It's not  quite hard to state what we learned from Tioman Island. New friendships and bonds, a different outlook on culture and tribal differences; but most of all a society that does not exist within the norm that we are used to. 


Many times we ask ourselves of the gains we have had on the trip. Beautiful sites does not account for anything. It's the society, their perseverance and general perception that accounts for all the experiences that we have gained.

We can account for having lots of fun, making many memories and taking more pictures than can ever be counted.


A short video summarizing the whole trip can be viewed in the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2562341420623

Last day on the island....

The last day on tioman island was nothing spectacular. It involved an early breakfast, a quick trip to the souvenir shops and then off to the ferry. 


The same way we came was the same way we left. We do believe that some of us were not ready to say goodbye to the island, but its all in a vacation's work....

Day 2 on the island.....

The second day on Tioman Island began very early in the morning. Although we were forewarned that we'd have an early start, that didn't stop us from sleeping late the previous night.


After an early breakfast, we gathered around for a short briefing and collected snorkeling gear (it's available on rental). I can't say it for everyone, but I'd never snorkeled before. The guides found the perfect place after about half an hour on the speed boat. It had beautiful corals and an array of different kinds of fish (ones that don't bite).  An hour or so later, we were onto the next activity which was island hopping; having lunch on the white sand beaches and more snorkeling at the " amusement park" and by around five, we were back to where we started off from. There actually isn't so much to see, however whatever is there makes for a great experience.


The evening hours were pretty much the same, dinner and then back to the beach. Although this time round, there was no volleyball but a game of cards and dares among-st ourselves. We sat around the beach, made so much noise until we got reprimanded; no one cared about that in the least though because we were having so much fun. And it was our last night there.


Pictures of the second day on Tioman island

Island hopping, snorkeling, sites....

We couldn't stay up all night, but it was until the predawn hours that we decided to head to our beds.

Day 1 on the island......

Class trips are usually not my cup of tea, but when an island comes to mind, I'll be the one leading the line. For the Event management module, we took a trip to the Tioman Islands. It's safe to say that none of us had ever set foot there before.


The picture the island presents is mainly that of a small fishing town however judging by the number of tourists we encountered, tourism is the trade they thrive on. There are many cabins; the ones we stayed in had two queen beds and were self contained.The landscape of the island is beautifully laid out, the people are friendly and the ambiance spells out relaxation.


Going as a class means that there's over forty of you. It's a safe bet that there's no lack for company. The first day there was amazing, especially in the evening since most of us were sleeping during the daylight hours due to travelling through out the night. We gathered by the beach, made toasts, celebrated a birthday without cake, played volleyball, went swimming, took loads of pictures and the list goes on.


Although the destination was great, I have to admit that the getting there was not impressive especially the bouts of sea sickness I experienced on the ferry. However for any interested parties who want to skip going by road and sea, its listed that air transportation can get you there as well.


Pictures of our journey, arrival and first day on the island

Mersing before taking the ferry

View of the ports from the ferry

With friends on Tioman island on the first day

I couldn't ask for a better place to feel free though. And that's all in the works of one day. The next day was something all together a bit different.....

A little geography and history.....

White beaches, clear waters and lush tropical jungles; Tioman Island has it all and more. 

The island is located off the south-east coast of peninsular Malaysia, north of the Johor-Pahang state borders. It is accessible by ferries or speed boats from the coastal town of Tanjung Gemuk or Mersing. 

The legends say that Tioman Island is the resting place of a beautiful Chinese princess. They say that whilst she was flying to Singapore from China to visit her prince, she stopped to seek solace in the crystal-clear waters of the Southern China Sea. Taken in by the charms of the place, she decided to stop her journey taking the form of an island and pledged to offer shelter and comfort to passing travelers.

Overall, the natural beauty of the Island is simply breathtaking. The time spent there is even more so.