MY · Johor · 2.48°N 103.96°E

pulau tengah

A private island off Mersing with one resort, reefs to snorkel and a turtle conservation camp.

Best time
March to October, when the sea is calmer and diving runs. The north-east monsoon, roughly November to February, brings rough seas; the Mersing harbour can shut for a week or more, and boats get cancelled. Turtle nesting peaks around June to August.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
About 4–4.5 hours' drive from KL to Mersing via Kluang, then about 20 minutes by boat from the main passenger jetty. The resort runs the boat, with times set by the tide.
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MY · Johorpulau tengah2.48°N 103.96°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A private island off Mersing with one resort, reefs to snorkel and a turtle conservation camp.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingPulau TengahMY, Johor
KLpulau tengah
≈ 263 km from KL, as the crow flies
Pulau Tengah. Mersing. Johor. Malaysia.

Photo: Mohd Fazlin Mohd Effendy Ooi · CC BY 2.0

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Pulau Tengah is a small, privately owned island in the Johor Marine Park, about 20 minutes by boat from Mersing. In the late 1970s it was a UN transit camp for Vietnamese refugees. Today it has a single resort, coves of white sand and coral off the rocks, and Tengah Island Conservation, a non-profit that looks after the turtles nesting on its beaches.

Makan

  1. Resort mealsEvery meal comes from the resort kitchen, so tell them about dietary needs, including halal, when you book.Map ↗
  2. Seafood in MersingFish, squid and prawns in town before the boat, and keropok to take home.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. SnorkellingCoral and reef fish off the island's rocky shores, plus boat trips to the neighbouring islands.Map ↗
  2. DivingDives around the marine park from mid-March to October.Map ↗
  3. Turtle WatchTalks, and nest patrols in season, with the island's conservation team.Map ↗
  4. KayakingPaddle round the coves while the morning sea is flat.Map ↗

Good to know

  • There's no public ferry: you stay at the resort, which has a two-night minimum and arranges the boat.
  • Marine park fees are collected at the Mersing jetty, and coral and shells stay where they are.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.