Bushman Chalets
I spent a glorious week at Bushman's with my fiance and I have to say that, a few tiny niggly things aside, our Busman's getaway will go down into our family history as some of the most wonderful time we spent.
This trip is the one we will be talking about for years to come. "Bushman" will forever ring ever so sweetly in our ears. It was that wonderful.
And as is so often the case, we'd almost missed out on staying at this gem of a place altogether. It so happens that months before our trip, I was reading up on Tioman, when I chanced upon a number of Bushman's reviews.
It struck me that the recurring theme in almost all of Bushman's reviews was that guests were mostly keen to visit again. Almost all of them were sure they were going to revisit Bushman one day.
Bushman offers sheer unrivalled
views of both ocean and jungle
This, to us, is the one thing that distinguishes a fantastic holiday location from the countless par-for-the-course places there are on offer. And so, we unanimously decided that we were going to stay at Bushman.
Turns out that our habit to book early was our second stroke of good fortune, because we managed to score one of Bushman's six chalets in the knick of time.
Bushman is on the less populated east coast of Tioman, which means that you'll need a pick-up from Juara's opposite village, Tekek. But not to worry, because Bushman will oblige with a cross-island drive in a 4X4 that is a thrill in itself. Think narrow steeply undulating road, potholes, dense jungle and raucous monkeys. Bienvenue à Tioman. This is about as real as it gets.
Bienvenue à Bushman Tioman,
tropical paradise in the heart of Juara
Our chalet is equidistant from the little adjacent river and the sea in front. Its idyllic location was quite literally picture perfect. Its interior was spacious and well-maintained.
Best of all, it was spotlessly clean and furnished with just enough creature comforts to still be considered "basic". A king size bed, air-con, a wee fridge and a hot-water shower. There's also a couple of fans for when things get a little nippy, which, due to the proximity of the jungle, it occassionally does.
Réservez vos billets de ferry pour Tioman
De Mersing, Feb De Tanjung Gemok: N.A., [Tanjung Gemok = Teluk Gading] Vas-tu à Mukut ou Juara? Cliquez ici. Pro Tip: Vous ne savez pas quelle jetée choisir lors de la réservation de votre ferry? Pas de problème, parce que le ferry généralement, sauf exceptions, à toutes les jetées principales de la côte ouest. Prendre le ferry Tanjung Gemok? Clique ici / ici |
Incidentally, our chalet also had a little porc with a table and chairs. This little porch became our favorite hang-out, not least because of the magnificent ocean views it offered.
Every single member of the Bushman support staff is a darling. You know that you've got a winning team when there's always someone there when they're needed, yet they're all inconspicuously absent when they're not.
The food and drink here is probably some of the best you'll have in this neck of the woods. Great dishes and yummy freshly-squeezed fruit beverages. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are little parties here.
One of the various vivid memories I'll take with me after staying at Bushman is how the environment really touched a chord with us. We didn't just see nature here, we smelled its sweet earthy scents, heard its mysterious ever-present hum and sensed its almost physical awesomeness, particularly during this rumbling tropical thunderstorm that we were treated to one midnight. We felt as if we'd gone back into time 1000 years. This place is sheer magic.
Tip: Book early. Bushman may now be on Agoda, so try there first. If not, you can try calling or emailing direct. The beach, whilst amazing, is a bit rocky here and there, so wear sandals when you're going for a night stroll.
Must-dos: the guided waterfall/jungle-trekking and a turtle sanctuary visit. Bushman is ideal for catching up on rest, sleep, reading and spending quality time with your loved-ones. We will be back :)
