ISLAND HOPPING IN HONDA BAY, PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN

When queuing at the airport check-in counters in Manila to take my flight home to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, one of the things that I instinctively do is to look for friends who might be on the same flight I'm taking (well..this is especially so when I've got lots of bags sitting on my pushcart..LOL) This would seem mundane to some but the prospect of seeing a familiar face in the line never fails to excite me. The opportunity to re-connect with old friends even for just a brief moment is always a nice, happy occasion. And as I scan the vicinity for friends another group of passengers almost always get my attention--the vacationers especially those of the younger set.

   

Sta. Lourdes Pier, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

You can't miss them; they're all geared up for vacation. Their attire gives them away--flip-flops, board shorts, sunglasses, the fanciest dSLR's and the latest iteration of the Ipod. I can almost hear their excitement to get on board the plane, land at the Puerto Princesa International Airport and hit the beach. Pronto..

Pandan Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Fortunately, as if by a happy coincidence, many of the beaches that Puerto Princesa City has to offer are located very near the city. There are small islands and sandbars scattered around  Honda Bay, and the jump-off point to the bay is the Sta. Lourdes Pier, located just 20 to 30 minutes drive from the city center. This makes it so easy for visitors to visit an island, swim or snorkel, hop on to the next one, swim some more, move on to the next island until one is completely satisfied, limbs drooping with exhaustion. Thus, island hopping at Honda Bay has become an attraction in Palawan that never fails to delight visitors.

There are plenty of islands in Honda Bay but the more prominent ones are Pandan Island; then there's  Starfish Island, named so because there are plenty of starfish on it. Then there's Bat Island, again, named after its nocturnal inhabitants. Snake Island don't have snakes, I hope, but it  was named so because it resembles a snake slithering on the water when viewed from the air. The luxury resort Dos Palmas is also located at Honda Bay and will be the subject of a future post.

When we were planning our island hopping trip to Honda Bay we were tipped off by the Moana Hotel staff to bring our own food along. So, early in the morning the next day we rented our snorkels at the hotel, went to the market and hauled some fresh fish and veggies, fruits, bread and our drinks and headed to Sta. Lourdes. The boat was rented for about P700 and can carry a maximum if six persons. First stop was the Pambato Reef, a coral reef so popular around Honda Bay. The corals were so stunning that it hardly mattered to me that I was using a rented snorkel! I just wished it was previously worn by a beautiful blonde tourist before I got it.

Beach on Starfish Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

We then went to Starfish Island for a swim. The beach was lovely, the sand was not so fine but it was beautiful nonetheless. True to its name,  there was plenty of starfish around.

Starfish Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Shed on Starfish Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

An old structure on Starfish Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Next destination was Snake Island as it was about noontime now, and we have yet to cook our food. It was a pleasant surprise to know that one of our companions was an excellent cook. There is a mini store at the island that  sell some foodstuffs and some necessities. At the back is the kitchen that we used for cooking our food on borrowed utensils, all for a small fee.

The beach on Snake Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Sheds for eating lunch on Snake Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Boat on Snake Island with Palawan mainland in the background. (Photo by LDocena)

After the sumptuous lunch it was time to hit the beach. The water was so clear and refreshing. One attraction at Snake Island is "fish feeding" and we took bread and started feeding the fish which was now so plentiful. It was truly a unique experience. I decided to up the fun by biting the bread and instead of just holding them by hand. As I submerged my head, hundreds of fish would gang up on my lips. Totally cool experience..

Fish feeding on Snake Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

Fish feeding with the mouth on Snake Island (Photo by LDocena)

Lady vendor on Snake Island, Honda Bay, Palawan (Photo by LDocena)

At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon we started packing for our trip back to the mainland.

VISIT PALAWAN

Welcome to Palawan!

When I first came to Palawan more than 30 years ago it was truly a frontier in every sense of the word..wide open spaces..very few inhabitants..lush tropical forests, and the bluest oceans! It was here that I have come to appreciate the beauty of nature as it has been for so many, many, years, untouched by man. When i rode in boats going to Manila it was all too common to see flying fishes and dolphins riding the boat's trail, oblivious of the people watching them.. 

Over the years Palawan, with its capital city of Puerto Princesa, has metamorphosed into what it is today- a province at the forefront of development. And, thanks to the leadership, vigilance and sacrifices of many local leaders, the environment has largely been preserved especially around Puerto Princesa and all the way up to the northern towns and islands.

As word about its world-class beaches and diving areas came out, tourists from all over the globe started to arrive in droves, with many staying behind in awe, captivated by Palawan's charms. Soon, hotels and resorts of all shapes and sizes began to sprout in Puerto Princesa city as well as in the northern parts of the province especially in the towns of El Nido, Coron, Roxas, San Vicente, and Taytay to cater to the needs of the growing number of visitors.

Palawan is accessible both by air and by sea. Travel from Manila by air takes about an hour while it takes about a day by boat. Most major airlines now serve the province, some even having two flights a day- a stark contrast to the single daily flight to the province back in the 70's. The island province can't be missed on the map; it is that long island that seem to jut out of the Philippines, cradled by the South China Sea to the west and the Sulu Sea to the east. The province has two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, an 8.2 kilometer river which runs deep underground beneath a limestone karst mountain landscape, and the Tubbataha Reefs National Park, an amazing underwater paradise which is home to some of the world's most beautiful coral reefs. It isn't accidental then that Palawan was recently chosen by the prestigious National Geographic Traveller Magazine as one among the 20 Best Trips of the year 2011.

               The Palawan Provincial Capitol Building in Puerto Princesa City. (Photo by LDocena)

Please join me as I attempt to explore the different places, hotel, resorts, events, and attractions here in Palawan beginning in the capital city, Puerto Princesa. There is so much more to explore especially in the remote parts of the island province. The culture, uninhabited islands, the highlands, the indigenous peoples, the traditons.. I've only just begun..