Mud bath – Pulau Tiga, Borneo
There is a tiny island off the coast of Borneo, called Survivor Island by people because the first episodes of the TV show were filmed there. Or so our guide said. I think actually it was Pulau Tiga. It’s a gorgeous place. Very quiet, at least during December, with a lot of wild life to watch and some water sports to enjoy. One of the things to try out was the mud bath. It’s about a kilometre inland and it’s definitely not a spa. It’s one little, deep pool full of mud – a.k.a. Mud Volcano. Supposedly it’s good for your skin but that wasn’t the main reason why we all jumped in. Although jumped is not the right word. I must say it’s not very pleasant when you go in. This is the middle of a jungle so the mud is full of twigs, leaves and probably loads of dead insects. And then you float.
I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the word buoyant until then. You can almost sit in the mud, just be careful not to topple over.
The only downside, there is no water there so you cannot shower, meaning you cannot get back your clothes on and there is plenty of mosquitos waiting to suck on your blood. And they don’t mind going through the dry mud on your skin.
The island stay was a fantastic and relaxing experience - especially after trekking the jungle for days.
