TIME magazin's Top 10 islands - once upon a time

1991, when I prepared my first trip east-bound around-the-world trip, travel guides like Lonely Planet refered to an article by the TIME magazine that ranked Tioman as one of the ten most beautiful islands on our globe. In addition I stummbled that time a few weeks before my departure over a similar vote in the GEO travel magazine. For sure, Tioman should be my first destination - and weeks later I went upon my arrival at Changi airport in Singapore straight to Mersing, the gateway to Tioman island. Although the jetlag and the humid-hot climatic conditions gave me a hard welcome to paradise, I still own a memorable picture of myself posing in front of my tiny wooden A-frame hut located direct at the sandy beach of Juara, the east coast's sole settlement.

Alone getting there was already adventurous. Tioman was at that time - except the short way from the narrow airstripe in Tekek - an island without cars and no roads connected the few local settlements. It takes two rewarding hours up and down through a magnificent forest that does not allow a single lookout, due to lush geen vegetation and giant trees. And though today a narrow road paves the way for 4x4-transport, I had no doubts some 20 years later to approach "my first stop on my first trip around the world" by crossing the island on the same track.

Beside the fact that 20 years passed there was an additional lesson to be learned: Like the rest of Malaysia's east cost, Tioman is affected by the Monsoon, exposing the island to intense rainfall and hard to reach by sea between November and February. Obviously I was lucky in March 1991 to strand directly in paradise.

November 2012 - a new reality: crossing the sea in a frezzing airconditioned passenger catamaran instead sunbathing on deck of a simple wooden boat, only to depart in Tekek on a modern jetty infrastructure including a Venice-like channel harbouring some crusing boats. The few backpackers arriving with the only daily ferry are heading straight to the lined-up small Daihatsu 4x4's, while a 30-seater aircraft takes off into deep hanging grey clouds in a sharp left-hand turn behind the new mall to avoid hitting the dense jungle overgrowing the steep hills next the narrow airstripe.

Still I am the lucky one. No rush. Not from A to B, nor getting on the trail to Juara. I choose to get a local dish instead, just across "Little Venice". I have two hours trekking ahead - through rainforest - and a 18-kg backpack on my shoulders.

 

No regret and what a reward. During the 2 1/2 hours hike through wet forest I was alone with the pure beauty of nature and the sounds of the island's wildlife up in the jungle. It didn't bother me as rain started to accompany me for some time. It added perfectly to nature's orchester and intensified the unique smell of the forest. And there it was: a majestic tree overgrown with a net of roots like a staircase to heaven.

Juara itself took me a night to accept the changes. I guess the never ending sound of the soft breaking waves and the rain drumming time by time on the roof allowed me to make peace between my memories of the small traditional village and its beach huts for the visiting backpacker community and the Juara of today. As time passes - 1992, a year after my first visit the first cement path was built, to be a few years later extended for the use of cars. Whereas 20 years ago the villagers where sitting in front of their wooden houses and called you with a smile by name - "Kris, volleyball time" - it seems you are the the stoic point sitting at the beach or restaurant terrace, while locals constantly pass by on their scooters from on side of the bay to the other, or preferably, up and down the new jetty as hangout spot of the youth.  But there's also some new environmental development: the Juara Sea Turtle Project.

I still might take the track a second time to head on, but I will not come back to Tioman again. Well, at least I still have one night ahead listening the sound of waves.

Link to my pictures from Tioman island (taken with Nokia E61i smartphone):
Trekking in Tioman - 20 years ago the only way to reach Juara
Tioman island +20