There is an irony when you hear of the province of Palawan in the Philippines – regarded as one of the country’s top tourist destination, Palawan is a place renowned for being least developed among other tourist destinations in the country, even in the whole of South-East Asian region.
However, tourist sites found all over Palawan are not known for their modernization – no, they are not. It is something more natural, not man-made.
After all, for a region mostly known for its clear water and white sandy beaches, among other places of interest that are all nature’s own making, the province of Palawan is nonetheless a place of special interest to people who wanted to enjoy nature at its finest without the intricacies of modern development and progress.
It is no wonder that places such as the Honda Bay Island in Palawan, one of the 1,770 islands of the archipelago without some developments some people would expect it to have, still stands out as one of the best places to visit for tourists who are having their time in the region.
Islands to Visit
Speaking of islands in Honda Bay, the following are some of the most popular places to visit while going island hopping:
Cowrie Island – named after the sea snail common to the area, Cowrie, the Cowrie Island was opened as an alternative tourist area for tourists away from the Pandan Island, located nearby
Starfish Island
Star Fish Island – an island renowned for its great concentration of star fishes all throughout Palawan. The name speaks for itself.
Luli Island
Luli Island – Derived from the local saying “Lulubog-Lilitaw,” hence the name “Lu-Li” meaning something which sets (technically, sinks) and rise (but not necessarily referring to the sun), Luli Island is interesting for its ability to disappear when the tide is high and then re-appear when it is low.
Pandan Island
Pandan Island – known to be the most popular island in all of Palawan’s for its finest white sands and crystal clear waters, complimented by an exuberant forest, the Pandan Island is not surprisingly full of tourists most of the time for this reason.
What to Do in Honda Bay
Pambato Reef
When you mention of seawaters and islands, there’s only a few possibilities you could do in these areas – sweater activities and island hopping. Honda Bay does not lack of both.
Close to the islands, people who love getting soaked in seawaters and be mesmerized by the beauty of shallow underwater snorkel as they view the many different aquatic creatures underneath without the fear of any harm.
Others who do not want to get wet throughout the day could just wait on the beach and bask on the sunshine, even play around the white sands for more added fun.
But for those who are truly adventures and would like to get the most from their visit in the region, go island hopping and visit some of the different islands in the Honda Bay.
Getting to Honda Bay Islands
From the town proper of Puerto Princesa, getting to the closest Honda Bay Islands may require a three-quarter (45 minutes) seawater travel by boat towards the mid-eastern coast.
Although there are many islands within the Honda Bay region, only few are actually open for tourists to visit, for better or worst. Islands you may not visit are either protected areas or places that have already been privately owned. Despite the limitations, however, what you are allowed to visit suffice as far as fun and adventure go for tourists wandering to any of them.
True to its Palawan tourist destination fame, the Honda Bay Island does not lack what other tourist destinations in the province are known for – pristine seawaters, white sands, and diverse marine life.
