If you thought those travel stories were wild, wait until you hear these! 

Some adventures are planned, but others happen when life throws unexpected twists your way. 

Here are five more insane travel experiences that sound made up—but are 100% real.

1. The Man Who Accidentally Jet Skied Across an Entire Country

One man in Thailand rented a jet ski for what was supposed to be a short ride along the beach. The problem? 

He miscalculated how far he had gone… and ended up in another country. 

He ran out of fuel near the coast of Malaysia, where authorities found him stranded. 

His explanation? “I just wanted to see what was beyond the next wave.”

2. The Woman Who Got Lost in the Amazon – and Was Adopted by a Tribe

A traveler in Peru got separated from her tour group deep in the Amazon jungle. 

She wandered alone for five days, surviving on river water and fruits she hoped weren’t poisonous. 

Just as she started losing hope, a remote indigenous tribe found her, took her in, and cared for her until she could be rescued. 

She later said the experience changed her life—and she still visits the tribe to this day.

3. The Tourist Who Booked a “Luxury Beach Resort”… That Didn’t Exist

One unlucky traveler booked an expensive all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, excited for a relaxing vacation. 

When she arrived, she realized… the hotel didn’t exist. 

The entire listing was fake, and she was left stranded in a foreign country with nowhere to stay. 

Instead of panicking, she turned it into an adventure—backpacking and meeting locals who helped her out. 

She called it “the best scam that ever happened to her.”

4. The Fisherman Who Caught a “Mermaid”

In the Philippines, a fisherman pulled up his net expecting the usual catch—but instead, he found a mysterious human-like creature with webbed hands and glowing skin. 

He swore it was a mermaid and even got the entire village to come see. 

Scientists later confirmed it was a rare deep-sea fish… but some locals still believe he found something magical.

5. The Man Who Survived a Plane Crash – and Went Back for His Luggage

A plane crashed during takeoff in the Congo, and miraculously, many passengers survived. 

While most people ran for safety, one man actually went back into the wreckage—to get his luggage. 

When asked why, he said, “I wasn’t about to lose my favorite jacket.”