Where to stay in Tioman

[h90]

Thanks for everyones recommendation on where to go!
I just booked the flights to go to Tioman from 11-20 September.

Any recommendations on Hotels or area which is good to stay for a diver?

[Ste Wart]

I've worked on Tioman. I was mainly in the Salang beach area, but I've stayed on Ayer Batang (ABC) beach as well.

Salang 4 dive centres. B&J (my old crew) Azmi's, Dive Asia and Fisherman's. B&J caters for a more european crowd, whereas the others seem to attract more Malay and Singaporean guests.
The accomodation on salang is reasonable. You can get a fancy air-con/ hot shower room if you wish. But With a tropical heat, a hot shower isn't all that inviting.
ABC has an B&J branch as well; the main one, where the boats moor for the night. Then there's Eco divers, a small dive shop where the staff never stay for long and they don't visit many different sites. This is not bad-mouthing, I know the staff of Eco quite well. A couple now work for B&J. There is also a Japanese dive centre on ABC, but they tend to dive off of the B&J boats.
Again you find what accomodation you prefer here. What's nice is the Sunset bar at then end of the beach; great pizzas and mojitos while the sun goes down and a great vibe. Other restaurants are ok.
Tekek; the main town has a few dive centres, but I couldn't tell you the names as I've never met them. Although Tekek is great for Duty free booze, that's about all that can be said. I wouldn't stay here.
However you can get off here if you're going to stay at the Berjaya Resort. It's the islands 5 star resort; although most people say it's only about 3 star. Accom is expensive and you a limited to what you can do off an evening due to it's distance from everywhere else. Also they resort dive centre is not that much cop, and other dive centres may charge for you to be picked up from there.
Paya, supposedly has some nice resorts, but I've never been so cannot comment.
The same goes for the other beaches on the lower west side of Tioman. These may have nicer accom but you are a looong way from the main dive sites.
There is one beach on the east side, but there is hardly any diving over that side so would so recommend. But it is a good chill-out spot.

Main dive sites to hit would be. Chebeh, Labas, Golden Reef.

[h90]

So I should prefer Salang, second choice ABC Beach....
For me important is WiFi (I need to work every day in the night or early morning).
Aircon is a must and Hot water should be (you can pull my teeth without anesthesia, but I am a complete pussy when it comes to take cold shower)....

Can I rent a motorbike there and get around in case I stay somewhere different?

thanks!

[Ste Wart]

Salang is no good for Wifi. There are no transmitters due to a them collapsing during the monsoon a few years back.

ABC does have some places with wifi. So that may be your best bet or stay at Berjaya, but you'll be paying top end:

Berjaya Tioman Resort & Suites | Island & Beach Resort in Tioman, Malaysia

The only place with a road system is Tekek. A it is only about a few KM's long. You can rent bicycles on the island, or you can get sea taxis to get from beach to beach. It's a pleasant enough stroll from ABC to Tekek (only ATM on the island) but ABC to Salang is a full on jungle trek. The minimum for a sea taxi is 2 people. So any signs that offer 35 ringgit (RM) per person is actually 70rm if you go by yourself.

Here's the contact details for B&J

Contact, Email address and phone numbers of B&J Diving Centre on Tioman Island

They can give you a rundown of all the accom available and can book it for you if you desire. Also they have a booking office at the Jetty in mersing, if you are taking the ferry. It can be handy for them to get ferry tickets, especially at weekends when the locals all flee from KL to go diving. If you stay on ABC Darren the manager and Edd will make sure that you don't get much work done in the evenings; seeing as happy hour starts at 4 ish and you can then hit all the bars in sequence to avail yourself of cheap Tiger all might . Oh the diving is good as well.