Tioman · Malaysia · Reef · Wall · Drift
Tg Api Lighthouse
Lighthouse drop-off to 25 m, sand running on to 40
Area photo: TMbux · CC BY-SA 3.0
Off the lighthouse at Tanjung Api, a gentle coral slope in 2 to 7 metres runs out to a drop-off that descends to 25 metres, with a gradual sandy bottom continuing to around 40 below that. The current along that edge shapes the dive: when it runs, the drop-off is worked as a drift rather than swum in both directions.
Where it is and how deep
2.7389° N, 104.2201° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Twenty minutes south of Juara Bay, off the Tanjung Api lighthouse, the dive begins on a gentle coral slope in two to seven metres. Follow it seaward and it ends at an edge: the reef breaks into a drop-off that descends to twenty-five metres, and below that a gradual sandy bottom keeps going to around forty.
The drop-off is the dive. Current sometimes runs strong along that edge, and when it does the sensible plan is to go with it, staying on the face and letting the flow do the work rather than fighting back towards a fixed point. Turn while you still have gas and depth in hand, then come back up on to the shallow coral slope, where two to seven metres of reef makes an easy place to spend the last of the dive and the safety stop.
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
- Current along the drop-off can run strong; plan to move along the edge with the flow and carry a surface marker for an open-water ascent.
Sources
- Tg Api Lighthouse - Scubago — Scubago
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