In April, we spent three days on Tioman Island for our first weekend away from Singapore. And boy, did it set the bar high!
Getting there
It was a public holiday weekend, so to avoid the Singapore/Malaysia border traffic, we left at the unearthly hour of 4am. With bleary eyes (on my part anyway), we made our way to Mersing on the east coast of Malaysia, which took about 2 hours. Sorting your tickets here is a challenge in itself! There are 5 booths to go to in a specific order, but it is somewhat lacking an explanation.
From Mersing we hopped on a ferry to Genting on Tioman Island, which took about 1.5 hours. On arrival we were immediately whisked off on a speed boat to our resort. A sign of fun times to come!
All set with my snorkel, just in case I fall in!
Where we stayed
Our home for the next 3 nights would be the Minang Cove Resort. It’s set in its own private cove where you can snorkel safely, sunbathe, eat, drink and totally switch off from city life.
It’s a total haven – we were warmly welcomed by the very friendly staff. Within minutes, cocktail in hand, we were soaking up the rays and relaxing.
The view out over Minang Cove
The perfect place to relax
The accommodation was great. Our lovely room had a wide sea view, from where we got up early and watched the sunrise. Our package included breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner. The food was super tasty, a good mix, and went down extremely well with a fruity cocktail after a day out in the water.
Our balcony – I loved these reclining rattan chairs
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Saturday was BBQ night – yum!
Activities
This is a cut-off resort, aimed at those who want to totally chill. If you’re looking for lots of provided activities, and a different bar to drink in every night, then this isn’t for you. If like us, you want to splash, sun, snorkel, drink and eat in a beautiful, peaceful setting, then this place is a must.
Snorkelling
The waters here are teeming with marine life, and are a beautiful temperature of about 27 degrees. Who could resist jumping in and having an underwater explore? Rumours are that turtles and rays come right in to the cove – something a lovely couple we met proved with their own footage. We brought our own kit, but Minang Cove does rent snorkelling equipment if you don’t have any.
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What a setting!
Diving
Diving is something we had both wanted to try for yonks. We did Minang’s one day Discovery Dive and absolutely loved it. I wrote a separate post and made a video about that magical experience: A birthday treat: Diving at Tioman Island (video)
Hiking to the waterfall
One day we decided to hike from Minang Cove to Tioman’s largest waterfall, about 4km away. The walk took us through the rainforest, full of sights and sounds. Nearly every rustle you hear will be a monitor lizard, a monkey or a squirrel. If you’re lucky, they’ll hang around long enough for you to spot them.
The (mostly paved) path to the waterfall
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Amazing views of rainforest, happily not cut down for palm plantations
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The pristine sea and empty beaches enticing us in for a cool down
The walk passes through Kampong Mukut, a small fishing village
The bright colours of Kampong Mukut
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Stopping for a popsicle to quench the thirst
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And finally we made it! Time for a refreshing dip in the waterfall
Monkey watching
If you don’t see monkeys on your walk through the rainforest, you’re sure to see them during afternoon tea. When the bell rings, the monkeys appear – apparently they have quite the sweet tooth .
Munching on a flower
Busted!
Sunset on the jetty
After a busy day of turtle watching and rainforest walks, it’s time to relax on the jetty, Singapore Sling in hand, and watch the sunset before dinner.
Perfection!
