Puerto Princesa, Palawan Part 1

In a little over an hour plane ride from Manila is, my dream destination, the beautiful island of Palawan. It is home to pristine white sand beaches, diverse marine ecosystems, breathtaking limestone formations, tropical rainforest, and various wildlife. The first place you will reach when you land in Palawan is the province of Puerto Princesa.

I spent the first night I was there checking out the local scene. The people were so warm and hospitable. There were a wide variety of restaurants and each has something different to offer. I enjoyed the seafood dishes very much. They were fresh and affordable.

In the morning, I arranged my transportation with the hotel to take me to a beach port of Honda Bay. My brother, who was with me and frequents Palawan, bought two loaves of bread and said that we will need them. When I reached the port, I hired a boat to take me island hopping. I was advised to rent snorkeling gear and so I did. Honda bay is composed of 13 small islands. Our first stop was Luli Island. We reached the island around one hour from the port. Luli island appears or disappears depending on how high the tide is. Hence, the name Luli which was short for “lulubog and lilitaw” or appears and disappears. The boatman led us to one side of the island to engage in snorkeling. The loaf of bread was passed to me and I used it to feed the fishes. It was my first time to do that kind of activity. It was an amazing opportunity to feed them!

Image source

Photo by Carlos Casequin

My next stop was Pandan Island. I reached the island in two hours. The whole island was covered in white sand. The water was so clear that the fishes looked even more stunning. There were hundreds of fishes coming at me. I was bumping into them as I swim. Snorkeling was the most thrilling experience ever! After snorkeling I had fresh coconut before heading back to the hotel.

Image source

Photo by Carlos Casequin