Day 4 - Tuesday 10 January 2017

Departure........I wake at 4am and just doze after that, determined not to miss the ferry this time. By 6am I’m on my way to the jetty just 10 minutes walk away. The procedure at the ferry terminal is to get your tickets validated at counter 8, then queue to register for departure. I was expecting to pay the national park free of 20 ringgits here but nobody asked for it as we waited in the departure hall. The ferry soon arrived and passengers boarded as the first rays of daylight filtered through then departed into the South China Sea. After some early cloud the sun breaks on the horizon but I’m soon asleep. After that I remember little as the ferry reaches the first stop on Tioman.
Tioman Island........Google Map. The ferry calls at five stops and mine will be the third. The stops are in rotation, KG. Genting, KG Paya, Tekek, KG. Air Batang and KG. Salang. The most obvious point of note is that the island is completely mountainous. There is no possibility to reach each village except by boat. Arriving at Tekek ....more, I know that my booked accommodation is within walking distance of the jetty so I just need to turn right and continue for 5 minutes. The Tionam Peladang Chalet is there on the left opposite the Duty Free Shop....more.
Tionam Peladang Chalet........Google Map. Of course my immediate concern is whether they will charge me for last night having missed the boat yesterday. To my relief they don’t and I just pay for the other two nights, I booked. Now it’s just a question of whether the accommodation lives up to expectations baring in mind this will be the most expensive room so far on this Malaysian tour. Tioman Island is 51 kilometres from Mersing and has missed out on the rush to develop tourism along the coast of the Malay Peninsula compared with Thailand especially. Part of that is due to lack of infrastructure on this deeply forested mountainous island. The chalets at Paladang are old, certainly 50 years or more going by the wiring and plumbing. But the question is does the tropical location compensate for that? Well no! There's just a small beach at Tekek, not that inviting due to accumulation of litter.
Topography........In order to justify the effort in coming here you need a beautiful beach and sea view. All I have at the moment is a view of the marina Google Map with mountains to the back. The first foray out is to find something to eat as Katoon is hungry. We soon realise that we have to pay more at restaurants as we eat near the jetty Google Map. After that we stroll out to the airport which is just a small strip for light aircraft only. There we find a place to hire motorbikes but really they are expensive and there is nowhere to go. Well actually there is, but the vendor is reluctant to suggest we go there as it's a difficult ride. There is a dirt and rock road through the jungle started by the Japanese. It leads to the eastern coast of Tioman at Juara Village where there are beaches. At this time of year no ferries stop there. The most practical way to get there is by off road vehicle but the cost will be 70 ringgit one way or 120 both ways which is quite a lot. At the point of writing I am considering the option to spend two nights there which will complete my stay on Tioman before I need to return.

Alleluia!........Realising that I’ve probably missed out again by using Booking.com I’m not in such good spirits as I ought to be. On the way back to the chalet, I realise that I’m practically opposite a Duty Free shop. Can it possibly be the same as on Langkawi? Yes it can! I can now return with spirits after being almost tea-total so far this tour. With that I return to the chalet where it’s time to get out of the fierce heat, take a tipple and flake out!
Signs of life........There’s no point in venturing out in the heat; there’s nothing to do but at 5pm we stroll down to the jetty but it’s deserted. Even the shops and restaurants are closed. The only signs of life are near the chalet. Amazingly one small shop is making burgers and that will do for a start. Nearby Katoon gets her bowl of noodles and altogether there’s better value here than in the morning. I can live with that for sure. Others options are shops and a bakery nearby very reasonably priced. I’m getting the hang of things now. That should be the end of it for today but not quite. The power goes off at 9.45pm but it’s only temporary then the electric shower doesn’t work. Can’t solve that one now but a hose pipe is there connected to a tap. Guess what that is for? Luckily the water is not cold. Then for good measure there's a problem with mosquitos. Next Page.