The village is named after its abundance of mangrove swamps -'paya' in the local language. Behind the tatty wooden huts and homes along the beach, a shallow river feeds through a rich mangrove landscape, with boats parked at deeper sections under the shade of a thick forest canopy. Nature lovers will appreciate the rich rainforest scenery, with a jungle trail from Tioman Paya Resort that leads to Rock Falls, a rocky stream with small pools for swimming. From here, it is also possible to ascend the mountain slopes of Gunung Kajang, the highest summit of Pulau Tioman, all the way to its peak. At the northern end of the village, visitors can follow another trail across a moderate slope that ends at a beach (Teluk Sri Intan) and then continue their journey on a gravel road to Berjaya Tioman Resort
, before exiting out to Tekek town. Finally, at the southern end of Paya, a partly-paved jungle trail leads to Genting Village.