As the location for a big screen musical from the Golden Days of Hollywood and with ancient legends of a beautiful Dragon Princess and pirates, Tioman Island in the South China Sea sits quietly waiting to come of age as a surf destination.

Lying approximately 56 kilometres off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Tioman Island is 19 kilometres at its widest point and over 38 kilometres long, with two ancient volcanic plugs towering more than 1,000 metres skywards from the ocean fl oor. It is a majestic presence that must have proved irresistible to the producers of the 1950s musical ‘South Pacific’.

There is a fast modern ferry from Mersing to Tioman Island but it doesn’t run in the monsoon season. No prize for guessing when the waves on Tioman are on song and that makes off-season on-season for Longbreak, necessitating a three-hour slog through a short choppy sea on a slow boat to Tioman. The day is grey and the passing picture postcard island series is not displaying the full potential of wow factor.

Top deck passengers are not that fussed; they’re staving off nausea and the occasional belting of spray. A plaintive cry of ‘the camera gear must be protected’ carries on the wind as a claim is staked on the enclosed bridge with the Captain; not a strictly honourable act but one that did make for a more comfortable journey for certain members of the Longbreak crew. The ferry moves under the lee of the Island at its southern tip to make a series of stops that deliver guests and supplies to the resorts along its western shore. The calm water is a relief and witness to magnificent lush rainforest clinging to sheer slopes that plunge down to meet a herald of coconut palms on the white sand beach.

Tekek Village was our disembarkation point with three key elements for the surfing traveller; a deep-water jetty for a dry leisurely arrival, a runway for regional air services to facilitate emergency exits when necessary and a duty free shop - no explanation required. There followed an exhilarating 4x4 crossing of the razor-ridged mountains that run the length of Tioman and are covered by pristine rainforest with its unique indigenous species of trees and other plant life.

On the eastern side of Tioman our arrival at Juara Bay was at day’s end, permitting the Longbreak crew to immediately soak up a well earned Bintang or two and take stock of the truly remarkable little place we had found for ourselves. Our tropical base camp consisted of wooden cottages snuggled into a grassy clearing that gave way to beachside palms. The dining area gave a vista across a broad bay with water clear and unaffected by wet season run-off. There was no surf in sight but the telltale sound of breaking waves could be heard from around the point.

The confident expectation of a wind-free morning was enough to keep spirits high with not too much partying for an early first night. In surf terms Tioman’s rating is very much under the radar but its location provides plenty of opportunity to make use of the monsoon swells that burgeon down from the north-east across the South China Sea.

Longbreak explored breaks at either end of Juara Bay and whilst they remain officially nameless they shall be described here as ‘the southern break’ and ‘the northern break’. A five-minute drive from the cottages through fishermen’s shacks and the odd bit of backpackers ‘eco-accommodation’, the southern break is a right-hand point break with a bit of ‘attitude’.

Entry consists of a wait on the spectacular sand beach for the right physic moment and a lull in the shore break activity then a dash to beyond the white water zone. The inside section of the break is protected from the prevailing south-east trade winds by the towering cliffs of the point but the take-off section is slightly exposed to some cross chop and requires a bit of paddling to maintain the prime position.

Take-offs are steep and fast but makeable and once in the area protected from the wind the wall is clean, providing ample time to set your board up to race the falling curtain across some exciting sections. Just a stroll along the beach from the cottages and at the other end of the bay the northern break is a complete contrast; a mellow little left-hander wrapping around a tree-lined point and breaking into a shallow gradient coarse sand bay.

Though appearing unspectacular, after the solid work-out with the ‘attitude’ of the southern break this little wave was high in the enjoyment stakes. The rides were of sufficient length to indulge several times in cross-stepping to the nose and back to the trim. The water temperature was idyllic and the sand floor was shag-pile to the feet. During Longbreak’s three-day stay, the optimum combination of winds and tide never really eventuated but the potential of this location comes easily to the mind’s eye; clean waist- to shoulder-high waves peeling off in multiple sets seemed only a roll of the dice away.

But the combination of the southern and northern breaks gave the Longbreak crew ample ‘quality assured’ water time and had us planning subsequent private forays to Tioman. Happily entrenched in a ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ atmosphere on the east side of the island, Longbreak was a little reluctant to up stakes, but the Tioman Island administrators were keen to show off highlights of the west side and whisked us off in a small fleet of 4x4s.

Our destination was the Berjaya Resort and dejavu for Longbreak. Berjaya design all their resorts with a Melaccan theme; luxurious rooms with bathrooms the size of woolsheds, banquet style meals, bars, spas and pools surrounded by manicured tropical gardens. We had stayed with Berjaya on a previous working surf in Mauritius and knew pleasures aplenty would be on offer.

One is access to the resort golf course. Tucked on a small ‘plain’ between the beach and almost sheer-edged mountains, the course is a thing of beauty in its own right that presents some interesting hazards. A slice off the fairway in one direction and a ball is forever lost to the jungle; a slice in the other and at best it’s on the beach or forever lost to the ocean. If your golfing skills keep you central fairway your next shot might be negotiated around large monitor lizards basking in the sun. This is a quality 18 hole course with an ambience of indulgence and in the monsoon off-season it was quiet.

Getting There

Getting around Peninsular Malaysia is relatively stress free. Tioman Island has been on the tropics escape list for a decade or more and routes there are well navigated. If wandering down the Peninsular from other surf destinations like Cherating and Chendor, the journey to the ferry terminal at Mersing is approximately 2½ hours including mandatory food breaks. Under the guidance of our Malaysian companions eating at local food markets was spice filled and satisfying, even in the breakfast timeslot, with no digestive repercussions.

Direct flights to Tioman Island from Kuala Lumpur are serviced by a 48-seater Dash 7 aircraft that is not conducive to longboard transportation. With boards, self-drive by road from your Malaysian entry airport is a good option. Long-term parking at the ferry terminals presented no problems. Ferry schedules are available from local Tourist Information Centres and do change from season to season; unlike many other destinations on the surf trail, timetables are strictly adhered to - the Captain waits for no one. It does take some effort to get to Tioman Island and as a single destination surf trip location it would be a big commitment with potentially not so big returns. But as an adjunct to an east coast Peninsular Malaysia ‘surfari’ it would deliver the intriguing combination of exploring an under the radar surf break in a picture postcard setting with the option of indulgent luxury and more at close at hand.

Currently, the Malaysian tourism authorities are keen to attract Australian visitors to the Peninsular and they are providing good options for travel with Malaysia Airlines from all Australian capital cities (Hobart excepted). These are all KL bound, with the added benefit of great shopping en-route.