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Hi everyone,
Sorry it's been a while,but communications aren't exactly top notch out here on Tioman Island---have had to borrow the Dive Shop's computer,as local Internet can take 10 minutes to download a page!!!
Anyway,I arrived in Salang Beach and was diving half hour later(didn't even have accommodation !!).and haven't really stopped until this morning!! Diving here is good--mostly pretty corals and shoal fish,but I have seen large shoals of Barracuda,plenty of moray eels,blue spotted rays,puffers,and cuttlefish--so maybe I'm a little jaded from diving some pretty spectacular site around the World.
It's a very beautiful island--reasonably described as a tropical paradise--pale blue,warm seas (28 degs.when diving)--palm trees along the beaches,and backed by thick jungle.I believe there are as many as 16 regularly visited Dive Sites,so plenty to keep a diver amused.I have to say,night life is a little muted--not clubbing,usually it's sitting around watching the most beautiful sunsets whilst having an ice cold Tiger beer,then chatting about the day's diving with friends---although instant parties do regularly pop up!!
Can't remember if I explained the journey from KL---my intention was to fly with Berjaya Air (expensive- around 50 GB pounds)but the flight was full,so it was a coach (Transnacional) from PuduRaya bus station---an experience in itself--total chaos,but it seems to work.The coaches are pretty good,and we made Mersing in about 5 hours,then it was a made dash to the harbour to pick up the ferry across to Tioman (about an hour to the first drop off jetty),then you hop along coast to various locations,until the end of the line--Salang.
This is a lovely resort,virtually no transport--just a few recently imported motorbikes--and I stayed at Ella's Place at the far end of the beach--not exactly luxury,but 40 ringitt for a fan cooled room,you can't complain.
When I've been here before,I've dived with B and J's,a very reputable outfit,but there are several other dive shops around,most run by locals.
As I came to Tioman first,with the intention of meeting old friends,I discovered that most had moved to ABC (Air Batang Campur,I think?--nobody calls it that)--a little busier than Salang (although it was pretty quiet---because of Ramadan)--with more motorcycle traffic--but not exactly the M25 !!!
A very good restaurant--the Sunset Bar--along the beach towards Tekek(about as close as you'd get to a village,around the Island).Mostly excellent pizzas but as I prefer to eat more local food,they do a fabulous salad (very very spicy) and a superb Kari Mari,a sort of curry,overflowing with shellfish,chicken,vegetables etc..
Well,that'll have to do for the time being--I'm here for another week then hope to head for Sabah (Borneo).
Hope all that read this are well---I will try and download some piccies,once I find a better Internet link.
All the best---Alec.
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