Monday, December 6, 2010

South Pacific smash: Tioman island is one of the world's best-kept travel secrets

By SHOLTO BYRNES

Pristine: The stunning beach at the Berjaya Resort on Tioman Island in Malaysia


The island of Tioman starred as Bali Hai in the 1958 blockbuster South Pacific. And way back in the Seventies it was named by Time magazine as one of the world's most beautiful islands.

Since then? Not a lot, really. Which is why it remains one of the best-kept secrets in the travel firmament - and long may that be the case.

It lies off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, an hour's flight from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, close to where this swollen finger of land tapers down to the city-state of Singapore. Perfect, turquoise waters wash up on a seemingly endless procession of crescent bays, all fringed with pale sand beaches.

They, in turn, give way to rainforest, densely covering the granite slopes of its central mountain which culminates at the far south in the twin peaks of Nenek Si Mukut and Batu Sirau - which, according to legend, were formed by a dragon princess who, flying from China to visit her prince in Singapore, stopped to rest in the beautiful waters.

She was so enamoured that she never left.

There are only two proper roads, covering a fraction of the 24-mile-long, eight-mile-wide island, so boat is the main means of transport.

Flying fish dance alongside the motor-launch as my wife, baby son, parents-in-law and I transfer from the marina at Tekek airport. Barely 20 minutes later, we see the thatched roof over the jetty of our resort, Japamala.

Opened three years ago and built into the cliffs of a small bay, Japamala bills itself as 'fashionably rustic'. It has just 13 rooms, each built of reclaimed and salvaged wood, with indoor- outdoor bathrooms, some with terraces and dining areas, others with balconies and swings, all separated by walkways and staircases that thread their way through the jungle.

If the route sometimes seems circuitous, it's because the owners, Federico Asaro and Maple Loo, insisted not a single tree be chopped down to make way for the project.

You might think such an exclusive destination would have prices to match. But in low season you can stay for less than £150 a night.


Beach delight: Tioman was the backdrop for South Pacific, starring Mitzy Gaynor


One of the secrets about Malaysia is that once you're there - and Kuala Lumpur's vast modern airport is a hub not only for the region but a convenient stop to and from Australia and New Zealand as well - even the most luxurious accommodation is available for a fraction of what you would pay in europe.

We have the Penghulu house, the only residence on the north side of the jetty. Fittingly for a penghulu - the headman of a Malay village - this villa is the largest, with one double bedroom on the ground floor next to its own pool and day bed, while an outside staircase takes you up to the enormous master bedroom, living area and bathroom.

Whether our two-month-old son feels especially at home, given his Malay heritage on his mother's side, or whether he is just soothed by the sounds of the sea, he gives his grateful parents the best night's sleep since he was born. everything in Japamala is low key. There are no phones in the rooms, but stop any of the staff and they'll bring anything you want. The island in general, with a local population of 3,000, operates at the same relaxed pace.

On a trek from the village of Mukut, a short boat ride away, up through the jungle to a waterfall, the only signs of activity I see are the waves of villagers from their small wooden huts and a cheery chap riding by on his scooter.

Close to the waterfall, two Malay teenagers snooze in hammocks, one lifting an eyelid as if to ask why anyone would indulge in such exertions when the sun is raising the temperature to around 30C.

On two afternoons, I kayak on waters so still that the coral reefs below are easily visible. I reach the nearby village of Genting and flop on to yet another pristine beach for a rest before the journey back.

Another day, a boat takes us snorkelling around Renggis and Tomok islands, where within minutes we see reef sharks and turtles, as well as parrotfish, clownfish and giant grouper.


Island life: There are only two proper roads so boat is the main means of transport

Divers can explore wrecks nearby, while local firms organise trips to the watery graves of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, whose rapid sinking during World War II was a major blow to the British defence of Malaya and Singapore.

There is no nightlife to disturb the peace, and the only drama comes from the scenery and the odd tropical storm. Why, then, has this gem been forgotten? Perhaps it is partly that when tourists from Europe began flocking to Thailand, just up the coast, in the Eighties, Malaysia was left behind.

Tioman was without a large resort until 1986 and was connected to a central electricity supply only in 1994. You also have to expend a little effort to get there. After landing at Kuala Lumpur, there is an hour's transfer by taxi to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport in Subang, from where Berjaya Air has one flight a day to Tioman.

So a stopover in KL is likely, and if you've flown with Qatar Airways and changed planes in Doha on the way from London, some time to unwind is welcome.

A chance to explore Malaysia's bustling capital city is no hardship in any case. Japamala has a sister hotel, Villa Samadhi, close to the spectacular Petronas Twin Towers.

Will Tioman change? There has been talk of a new airport and, from March, Berjaya will operate 14 flights a week from Singapore. Yet given that it operates only 48-seaters - and with flights from KL that adds up to a maximum of 144 arrivals a day - it hardly heralds an era of mass tourism.

South Pacific was a wonderful film. It's time Tioman took a bow.

Travel facts
Double rooms at Japamala are available from £150. Contact 00 6 3 2161 0769, japamalaresorts.com Berjaya Air return from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman from £58 berjaya-air.com. Qatar Airways has return flights from London to Doha, with connections to Kuala Lumpur, from £696, qatarairways.com (0870 3898090).


source: dailymail

No comments:

Post a Comment