How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island

Why visit Tioman Island?

Tioman Island is a popular diving and surfing spot located some 60 km off Malaysia’s east coast. The island is duty-free so you’ll find cheap beer (cheaper than water!) and cigarettes.

Although it’s one of Malaysia’s more commercialised islands, Tioman has an array of beautiful beaches and marine life. Just try not to go on a weekend if you want to skip the crowd. In between these beaches are lush jungles, so trekking from one beach to another is a common activity. One important tip: stay away from the monkeys!

There are 2 ways to travel the 305 kilometres (190 miles) from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island. You can choose between the bus + ferry via Mersing and bus + ferry via Gemok. The journey takes 6 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours 50 minutes and the quickest way is by bus + ferry via Mersing. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus + ferry via Gemok with tickets starting at 79 MYR ($18.70).

The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island via Gemok takes around 6 hours 50 minutes. Note that there are limited ferries operating from Gemok, so you have to time your bus accordingly.

When travelling by bus from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island via Gemok Jetty, only Sanwa Express offers trips that will allow you to take a connecting ferry within the same day. You can get a ticket from 40 MYR ($9.50) when you book online beforehand via BusOnlineTicket.

Bluewater Express operates 1-2 ferry trips from Gemok Jetty to Tioman Island daily. It’s best to plan your schedules beforehand but still be ready for any changes.

A ticket costs 39 MYR ($9.20) for the journey that is 1h 30m long.

Travelling by bus and ferry from Kuala Lumpur to Tioman Island via Mersing takes around 6 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes. That’s 30 minutes more than the alternative option via Gemok, but you’ll find more ferry options in Mersing.

Travel time from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing is around 5h, so you’ll have to take the early morning bus with Sanwa Express guarantee making the connecting ferry to Tioman Island.

Alternatively, you can take the Transnasional bus that departs late at night from Kuala Lumpur. The journey with this bus takes around 8 hours, but we like it as you can save money on accommodation and get some sleep at the same time.

Ticket prices start from 42 MYR ($9.90) when you book with BookAway.

One important thing you need to know about ferries operating from Mersing to Tioman Island is that nothing is guaranteed. Ferry schedules change all the time so you can’t really book a ticket more than a month before your trip. And even after you’re booked, you’ll have to re-check the schedule the day before.

Bluewater Express and CataFerry are two of the companies operating this route. Rates start from 39 MYR ($9.20). Below are their current schedules as posted on Busonlineticket and the CataFerry website.