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PULAU TIOMAN , 30km east of Mersing, has long been one of Malaysia's most popular holiday islands. Thirty-eight kilometres long and nineteen kilometres at its widest point, it is the largest island in the Seribuat archipelago and has an inaccessible mountainous spine down its centre. Ever since the 1970s, when Tioman was voted one of the ten most beautiful islands in the world by Time magazine, crowds have been flocking to its palm-fringed shores. Now, noisy express boats travel here in less than two hours and several daily flights arrive from Singapore and other parts of the Peninsula. Damage has been inflicted on the surrounding coral and marine life, but Pulau Tioman displays a remarkable resilience, and to avoid it is to miss out. Most of the habitation on Tioman is along the west coast, with the popular budget places being in the main village of Tekek and the bay of Air Batang ; the east coast's sole settlement, Juara , is less developed. Salang is a noisy, more upmarket resort, but Nipah and Mukut are just opening up to tourism. Many of Tioman's nearby islets provide excellent opportunities for snorkelling, and most of the chalet operations offer day-trips (RM35) to nearby reefs. Many dive centres on Tioman offer the range of PADI certificates, from the four-day Open Water course (RM750) through to the fourteen-day "Dive Master" (RM1200); always check that qualified English-speaking instructors are employed, and that the cost includes equipment. Like the rest of the Peninsula's east coast, Tioman is affected by the monsoon , making the island hard to reach by sea between November and February. July and August are the busiest months, when prices increase and accommodation should be booked in advance.
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