This blog entry is a continuation of "Tioman Island Escapade". If you have not checked out the second part of the 3D 2N itinerary, kindly do so by clicking here.
0800hr
Gently awaken by the soft sunlight that peeked through the lodge's white curtains, I rubbed my sleepy eyes, dragged myself out of bed and cleaned-up before waking Peiyi up. I opened the door expecting a mess caused by the monkeys again, but everything was peaceful. Looks like the residents have learnt their lesson. The other four friends were more or less awoke and after 10 minutes or so, we were ready for breakfast.
0900hr
The weather was beautiful and breezy that day, with gentle waves hitting the shore. Everyone except Peiyi and I went for the last snorkelling session, while the two of us decided to have a romantic stroll along the beach.
We reached a part of the beach where the dead corals and sea shells covered the sands. We also took the chance to collect some free souvenirs back home.
And even found a shell THIS BIG!
0930hr
The snorkelling gang finished their fish-googling trip and we headed back to our lodges for a quick bath and to pack-up our baggages.
Not forgetting to get some souvenirs back home, we went to the duty-free shop located just a minute walk away from the resort. Some ideal souvenirs to bring back are little crafts and trinkets, local snacks, duty-free liquer and cigars (subjected to individual countries; some might impose a tax on the items) or a quirky Tioman T-shirt.
Not recommended: I got a dyed batik cloth for Mama Kook, but the colors fade off after a few wash.
1200hr
We checked out of the resort and proceeded to have lunch at the seafood restaurant manned by an old couple. As Tioman depends heavily on imports, this restaurant only serves a variety of home-cooked dishes depending on the imports for that day. We ran out of luck again when they told us crabs weren't available.
Although service was slow (can't blame them), food was generally good and the price was pretty reasonable as well. Compared to other restaurants in Paya, I'd ranked this one the best.
After a hearty lunch, why not grab some Wall's Magnum ice-cream again?
1345hr
The time when we bid farewell to the beautiful island has arrived. Although it rained on the second day, we had absolute fun trying out snorkelling and exploring this beautiful island. What's more? I made two new friends, Soull and Judy!
Last group photo at Tioman Island
Our ferry ride was a tad late and only managed to board at about 1430hr.
1900
After another grueling trip back home, we finally crossed the Singapore borders at Woodlands Checkpoint.
Home sweet home.