photo credits to: Go Travel Place

Nicknamed the “General’s Hat Island” by Chinese seamen hundreds of years ago, Tinggi Island is a large uninhabited island, which rises 2000ft. above the sea level. This delightful island is located about 20 nautical miles southeast of Mersing, on the east coast of Johor.

Tinggi Island is known for its mystical quality as much as its sheer physical beauty. It comprises the principal Tinggi Island, and eight smaller islets, namely Mentinggi Island, April Island, Nanga Kecil Island, Nanga Besar Island, Simbang Island, Lanting Island and Iboi Island and Peyembang Island. Only the first two islands Tinggi Island and Mentinggi Island – have been declared marine park.

Crystal-clear turquoise waters surround the cone-shaped island of Tinggi Island. The interior of this oval-shaped island is mostly covered with secondary lowland Dipterocarp rainforest. It is andowed with fresh waters, a sheltered harbour and coral reefs which abound with prolific marine life. It has a long coastline and while sandy beaches dotted with caves. The seas around it are teeming with coral, fish and reff making it a photographic haven.

The island is surrounded by small islets, with Berlima being one of them. There are numerous activities that one can embark upon when on a visit to this island. The most popular outdoor activities include swimming, sailing, diving, snorkeling and scuba diving. Fishing and canoeing are some of the other adventure activities that the tourists indulge in when visiting Pulau Tinggi.

The presence of a jungle allows one to go for jungle trekking. The island also has mountains, which are filled with caves. Those looking for that extra adventure can go for cave explorations also.

One can get to see different kinds of marine life and birds over here. The waters are teeming with different species of tropical fishes and other sea creatures. There are numerous fruit trees that one can get to see on this beach island.

Getting There:

Tinggi Island is located just east of Johor, Malaysia at the southern end of the peninsula. It is accessible via Tanjung Leman jetty.

By Air:
There is no direct flight fly to Tinggi Island. The nearest airport is Johor Bahru airport. From Johor Bahru, you can a taxi to Tanjung Leman Jetty, which takes about 2 hours. Please refer to the malaysia airlines website or Air Asia for more info on flight schedules to and from Johor.

By Bus:
Tanjung Leman is off Route 3, the main Johor Bahru – Mersing road. It is approximately 45 minutes south of Mersing.

From Mersing there are taxis or local buses to Tanjung Leman. There are express buses to Kluang or Johor Bahru. Connect to Tanjung Leman with local bus or taxi.

You can catch a Mersing Omnibus from the local bus station within Mersing town (The local bus station is not at the R&R Mersing Bus Terminal). From here, take a bus heading for Bukit Tinggi. There should be taxis waiting at this junction to take passengers onwards. Taxi fare should be about RM10 – RM15 per taxi per way.

Self Drive:

Kuala Lumpur to Tanjung Leman jetty
There are two choices when driving from Kuala Lumpur to Tanjung Leman Jetty

Take the North – South Highway from KL until you get to the Kulai turn off (almost as far down as Johor Bahru).This will put you on route 94 heading towards Kota Tinggi and Mersing.

At the end of this road you will reach a T junction, turn left (North) onto Route 3 still heading to Kota Tinggi and Mersing.Continue to follow signs for Mersing. You will hardly notice when you pass by Kota Tinggi as the road bypasses out of the town. However there will be a traffic light whereby a left turn takes you to Kota Tinggi town and a right turn to Desaru.Keep going straight towards Mersing.

After about 40 minutes drive from the traffic light / Kota Tinggi junction you will notice signs for Tanjung leman Sibu Island.

Take a right hand turn into the check point for tenggorah plantation (Palm oil plantation).On the corner of the turn off you should see a taxi stand for long distance cabs (Blue cabs). Pass through a police check point onto the plantation Road.

Tanjung leman jetty is about 28km away from this point, when you are about 13km away from the jetty you will see a sign for Sibu Island Tanjung leman jetty ,take a left turn .Continue on till the end of the road. At the end of the road turn right into the entrance of Tanjung leman jetty car park.OR Take the North South Highway from KL and exit at Keluang heading east towards Mersing.This road is however a single lane winding road and might take a longer time than anticipated. Once you have reached the East coast (South of Mersing) you should turn right (South) heading towards Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru.

After about 30 minutes drive you will reach the Tanjung leman turnoff (Look out for Signs), turn left into the tenggorah plantation( Palm oil plantation).On the corner of the turn off you should see a taxi stand for long distance cabs( Blue cabs).Pass through a police check point onto the plantation road.

Tanjung leman jetty is about 28km away from this point, when you are about 13km away from the jetty you will see a sign for Sibu Island Tanjung leman jetty, take a left turn .Continue on till the end of the road. At the end of the road turn right into the entrance of Tanjung leman jetty car park. Driving from Singapore/Johor Bahru. You need to drive to Johor Bahru and drive ahead until Kota Tinggi (approx. 1\hr) Tanjung Leman’s jetty is located at Kota Tinggi town (about 45 minutes from Kota Tinggi). You may park your car at a secured parking space at Tanjung Leman at RM5/night.

Singapore to Tanjung Leman (using woodlands causeway)
Pass through customs checkpoint (Woodlands causeway) and follow temporary Exit route due to the roadworks. After you have exited the detour move over to the right lane and take the first u turn heading back towards the causeway. You are now in Jalan Wong Ah Fook. This will lead you through Johor Bahru City passing City Square shopping mall on your right. Look out for the overhead Bridge with the sign ‘Kota Tinggi – Desaru’.

Follow this sign and this will put you onto route 3.Keep on this road following the signs to Kota Tinggi and Mersing. Route 3 will lead you through a small town called Ulu Tiram, keep going straight. You will hardly notice when you pass by Kota Tinggi as the road by passes out of the town. However there will be a traffic light whereby a left turn takes you to Kota Tinggi town and a right turn to Desaru.Keep going straight towards Mersing.

After about 40 minutes drive from the traffic light / Kota Tinggi junction you will notice signs for Tanjung leman Sibu Island.

Take a right hand turn into the check point for tenggorah plantation( Palm oil plantation).On the corner of the turn off you should see a taxi stand for long distance cabs ( Blue cabs).Pass through a police check point onto the plantation Road.

Tanjung leman jetty is about 28km away from this point, when you are about 13km away from the jetty you will see a sign for Sibu Island Tanjung leman jetty ,take a left turn .Continue on till the end of the road. At the end of the road turn right into the entrance of Tanjung leman jetty car park.

Singapore to Tanjung Leman (using the 2nd Link/ Tuas)
After crossing the bridge and having cleared Malaysian Immigration and customs continue on towards Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang (exit 307 C).This is a toll road and you will have to pass through two toll Gates (Rm16.00)

Follow this road all the way to Perling Toll Plaza (about 20 min drive from Immigrations).The road will become Persisiran Perling and you will pass Perling Mall on the right side. Keep on this road as it becomes Route 17 and follow the signs for Pasir Gudang, Kota Tinggi and Desaru

There are major Road works being done at the Ulu Tiram, Kota Tinggi, Desaru, Mersing turn off on route 17, so the turn off Road has been closed. It is however scheduled to be reopened in 2005. The quickest way to overcome this is to bypass the construction and pass the ‘Turn Off’ road. Keep in the right hand lane and after approximately 1 km it will be possible to make a u turn.

After u – turning keep in the left hand lane. The first off ramp will take you back to the construction site but from this side of the highway the off ramp is usable. At the top of the ramp there are traffic lights as well as a large white Telecom building opposite the road. Take a right turn and follow signs for Kota Tinggi and Mersing.You are now on route 3. Route 3 will lead you through a small town called Ulu Tiram, keep going straight.

You will hardly notice when you pass by Kota Tinggi as the road bypasses out of the town. However there will be a traffic light whereby a left turn takes you to Kota Tinggi town and a right turn to Desaru.Keep going straight towards Mersing.After about 40 minutes drive from the traffic light / Kota Tinggi junction you will notice signs for Tanjung leman Sibu Island.

Take a right hand turn into the check point for tenggorah plantation(Palm oil plantation).On the corner of the turn off you should see a taxi stand for long distance cabs ( Blue cabs).Pass through a police check point onto the plantation Road. Tanjung leman jetty is about 28km away from this point, when you are about 13km away from the jetty you will see a sign for Sibu Island Tanjung leman jetty ,take a left turn .Continue on till the end of the road. At the end of the road turn right into the entrance of Tanjung leman jetty car park.

Secure parking is available at Tanjung Leman jetty.

Activities and interesting place to go:

Pulau Tinggi is renowned for its marine life and beautiful underwater flora. The whole island is a haven for nature lovers, adventure sports lovers, divers and snorkeling enthusiasts. The island also boasts of natural fresh water and there is a sheltered harbor in the island. The presence of the sheltered harbor explains its role as a stopover point for traders in the ancient past. Like most other islands of Malaysia, Pulau Tinggi also features a rich mythical legacy. The local inhabitants of the island believe that Malay’s most famous hero, Hang Tuah, had stopped in the place during one of his journeys. In fact the local people believe that Hang Tuah’s spirit guards the island even today.

There is no dearth of activities in the island; the visitors can opt for diving, bird watching, trekking, hiking and you can also opt for climbing Pulau Tinggi, which is an extinct volcano.

If you are planning for a trip to the island, then make it a point to visit the island between April and June. These are the best months for diving in the clear and calm waters of the island. Since inner islands are mainly popular with non-divers, therefore these parts of the island are crowded on the weekends and on holidays. So it will be better for you avoid these islands on the weekends and on holidays.

Chalet/Resort Information:

Nadia’s Inn

Tinggi Island Resort

The word for island in Malay is Pulau and big is besar so in actual fact  Pulau Sibu Besar means Big Sibu Island. Pulau Sibu forms part of the Seribuat chain of islands and lies 12 kilometres off the east coast of the West Peninsular of Malaysia. Tanjong Leman is the boat pick up point for Pulau Sibu and is approximately 2 hours north of Johor Bahru on the Mersing road. The island is shaped like a triangular hour glass, about 6 kilometres long and never more than one kilometre wide it’s whole length.

Pulau Sibu is a pleasant hideaway with its lush tropical vegetation, endless stretches of golden beaches and clear blue waters. The island is also dotted with numerous sea caves carved out of rocks. The constant pounding of the sea during the monsoon season has given the island a beautiful yet rugged appearance.

The surrounding waters contain fascinating coral reefs teeming with colourful marine life. Shipwrecks off its coast can also be found. In the olden days, Chinese junks and pirate vessels often exchanged cannon fire around this island, and the remains of these battles lie scattered around the seabed.

There are facilities for scuba diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, sailing and angling. Visitors can go for a hike through the jungle leading to unspoilt mangrove swamps or visit the kelong, or jetty, where anchovies are caught. Alternatively, head for the kampong, or village, to get a first-hand look at how coconuts are smoked to make copra.

How to get there

You can catch a boat ride to Sibu Island from Tanjung Leman jetty, south of Mersing. From Mersing town, travel south along the Mersing – Kota Tinggi (Highway 3) trunk road for about 44km and turn left. The road passes through an oil palm plantation, and is narrow and winding in certain parts. From Johor Bahru, head for Kota Tinggi town. From Kota Tinggi town, travel north on the Kota Tinggi – Mersing trunk road (Highway 3) for 48km and turn right to the same junction mentioned above. Pulau Sibu is about 20 minutes’ boat ride from Tanjung Leman.

If you are coming by plane you can either fly to

Senai Airport, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Private vehicle hire (up to 10 passengers) to Tanjong Leman:  RM300
Travel Time:  2 hours

Changi Airport, Singapore.
Private vehicle hire (up to 10 passengers) to Tanjong Leman:  RM400
Travel Time:  3 hours

Pulau Sibu – activities

Diving

There are approximately 30 dive sites dotted around areas that include Sibu Besar, Sibu Tengah and Pulau Tinggi. The dive sites have a general depth of 15m – 18m but on average visibility is about 10m as according to Linda, the owner of Sea Gypsy Village Resort.

One of the best sites here is Dolly Parton named so for obvious reasons. It was a 20- 25minute speed boat ride to the dive site and a 50minute dive. Upon descending, we found the current pretty strong preventing my dive master, Dave and I from circumnavigating Rock A. That suited me fine as being confined to a smaller area allowed me more time spent on looking into nooks and crannies for interesting lifeforms. Currents normally occur a couple of days before and a couple of days after the full moon – so if you’re not too sure about diving in currents, plan your trips accordingly.

Snorkelling

The best snorkelling area on Pulau Sibu Besar is on the stretch at Rimba Resort. The other area for snorkellers is at Pulau Sibu Kukus.