Hi Glenn,
I've been to Tioman at least 5 times. The last trip was in Mar 98 for my PADI Advance Diving course. Stayed at Tioman Paya Resorts: accommodation - basic (aircon, en-suite bathroom), watch out for the cow-dung, esp in the night (the village cows come visiting every morning to deposit yesterday's meal at your doorstep).
Previously stayed at:
Paya Beach Resorts - Nice establishment with a good restaurant serving a la carte menus. During my Mar trip, they were building more chalets. This place's much better than Tioman Paya Resorts. Provide a snorkeling trip to Coral island in their package. House reef 50m right of the end of jetty - pretty good.
Kampung Air Batang - Can't remember the accommodation I stayed at, but this place gets
my lowest marks. All I remembered were the swarming flies (Hint: sit under a ceiling fan
when having a meal, the flies have a more difficult time trying to navigate around you
& your food. But don't blame me if the wind blows them straight into your dinner.)
Berjaya Resort - Accommodation is the top of its class in Tioman. So is the price. It has
its own swimming pool, golf course, fruitmachine room, game machine room, billiard room,
restaurant serving good buffet dinner. You can hire a kayak & row to the small island
in front & do some good snorkeling (Turtles, shark, stingray, fishes) but watch out
for the current & boats. If you want to be pampered & need the crowd atmosphere.
This is your paradise.
Transport - Like what you said, if you are pressed for time, forget about the Ferry from Mersing. Once we were stopped in the middle of no where for about an hour, while the marine police took down the passengers name & particulars. Reason: Overcrowding!!). If the tide's too low, the ferry won't move .... be prepared to wait.
If you're going by coach from Singapore, be prepared to sweat it out at the Singapore-Malaysia Causeway. There is a long queue here, esp over weekends & holidays. The 2 governments trying to encourage people to use the new 2nd link at Tuas, Singapore >>> the Toll Charges at the new link are too hefty for the coach operators to absorb, so they stick to the old causeway. JAM JAM JAM (Do you know that the malay word "JAM" translate to "Hour" !!)
The Catamaran Ferry from Tenah Merah Terminal (Singapore). The timing is more reliable. The price is definitely higher. The ride - depending on the high seas, be prepared for either a bumpy ride on either trip or on both your forward & return trips. Takes about 4 hours one way. Stops at Berjaya Resort. You either have other arrangement for transport to the other village or be prepared to pay quite a high price for their water-taxi.
I've yet to try their airplane.
Each time I've been there, I keep telling myself it be my last, but like what the above trips tells you, Tioman keeps beckoning me.
Diving in Tioman is pretty ok. At the Marine park, they've recently sunk 7-8 Thai fishing boats , which were caught fishing illegally in Malaysian waters. Acting as artificial reefs, they are attracting quite a good number of large jacks, snapper & groupers. Downside: visibility not that great, esp if novice divers start kicking up the sediments.
Over at the Coral island, places where snorkellers seldom frequent are still the best diving sites. Where you can find snorkellers, the corals are usually dead or dying: too much touching & breaking of corals. Remember this the next time you do any snorkeling or diving: Look only, don't touch.
Cheers
Arthur