At 5 am Friday morning, Abby, Sophie, and I cabbed to the downtown area to catch a bus to Mersing. In order to get to Tioman we needed to go from Singapore -> Mersing, Malaysia -> Tioman, Malaysia. We got to the bus terminal around 5:30 and headed inside to buy tickets for the 6:30 am bus. To our surprise, the 6:30am bus starts in MARCH and there were no other buses to take us anywhere close. Feeling a sense of panic, we asked around and managed to figure out that there was a city bus headed to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, which is just over the Malaysian border. We then took a short cab to the bus terminal where we payed $2.40 SGD to take a 30 minute bus ride to Johor Bahru. It was funny to be on a bus, get off and go through Singapore customs, get on the same bus and drive over the bridge to Malaysia customs. After we went through customs, we found another city bus to take us to the Larkin bus terminal where we could find a bus to Mersing no problem. After another 20 minute bus ride we hopped off and found a bus that was headed to Mersing at 8:30. We waited for about an hour, ate McDonald's breakfast and then got on our bus to Mersing (finally).
Pre ripped my ticket. Whoops.
Bus to Mersing! Had the two seats to myself.
Singapore (at the very bottom). Singapore ->Johor Bahru -> Pulau Tioman (bottom right)
The bus to Mersing only took about 2 hours, and we managed to catch the 12:00 ferry headed to the island. Our destination was ABC beach, which was the fourth ferry stop so we figured it would be a lovely ferry ride for the two hours it would take ... WRONG! The ferry was the most sea-sick prone ferry I think one could ever be on. Although we did have comfortable indoor seats, the waves were so large that the ferry would have to go in and out of each and every one. So many people were sick everywhere and I just tried to fall asleep before I started to feel sick too. Luckily, the girls and I made it out alive and we arrived at Tioman at around 2pm. We were greeted by a spectacular view.
What a view
Departed Hall 15 at 5:00 am, Arrived in Tioman at 2:00 pm. 9 hour travel day.
First stop ... LUNCH
Double Ace Hotel - 50 MYR (Malaysian Ringit a night) which is equal to 16 Canadian dollars
As soon as we got off the island set out for a place to eat and then find a place to stay. Since Tioman is just coming off it's monsoon season the beach and village were not busy at all! We found a family restaurant to eat at and then found the Double Ace to stay at. I think the meal cost me 10 MYR (Malaysian ringgit) which is 4 dollars Canadian, and for a one night stay it was so cheap too. Next stop? The beach. ABC beach is so pretty and has such a spectacular view I thought it was fake at first. The overcast skies didn't bother me so much, I just walked up and down the beach for an hour.
When we got off the jetty earlier in the day we met a local named Danny who owned a bar right by the pier. He told us to come back and enjoy some beers and we promised him we would. A beer after a long day of traveling was perfect and the price wasn't bad either. For 3 Carlsberg it was $4 dollars Canadian ... DEAL. For the rest of the night we enjoyed beer and some local food with some other NTU exchange students but headed to bed by 10 for an early start Saturday.
On Saturday mid-morning we headed down to Tekek, another part of the island to find ATM's and wander. We ended up finding taxi drivers that offered to take us up to the waterfall in Juara. For $50 CAD (between 7 people) we took a 30 minute truck ride up the mountain to see Juara waterfall, go to the turtle conservation, Juara beach, and then back to ABC beach. I think the pictures speak for themselves - the trek was well worth it.
Tekek
Jungle Trek in 4x4
Had to climb down a mud hill in order to do.....
THIS! Juara waterfall
No complaints!
Juara beach
After our trek we got some more food, had naps, and then planned to meet up again for happy hour on the beach. It was Sarah's birthday on Sunday so about 15 NTU exchange students were ready to celebrate. It was a late night that involved Tioman locals, a beach fire, a fire dancer, and some beer. It was an early morning to catch the ferry back to Mersing at 6:30 am (which didn't end up coming until 8:30). We arrived back at NTU around 4, after a miserable taxi ride home. We were lost in Singapore for two hours because our Malaysian driver didn't know how to get us home and would refuse to consult a map. The ride home didn't damper the amazing weekend though. It was pretty perfect and I would definitely go back another time.
We hit happy hour again. Surprised?
Tioman local, Sophie, myself, Abby, Martin
A pretty perfect weekend.
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