Set amidst the dense tropical rainforest, yet just steps away from the turquoise waters and a lovely beachfront, Berjaya Tioman Resort is an ideal vacation hideout for holidaymakers who want to be embraced by Mother Nature.
Berjaya Tioman Resort is a 4-star resort of the Berjaya hotels group, a leader in the hospitality industry in Malaysia. It offers a comprehensive range of land and sea activities such as sunset dinners, island tours, snorkeling, golfing, and more.
We stayed for three days and two nights in this tropical paradise, and I wouldn’t exaggerate if I said the experience was pure bliss.
1. How to travel to Pulau Tioman from Kuala Lumpur
There are a few ways to travel from Kuala Lumpur:
- Travel on the road to Terminal Feri Tanjung Gemok, which leads directly to the resort.
- Get on the ferry at Mersing Jetty, which takes approximately two hours to reach.
- The best option is to fly directly to Tioman island. It is the fastest way and best for visitors who quickly get car sick or sea sick.
2. Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport & SKS Airways
We took SKS airways, which has a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Pulau Tioman, which took 1.5 hours.
SKS Airways uses the Sultan Abdul Azia Shah airport at Subang instead of the more well-known KLIA airport. We have not been here for more than ten years since the opening of the KLIA international airport. It is still well maintained, with eateries and shops mainly for domestic flights.
SKS Airways uses the 19-seater Twin Otter aircraft, which is quite an experience for us who used to fly with the larger planes.
The aerial scenery during take-off and landing is breathtaking.
Don’t miss the videos shot at The Berjaya Tioman Resort during our stay. It is at the end of this article. 👇👇
3. Arrival at Berjaya Tioman Resort
Upon arrival at Berjaya Tioman Resort, we were greeted by the staff performing a welcome dance, a pleasant surprise.
After a quick check-in at the front desk, we took the buggy to our chalet. They offer concierge services, including the buggy ride from the chalets to all the destinations within the resort.
4. Room tour
The Berjaya Tioman Resort offers luxurious amenities and facilities, but nothing beats its accommodation. The resort offers four types of rooms- Garden Chalet, Garden Terrace, Beach Terrace, and the Garden Premier Chalet. While all rooms are equally beautiful, we fell for the Garden Premier Chalet, which was worth every minute.
The room was extremely cozy, with soft bedding and the fluffiest pillows.
And all the available modern amenities include a private bathroom, complimentary wireless internet access, flat-screen TV, complimentary toiletries, and a hair dryer.
In addition, the staff had left a welcome letter and a fruit basket on the table in our room, a gesture we found very sweet.
5. Facilities in the resort
We weren’t in the Berjaya Tioman resort just to relax, although we found it very easy to do.
a. Swimming pool
The pool was both adult and kid-friendly. There are deep and shallow separated areas with a children’s swimming pool.
The pool faces the beach, which looked like it came straight out of a movie. Although the outdoor swimming pool was ideal for swimming, we found lounging in the sun chairs, getting a nice tan, and reading our favorite books a memorable experience.
b. Game room
The game room is opposite the main building, where the check-in counter is. The gymnasium is inside the game room, ideal for people who want to keep up with their fitness routine while on vacation.
Besides that, there are table tennis table, a pool table, and a children’s playground.
c. Spa
The Spice Garden spa is always open for booking. All you need is to contact the recreation desk for reservations.
d Golf, basketball, tennis, and football
There’s even an 18-hole golf course currently only open for nine holes. The course has challenging obstacles, rugged terrain, and tricky bunkers surrounded by lush green forest.
There are basketball, football, and tennis courts for guests who love sports.
e. The beach
The sand was golden-white, and coconut trees were all over, providing the perfect shade to sit under. A row of sun chairs faces the open sea with crystal clear water, an ideal place to chill for beach lovers.
f. Others
There is a souvenir shop in the main building, where we get a few mementos for remembrance.
6. Activities outside the resort
a. Snorkeling
We joined the snorkeling trip organized by the resort in the morning. It covered three stops: Soyak Island, Marine Park, and Renggis Island.
Snorkeling in the deep cerulean water with the native fish brushing past our shoulders is an experience we recommend to everyone. So don’t miss out on snorkeling if you like water activities.
b. Riding on ATV
One thrilling activity that we did was an ATV adventure ride. We rode the ATV for a total of twenty minutes over the terrain that led to Turtle Beach. However, the most enjoyable part was riding on the beach at full throttle.
c. Jungle trekking
In the morning, we went on a jungle trek.
Our guide even showed us how to taper a rubber tree; very fascinating.
d. Kayaking
We had planned to kayak, but the weather was too hot for that, so we continued with the rest of our plans.
7. Restaurants
Let’s circle back to the resort if you’re wondering where we ate. The resort has a beach bar, a pool bar, and an all-day dining restaurant. Another restaurant, Matahari – a fusion of Malaysian flavor with Thai cuisine, closed temporarily.
a. Asean All Day
The talented executive chef Law serves Malaysian, international, and fusion cuisines at the Asean All Day restaurant. We had our buffet breakfasts daily at this restaurant.
Besides that, they also serve afternoon tea with a pre-arrangement. So we had Mamak mee with samosas, served with watermelon juice and various delectable cakes and fruits.
b. Sunset dinner at the pool deck
We also recommend having a sunset dinner by the pool deck; the sun reflecting on the water in the pool and slowly diving down is a view we will never forget.
We had multiple dishes to choose from for dinner, but the lamb shank, lamb rack, and grilled salmon are the preferred main courses.
c. Beach bar
The beach bar is where we ordered our favorite cocktails, sat at the beach, and watched the world go by.
We also bring our food from the buffet line at the Asean All Day restaurant to the cabana to have a beautiful dinner at the beach and enjoy the live music from the beach bar.
d. Poolside bar
There was a pool bar that served a variety of cocktails. It is one of the best ways to cool yourself with a refreshing drink while swimming in the afternoon.
Watch our video shot at The Tioman Island. 👇👇
If you have read this blog post this far, don’t miss the two videos shot at Tioman Island. Click the image below to watch on YouTube (shot in high definition!).
Check out these resorts in Malaysia
- Check out our review on Mimpi Perhentian Resort, where we spent our holiday at Perhentian Islands.
- Taaras Beach & Spa Resort is the flagship resort of the Berjaya group. It is rated as the most Instagrammable resort in Malaysia! As of August 2022, 56K followers on Instagram are growing daily.