I explained previously how Sharks are the coolest animals on the planet, but I have to say, cuttlefish come close. I was fortunate enough to spend ten minutes or so studying one while snorkeling off the beach in front of our chalet, but even more amazing were the two large ones I saw while diving. The way they just “hover” about with their funky fins that ripple all around their body and the mass of tentacles doing their thing at the front is, in my eyes at least, impressive. Even more so is their ability to change colour to suit the surroundings. The ones we saw did just this, including “rippling” different colours down their body to mimic the sunlight rippling on the sea bed. Like I said, cool.

After four days on Malaysia’s Tioman Island, once reported to be one of the top ten Islands in the world, I was actually a bit disappointed. Perhaps due to all the hype or due to a bad choice of location, but it just didn’t seem all that impressive. We would have stayed over in Juara as recommended by Jose, but getting there was just to awkward and expensive. In the end we stayed on Air Batang Beach, just as well, as Salang beach was fully booked out by the hordes who had come up from Singapore for their “May Bank Holiday Weekend”.

Still, not wanting to sound all negative, I had a good time. This started off by meeting an Anglo – Spanish couple, Eli and Martin, on the boat over. Naturally with several things in common we all got on well, with Espe and Eli chatting away in Castellano while Martin and I conversed in English. Another nice couple also doing around the world trip but in the other direction from us. Martin is unfortunately spoiled, having done most of his dive training in the Galapagos Islands, nothing here can even begin to compare. Check out their blog at www.getjealous.com/eliandmartin. (Blimey, just happened across another Anglo – Spaniard travel blog on GetJealous http://www.getjealous.com/kathandmiguel). We also met Christin on the boat, and later on another German who’s name escapes me. Along with various beach conversations, we went out for a pleasant and sociable dinner, swapping stories and tips, on their last night on the island. That brings me onto the subject of food. Twice we went for the seafood / fish BBQ at ABC resort which was simply superb, both in quantity and quality.

For the four days on the island we did little more than play with the kids at Mokhtar’s Place (our resort), relax, read (I started and finished Stephen Fry’s “The Hippopotamus” along with finishing my “short introduction to buddhism book). One one day however, we got three dives in with B&J Divers. The first had strong current and bad vis, the last was also low vis, but while exploring five wrecks this just added to the erie adventure feel. The best dive however was the second, Whale Shark aside, this was the best dive of the trip so far. Excellent vis, incredible coral (including “potato” coral that I’d never seen before), the afore mentioned cuttlefish, a half eaten shark, various funky nudibranches and challenging swim throughs (swimming through caves and under boulders) all made for a great dive.

Excuse the blueness of the images. Underwater photography is not easy. I’ll hope to rectify the quality of my pics with some new toys that I’m looking at in Singapore. Watch this space.