OffTrack
Issue #3
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This issue features Islands overrun by pigs and puppies, the war on ants, a look into the worlds biggest cave, which can fit a city block inside with 40 story buildings, and a mini adventure that I was absolutely not ready for and let’s just say failed miserably… enjoy!
The Adventure in Review
Pig Isand (Koh Madsum)
Way back at the start of my travels, one of my first island tours took me from Koh Samui to Koh Madsum, also known as Pig Island, with a few snorkelling stops along the way.
The moment you arrive, you’re greeted by a ton of extremely friendly and playful pigs as well as a bunch of puppies which really topped it off for me straight away. Swanning around like they own the place, cause they pretty much do … I mean it’s nicknamed after them. They patrol around the beautiful beaches that are touched by the crystal blue water Thailand is so famous for.
You can also take a short walk to a mini viewpoint, maybe even class it as your mini exercise hike for the day so you can stuff your face with some more Pad Thai (like you wasn’t already planning to anyway).
Now this is not an epic or a life changing adventure, but if you love animals, beaches and paradise islands it’s a decent combo. Pro tip: Get there early, try get on a boat or tour that heads out earlier than the rest and beat the crowds, as just a couple of hours later you’ll definitely see the difference.
Quick Details:
Location: Koh Madsum, Thailand
Length: Half a day
Style: Chill Island Tour
Best part: Pigs and puppies (of course)
Worth it if: You like chilled easy adventures and friendly animals.
Question I asked myself: What would I do different if I went again? I would go even earlier and avoid more of the tourist rush.
If you want to see what this island actually looked like with all the pigs roaming around, its a bit of an old one but check out the video below👇
Explorer’s Hack
Wash Out Your Cans (and snacks)
If you’re buying drinks and snacks in South East Asia to take back to your accommodation, wash them out before throwing them away. Ants are everywhere! Sugary sh*t attracts them instantly, and once they’ve moved in, good luck evicting them.
Same goes for snacks, try tying them up in plastic bags before sticking them in the bin in your room or even better take the trash out as soon as your done with it to a main bin outside. Trust me this two second effort will save you hours of going to war with ants, cleaning, and regretting why you didn’t just do it in the first place.
Ant invasions are not the one in South East Asia… trust me
One for the List
Exploring Hang Sơn Đoòng cave.
This ones on my bucket list but its on the “one day, when i’m rich and prepared section”. Son Doong located in Vietnam is the worlds largest cave, and getting inside isn’t simple, you must apply to the sole expedition operator and be put on a waiting list, as they limit visits to around 1000 people per year.
The main chamber of the cave is so big it has its own weather system where clouds gather at the top and it has known to rain inside. With a prehistoric movie look, it’s own rainforest and times when the water from above falls in creating waterfalls this is a true marvel of nature and one I really hope I get the chance to expereince one day. Camping inside on a multi day expedition (6 days) sounds like a proper adventure.
Did I mention it’s $3000 …
The Weird & Wild
Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins.
Yep here’s a new one I learnt. Sloths can indeed hold their breath up to 40 minutes underwater (Dolphins 10-15mins). Being the lazy champions of the animal kingdom has its perks when you can use it to slow your heart rate underwater.
Maybe I need to aspire to more of their energy going forward.
Misadventures
Koh Lipe and the secret beach jungle that nearly ate me.
So when I was on Koh Lipe (Thailand) near the start of my travels I heard about a secret beach hidden behind the islands dense jungle. The problem I found myself in shortly, was that I was at this time, what I would now consider a baby adventurer, completely unprepared, too confident in my non existent abilities and was pretty much armed with only my phone (that soon lost signal).
I headed into the jungle on a trail that kept getting narrower and narrower, and as the jungle closed in I started to see more more lizards and other creatures, and a lot of weird rustling in the bushes around me. I was also out in the mid day sun, almost out of the stupidly small amount of water I had decided to bring, realised I could get bit by a snake or something and being all alone whilst almost lost I decided to turn back.
I decided to head back to one of the normal beaches like a normal person and just learn my lessons from my failures on this one.
Now even for mini adventures like this I’ll make sure I prepare properly just incase.
The point when I realised my confidence was misplaced
Got a travel f*ck up or “why did I think that was a good idea?” moment? Reply to this email and the best ones might get featured in a future issue (anonymously if you'd prefer).
Wise words…
“Not every adventure is going to be a success… but the mosquito bites are guaranteed to leave a mark .”
I’d love to hear from you.
👉 What’s the weirdest, funniest or most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to you whilst travelling? Or maybe you have your own trick, tip or favourite piece of gear to share?
Hit reply and share, I might even feature your story or advice in a future issue.
Until next time,
Chase the Adventure.
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