By Hannah Teoh

When considering where to go for a short beach getaway, Tioman often gets left off the list.

Although often regarded as a popular spot for dive enthusiasts, Tioman seems to have a less exotic sheen than the beach resorts of Phuket and Redang.

But there is much to explore even if you aren't one of those who don the wet suit and oxygen tank.

Unlike budget resorts at Salang or Paya beach, Berjaya Air offers a direct flight to the Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf and Spa Resort from Seletar Airport. The 35-minute flight takes you there on a 48-seat Dash 7 aircraft - a duration not long enough for in-flight entertainment and meals, but short enough to get you to Tioman in a fraction of the time that it takes to get there via ferry, which takes about four hours.

The first thing to do in order to get acquainted with the island is a round-island cruise just before sunset. The hour-long cruise promises plenty of photo opportunities as you sail around the perimeter of the island. Picturesque holiday chalets and huts dot the beach front, set against a backdrop of dark green rolling hills. Have your camera handy as you catch the last rays of sun dipping into the horizon as you head back to shore.

Mukut waterfall, the largest waterfall on Tioman.

At dinner time, treat yourself to fine dining instead of the usual hawker fare found around beach resorts. The Matahari Restaurant faces the beach, and has individual gazebos for each table. It's a setting to consider for your romantic candlelight dinner by the seaside, complete with the sound of waves splashing against the shore. Matahari serves intercontinental cuisine and "Chinese fondue" - a more elegant way of describing steamboat.

Not just sun and sand

There is plenty to do, both in and out of the water. If you missed the sunset cruise, the round-island snorkeling will more than make up for it. After a two-hour circuit round the island, we arrived at an area for snorkeling. Hundreds of fish swim around you en masse, unperturbed. The myriad of colours and variety of fishes is a marvel to behold.

Nicholas Sarasta, a marketing executive from Indonesia who was on his maiden visit to Tioman said he wanted to try everything that the island offered. He concluded that the best thing was the snorkeling. Having snorkelled in Bintan and Phuket, he said that the waters in Tioman had the most beautiful fish species.

Tioman has more to offer than just snorkelling, beaches and boat rides. A jungle trek to Mukut Waterfall, the largest waterfall on the island, is rewarded by a splash in the cool, clear waters in the waterfall pool - a must-try for city-dwellers when you're this close to nature.

Your guide will also point out some of the fascinating flora and fauna along the way, such as leaves that produce a soap-like substance for washing, and maybe even some unusually large monitor lizards. Try not to scream if you encounter any.

Golf enthusiasts who would prefer to skip the snorkelling and jungle trekking will be relieved to know that Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf and Spa Resort is also the only resort on the island which owns an 18-hole golf course.

When to travel

The off-peak season is between late December to early February. The monsoon season falls in early November. But travelling during the off-peak season may not be such a bad thing, especially just before the monsoon season in early November. The island hardly showed signs of the monsoon rains during our three-day, two-night stay there. But of course, remember to check the weather forecast before you book your trip.

A big plus point for travelling off-peak is that you have most of the beach to yourself - no need to fight over deck chairs, no screaming children to upset the tranquil silence, just the sound of waves gently splashing on the shores.

Sunset over the resort.

Justine Moss, a media communications specialist who was visiting Tioman for the first time said: "It makes sense to come to Tioman for a quick getaway if you don't want to go too far away, like Thailand or Vietnam... I didn't even know you could fly to Tioman. It's a half-an-hour flight, then you're on the beach in five minutes."

Fine dining, snorkeling, golf and walking along a pristine, clean beach lapped by waves from the blue and emerald green sea. I'd give diving a miss.

Read also:

» Photo gallery of Tioman

» Tioman: seeing things in black and white