Help me plan 2 weeks on East Coast of West Malaysia

[dumpsterpurrs]

I'm finally taking this trip in July! Hoping to hit Tioman, Tenggol, and Redang after an epic month in Indonesia (North Sulawesi, Nusa Penida, and Komodo).
1. How many days should I spend diving each?
2. Should I stay in Dungun or Tenggol to dive Tenggol?
and to piggyback on this...
3. How about Manado or Bunaken for two days of diving?

 

[BnNSpirit]

I'm finally taking this trip in July! Hoping to hit Tioman, Tenggol, and Redang after an epic month in Indonesia (North Sulawesi, Nusa Penida, and Komodo).
1. How many days should I spend diving each?
2. Should I stay in Dungun or Tenggol to dive Tenggol?
and to piggyback on this...
3. How about Manado or Bunaken for two days of diving?

1.
As a Malaysian, I always target to stay 4d3n or 5d4n (with 10 - 12 dives) before I missed my city life but this is knowing i can always visit it again.

Tioman - It has multiple village (Kampung) with jetty and no road connecting each other, so where you stay will determine which area / dive site you will go. Most of the dive sites is located at north west of island where Labas dive site is my favorite. 1 village located at east of island and it is mostly for macro stuff.

Tenggol - Done 10 dives there, healthy coral but disappointed with the amount of fishes. Famous for whale shark sighting but no luck for me, I even ended up diving at same site twice just to hope to have a glimpse on whale shark.

Redang - Only done 4 dives but nothing impress me.

2.
I will recommend to stay in Tenggol if you can afford it based on following points:-

You get to freshen up after every dives at resort if staying in the island, where you are stuck on island whole day if staying in Dungun and dive at Tenggol (which is 1hr boat ride 1 way)

Only 1 small beach with 3 small resorts, limited phone coverage. It is very peaceful and quiet at night except at the main dining area where guests tend to mingle and drink together. Water is much cleaner on the island compared to the water at dock at Dungun.

Coral Beach Resort has fantastic food and teabreak (inclusive in package), food in Dungun may be limited in terms of cooking style (Malay food)

 

[Musicgirl]

We're going to Redang with Divers Den at the begining of April. We always have a fantastic time with them and I can't recommend them enough. Redang is a good bet if you enjoyed the diving in perhentians but not the islands themselves. The diving is still great but the island is much quieter (at least the resort we stay at is - coral redang island resort).

Redang is not such a pain to get to. If you fly into KL you can get a connecting flight to Terrenganu and from Terrenganu it's a 30 minute drive to the jetty where the speedboat to Redang leaves from (takes 45 minutes).

How was the trip in Redang? I'm hoping to go soon, maybe in October?

 

[Searcaigh]

I'm hoping to go soon, maybe in October?

Isn't October a bit late in the season?

I know it will be quiet then but how about the weather?

 

[Musicgirl]

Isn't October a bit late in the season?

I know it will be quiet then but how about the weather?

Good point. Admittedly, I haven't researched the seasons in west Malaysia much. In East Malaysia it's usually stormy season from January to March. When would you say is the best time of year for Redang? I'm flying domestically so I can definitely change when I go.

 

[Searcaigh]

When would you say is the best time of year for Redang? I'm flying domestically so I can definitely change when I go.

I've been there around July-September, twice during the national day holiday (by mistake, poor planning on my part). I've always stayed at Redang Bay Resort, not sure if it still exists, but it was quite comfortable, and I solo dived off their beach next to the cordoned off snorkelling area the last time I was there. Plenty of life there in the past.

 

[Centrals]

Tenggol is the best among the four major diving islands on the east coast.
Coral is exceptional good but fish life is poor. There is a small school of bump head parrot fish.
Stay on Dungun and you will hardly see any non Malay on the dive boat or on the street/restaurant.
5RM for two small packages of Nasi Lemak or Roti Sarang Burung( 6RM) for breakfast. Far more interesting than banana pancake. It is impossible to spend more than 20RM for a meal in the evening.
"Viking Scuba" is well organized but need to book ahead because space is limited during the week end. GOOD VALUE.

@dumpsterpurrs
I am hoping you will write a trip report because I am sick and tired to come across never ending reports on Sipadan!!!! I had stopped reading those yrs ago. Nothing new and exciting.

 

[Centrals]

"Bumiputera"! Nearly as bad as apartheid used to be practiced in SA.