Tioman, Last before Monsoon

This trip was one of those spontaneous decisions — totally unplanned. We never really considered Tioman before because honestly, it always felt like too much of a hassle to get to the east coast. But thanks to Syira and Neyna, somehow this trip actually happened. I always wanted to to go Tioman, but I know their dive spots are challenging, unlike Redang.

We reached Tioman early in the morning and hopped on the Bluewater Services ferry for a two-hour ride. When we arrived, Pak Mat was already waiting with a sign that said “Aina.” He loaded our bags into his sidecar while we walked to our chalet at My Friend’s Place.

The island instantly gave off calm, homey vibes. We rented bicycles a few times and rode the 6km stretch to Tekek — the only place with a duty-free shop. It was such a simple joy, pedaling through the island roads with sea breeze and sun, something we never get to do back in Perhentian.

That evening, we decided to try freediving at the Taman Laut jetty during sunset. The water shimmered orange, and we slipped in for a quick warm-up. Afterwards, we rode off for dinner — a delicious shellout feast that instantly became our favorite spot. We even promised ourselves to come back there again on our last night.

The next day, excitement kicked in — our freediving and snorkeling trip with Taufiq, our boatman (and coincidentally, a friend of my husband’s). That made things super easy — we could tell him to skip the touristy snorkel areas and head straight to freediving spots.

At our first stop, something funny happened — a snorkeler dropped his phone into the sea, around 3–4 meters deep. I dove down to get it, and honestly, I was so happy to be useful for once with my freediving skills!

Then we found a small underwater tunnel — or maybe it was a cave? I’m still not sure. But diving through it was thrilling. Our next destination was Batu Malang — which, honestly, doesn’t deserve the name Malang (unlucky). The place was breathtaking — massive rock formations, crystal-clear water, and a calmness that made me fall in love instantly. Definitely a spot I’d come back to.

After that, we went in search of the Seafan Canyon, but luck wasn’t on our side this time. The weather was turning — monsoon season creeping in — and we couldn’t find it despite trying our best. Tired and hungry, we decided to stop for lunch to recharge before our final dive of the day: the LRT Wreck, at around 17 meters deep.

By then, I didn’t have much appetite (mostly because I was being cautious about, well… toilet breaks 😅).

When we reached Monkey Bay, where the wreck was, I was surprised. I imagined it being in rough waters, but the sea was calm, visibility was great, and the current was gentle — perfect diving conditions. I dropped down to check the depth, touched the sandy bottom, and felt at peace.

It was a proud moment too — Syira and Neyna went deeper than ever, and Neyna even hit her personal best! Seeing her push her limits made me so proud of her (and of us, really).

And as if the trip wasn’t already amazing enough — my no-fins video from this dive went viral on TikTok. So yeah… Tioman might have been an unplanned trip, but it turned out to be one of the best surprises of the year. 🌊💙