<p>Gustasp & Jeroo Irani recount days spent basking under the sun, snorkelling and exploring the coral gardens of Tioman, an island near the Malaysian Peninsula.<br /><br />As the speed boat arrowed through an azure sea dotted with islands, we inhaled the salt-laden air that held out a promise of Robinson Crusoe adventure. After the roller coaster ride on the choppy waters of the South China Sea, the terra firma of Tioman, off the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula, felt like paradise.<br /><br />In a shrinking world, where tantalising destinations are hard to find, Tioman — the largest of the volcanic islands that form the Tioman Marine Park — is one such place; a getaway for those seeking <br />romance on the rocks, walking barefoot on lonely beaches of fine grain sand, lazing under the shade of swaying palms, swimming in postcard-blue Baywatch seas and watching sunsets that flare spectacularly on schedule.<br /><br />Largely undeveloped with just one luxury resort, Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf and Spa Resort, this is the destination of the international beach cognoscenti, a hideaway in the purest sense of the term where one can just chill and refine the art of doing nothing, or play golf, swim, scuba dive, snorkel, go boating, kayaking, windsurfing, or set off on a forest trek, luxuriate in the hotel spa and enjoy any number of activities at the resort.<br /><br />Legendary beauty<br /><br />There are no proper roads on the island and the eight or so villages, each with its special charm and atmosphere, are accessible via ferry. All of them offer tranquil stretches of golden sand beaches that are ideal for sun bathing and swimming. From the southernmost village, Mukut, one can see the Twin Peaks or Dragon’s Horns towering into a blue sky. </p>.<p>According to legend, a dragon princess, flying from mainland China to Singapore to meet her prince, was so enamoured by the tranquillity and beauty of the sea below her that she decided to settle down in the waters and test her lover: if he really did desire her, he would seek her out. And she still waits: a beautiful tragic princess languishing in a deep blue sea.<br /><br />This was a place where nature is still supreme; there were no discos, shopping or nightlife, not even a typical camera-toting tourist. Later, we relaxed by the swimming pool that was cantilevered over the beach, and congratulated ourselves on having succumbed to the urge to escape to an idyllic island. Not surprisingly, Tioman was the setting of mythical Bali Hi in the famed Hollywood musical South Pacific and we could well believe that the filmmakers had scoured the earth for three years to find the perfect locale.<br /><br />After a few days of unruffled solitude, we decided to pick up the pace of our vacation and seek out some serious adventure. One of us got kitted up in full scuba gear and dove deep into the waters around a little outcrop just off the shoreline and the other went snorkelling. <br /><br />We had entered an aqua wonderland of living colour as we swam with bump-head parrot fish, frisky clown fish, thick-lipped clams and shoals of colourful fusiliers that dwelled in underwater gardens of living coral.<br /><br />The next morning, we set off on a trek, crashing through the steamy jungle of the island’s rain forests. Half way up the mountain slopes, we started to question the wisdom of our decision. <br /><br />Soaked with perspiration and our vision blurred by sweat from our brows streaming into our eyes, we began to hallucinate. The foliage rustled ominously and we wondered if a root was a deadly snake coiled in the misty green gloom, waiting to strike? “The jungle harbours 10 species of snakes,” our guide warned us. “And some like the black cobra are not very sociable,” he added.<br /><br />For all our anxiety, the only wildlife we got to see — and thankfully so — were colourful chameleons which tried desperately to avoid detection by blending into the forest. At the end of the trek, we were rewarded for our efforts by coming upon a gushing waterfall. Here we stripped down to our swimming costumes and cooled our sweaty and tired bodies in its cascading waters.<br /><br />Back at the resort we indulged in the ultimate escape and explored the island’s uncharted serrated shore and hidden coves and swam in solitude in sapphire waters before retiring to our room and crashing out in our soft inviting beds. The next morning, we awoke to the song of birds, the gentle lapping of a jade-green sea, and the sigh of cool wind through the trees. Here, as nowhere else, we felt that fleeting sensation of floating through our lives in slow motion.<br /><br />Our expulsion from paradise was once again an adventure. We travelled in a speedboat to the town of Mersing on the Malaysian peninsula, which turned out to be a hair-raising roller coaster ride on a choppy sea. Our swashbuckling captain, however, was immensely capable and rode the waves like he was being chased by the devil. A fitting finale to our Tioman adventure.</p>
<p>Gustasp & Jeroo Irani recount days spent basking under the sun, snorkelling and exploring the coral gardens of Tioman, an island near the Malaysian Peninsula.<br /><br />As the speed boat arrowed through an azure sea dotted with islands, we inhaled the salt-laden air that held out a promise of Robinson Crusoe adventure. After the roller coaster ride on the choppy waters of the South China Sea, the terra firma of Tioman, off the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula, felt like paradise.<br /><br />In a shrinking world, where tantalising destinations are hard to find, Tioman — the largest of the volcanic islands that form the Tioman Marine Park — is one such place; a getaway for those seeking <br />romance on the rocks, walking barefoot on lonely beaches of fine grain sand, lazing under the shade of swaying palms, swimming in postcard-blue Baywatch seas and watching sunsets that flare spectacularly on schedule.<br /><br />Largely undeveloped with just one luxury resort, Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf and Spa Resort, this is the destination of the international beach cognoscenti, a hideaway in the purest sense of the term where one can just chill and refine the art of doing nothing, or play golf, swim, scuba dive, snorkel, go boating, kayaking, windsurfing, or set off on a forest trek, luxuriate in the hotel spa and enjoy any number of activities at the resort.<br /><br />Legendary beauty<br /><br />There are no proper roads on the island and the eight or so villages, each with its special charm and atmosphere, are accessible via ferry. All of them offer tranquil stretches of golden sand beaches that are ideal for sun bathing and swimming. From the southernmost village, Mukut, one can see the Twin Peaks or Dragon’s Horns towering into a blue sky. </p>.<p>According to legend, a dragon princess, flying from mainland China to Singapore to meet her prince, was so enamoured by the tranquillity and beauty of the sea below her that she decided to settle down in the waters and test her lover: if he really did desire her, he would seek her out. And she still waits: a beautiful tragic princess languishing in a deep blue sea.<br /><br />This was a place where nature is still supreme; there were no discos, shopping or nightlife, not even a typical camera-toting tourist. Later, we relaxed by the swimming pool that was cantilevered over the beach, and congratulated ourselves on having succumbed to the urge to escape to an idyllic island. Not surprisingly, Tioman was the setting of mythical Bali Hi in the famed Hollywood musical South Pacific and we could well believe that the filmmakers had scoured the earth for three years to find the perfect locale.<br /><br />After a few days of unruffled solitude, we decided to pick up the pace of our vacation and seek out some serious adventure. One of us got kitted up in full scuba gear and dove deep into the waters around a little outcrop just off the shoreline and the other went snorkelling. <br /><br />We had entered an aqua wonderland of living colour as we swam with bump-head parrot fish, frisky clown fish, thick-lipped clams and shoals of colourful fusiliers that dwelled in underwater gardens of living coral.<br /><br />The next morning, we set off on a trek, crashing through the steamy jungle of the island’s rain forests. Half way up the mountain slopes, we started to question the wisdom of our decision. <br /><br />Soaked with perspiration and our vision blurred by sweat from our brows streaming into our eyes, we began to hallucinate. The foliage rustled ominously and we wondered if a root was a deadly snake coiled in the misty green gloom, waiting to strike? “The jungle harbours 10 species of snakes,” our guide warned us. “And some like the black cobra are not very sociable,” he added.<br /><br />For all our anxiety, the only wildlife we got to see — and thankfully so — were colourful chameleons which tried desperately to avoid detection by blending into the forest. At the end of the trek, we were rewarded for our efforts by coming upon a gushing waterfall. Here we stripped down to our swimming costumes and cooled our sweaty and tired bodies in its cascading waters.<br /><br />Back at the resort we indulged in the ultimate escape and explored the island’s uncharted serrated shore and hidden coves and swam in solitude in sapphire waters before retiring to our room and crashing out in our soft inviting beds. The next morning, we awoke to the song of birds, the gentle lapping of a jade-green sea, and the sigh of cool wind through the trees. Here, as nowhere else, we felt that fleeting sensation of floating through our lives in slow motion.<br /><br />Our expulsion from paradise was once again an adventure. We travelled in a speedboat to the town of Mersing on the Malaysian peninsula, which turned out to be a hair-raising roller coaster ride on a choppy sea. Our swashbuckling captain, however, was immensely capable and rode the waves like he was being chased by the devil. A fitting finale to our Tioman adventure.</p>
