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| Astro Guide Traveller magazine (Malaysia) |
| 03 May 2007 |
Malaysia's Little South Pacific
-With unmatched fly-and-stay convenience, it's easy
to find your way to paradise.
BERJAYA TIOMAN
Tioman Island, Pahang
CATEGORY
Island beach resort
TEL & WEB CONTACT
+603 2141 0088, +603 2145 4107,
1 880 88 3236(Malaysia toll-free)
or bhr@hr.berjaya.com.my
or visit www.berjayahotels-resorts.com
SPECIALTY
Beach chalet suitable for families and groups
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TIOMAN One of Malaysia's tropical
gems, this lush, sun-kissed island was the
location for the 1958 Hollywood classic,
South Pacific (Bali Ha' I was the fictional
island in the film). And you'd think that
with this bit of exotic trivia, paradise
would be awash with hordes of visitors.
Surprisingly, and despite having an airport,
Tioman has, where other island destinations
have failed, hung onto its simple and undeveloped
charm.
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FIVE REASONS
YOU SHOULD GO |
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| 1. |
At the quieter end of the rectangular-shaped
Berjaya property, about where the sun sets,
is an islet called Renggis (you can snorkel
its circumference in about 30 minutes), which
can be reached in minutes by thumping over
the sea in a speedboat from the dive hut on
the main beach. Everything can be undertaken
in minutes on Tioman. Try express snorkeling
around Renggis, which offers an explosion
of Monet-like colors and copious marine life
(black-tip sharks regularly spotted) over
its active reef just five-plus meters deep. |
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| 2. |
A slow steamboat. We're not
talking about a romantic mode of transport
rather we're referring to the Asian way of
cooking raw ingredients in a steamy broth
over a tabletop gas cooker. The food and beverage
staffs at the Berjaya have this convivial
way of eating set up just right with tables
located next to a sandy beach; evenings are
joy self-cooking fresh seafood, meat and vegetables,
all prepared under a dazzling, star-speckled
night Tioman is famous for. |
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| 3. |
Berjaya's 18-hole championship
golf course is an electric cart ride away
from your beach chalet accommodation. It's
all really rather easy. And the course set
between a coralline beach and misty rainforest
its links appear like natural swaths of lowland
greenery (finish up at the air-conditioned
clubhouse with a shower and sauna). |
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| 4. |
Walk along the hilly asphalt
road (aside from the airport runway this is
the only stretch of pavement on the entire
island) from Berjaya Tioman resort fro about
15 minutes and you'll come to a welter of
rustic duty-free shops (Tioman is designated
as one of Malaysia's three island-wide duty-free
zones) with prices to amaze the most skilled
bargain hound (on your way back curious macaques
may descend from the trees fro a handout). |
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| 5. |
Berjaya resort happens to conveniently
own the only airline that services the island
(see 'Useful Information for visitors to Malaysia),
and its open-air shuttle bus takes mere minutes
to reach the lobby (benefits aplenty for flying
and staying with the same group). And flying
there means you depart from the old and rather
sleepy city airport in Subang, arguably more
convenient than KLIA and without throngs of
travelers. |
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IN SHORT No clubbing
or trinket shopping to be found on this detached
terra firma, though there is a karaoke joint
at the Berjaya and a simple clutch of duty-free
shops near the resort-just enough sustainable
commercial activity for this lovely island.
Tioman is about leaving it all behind with
the exception of your iPod, reading material,
and family.
LEARN HOW TO DIVE The Island's almost
gin-clear waters beckon for those looking
to get PADI certified. Complete with dive
masters, gear and a variety of seaworthy boats
(like everything else here), certification
is convenient and easy. Too adventurous for
you? Then learn how to snorkel. Before young
go, educate yourself about the wonders of
ocean reefs and what not to do when amongst
such delicate nature. So many travelers plunge
recklessly into Malaysia's fragile marine
parks causing intense havoc on wildlife. The
result is a wasteland of dead coral with no
fish. Remember, swim softly, don't collect
seashells and coral, and don't pet the sea
life especially if it's prickly, as the closest
clinic is on the mainland (conversation tip:
take your own small garbage bags for boat
travel and beach walks if you may have things
to throw away). |
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DON'T
FEEL LIKE GETTING WET? Venture into the
island's primary jungle. Berjaya staff will
lead you to trekking tours to key places of
interest such as waterfalls and fetching lookout
points. If you are up to it, hike over the
spine of the island to Tekek village on the
west and Juara village on the east, which
should take a little more than 2 hours (don't
forget to double that time for your return).
THE RESORT Berjaya Tioman bungalows
are smack on the beach on the western leeside
of the island. Split-floor chalet accommodation
is ideal for extended families. Rates range
with standard chalets at low-end and executive
family rooms and the Renggis suite on the
top-end. Berjaya has a quality Chinese restaurant
(corkage fee for those with their own duty
free) and other dining options throughout
the property. These are several swimming
pools up off the sandy beach, o0ne with
a swim-up bar serving a full range of drinks
and gourmet pizza.
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| WHEN TO GO Tioman weather
is typically that of a hot sun and gentle,
cooling winds on the coast (rain conveniently
falls in the mountains most of the time) so
visitors can still manage to sit on the beach,
swim in the sea or, head out on a boat journey
if the weather acts up inland. However, be
mindful, the monsoon season kicks up from
November to February with a good dump of wetness
even on the coast. |
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