Freedive Tioman

Located on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, Freedive Tioman is situated in the village of Kampung Tekek on Pulau Tioman. The school occupies a prime position directly on the beach at the Swiss Cottage Resort, providing immediate access to the water.

Since its founding in 2015, the centre has focused specifically on the discipline of freediving. Rather than a generalist scuba operation, the school is built around the technical and physiological requirements of breath-hold diving, offering a specialised environment for those looking to progress through structured certification levels.

The school was founded by Stella and Kat and has been operating for nine years. The teaching philosophy is centred on small group sizes to ensure personalised progression and a high standard of safety for every student.

Instruction is conducted in English, covering a full spectrum of expertise. The team manages training from the initial Discovery (AIDA1) level through to advanced Master (AIDA4) and professional Instructor qualifications.

The centre provides a comprehensive curriculum for freedivers using both AIDA and Molchanovs frameworks. For those starting out, the AIDA1 Discovery takes one day, while the AIDA2 Beginner course requires between 2 and 2.5 days of training.

More advanced students can pursue the AIDA3 course over three days, or the intensive AIDA4 Master programme, which spans 4 to 5 weeks. For those looking to enter the professional sphere, the Instructor course is completed over a two-week period.

The local reefs are home to a variety of charismatic species. You can regularly observe turtles and reef sharks patrolling the area, alongside a diverse array of reef fish.

The surrounding waters support several types of sharks, including reef sharks, which are a common sight for those visiting the island's reefs.

The training sites around Tioman are characterised by calm, shallow environments. These conditions are particularly well-suited for freediving training, where controlled water movement is essential for safety and technique.