the unstoppable kimpossible: Palawan: Honda Bay Island Hopping Galore

Want-to-Sawa KTV at Salo Bar Resto

Name one water activity and I'm sure as hell that I love it. Swimming, island hopping, snorkeling... anything that has something to do with the element excites me. So I was more than thrilled for our last day (since our flight the next day is in the morning) in Puerto Princesa as we marveled in the beauty of some of it's pristine beaches.

The jump-off point for island hopping is at Honda Bay. Since we got a package tour, we didn't went through any hassle at all. We just waited for our turn to board a boat and start our island hopping galore. We went to three islands, two of which we stayed for long.

sunny morning

ready for some snorkeling

The sun is up high that day, the wind was calm, so as the water. Perfect setting to make our trip extra fun and special. First stop is at Starfish island. You don't need to ask why it is named that way. :)

welcome to starfish island!

kitang kita sa face ni bam ang init ^_^

it's a small world

ang bida ng island - the starfish

muka lang kaming nagkakamot. ako sa likod, si kathy sa harap! HAHA!

oops, failed attempt. one more try guys..

perfect! feel na feel ang summer with san mig and beach hat

looks like we're inside a fish bowl. hihi

Kuya Arnold, our dedicated tour guide, pointed to us some islands that we passed along the way. One island I can remember is the Lu-li island, short for lulubog, lilitaw. It can be seen when the water is low and will disappear during high tide.

kuya arnold doing what he does best - guiding tourists. malamang!

as far as i can remember, this is the Lu-li island

looks like a camp

After some minutes of seeing nothing but the water, the sky and the horizon, we spotted an island - the one where we'll be heading next. Snake island is called by the term because its shape looks like that of a snake. Indeed, the stretch of fine sand is long. You have to walk for an hour coming from one end toward the restroom located in the middle.

With no hesitations or whatsoever, we splurged into its inviting waters and started snorkeling. We have some bread crumbs to attract and feed the fishes. It was sort of a struggle at first since we were not used to breathing with snorkeling gears on. But when we got the hang of it, we pretty much enjoyed the activity.

the supah pals in their swim wear L-R: dale, joan, cesca, kathy, web, kim and bam

And the moment of struggle begins...

hindi pa sanay kumuha ng underwater shots

told you

paganyan-ganyan pa lang kami nung una

kapit ng mabuti sa styro

more struggling

the colorful fishes

fish feeding time

getting the hang of it

parang sila pa din yung kanina.. wala na bang iba? chos!

lakas ng loob oh!

joan and dale underwater

si cesca medyo nag sa-struggle pa ata

patagilid daw ba lumangoy?

japan japan with matching red nails

snorkeling is one FUN activity

si dale umaapila sa likod. hehehe ^_^

break muna

web, please don't drown kathy!

bikini babes. charot!

nice tattoo, joan!

sorry starfish, we didn't know that playing with you can harm you :(

parang ang saya-saya natin dito

We had our yummy lunch here at the island. Medyo survivor ang dating since there's no water to wash our hands and restroom to pee. So when I felt the urge for number 1, I was left with no choice but to let it out in the very water I enjoyed swimming at earlier. Yikes. Ganun daw talaga sabi ng mga boatmen.

So now we're doing a mala-survivor shot which we can't achieve.

anong kaganapan yan?

puro tawa eh

yes, F na F sa paglakad! lavet!

okay na sana e nakabungisngis lang

After the sumptuous lunch, we headed to another island called Pandan island. And you guessed it right again. It's called that way because of the abundance of pandan in the seas of the island. The beach here is better. The sand is whiter, finer and smoother. The water, need I say more? And oh, did I mention that there are more fishes in its sea? Snorkeling here is more fun and fascinating.

getting ready for some action

a starfish welcoming guests to pandan island

syempre hindi mawawala ang photo op

DALE taking a pose

kimbam at pandan island

paparazzi shot

Our snorkeling guide (I forgot his name) carries a piece of styrofoam with ropes tied to it. This is where we'll hold when he'll take us to the deeper part of the sea. Us girls wore our life vests on, Bam and Web didn't. Ang lalakas ng loob, deadma kahit malalim na yung part na pinuntahan namin. Pero I sort of envy them because wearing a life vest limits your move and depth in the water. Just pray you won't get cramps while swimming.

bam swimming over the pandan leaves underwater

hello starfish!

fascinating world

the fish community

more to see underwater

ang daming nila

si bam dinudumog ng mga isda

come here, fishies!

the fish caretaker ^_^

ayan na sila! buti hindi nagkulang ang bread crumbs. chos!

It was super fun and fascinating marveling into the colorful species of fishes underwater. Snorkeling makes you feel like you're in a different world. I remember a time when I got so enthralled taking underwater photos of sea creatures that when I went up the water, I saw them swimming farther and farther away from me. Okay, panic mode. But then I thought if I panic, nothing will happen. I might just drown or get cramps. Bam wants to go and get me but I said no since he has no life vest on. The water is very deep and if something happened to him while he's swimming, then there's more trouble. So what I did is to swim while struggling with the life vest and the camera. And finally, I managed to reach them. Thank God. :)

they love bread crumbs

amazing!

wow!

After some swimming, snorkeling and photo ops, we reached a part of the ocean where there's a big rock and we all stood above it. It's like we're in the middle of the ocean! Amazing! We snorkeled some more and mind you, the underwater world here is more lively and colorful. More fishes, more corals, more sea creatures! We love it!

compress lang at baka mahulog

pati si web na nasa background nakapikit. hehe.

pictures aren't enough to show how fascinating the underwater world is

swim, swim, swim. snorkel, snorkel, snorkel.

love it!

this is kuya [insert name here]. he's been so patient with us.

nag chichismisan yung mga isda

The rest of the afternoon was spent swimming, snorkeling and beach bumming want to sawa. We didn't care about the sunburn, we just enjoyed the moment. It was a bit hard to leave the place, but since we still have to buy our pasalubong, we had no choice but to pack up and leave.

the hardest part - leaving

pandan island

one helluva fun trip!

bye, pandan island!

It was a super fun day for all of us. Our last day in Puerto Princesa was a blast!

*****

Dinner at the raved-about-resto Ka Lui

For our last night in Puerto Princesa, we chose to dine in one of Puerto's famed restos, Ka Lui. This unique dining place has been featured in some travel and magazine shows for its extraordinary signature recipes and artsy-fartsy vibe. You can check out the resto's finest offerings here.

Ka Lui has established itself as one of the notable landmarks in Puerto Princesa. What makes this dining place special is the wide array of Filipino foods made from fresh produce and ingredients. Their menu is based on the catch of the day but some of the best sellers and must try are the choice catch. Everything on the menu are seafood and vegetables prepared and cooked to perfection.

many guests are dining here so you need to reserve beforehand

cool plate

i love the design of the place

The place feels very homey having been built as a native wooden house with well-polished floors. Every guest is requested to leave their footwear before entering the restaurant. Quirky idea, right? The place has is filled with native crafts, paintings and furniture creating an artistic ambiance.