Diving Tioman, Redang and the Perhentians from Singapore

The crew's home water, and the most seasonal of the lot: the northeast monsoon closes it outright for a third of the year.

Islands: Perhentian Besar, Redang, Tenggol, Tioman

Best months: Apr–Aug
Also good: Mar, Sep–Oct
From Singapore: ~5h 30m each way
On the map: 34 dive sites · 19 centres

When to go

Marginal

Diveable in October, but not its best.

Inter-monsoon squalls

Afternoon thunderstorms that shorten a day rather than cancel it.

The year here

JFMAMJJASOND

Best here: April, May, June, July, August.

Tioman, Redang and the Perhentians. Written by hand from how the season actually runs, calibrated against what the boats do, since a season that disagrees with the operators is wrong however good the meteorology behind it. It describes most years, not this one: the forecast above is what knows about next week.

Northeast monsoon (Nov–Feb) — Wind straight down the South China Sea onto an exposed coast. Two to three metre swell, visibility in single figures, and the boats stop running.
Inter-monsoon squalls (Mar, Oct) — Afternoon thunderstorms that shorten a day rather than cancel it.
Closed roughly 1 November to the end of February — Redang and the Perhentians close entirely — resorts shuttered, ferries suspended. Tioman keeps a reduced service to the villages but most dive operators shut with it.

Where to dive in Tioman, Redang and the Perhentians

Perhentian Besar · 11 sites

Redang · 7 sites

Tenggol · 7 sites

Tioman · 7 sites

Elsewhere · 2 sites

Every site opens onto this week's sea forecast and the marine life seen there. See them on the map →

Dive centres

Run one of these? Claim your listing — it's free

Getting there from Singapore

Perhentian BesarFlight → Transfer → Ferry → Dive boat~5h 30m
RedangFlight → Transfer → Ferry → Dive boat~5h 6m
TenggolFlight → Transfer → Ferry → Dive boat~5h 6m
TiomanCoach → Ferry → Dive boat6h 30m

~5h 30m

door to water, each way · 4 legs

FlightKota Bharu (KBR)~3h 15mFlight time plus the airports at both ends. A connection adds to it.Find flights →
TransferKuala Besut jetty1hAn hour by road, and the resorts run a shuttle to meet flights.Directions →
Ferrythe Perhentians45 min30 to 45 minutes, and it stops running in the monsoon.
Dive boatBatu Layar30 min

📍 Batu Layar on Google Maps 🧭 Route from Kota Bharu

Times marked ~ are estimated from straight-line distance and will be roughly right at best. The road legs are the ones Google Maps answers properly; it will not plan the ferry or the dive boat at all. A dive site's coordinates put a pin in open water, so the map link drops you on the site, not on a jetty.

Is it good right now?

The forecast for Batu Layar shows this week's swell and wind — and you can ask to be told when it looks good. Or see where to dive this month.

Planning Tioman, Redang and the Perhentians with friends?

Hear when a site looks goodFollow any dive site and we'll tell you when a good spell is on the forecast.
Plan trips with your groupEveryone answers going, maybe or can't, and the club calendar shows the dates most people can make.
Join a trip from the group chatTap “Count me in” on a shared trip link and you're in the club and down as going.
Keep a log bookLog your dives with the conditions you found, which become your group's reports on that site.
Your group's own spacePosts, photos and private messages, seen by members only.
Add missing dive sitesPut a site the map doesn't have yet where the boat actually goes.

Create a free account Questions? Read the FAQ →