Title says it all, really. Interested in any experiences of taking a cab from Singapore up to Mersing to catch a ferry across to Palau Tioman in mid-Feb. Costs, doability, time to be allowed, size of vehicle, pros/cons, the usual. First-hand experience if possible, but your brother's mate's cousin's colleague will do in a pinch.
We have not completely ruled out the flight alternative, but with four people and golf clubs (they have a 10kg/per person limit, though how seriously it is enforced is a bit unclear) it might work out a bit more expensive, and I've heard some grim tales of the lateness of the Berjaya Air flights on occasion.
Should be "low monsoon" by mid-Feb so the crossing ought not to be too choppy, and since it's just after Chinese New Year I guess there will be a few people going up there.
Anyone actually PLAYED golf on Tioman, by the way?
All answers gratefully received.
I saw the golf course in Tioman but didn't play. I have to be honest and say that I think the Berjaya and attached golf course is one of the main blots on an exceptionally beautiful island.
We did Koh Lanta years ago, long before the airport opened in Krabi and when there were whole stretches of beach with no development whatsoever, you could have dinner with a sea-otter nestled under your table, and a hotel with a pool was as rare as rocking-horse droppings in the nursery. It may well be that the place is now "gone" as far as the early-adopters are concerned, but the local population probably relish the increased income. It's always going to be a two-edged sword when you are "preserving" paradise, and let's face it, simply by flying there in big tin tubes we are screwing the planet a whole lot more.
Was your experience long ago - what sort of costs? Is it "organised" enough that a taxi taking us up there can expect to get a ride back? I had imagined we'd probably have to book both ways in advance. I've found a couple of people who advertise on the Net, but if it's a standard practice it might be easier (and cheaper) to do it while we are in Singapore.
I've heard wonderful things about Japamala though, but I don't think it's so accessible to much. I stayed a few nights around the other side of the island (other side compared to most places) and boy was it spectacular. But this was a while ago.
It was a while ago I went to Tioman - have been back to the East Coast more recently. I would personally check with your hotel what they offer and the costs, but i'd be confident (although avoid the weekend if possible?) that you would have no problem organising road & boat transfers when you are there, but I wouldn't necessarily have the confidence to tell you to do the same - just in case!
I'll keep looking for taxi options - anything that looks a good deal cheaper than flying sounds a better bet to me, especially as one would at least see something of the landscape on the way up and back, without too much hassle.
As for the other side, isn't it so that one can hike across from Tekek to Juara? Is it do-able on a day-trip basis?
Usually, the resorts on the islands awake from their monsoon-induced slumber early to mid-March, but this year, early bird scuba divers were rewarded by cancellations due to inclement weather.
That said, the happy season is now well underway and I'm pleased to announce that the sea visibility in the area is up to 30 meters.
Berjaya had been good for me
Good to hear Curtishulk. How was the visibility?
As we make our way through the Northeast monsoon once again, it may be worth-while to note that Tioman visitors are no longer left at the mercy of the ferry ticket counters in Mersing to get ferry tickets.
Since we go to Tioman quite regularly, we've found that lately more and more travellers arrive at the Mersing jetty too late to catch their ferry, i.e. it's full. The reason being that tickets aren't sold anywhere else but the Mersing ferry counters.
In practice, this means that a lot of Tioman-bound visitors are forced to wait for the next ferry out, or even stay in Mersing overnight after missing the last ferry out. A bit of a pain obviously.
Anyway, I reckon with http://www.Tiomanferry.com this need no longer be a problem.
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Edited by
Kiltman HT Mod
2012-01-03 11:45:06
To add web link
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