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Last updated on January 14, 2024
This pile of huge rocks and boulders, which outcrops 300 meters from the coast of Pulau Tulai, is one of the favorite stops on boat trips to Coral Island. Even if the sea can be choppy, and the depth is significant around the reef, this spot offers a great experience. Snorkelers can expect to see pretty corals, colorful reef fish, and blacktip sharks.
Malang Rock is a rock outcrop located near Pulau Tulai (Coral Island), an islet located northwest of Tioman.
The only option to access this site is by boat. Many tour agencies offer excursions to Coral Island (which generally includes the spots of Genting Bay and Malang Rock, check carefully), Pulau Soyak and another spot among Monkey Bay, Marine Park or Rengis.
The price of boat tours is approximately RM85 per person (2023). There are several starting points: Salang, ABC, Tekek and Paya. It is also possible to organize a private tour to be sure you’ll visit your desired snorkeling stops and arrive on Coral Island before the majority of excursionists (RM700 for approximately 6-8 people, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Malang Rock is also a famous scuba diving site.
Water entrance is directly from the boat, near the islet.
Around Malang Rock, the sea can be rough, and wearing fins is strongly recommended. The best way to explore this location, if conditions allow, is to snorkel all around the islet. If you encounter strong currents or poor visibility, go back.
Malang Rock consists of a cluster of huge rocks and boulders colonized by different types of corals, around which the depth can reach 32 to 40 feet/10 to 12 meters, or even more if you snorkel further away.
Among the coral cover, you’ll notice in particular very pretty branching coral, brain coral, finger coral, as well as beautiful examples of tabular corals. Malang Rock being a fairly exposed site, there’s just few soft corals in the shallows.
During your snorkeling, you will see a wide variety of parrotfish, wrasse, damselfish, and spinefoot. A few sea anemones shelter friendly Ocellaris anemonefish. Different species of butterflyfish can be encountered on this spot, as well as puffers and the iconic blue-ring angelfish.
But the most popular of Malang Rock is the blacktip reef shark, frequently encountered around the reef. It is often seen in the blue, but some individuals use to rest in the coral areas.
Most day trips include lunch; inquire when booking.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
