I have been staying in Mersing for some time and sorry to say that every time I was about to go to Tioman Island, something will happen. So, I don't really know when I will have the chance to go to Tioman Island.
This is the post that I have been holding for almost ancient now because of my procrastination too and since I need to venture out a little from just writing about beauty all the time.
Everyone has been telling me how beautiful Tioman Island is and nobody knows where is Mersing town but when I mentioned about Tioman Island, everybody knows it. So ramble aside, I will break the post into many posts since there is quite a lot to write about since one post is not enough.
First, I would suggest
not to take night bus to this town-Mersing because the Mersing bus station will empty and it is dangerous. The only thing you will see will probably be stray cats. Even if you decide to take the night bus from
TBS(Bandar Tasik Selatan station) Kuala Lumpur, one will probably reach at around 3am in the morning and so there are only
3 places that you could wait until the sun rises. Well, you could look for hotels but it won't be worth the money since normal check in is about 1pm.
No taxi service here so you will have to rely on your two legs to walk from one end to another end.
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From TBS (bandar Tasik Selatan) , there are three companies that offer bus to Mersing-
Transnational,
S&S International and another one which I wouldn't suggest to take. Expect 7 to 8hours by bus unless the bus driver is driving like a Formula1 driver in car race. The buses will stop few times so do not get down until you have reach Mersing bus station.
S&S International
link to check the price, number of seats available and date that you are going. Please put Kuala Lumpur TBS as there are two main bus stations in Kuala Lumpur. All the bus that goes to the south is in TBS while buses to the North operated at Pudu. Personally, I dislike service at Pudu because of so many bad experiences I had.
Transnational link to check the price, number of seats available and date. Please put in Kuala Lumpur. I prefer to take the earlier bus at 9am so that I will reach in the afternoon. Carry some food with you as I do not like the place where they stop for a break. Food is too expensive and with flies flying around.
From | : |
KUALA LUMPUR
| To | : |
MERSING
|
Fare (Adult) | : | 29.80 | Fare (Children) | : | 22.40 |
Distance | : | 353 KM | Duration | : | 4 hour(s) 45 minute(s) |
Departure Terminal | : | Term B'spadu Selatan | Arrival Terminal | : | T.BARU MERSING |
Time | : |
Early Morning | Morning | Afternoon | Evening | Night |
| 09:00 | 12:30 | 18:00 | 23:30 |
|
| | * Fare is not inclusive of any surcharge/discount and insurance. |
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From Johor Bahru or the bus station larkin, there are the causewaylink and also
S&S International. I always take
Causeway because the trips are more frequents and faster. It takes about 2hours to reach if it is Causeway buses. Others takes 3hours.
You could go to this link
Here to see the schedule and the price of the bus fare for Causeway. RM12.80
Johor Bahru to Mersing
TRIP | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
1 | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM |
2 | 11:30AM | 11:30AM | 11:30AM | 11:30AM | 11:30AM | 11:30AM | 11:30AM |
3 | 04:00PM | 04:00PM | 04:00PM | 04:00PM | 04:00PM | 04:00PM | 03:00PM |
4 | 07:00PM | 07:00PM | 07:00PM | 07:00PM | 07:00PM | 07:00PM | 07:00PM |
Mersing to Johor Bahru
TRIP | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
1 | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM | 08:00AM |
2 | 01:00PM | 01:00PM | 01:00PM | 01:00PM | 01:00PM | 01:00PM | 11:30AM |
3 | 03:00PM | 03:00PM | 03:00PM | 03:00PM | 03:00PM | 03:00PM | 03:00PM |
4 | 06:30PM | 06:30PM | 06:30PM | 06:30PM | 06:30PM | 06:30PM | 06:30PM |
From Malacca, there is three trips per day and that is
S&S International . Expect about 3.5 hours journey. I would suggest one to go on a trip to Malacca first before coming to Mersing instead of going direct to Tioman Island. I wrote about my trip to Malacca
Here and
Here.
08:00 AM
RM 25.10
RM 18.80
40
12:45 PM
RM 25.10
RM 18.80
40
06:15 PM
RM 25.10
RM 18.80
40
Word of caution, check if it the first day of school holiday, public holiday (Hari Raya, Chinese New
Year&Labour day ) because all the bus tickets to GO OUT of Mersing will be sold out two months before. A high chance that you will get stranded here in Mersing for a week.
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Here is the link to visit for the buses.
www.causewaylink.com.my
www.ssinternational.com.my
http://www.transnasional.com.my/
Okay, so once you reach the bus station. The Mersing bus station looks like this.
|
the photos look nicer than in reality |
|
where the ships are |
|
where all the bus counters are-there is only one row. behind this counter is the market |
|
bus counters |
|
one travel tours and closed up shops-nothing here |
|
bus from Johor Bahru |
|
KFC is the place you should use as your direction. On the left of the photos there is a pathway.follow it |
|
further up the road to the KFC-look for this |
Then look for KFC. That is where all the hotels and other amenities are. If the 'sea'(where all the ships are parking) is
behind you, then take the
left road. You could see the KFC further ahead. There is actually understructure pathway on the
left side of the photo but it is not in the photos. You could follow the pathway.
The right road lead to the Pasaraya Kini- a local supermarket.
If you don't see KFC after walking for 10minutes(walk very slow) then you are probably lost. If you see Timotel Hotel, then for sure you are lost.
Lastly,
DO NOT COME TO TIOMAN ISLAND AT THE END OF THE YEAR!THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE! DO NOT COME ALONE!
PART 2: THE HOTELS&AMENITIES
PART 3 :
HALAL FOOD &NON HALAL(CAN GET LIQUOR HERE)
PART 4 : (ANY SUGGESTION?)
This is not a sponsored review. The opinions expressed here are my own and honest as always.