|
|
|
AN INTRODUCTION TO TIOMAN ISLAND
Pulau Tioman (Pulau is Malay for Island) is the largest island
on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is located in the South China
Sea, approximately 32 km from Mersing, the closest mainland port. Measuring some 22 km
long and 11 km at the widest point, the island has a total land area of 133.6 sq. km.
Pulau Tioman now belongs to the state of Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia.
In its early history, Pulau Tioman was known as a stopover for sailors,
fishermen and traders to get fresh water and firewood or simply for evading
storms. The island was a settlement for Malay fishermen several hundred
years ago and there are now six major kampungs (villages) on the island,
mainly on the west coast. The number of villagers is now some 2,650, most
of who were originally fishermen from Pahang or Johor. Rubber and coconut
are the main crops planted on the flat coastal area.
Tioman has beautiful beaches with surrounding marine areas. The landscape
and the beauty of the island have attracted many tourists, locally as well
as from abroad, and the island was once voted one of the 10 most beautiful
in the world. In addition to fishing activities, tourism has become a very
important income generating activity on the island. Many tourist facilities
such as chalets, rest houses and hotels have been built, either by the state
government or the private sector. While it is fair to say that development
over the last 10 years has had some adverse impact on the islands'
environment, it remains a beautiful and restful place.
Apart from beautiful beaches and marine ecosystems, Tioman has also been
gazetted as a wildlife reserve by the state government to protect its flora
and fauna. This gazzetement was done on 28 September 1972 for the inland
forest area encompassing 12,383 ha, but in 1994 part of this area was excised
for agriculture development and tourism activities.
The marine area around Pulau Tioman and eight other nearby islands have also
been gazzetted as marine parks and marine reserves, confined to an area two
nautical miles from the coast. The establishment of the marine parks and
reserves is to conserve and protect marine flora and fauna such as fishes,
coral reefs and aquatic floras from being destroyed by fishing and other
human activities.
It is thought that Tioman was only separated from the mainland 10,000 years
ago, before which much of South East Asia was dry land, with sea levels
about 300 feet lower than current depths. Today, most of the island is
covered by tropical rain forest dating from the last ice age, with hilly
topography, inland forest and small flat land areas along the coast. Walking
over the island through the jungle is a popular activity for visitors. Pulau
Tioman is underlaid by volcanic, plutonic and contact metamorphic rocks. The
volcanic rocks occur mainly on the eastern, northern and southern parts of
the island.
Part of the island coastal area is made up of rocky, sandy beaches. Several
river systems coming from the hilly-forested areas represent the main supply
of fresh water to the villagers. Small patches of mangrove swamp forests are
also found on the western part of the island.
Some 45 species of mammals are found on the island. These include some
protected species, such as binturong, long-tailed macaque, slow loris, black
giant squirrel, brush-tailed porcupine, red-giant flying squirrel, common
palm civet and mouse deer.
There are 138 species of birds recorded on the island, the most common of
which is the hill myna. Two species of swifltets (the black-nest and
grey-rumped) are the most important economic birds on the island: in the
past, the villagers collected the nests of these birds from caves on the
island for sale.
Twenty five species of snakes are recorded on the island, including the
reticulated python, grass green whip snake, common black cobra, king cobra
and variable reed snake.
In addition to this diversity, the island has several unique species of
mammals, freshwater fish and plants, including catfish, rodents, crab,
stick insects and butterflies.
It is the sea which attracts many visitors to Tioman, particularly divers,
who come to enjoy the warm clear waters. The reefs around Tioman and the
neighbouring islands, which radio-carbon dating shows are nearly 6,000 years
old, have many varieties of coral and tropical reef fish, as well as larger
species such as turtles and sharks. The rare giant clam is also found here.
Immortalised as the fictitious paradise Bali Hai in the 1960's box-office
hit musical "South Pacific", many myths and legends surround the island.
The most popular one holds that the island is a dragon. The high peaks
at the south of the island are in fact:
the "Chula Naga" (dragon's horns) for is not Tioman the mighty dragon Sri
Gumom, that formerly held its abode in Pahang, but which on its attempt to
visit its sister, Gunong Linga, Sri Rama prohibited, and, changed into stone
.. the dragon Sri Gumon fell into the deep sea the there remains
Whether it is the sandy beaches, the coral reefs, the pristine rainforest or
the myths and legends of its past that attracts visitors, there is no doubt
that Tioman is a jewel in the South China Sea.
Home | News | About Us | Prices | Getting Here
Where to Stay | Weather | Jungle Tour | The Book | Pako's Corner
Contact Us
|
