This Man Walked For Over 200km And Slept At Bus Stops To Bring Down His Travel Costs!

When it comes to travel, transport and accommodation often make up the bulk of our budget. But how far are you willing to go to minimise spending in these areas? Would you walk hundreds of kilometres and sleep in bus stops just to save money?

Well, not many of us will, but that’s exactly what Tan Zuin Kuan did.

You see, Kuan needed to get to Pulau Perhentian, which is a picturesque island in Terengganu, Malaysia, for a swimming meet in September, but instead of driving or taking the bus there, the seasoned swimming instructor, who is always up for a challenge, decided to walk there instead!

“I wanted to challenge myself. I’ve been a runner for many years and run regularly, so when I saw this opportunity, I thought – why not just walk there!” says the 29-year-old.

The adventure begins

Once the idea was planted in his mind, there was no turning back. Kuan did some quick online research to scout for routes, then immediately packed his bags and took the next bus to Kuantan.

Upon reaching the Kuantan Sentral Bus Terminal, his plan was to follow the coastal road and walk all the way to the Kuala Besut Jetty, where he would take a ferry to Pulau Perhentian. The whole journey would take around 300km, but Kuan was determined to complete it.

“I saw that there were (a lot of) food (options) and hostels along the way,” Kuan shares. “And I knew that if something were to happen to me, I could always take a bus or a Grab to my destination. So, I didn’t feel worried at all.” This gave him the push and confidence he needed to embark on the journey.

However, the journey wasn’t without its hardships. As Kuan wanted to spend as little money as possible, he only stayed in motels for two nights, paying RM60 (SGD18) per night. For the rest of the trip, he slept at bus stops, random benches, suraus, and even a small hut by the beach. It was at this hut where Kuan had to face off against swarms of hungry “Hulk-sized” mosquitos. “(Village) mosquitos are very persistent. Even with mosquito repellent, they’ll (find a way to) bite you,” he shares with a laugh.

On top of being attacked by blood-sucking insects, the accommodation he stayed at was not well maintained. But that didn’t dampen his spirits.

“(The motel) was rundown, but I’m not a picky person. (After) sleeping by the roadside, getting a bed to sleep on felt like a 5-star hotel!” he jokes.  

Thankfully, his efforts paid off! Kuan spent less than RM500 (SGD150) for his entire trip! With affordable food along the way, he realised that cutting back on accommodation costs made a huge difference.

All good things must come to an end 

In the end, it wasn’t dangerous people, safety concerns, mental fatigue, or wild animals that ended Kuan’s trip – it was his own gear.  

Kuan, who had only packed a pair of sports shoes and sandals for the journey, accidentally stepped into a deep puddle near a construction site on the first day of his walk. His feet sank into the water, soaking his shoes in oil and dirt.

“I couldn’t use my shoes anymore, so I had to throw them away,” he explains. Left with only a pair of sandals, he proceeded to use that for the remainder of the trip. But that proved to be a big mistake as they didn’t provide the support he needed for the long walk.

The first day was alright, but I started to feel pain from the second day onwards, he says. By the sixth day, after completing over 200km, his feet were so swollen he had to cut his challenge short because, “I was limping and was in so much pain”. So, he ended his walk at Kuala Terengganu and finished the rest of his journey using public transport.  

It’s all about the journey 

Even though the trip was physically painful at times – Kuan even admits that there were days where he didn’t manage to get good sleep, especially when he had to sleep outdoors – he describes the experience as incredible!  

“The people I met were so friendly. They were (really curious) and would stop to ask me questions like where I was going. Some of them even gave me food and drinks for free,” he recalls with a smile.  

Kuan also emphasises how safe he felt throughout the trip. In fact, it was the locals who were initially cautious of him, as he was a lone traveller in their neighbourhood. This was especially apparent when he walked during the night, which may have made some of them nervous.

“They would flash their headlights at me to see what was walking towards them,” he says. After realising that he might be unintentionally scaring some people, he decided to avoid walking after dark.

On to a new adventure 

By the end of his journey, Kuan realised that the trip had been more about the experience than about arriving at the destination itself. Along the way, he discovered that you don’t need a lot of money to enjoy life. In fact, he found that having fewer possessions made him value what he had even more.

He reiterates that after sleeping at a bus stop, he was so grateful when he got a bed to sleep in that he didn’t mind that the place he stayed at was rundown.

“My strategy in life is to reduce the stuff I have and learn to appreciate the little things. I don’t chase material things; I chase experiences,” he says.

Now with this accomplishment under his belt, Kuan has gained newfound confidence and is already planning his next adventure – this time, he plans to walk all the way to China.