An Italian Family's Journey to Tioman Island

As a father of two, planning a family holiday from Italy to Tioman Island in Malaysia was no small feat. Obviously, we wanted everything to be perfect, especially since this would be our first time visiting Asia. Knowing how important it is to have a reliable travel experience, I decided to book both our bus tickets to Mersing and our ferry tickets to Tioman through Bluewater.com.sg. With the platform being based in Singapore, so subject to Singaporean law, I felt reassured that our booking would be handled professionally.

Actually, the moment my Google search showed Bluewater Singapore, it dawned on me that it may not be a bad idea to book our trip on a Singapore-based platform. After all, when you're halfway across the world, I think you'd do well to stick with legitimate merchants. And given Singapore's strict laws, any site with a com.sg domain is bound to be safe.

I mean, let's face it, this is unlikely to be the case with all overseas virtual booking platforms. Clearly, they're not all out to take your money, but I think it's undeniable that some of the booking sites you come across in South-East Asia for instance, are just not yet able to provide the same level of service or accountability as in Singapore. Basically, it's no secret that Singapore, like many other things, is way ahead when it comes to this.

Clear and Concise
Navigating through the Bluewater Singapore website was quite easy. The UI was clear and concise, mostly because it's a rather basic set-up. Anyway, I had no trouble finding the details I needed. For instance, there are quite a few bus companies and one or two daily ferry departures to choose from. And the descriptions provided were useful also. I guess the no-nonsense design approach really works, because it makes it easy to plan your journey. And this increases the odds that everything goes smoothly. For us, this was the case from the moment our flight arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

Frankly, the entire booking process on Bluewater.com.sg was efficient. I particularly liked how the website offered a lot of payment options. It's a sign the company is well-established. As for me, I was able to pay by bank and this is crucial, since, for me, this is the cheapest way to send money. But also, the peace of mind that comes with knowing that my transaction is governed by the Singapore authorities is, dare I say... priceless :)

Are You Being Served?
By the way, the other thing that stood out was the customer service I got. How so? Well, upon finishing the reservation procedure, I had a few questions about getting to Mersing Harbour Centre, the ferry HQ location. And when I reached out to Bluewater Singapore's customer service by Whatsapp, I was promptly met with a reply. Better yet, there was an actual person at the other end, not a chat bot! But also, the person ("Bry") was quite helpful too. Not only did he answer my questions, but he also gave a few great suggestions. Now, this level of service is pretty rare, so hat's off to Bryan and Bluewater Singapore.

Anyway, the bus ride to Mersing and ferry crossing to Tioman were pretty much what I'd hoped for. The bus to Mersing was comfortable and the crossing to the island was fine. Unsurprisingly, our kids were thrilled to see the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches as we approached Tioman. It was the moment we'd all been waiting for...

Pulau Tioman
During our time on the island, we snorkelled around, sun-bathed on the its gorgeous beaches and enjoyed some of the best Asian dishes we've ever had. All in all, it was a memorable holiday, at least in part the result of the easy travelling. So yes, I'm grateful to Bluewater Singapore for helping make this vacation seamless.

If any other families planning a trip to Tioman Island are reading this, from Italy or anywhere else, I suggest going to Bluewater.com.sg for your booking. Your travel plans are in good hands.

By Gio Russo,
Roma, Italy