If you are visiting the Malaysian peninsula or Singapore and looking for a liveaboard cruise, there are some great short-trip options available. Although the best diving in Malaysia is found in the Bornean state of Sabah, there are some very worthwhile dive sites along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, particularly around Pulau Tioman.
There are some 20 sites dotted around Tioman Island, where such cruises focus their trips. These typically feature submerged granite boulders, healthy hard and soft corals and plenty of marine life. Bumphead parrotfish, anemonefish, angelfish, batfish and blue spotted stingrays are all likely encounters. These sites tend not to be too deep and experience little or no current, so conditions are not challenging.
In addition to these reefs, you can dive below a jetty for great macro life encounters and there is a number of wrecks to explore. These include various Thai fishing boats and a former Royal Navy warship which can keep you amused on multiple dives. Charters that operate out of Singapore conduct trips not only in Malaysian waters, but also run some cruises that travel to dive sites within Indonesian territory.
