For a long time, Tioman has been regarded as a learn to dive destination for Asian residents. As lovely as any in Southeast Asian isalnd, Tioman’s high central ridge of jungle clad mountains drops sharply on the western side to a series of small villages in sheltered coves. These shallow bays make it ideal for novices to take a course or brush up on skills learnt elsewhere.
While the bays are calm and easy, there are some exciting and challenging dive sites a little way offshore. The underwater landscape consists of enormous granite rocks, reminiscent of parts of the Similan Islands with swim-throughs coated in soft corals and a wealth of marine creatures.
Schooling fish are prolific and if you can get even further offshore, the dives can be as spectacular as many more famous areas. The focus is always on smaller creatures as seeing those isn’t dependent on clear water yet whalesharks cruise the coast and turtles are frequent visitors.