwhile... choose the right spot, and the place is almost empty...

[fatmouse76]

How do I get to Tioman,,the fastest way ?

[nakatago]

How do I get to Tioman,,the fastest way ?

http://wikitravel.org/en/Tioman#Get_in

[Girl_Next_Door]

Another suggestion... head down to the beach of Sentosa. Yes, they are quite commercialized, but if you are there on Sat morning, it is relatively quiet, and nice to simply laze around, chilling.

[x9200]

Hmmm, nobody mentioned Sunday champagne brunches. Fullerton, Equinox, Mandarin Oriental (The Melt) amoung our favorites.

[JR8]

My preferred way to get to Tioman? Fly on Berjaya Air from Seletar, book it online, pick up the ticket at the airport. From memory it is 35 minutes each way (that's the actual flight, not the timetabled duration for which they pad it out a bit). So simple, and Seletar is Soooooo laid back ...

I have some hard-core diver friends who go every weekend in season. But they drive up on Friday night. Crash in Mersing and then take the first ferry over on Saturday morning, then do the return on Sunday pm. Too much work for me, but horses for courses...

You cannot even think of comparing Tioman to Sentosa, good grief. One is a natural barren jewel, used as a setting for the film South Pacific where you might feel rightly put out if there is one other person sharing a mile of the pristine Tekek beach with you. The other is a commercialised hell with a filthy beach that has to be imported by truck each year.

...
http://www.farawayholidays.co.uk/farawa ... h-Main.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iziygRxgT90/S ... +beach.jpg
etc...

[fatmouse76]

Which is better Tioman or Redang / I have never been snorkelling and dont know how to swim ,so hopefully they have some good divers there to show how to snorkel ..

[carolynW]

Oh redang is definitely better! firefly flies direct now to KT. Perhentian is good too.

[JR8]

Which is better Tioman or Redang / I have never been snorkelling and dont know how to swim ,so hopefully they have some good divers there to show how to snorkel ..

I haven't been to both, so can only relay the thoughts of a trusted friend who thinks Redang over-developed, in it's own right, and certainly compared with Tioman. He rates the Perhentians higher than Redang, and suggested that I might enjoy them too.

One of the beauties of Tioman is it's accessibility. That was one of the main reasons for my suggesting it. You can do it for a weekend with minimal faffing about, transfers, uncertainty, etc. I.e. maximum stress-free bang for your buck. It is beautiful, the sea and the beaches and lovely people too, and so quiet... There are four Dash-7 flights a day (2 that are to/from KL, and 2 to/from SG)... I can walk to my usual dive centre from the airport... although with 20kgs of dive gear a 3 miunute van ride it certainly better.

If however you're asking if the diving is better in Tioaman than Redang, ah well that's another matter altogether! The diving is meant to be good in Redang... What I find with the east coast islands is that even in season (say end April to early October, tho it was a bit haywire this year) the conditions vary from location to location, day to day and even tide to tide. Enter the water from a beach and the visibility might be relatively low. Going out on a snorkelling boat might be a better idea, you see plenty of Asians doing that and you can be sure many of them also cannot swim. But anyone can float if you put a big enough snorkel jacket on them!

re: Firefly. When ever I have looked into their flight schedules I have been disappointed with how costly they are. So I've flown locally with AA, Jetstar and Tiger, but never been on Firefly. Also note KT is not Redang, you would then have to take a taxi/tfr to the port, and a ferry over to the islands. Many ferry times are not known until a day before... sometimes they change on the day itself. Not exactly a recipe for a relaxing weekend...

Good luck everyone...

p.s. I've been five times, and stayed in five hotels on those trips
- Swiss Cottage. End of Tekek beach. Used to be seriously basic, but they seem to have improved it somewhat since the close of the 2009 dive season. The en-suite showers now actually do work . Only has room for circa 20 guests, booking a chalet on the top of the beach is bliss... sitting on the verandah watching the sea. I use the attached dive centre (Tioman dive Centre, who are very good).
- A place halfway between the airport and Swiss Cottage (say 750m)called Cheers Cottages or something very similar. Recently opened I think, right opposite the souvenir shop (who own the cottages). Only has about 6 rooms, and the bathroom facilities are shared, although they and the rooms are spotless. A double is only circa RM50 a night! Stayed here one time I couldn't get into Swiss. The showers use water piped straight down from the mountain... now I never did hot showers in SG or even tepid ones much at all, but I swear to god that these showers are amongst the coldest I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. I don't mean just doing the 'big inhale' in shock, I mean almost screaming!
- Berjaya. The largest resort on the island, though tastefully done I must say. Stayed here with my wife for the first night of our most recent trip (may '10) before moving to Swiss. Expensive but it sure looks comfortable.
- Japamala. Well, just check out TripAdvisor for the lowdown where it was ranked #1. Stayed here the first time we visited about 2006/2007. There were back then just 12 chalets I think. They were going to add a few more. It is a high-end boutique eco-resort. We stayed 4-5 days, and there were more staff than guests most days, though it was low season. Fantastic cooking, luckily, as essentially once you've done the boat transfer there (no roads, remember) (more luxury launch than simple boat, with twin 450hp outboards... far from eco, but phwoaaar ) you're probably not going to go anywhere else at all during your stay... lovely place for chilling, spa treatments, reading etc. Note at low tide the beach has some exposed reef-plate... so it is not ideal on the feet, and makes getting in/out the water very hard.

[x9200]

Oh redang is definitely better! firefly flies direct now to KT. Perhentian is good too.

Redang has better beaches and better reefs practically next to these beaches. If someone is going to stay only within particular resort then Redang is probably better. But there is another option for less lazy people - to hire a private boat (100-400RM, vary greatly with location) for one or half a day and do islands hopping and here Redang is much much worse. Just next to Tioman there are some islands with the beaches and waters Redang can only dream about. Secluded, with white sand, crystal clear saffire waters with beautiful and living reefs. Next to and around Redang water is turbid or slightly turbid practically everywhere and a lot of reefs are simply dead. People are everywhere as the number of resorts and the beaches is actually pretty limited. Majority of the resorts are located along one connected stretch of sand (Eastern part of the island) and then there are overpriced Berjaya resorts inside one very nice bay on the Northern coast. All the above from snorkeling perspective. Unfortunately I don't dive.

Actually it would be more reasonable to go Langkawi first, then perhaps Bintan, Phuket, Koh Samui, something from the Redang archipelago and Tioman and Koh Phi Phi at the end. This way you will never be disappointed

[FelineUK]

Ok here are a few of the things I love doing here and dragging the partner too but he always enjoys it :

* Jurong Bird Park (catch the morning 11am show and spend a couple of hours wandering round, when too hot go into penguin enclosure)

* Chinese Garden (head for the turtle park and go feed the turtles in the pond - very sweet).

* Afternoon tea on Sunday around 4/5pm at the Sentosa hotel sat overlooking the pool and fish ponds. Nice tranquil area especially the seating along the corridor straight up from reception. (Sandwiches incl egg mayo, deserts and scones with jam and cream on a 3 tiered cake stand. Well worth it and a pot of team whilst reading). Relaxed form of chilling and bonding so take reading material.

* Meal at Fatties next to Sim Lim (chinese but more european styled). Popular with caucasians.

* A browse through Chinatown night market. But chose the places you have not been before or places you have not eaten. Something new.

* Overnight stay at marina bay . sentosa and go to a casino. get a room with sea view and do something different.

* Picnic in the Botanic gardens with a wander round and beers / lunch in a basket on a good weather day.

* For a real escape with a touch of luxury, hire a boat with crew for the day and get them to take you round the islands just off singapore. Some are ok to visit, however some are military so you best find someone who knows the places to go.

Hope this helps

[FelineUK]

For more active suggestions :

Dragon boat racing could be good for bonding and the social side too. Multiple teams here including a swiss german and irish last time i looked.