The island with the unexpected residents
Pig Island, Koh Maduea locally, is exactly what it sounds like and somehow better than you'd expect. A small island with a small beach and a population of pigs that have made the shoreline their own. It's become one of those stops that sounds gimmicky in description and turns out to be a genuine highlight of the day.
The water around the island is shallow and clear, the beach is easy to anchor off, and the whole thing has a looseness to it that's hard to manufacture. Nobody's running a tour operation here. The pigs are just there, the water is warm, and it ends up being one of those hours on a trip that people keep bringing up afterward.
What to expect?
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Pigs on the beach. That's the thing, and it delivers.
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Shallow, calm water close to shore, easy swimming and snorkeling for any experience level.
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A relaxed, unstructured stop with no facilities and no agenda beyond enjoying it.
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A surprisingly photogenic island that looks better in person than it does described.
On the water
Pig Island works best as a lighter stop in a longer day, a mid-route break that adds something different without taking much time. It pairs well with almost anything and tends to be the stop people remember most.