Tioman · Malaysia · Reef
Ruit
Coral slope from 2 to 18 m with wide monoculture coral stands
Area photo: TMbux · CC BY-SA 3.0
At the northern point of Juara Bay, a coral slope runs from 2 down to 18 metres before flattening into sand dotted with coral clusters. Boulder formations break up the slope, and large expanses of it are a single coral species rather than a mixed garden. Surge can work the shallow end on some days.
Where it is and how deep
2.7991° N, 104.2137° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The site is a five-minute ride to the northern point of Juara Bay, and the reef is a slope: coral from two metres down to eighteen, then sandy bottom scattered with isolated coral clusters. Some bouldering rock formations interrupt the slope, and there are large expanses of a single coral species rather than a mixed garden, which gives long stretches of the reef one uniform texture.
Depth decides the shape of the dive. Drop on the deeper edge at around eighteen metres, work the sand and the spot coral clusters first, then come up on to the slope and spend the rest of the dive between two and eighteen metres. Surge affects the shallow areas on some days, so hold a little distance off the reef as you finish and keep track of where the water is moving you.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Tioman: Northeast monsoon brings rough seas and closed resorts November-January; calmest conditions and best visibility run May-September.
Know before you go
- Surge can run through the shallow end of the slope; keep clear of the coral there rather than holding position against it.
Sources
- Ruit - Scubago — Scubago
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