diy honda bay tour 2022

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping – DIY Guide

Posted on October 23, 2022 | Julie J. |

Last Updated on December 11, 2023

Honda Bay is one of Puerto Princesa’s main attractions thanks to the many beautiful islands present in the bay. From stunning beaches to crystal clear water, spending a day in Honda Bay is an incredible experience.

Island hopping in Honda Bay is on most tourists’ bucket lists when visiting Palawan and makes a perfect day tour or half-day tour from Puerto Princesa City.

Most tours include a stop on Cowrie Island, Starfish Island, and Luli Island, plus Pambato reef for snorkeling. You can also add Pandan Island to your itinerary if you want to.

Many tour operators offer the tour but it’s cheaper to organize a Honda Bay tour “do it yourself” and it’s not so complicated. Keep on reading to discover all you need to know to plan your DIY Honda Bay Tour.

At a glance – How to organize your DIY Honda Bay Tour:

• Step 1: From Puerto Princesa, take a jeepney or tricycle bound for Santa Lourdes Wharf.
• Step 2: From the pier register at the local association.
• Step 3: Pay for the boat, and the fees for each island you plan to visit.
• Step 4: Rent snorkeling gear.
• Step 5: Get on the boat and enjoy your day.

HELPFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

FLIGHT DEALS

HOTEL DEALS

TRAVEL INSURANCE

VACATION RENTALS

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on any links and make a purchase,  I’ll get a small commission, at no cost to you.

Honda Bay Tour: Do it yourself – Step by step

Step 1: take a jeepney or tricycle to santa lourdes pier.

Organizing your Honda Bay tour is super easy. In the morning, to get to Honda Hay from Puerto Princesa, take a jeepney bound for Santa Lourdes Pier, the jeepney passes the main road in Puerto Princesa. It will be written “Santa Lourdes Pier” on it so you’ll know which one to stop. It’s the cheapest option, the fare is only 50 pesos each way.

On your way back you might have to wait a little for a jeepney to arrive, but don’t worry they run until late. If you don’t want to wait, you can walk to the main road from the pier, from there you’ll easily find another jeepney going back to Puerto Princesa.

The ride takes around 30 minutes. You can also hire a tricycle for the day for around 700 pesos. The driver will come to pick you up at your hotel, wait for you at the pier, and drive you back to Puerto Princesa.

Step 2: Register at the wharf

From Santa Lourdes Pier, register at the local tourist association to rent the boat.

Contrary to many island hopping in the Philippines where you negotiate directly with the boat owner, island hopping in Honda Bay is a tad different. The boat owners organized themselves and created a cooperative so they can all benefit equally from tourism. So when you register they will assign a boat to your group and the prices and packages are fixed.

If you’re alone or in a small group you can easily find people to share a boat with and split the coast. The Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour is a popular attraction, there are always a lot of people at the wharf.

Step 3: Pay the fees

The next step, once you have registered, is to pay for the boat, the islands’ entrance fees, and the environmental fee (the same as the one for the underground river, you only have to pay it once, so don’t forget to keep the receipt). You’ll also need to decide which islands to visit, as prices are not the same depending on which island you visit.

The boat rental costs 1300 pesos good for 6 persons, inclusive of 3 islands and 1 snorkeling spot . Check out the total cost breakdown at the end of the article. They also have bigger boats for up to 20 people.

Step 4: Rent snorkeling near

If you don’t have your own equipment, you’ll find everything you need at the wharf. You’ll only need a mask and snorkel, it costs 150 pesos. If you want you can also rent fins and a life vest.

Step 5 – Get on the boat and have fun

The Honda Bay island hopping tour is a lot of fun, be prepared to see beautiful beaches and crystal clear water. Do some snorkeling, lounge on the beach sipping on a coconut, maybe eat some fresh seafood, and come back with one more great experience.

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

Starfish island.

Starfish Island is by far the most beautiful island in Honda Bay. The water is crystal clear and full of huge starfishes, hence the name and the sand is white and thin. The island is shaped like a horse-shoe and basically is a big sandbar. In the middle is a lush mangrove and at the tip, there are some nippa huts and many trees to cool down in the shade, sipping on a fresh buko (coconut). There you can also get some ice candy, red horse or fresh seafood and just relax on the beach.

Entrance fee: 50 pesos

Luli Island

Luli Island is also a big sandbar with a big restaurant right in the middle. It’s really crowded, the area where you can swim is really small and there’s absolutely zero shade. So not the best island for me.

Entrance fee: 70 pesos

Cowrie Island

Cowrie Island was my favorite island during my Honda Bay Tour. It’s relatively big, with enough space to find some quiet spots. There are a bar and restaurant serving a buffet lunch and you can do some water activities (jet ski, banana boat, kayaking…).

Entrance fee: 100 pesos

Isla Pandan

This privately owned island offers a beautiful white-sand beach, sparkled with nippa huts. There, you can get a massage on the beach, fresh seafood sold by local fishermen and indulge in some water activities.

Entrance fee: 1250 pesos

Honda Bay Island Hopping Price

Jeepney from downtown PP to Santa Lourdes pier : 50 pesos

Mask and snorkel rental : 150 pesos

Boat: 1300 pesos good for 6 – 3 islands and 1 snorkeling point

Lunch buffet: 150 to 200 pesos per head, depending on the island – There are cheaper options for lunch on Starfish Island.

Entrance fees: 320 (total) per person for Starfish, Lulli and Cowrie Island, and for the reef. Add 1250 pesos per person if you want to go to Pandan Island.

Environmental fee: 150 (it’s the same as for the underground river, you just pay once for both)

As you can see, it’s much cheaper to visit Honda Bay on your own rather than via a tour operator, and it’s not much more complicated. Once you’re at the pier it’s the same. It’s even better to not do a Honda Bay tour and to do it yourself, as you get to choose how long you stay at each place.

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour – What to pack

• Sunscreen and a hat
• Swimsuit and beach towel
• Water shoes (or shoes you can wet)
• Water and snacks
• Waterproof cellphone case

Honda Bay Palawan Beach Resorts

If you are wondering where to stay to visit Honda Bay, as you might have gathered, Puerto Princesa is your best bet. If you want to stay by the beach, there are a couple of beach resorts nearby, here are some of the best ones:

• Microtel by Wyndham Puerto Princesa featuring an outdoor pool, restaurant and bar, and rooms with sea views.
• Costa Palawan Resort featuring 2 pools, a spa, private beach, and a garden with an onsight restaurant and bar.
• Astoria Palawan featuring a private beach area, a 35 m infinity pool and a children’s playground, a delicious restaurant, and water activity rentals.

You’ll also find a couple of cool vacation rentals in the area.

Puerto Princesa Island Hopping Tour – My honest opinion:

Overall, Honda Bay is really, really, really crowded and the snorkeling is not that great. The visibility is bad and 80% of the reef is dead. So, in my opinion, when visiting Palawan, you can skip Honda Bay and spend more time in Port Barton , Taytay. or El Nido The island hopping there is much better and way less crowded, especially in Taytay. Palawan has so many deserted and amazing beaches that visiting Honda Bay is just a waste of time.

Don’t get me wrong, island hopping in Honda Bay and snorkeling in Puerto Princesa is a nice thing to do. The islands are pretty and the beaches paradise-like, but if you’re short on time, there are many better options in Palawan for island hopping.

Other things to do near Puerto Princesa

Aside from island hopping in Honda Bay, there are plenty of places to visit near Puerto Princesa.

Private Sunrise Trek at Mt. Magarwak – Book your tour here – If you like the outdoors, take a sunrise hike of Mt. Magarwak and see the sun rises above Honda Bay, visit Nagtabon Beach and relax at a hot spring on the way back.

Hiking in Batak Tribal Village Tour – Book your tour here – Learn more about Palawan’s indigenous people with a day trip to a nearby Batak tribal village that you can reach after a 1.5-hour hike through the jungle. The tour is part of the Sustainable Tourism Project aimed at preserving the culture and living traditions of the Batak people.

Tabon Cave Tour From Puerto Princesa – Book your tour here – You can also take a day trip to visit Tabon Caves where you’ll find many archaeological remains and can enjoy the stunning landscape.

For a nighttime activity, take a firefly-watching tour in the mangroves of the Iwahig River – Book it here

If you are tired of the beach, hike through lush jungle to reach the remote and stunning Estrella Falls , at the foot of Mount Victoria, known for its fauna and flora. Book your excursion here

Related articles to help you plan your trip to Palawan and the Philippines:

• Underground River Travel Guide – Palawan top tourist attraction
• Taytay – Hidden paradise in Palawan
• Philippines complete travel guide

Like it? Save it for later – DIY Honda Bay Tour: 

Related posts:

The Ultimate Honda Bay, Palawan Guide – DIY

05/02/2019 by Kristin Addis 19 Comments

Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Philippines is for many the gateway to El Nido and Coron, two of the Philippines’ most beautiful and popular destinations.

If you’re looking for remote, untouched paradise, this isn’t necessarily it. However if you’re just visiting on your way elsewhere and want to do some Honda Bay island hopping, especially without a tour, you’ve come to the right place.

To be honest I ended up in Puerto Princesa by accident. I’d booked a flight to Palawan thinking PP was close to El Nido only to realize there’s a flight from Manila directly to El Nido that I could have taken instead. Oops. Since I made that error, I figured there had to be something worth seeing in the area and gave it one full day. It turns out there are two somethings to see: An underground river and Honda Bay’s islands and sandbars.

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for containing the world’s second longest underground river. I opted to do Honda Bay instead with my one day in the area, since the river is pretty far from Puerto Princesa and it sounded like there’s a lot of waiting and crowds involved.

This guide has everything you need to know about island hopping in Honda Bay, with information on how to do it yourself for less money and with more flexibility:

How to Do It Yourself

Most Honda Bay tours depart at 8am and come back at 4pm and include 3 islands: Starfish, Cowrie, and Luli. The price is usually 1500 pesos (about $30 USD) though my hotel wanted 1650.

Unless you’d rather not bother doing it independently, or are traveling solo and prefer a tour, it’s much better to do it on your own. It’s easy. Here’s how:

Step 1: Take a tricycle or jeepney from your accommodation to Sta. Lourdes Wharf

I read on several blogs that the usual tricycle price (for a tourist) is 700 round trip and I found this to be true. Your driver will wait for you and bring you back when you’re done. It’s a lot for a tricycle, and the whole ride over the driver will probably try to sell you on other tours, but it’s also the most flexible option. The ride takes about 30 minutes each way from most hotels in Puerto Princesa.

You can also take a jeepney from PP to the wharf for about 50 pesos each way. Where you catch it depends on where you’re staying, so ask at your accommodation where the jeepney will be passing by and wave it down when you see it. It will have ‘Lourdes pier’ written on the side. Based on the amount of vehicles I saw during my ride it appears to me that they go pretty often. In hindsight I would probably have done this. Jeepneys are always an adventure!

First Name:

Step 2: Register and pay at the wharf

I’ve never seen a setup like this in the Philippines before, but you can’t just go negotiate directly with a boat, you MUST register at the wharf and pay entrance fees for each island plus a 155 pesos environmental fee.

Boats cost 1300 for a small boat and 1500 for a ‘big boat,’ which can hold up to 20 people. I was told they only had big boats left that day but honestly every boat I saw all day was the exact same size, emblazoned with neon flags. I’m guessing the 1500 is more of a tourist price.

I asked a couple of guys who showed up when I did if they wanted to split with my friend and me, which they were happy to do, so our private tour for four was only 375 pesos per person. Score!

This allowed us to customize our tour and didn’t include all of the waiting time, picking people up, and dropping them off, that I’m sure is involved in the organized tours.

Step 3: Pay the fees and rent snorkeling gear

Snorkeling gear is available for 150 each per mask and 150 per set of fins. You’ll also need to pay the 155 pesos environmental fee. I brought my own mask and snorkel and honestly you don’t need fins. You’re not swimming that far.

Step 4: Pick your islands

You’ll have to pick which islands you want to visit before you go, with a maximum of three. I asked if I could decide as I go and they looked at me like I was crazy, so, no you can’t.

The options are listed below with their respective prices:

Starfish – 50

Cowrie – 100

Cowrie Island is known for cowrie shells and its ‘amenities’ of cabanas and spa huts. They also have a buffet lunch for 300 pesos and like all of the islands, offer snorkeling.

The island is larger than the others mentioned and has white sand water sport options as well.

Luli – 70

Pandan – 1250

Initially I’d wanted to do this island but the price made me change my mind! It looks like a recent change since it was taped onto laminated paper with the price written in.

This is a private island that the typical tours don’t visit and it’s supposed to be more natural, with white sand and good snorkeling. Since it costs almost as much as the entire boat I gave it a pass, though.

Snorkeling at Pambato Reef – 100

In general the current can be strong and the water visibility low snorkeling in Honda Bay. If you’ve snorkeled in other parts of the Philippines and are used to those amazing reefs, and especially if you’ll be visiting El Nido, you may be underwhelmed. I also thought it was unfortunate that the natural beauty of the islands was marred by all of the gimmicky statues, signs, and unnecessary buildings.

Overall, you can probably tell that I was unimpressed by my Honda Bay experience, and frankly by Puerto Princesa in general. It’s pretty touristy, and I didn’t do myself any favors by heading here immediately after an incredible week in Romblon .

That said, if you have a day to spend in Puerto Princesa, this isn’t a terrible way to spend it. I started my day at about 11am and it was the perfect amount of time for two islands, Starfish and Luli, and for a total of 1000 per person once I’d split the boat 4 ways and the tricycle two ways, it wasn’t bad. I would have been quite disappointed to spend the 1650 per person that the hotel wanted, though!

It was also perfect to go a bit later in the day, since by the time we got to Starfish and Luli, the crowds were much smaller and most of the boats had already moved on. I could tell it gets pretty busy when the tour boats are there.

I’m excited to see what El Nido and Coron have to offer. Perhaps if nothing else, island hopping in Honda Bay will only make those better by comparison.

The Perfect Philippines Itinerary

5 days on siargao, the perfect itinerary, what to do on siquijor , about kristin addis.

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

 subscribe to our newsletter

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

05/10/2019 at 6:21 am

Hey Kristin: Thanks for the honest assessment of Honda Bay. Not everything is going to work out. Even so, to show how beautiful the Philippines is, this underwhelming location was still gorgeous!! 🙂 Thanks for the laughs too.

Anonymous says

05/26/2019 at 1:43 am

Hello, this is very helpful! Thank you very much! Do you have any contact for the boat?

Kristin says

05/26/2019 at 2:29 am

You just have to show up to the wharf. It’s all organized in such a way that you have to book and pay through them rather than directly with the boat.

06/22/2019 at 6:52 am

Thanks for the Info! It’s really much cheaper to do DIY! 🙂

06/22/2019 at 10:53 am

jackolito says

07/18/2019 at 5:43 pm

wow. any other place you’ve been in palawan? more reviews please

07/19/2019 at 6:53 am

Yes! Coron and El Nido. You can see all of my Phils posts here: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/philippines-guide/

Quency says

10/15/2019 at 9:05 am

Hi! is it possible to do a half day honda bay tour? Like 1pm onwards?? thanks!

10/19/2019 at 12:00 pm

yes if you DIY – that’s what I did.

10/19/2019 at 5:16 pm

Hello Kristin, very wonderful step by step DIY! were there a lot of people doing DIY when you went to the wharf? Because based on your review, there were only 4 of you in one boat. I want to travel solo but wanted boat fee to be less. Also, is it max 3 island? If want to go to 4, will it have additional boat fee?

10/22/2019 at 3:09 pm

There weren’t many of us at all, but it was the afternoon. Maybe that’s why. I think you can do 4 islands but you’d pay more for the 4th, yes.

11/20/2019 at 9:07 pm

Is the diy tour available for 2pax and is the buffet also available for the diy tour? Thanks

11/21/2019 at 1:39 pm

Yes you’d just have to pay more for the boat and buy the lunch when you arrive.

01/20/2020 at 3:16 pm

Hi! If most tours depart at 8am, what time do you suggest to be best doing this diy tour? Like with less people and less queue

01/20/2020 at 4:33 pm

I didn’t go until the afternoon and I was happy with that.

02/16/2020 at 5:45 am

Hi, anyone here going to Honda bay on February 24th, Monday? Maybe we could share a boat for an island hopping tour?

02/18/2020 at 12:23 am

When you hired a boat in Honda bay, how long did you stay on one island? Are you the one who set the time duration of stay on each island or the boatmen are the ones who set the length of stay on each island you visited?

02/18/2020 at 10:38 am

We set the duration though we didn’t spend a super long time on any one island.

10/13/2023 at 12:27 am

I really appreciate this whole information about your experience in Puerto Princesa! I was so overwhelmed with everything! I just really wanna do DIY which I found this whole description! My partner and I are going to Palawan in 2 weeks! So this is really helpful!! Bless you!

• About the blog
• Privacy Policy

Joan's Footprints

Mermaid born with legs to travel the world

Where do you want to go?

2023 Ultimate Honda Bay Palawan DIY Itinerary & Budget: How to Get There + Everything You Need to Know

Thinking of where to go when in Puerto Princesa , Palawan? Get to know the islands in the capital of Palawan through a day tour Honda Bay Palawan DIY island hopping trip! And get the chance to try some local seafoods while enjoying the islands at Honda Bay.

Last October 2022, we got the chance to explore the islands as it has finally reopened its doors to the public after months of pandemic. So here is an updated Honda Bay Palawan DIY travel guide for you!

Table of Contents

About Honda Bay Palawan

To give you a bit of information, Honda Bay is located in the East Coast of Puerto Princesa City. It is only approximately 10-15 minutes away from the city proper which makes it a good choice for a day tour island hopping because of its proximity.

According to our local tour guide Kuya Albert, Honda Bay has 16 islands in total and only 14 islands during high tide. However, there are only 3 main islands that are visited by tourists because some islands doesn’t have trees or sheds for shelter. These are Cowrie, Luli and Starfish Island.

Where to Stay in Puerto Princesa?

A Honda Bay Island Hopping trip is usually just a day tour. If you are looking for a place to stay around Puerto Princesa, below are my suggestions.

• We stayed for 5 days and 4 nights at Aziza Paradise Hotel. It is just 2-4 minutes away from the airport and includes free airport transfers too. The hotel has swimming pool, free use of wifi, restaurant, bar, and a huge lobby.

BOOK ROOMS AT AZIZA PARADISE FOR PHP2,500.00/NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX

• Another recommended is Hue Hotel. It is walking distance from Robinsons Mall and location is along the National Highway.

BOOK ROOMS AT HUE HOTEL FOR PHP3,100.00/NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX

• For budget travelers, I recommend Go Hotels. They are quite famous for offering affordable rooms around the country.

BOOK ROOMS AT GO HOTELS FOR PHP1,400.00/NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX

• If you have the budget, I highly recommend Princesa Garden Island Resort. It is about 40 minutes away from the airport but the destination is highly sophisticated. Honestly, their goal is for their guests to find every bit of enjoyment and entertainment inside he resort so that they would never have to leave. Every penny is worth it.

BOOK ROOMS AT PRINCESA GARDEN ISLAND RESORT FOR AS LOW AS PHP6,500.00/NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 GUESTS

Where to Eat in Honda Bay?

Because of the distraction caused by super typhoon Odette, most restaurants in Honda Bay were destroyed. As of today, the only islands where you can find and buy food is at Starfish Island and Cowrie Island .

Personally, I enjoyed seafood mukbang at Starfish Island! They sell lots of seafoods here such as sea urchins, abalone shellfish, lobster, ranga-ranga and many more. FYI, the abalone shellfish is a must! Furthermore, lunch at Cowrie Island is the best!

Read here: Where to Eat in Puerto Princesa + Trying Exotic Food “Tamilok”

Suggested Tour Agency

For hassle-free tours, I highly recommend booking with a trusted travel agency. If you are traveling in a group and/or family vacation, do check iTravel Tours on Facebook! They have amazing packages such as (1) Honda Bay Island Hopping, (2) Underground River and (3) City Tours. Message them on Facebook to know more details!

• Message iTravel Tours On Facebook Here

How to go to Honda Bay Palawan DIY way? (Budget)

Take a direct flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa (PPS). Local airlines like Cebu Pacific, AirSwift, Air Asia and Philippine Airlines offers this route. It’s actually a very popular route and you can score cheap flights to PPS.

From PPS airport, there are multicabs outside that can take you to the city proper which is just about 3-5 minutes. Then proceed to Mendoza Park and ride multicabs with Sta Lordes Honda Bay signage. These multicabs will go directly to the wharf where you can rent a boat for Honda Bay island hopping. In addition, it also passes by Robinsons Mall and Hue Hotel which makes it more convenient if you will be staying anywhere near that area.

Expenses & Boat Rentals

Proceed to the registration area where you will rent a boat and pay the necessary fees. Environmental fee is Php150.00 and terminal fee is Php5.00 only. Refer to the photo below for updated fare rates.

Important note: cut-off time of island hopping is at 2:30pm.

Honda Bay Island Hopping

Going to Puerto Princesa is incomplete without getting your skin tanned! Swim and bask at Honda Bay’s pristine beaches and islands. As I’ve mentioned earlier, Honda Bay island hopping comprises 3 main islands which are Starfish Island, Luli Island and Cowrie Island.

Starfish Island

Entrance Fee: Php50.00/person

After a 15 minute boat ride from the pier, Starfish Island was the first destination for our Honda Bay island hopping trip. There is a snorkeling site here so if you are looking for a swimming/snorkeling activity around Honda Bay, this is the place to be!

Starfish Island is also quite famous for serving its guests local seafood delicacies. I highly recommend trying sisig abalone ! For more information about the seafood delicacies read here . There are available cottage and picnic tables for rent here too.

Luli Island

Entrance Fee: Php70.00/person

The name of the island came from the word lulubog lilitaw which meant the disappearance and appearance of islands depending on the tides. It has an amazing sandbar and there are crystal kayaks for rent like that of Boracay.

Cowrie Island

Entrance Fee: Php100.00/person

Cowrie Island is the last one we visited. This island is quite gorgeous and has everything you need for a group outing/gathering. It is closest to the pier, has volleyball area, kayaking, paddle board, lots of cottage and picnic tables you can rent, has a restaurant and they also have clean bathrooms.

NEXT TO READ:

• WHERE TO EAT IN PUERTO PRINCESA? FOOD GUIDE 2022
• EL NIDO PALAWAN DIY TRAVEL GUIDE

LATEST POSTS:

• How to Use Taipei Fun Pass on Klook + Sample 3 Days Itinerary: Everything You Need to Know
• Ultimate 4 Days Bali DIY Itinerary & Budget For First Timers: Best Places to Visit + How to Get There?
• 2024 Ultimate Northern Blossom DIY Itinerary & Budget: What You Need to Know
• Ultimate Boracay Food Guide: Where to Eat + BEST Restaurants

ULTIMATE BORACAY DIY TRAVEL GUIDE FOR FIRST TIMERS: ITINERARY & BUDGET

Share this:.

Joana Paola Gutierrez

You might also like.

2024 Complete Balabac Palawan Travel Guide with Itinerary & Budget: Everything You Need to Know

Manjuyod Sandbar and Dolphin Watching: Negros Oriental

Once Islas DIY Travel Guide 2022 (Budget & Itinerary)

ULTIMATE GUIDE: Cabongaoan Beach + Death Pool in Burgos Pangasinan (DIY Budget & Itinerary)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Crystal Waters of Honda Bay, Palawan: A Half Day Island Tour (DIY)

• Raz & Sonny
• April 21, 2017

Yes, no more questions to ask. A half day Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour can be done. It’s possible. That’s how was it when we finished the island hopping tour by 12 noon ! While Sonny is convincing you to get a tour package for  Lights Out! Let Them Shine: Ihawig Firefly Watching, Palawan , I am suggesting the opposite, a DIY trip for Honda Bay. Let me now convince you using this post.

This post is a part of   Puerto Princesa, Palawan: A Walk-through to the City of Living God  article. Go back to the main article to see more of Puerto Princesa.

Months before our visit to Puerto Princesa, I am convincing myself that Honda Bay Island Hopping can be done DIY (Do-It-Yourself) style. But every time that I get into something that will support this decision, people say that going into a tour package is the hassle free and sure thing. Yes, sure thing, getting a tour package will be the worry-free choice. But, I can’t deal with the tour starting around 9am and ends around 4pm. Some hours are wasted. So, we tried our luck to go DIY, and booked an afternoon trip going to Sabang, Puerto Princesa for our Underground River tour  the next day.

Sta. Lourdes Wharf

It’s our very first morning in Puerto Princes a! However, we failed to follow our original time frame for this because we took a long time taking our breakfast in  Matutina Pensionne, adding up to the miscommunication for the breakfast time. Anyway, we are able to charter a tricycle near Immaculate Conception Cathedral for P400 . That’s for round trip. Quite cheap huh? (comparing it to the standard 600 – 700 pesos charge) That’s because we are only doing the Honda Bay tour as half-day .

Sta. Lourdes Wharf is the way/docking port of boats going for the Honda Bay Tour. It is roughly around 30-45mins away from Puerto Princesa down town, considering the usual traffic conditions in the city. When we get there, we then registered at the registration desk and ask for a boat. The officer will usually ask if you wanted to wait for a companion or other groups to share the boat with you. This is because the smallest boat can carry 6 passengers . Since we are doing this DIY and according to our time frame, we paid for the whole boat and listed the islands where we want to go to.

Rates as of this writing became higher and they are as follows:

Boat Rental and Fees:

3-cylinder boat – P1300 (good for 6) Environmental Fee – P150/person (from 40 pesos before) Snorkeling Gear – P100/set (optional)

Island Entrance Fees:

Starfish Island – P50/person Pambato Reef – P50/person Luli Island – P60/person Cowrie Island – P75/person Splash House – P50/person Pandan Island – P800/person*

We have chosen 4 islands (or technically only 3 since Pambato Reef is not an island obviously). We wanted to go to Pandan Island too but the officer said that it isn’t possible if we should be back by noon. So, that’s fine. And oops, if you want to take your meal at Cowrie Island, just add P250/person for a buffet lunch . During our visit, the entrance fee for Cowrie is charged right there in the registration office. Entrance fees for other islands remains to be charge at the islands. Snake Island was not offered to us during that time. The reason for this isn’t clear.

*buffet lunch included

Honda Bay DIY Tour

We left the wharf by 8am . Our boatman, Kuya Joseph asked about the time that we need to be at the wharf. We said around 11am-12pm. He said “okay” then ask if it is okay for us that we are going to Starfish Island first since it is the farthest. We just agreed since he is the expert here! Come on Kuya, let’s start this because I am so excited!

We are lucky that we arrived early in the registration office. I saw that lots of tourists vans arrived during the time and the registration desk is now flooded by people. Tip: be there early to avoid delays and inconvenience.

Starfish Island

Starfish island is our first stop, right after the boat docked, I am already looking for a starfish but I haven’t found any. Kuya Joseph said that starfishes can be found on the other side of the island. So, he first brought us to the registration booth for entrance fee payment then proceed to the said area.

We are lucky to have a boatman who is talented with camera tricks. Check out the pictures!

Sonny went on snorkeling. He was so happy and cheering when he came back. He said that there is so many fishes on the area. And he wasn’t lying. There is many, indeed! Well, during that time I’m busy posing for this starfish movie.

Pambato Reef

I never planned to do the snorkeling since I am afraid. That’s why we just rented only a set of snorkeling gear. However, when we arrived at Pambato Reef , the guy there insisted that I should try it and I’ll be missing half of my life if I will not. Kuya Joseph also assured me that I won’t drown since he will accompany me during the snorkeling.

So, here it is Raz. Face your fear of these large waters. So, I borrowed the snorkel of Kuya Joseph and tried it. But, I ended up unsatisfied because what I only saw are gray and dead corals (few are alive) beneath the surface, gloomy water, few fishes. I told Kuya Joseph that I’ll go back now since I have tasted enough salty water here. Haha. The experience in Pambato is a bit dissapointing, well, maybe because we did not went far to see more beautiful corals in the area. Sonny continued to explore for a few minutes more but he has almost the same opinion with me. There are few corals to see in the area. There are much more nice fishes in starfish island than here. Well, that’s good for my first time, at last I faced my fear!

Maybe when you decide to do Pambato, explore the area on the right part, because we went to the left-middle part and only saw few.

LuLi Island

This island’s name came from its behavior. It is “ Lu lubog Li litaw” in tagalog. Basically, the whole island is submerged in the water during high tide and comes back during low tide. Well, it is low tide during our visit so we can walk through the sand of colorful flag poles.

We had taken several failed jump shots in LuLi island (some are quite nice and funny though) and severely tanned our skin. The swimming area here is very good, water is so clear and blue. There are cottages available here that you can use when you opt to stay longer in the area.

Cowrie Island

This is our last stop. This island is the nearest from Sta. Lourdes Wharf and also, the most developed one among the islands we visited. There are many restaurants around and I guess time will come that you can also spend the night here like in Splash Island (though the area is quite small to accommodate many people). We spent the longest time exploring Cowrie, breathing the fresh air. And, I also took some time picking up plastics in the shore. Why should these plastics be here?

It’s saddening that we need to back to the wharf now but the time is well spent indeed. Here are some of the pictures we took in Cowrie :

We are able to follow the time frame, and Kuya Arman (our tricycle driver) brought us back to our accommodation.  Initially I told you that we chartered the tricycle for P400 . But, I added 50 pesos since we arrive in down town past 12pm and it is already out of the 11am-12pm deal. Not such a big thing since Kuya Arman is kind to us.

You can contact Kuya Arman through his mobile number: +639307602714

Guide: Package vs DIY Tour

We asked for rates of different travel agencies regarding the Honda Bay Tour. The package typically ranges from P1,200-1,300/person inclusive of van transfer, permit, boat rental and lunch. So, let us compare this when you do Honda Bay DIY Style. Prices below are quoted for sharing of  2 pax.

Expenses Summary

Tricycle (round trip, good for 5 hours) – P450 Environmental Fee – P300 (150 per peson x 2) Boat Rental – P1,300 (already good for 6) Entrance Fees – P470 (235 per person x 2, 4 islands)

Total: P2,520 Per head: P1,260

This proves that going into a package is the more economical choice when you are in a budget because lunch is already included for the P1,300 rate . However, consider these things:

• Usually, tours only include 3 islands . We made it 4. Though, some agencies are generous enough to make the tour to go to 4 islands max.
• Arranged tours start at around 9am and ends at 4pm . If this is okay with you, it’s a no big deal.
• Arranged tours will maximize the boat capacity (as well as van capacity, too!). Although this is quite good, this might be troublesome especially if you will be joined to people that are bored fast or want to stay longer than usual in one spot (you know, pictures, huh?)

For us, these three factors outweighed the economical choice, so we did Honda Bay as DIY (Do it Yourself) to maximize our time and to make the tour go with our own pace.

Tip: If you are coming as a large group (can occupy the maximum capacity of the boat), arranged tours will give you great convenience and you can somehow control the time spent throughout the island hopping tour.

We pinned the key islands of Honda Bay on the map below:

Below is the itinerary we followed for our half day Honda Bay Tour. To view our full itinerary for Puerto Princesa, visit the main article here .

Day 2: Honda Bay Tour/Crocodile Farm DIY 6:00AM – Wake-up Call 6:30AM – Breakfast 7:00AM – Off to Honda Bay 8:00AM – Honda Bay Tour (4hrs) 12:00PM – Back to Hotel, Rest, Check-out 1:00PM – Lunch (McDonald’s) 1:30PM – Off to Butterfly Garden 2:15 PM – Butterfly Garden 3:00PM – Crocodile Farm (Palawan Wildlife Conservation Center) 4:00PM – Departure, San Jose Common Terminal 5:30PM – Arrival, Sabang 5:45PM – Check-in Hotel, Rest 6:30PM – Dinner, Free Time @ Sabang Beach 10:00PM – Good Night Sleep

View Sample Puerto Princesa 3D/2N Itinerary .

Continuing Puerto Princesa City Tour, Day 2

We rested a bit after Honda Bay Island Hopping , packed our things, ate lunch and we found ourselves in city center chartering a tricycle for our next destination! It’s time to continue our Puerto Princesa City Tour . Go check the links below:

A Brief Tour: Palawan Butterfly Garden and Tribal Village An Ex-Situ Adventure: Palawan Crocodile Farm

For other tourist destinations in Puerto Princesa City, check out  DIY Travel Guide: Explore Puerto Princesa City Easily .

You Might Also Like

Puerto Princesa, Palawan: A Walk-through to the City of Living God

Beauty of Sitio Sabang, Palawan: The Gateway to Underground River

An Ex-Situ Adventure: Palawan Crocodile Farm

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour: A Hidden Wonder of Palawan

Honda Bay is a very beautiful yet massively overlooked wonder in Palawan. Read all about the Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour from Puerto Princesa here.

99% of Travelers that visit Puerto Princesa only do so to explore the Puerto Princesa Underground River and then hop into the next available van towards El Nido.

But did you know that there’s a picture perfect bay located just 30 minutes away from Puerto Princesa? And yes, you can even do some epic island hopping here to see starfish, corals and white sand islands.

Are you ready to read all about the Honda Bay Island Hopping? Here we go!!!

How to Get to Honda Bay from Puerto Princesa

If you’re traveling in a group of at least 4 people, your best option is to take a shared tricycle (500 PHP total) to Honda Bay early in the morning and negotiate a price with a boat captain to do an Island Hopping Tour in Honda Bay.

As of February 2019, the recommended price for an entire boat is of 2000 PHP excluding the entrance fee of the island (approximately 200 PHP per island per person) and lunch (you can have a buffet lunch in one of the islands for 250 PHP or you could just bring your own food).

If you’re traveling alone (like I am) and couldn’t find anyone else to share the costs with, on the other hand, your best cost effective option is to hire a shared tour for Island Hopping in Honda Bay.

The price is a fixed rate of 1200 PHP including transportation from/to Puerto Princesa to/from Honda Bay, buffet lunch and the island entrance fees. Be warned that snorkeling equipment is excluded so you have to hire it for 150 PHP.

Ready to set sail? Here we go!!!

Snorkeling at Starfish Island

Your first stop of the day is going to be the most memorable one of the trip: the Starfish island where you can spot…you guess it, starfish!!! Many many many Starfish of Wonders spread all around the island.

This is also the only spot of the tour where you can snorkel and actually see some interesting marine life and corals.

Our tour guide warned us about sea urchins but luckily I didn’t see any. Can you imagine accidentally stepping on one of those spiky dudes?

Tip of Wonders #01: If you see anyone trying to grab the Starfish for a tacky touristy photo, tell them to put them back into the water right away. Marine life isn’t for anyone’s entertainment!!!

Buffet Lunch at Luli Island

This is by far the strangest of the islands you will visit in your trip and talking with my local tour guide, she told me that even she doesn’t understand why some people try to snorkel in what clearly is a pool with no marine life in it.

In any case, this is the island where you will have a delicious buffet lunch of Philippine food (definitely try out the pork adobo, it’s epic!!!) and where you can refill your water bottle for free.

There’s also a small bar with surprisingly good Latin music but sadly no one was interested in dancing. Oh well…

Tip of Wonders #02: If you have a drone, make sure to fly it further away in order to see some of the private islands of Honda Bay. Some of them are only 10 meters long and barely have one house on them!!!

Water Activities at Cowrie Island

The third and last island is a very interesting stop in the sense that you can either party and drink to your heart’s content or you can rent a kayak and row around the fairly small yet beautiful white sand island.

Me? I stayed sober enough to fly the Drone of Wonders and get an aerial view of the entire island (luckily, in the Philippines you can fly up to 500 meters without any issues) and then I just sat down to contemplate the beautiful and interesting sights in front of me.

My most memorable moment? Contemplating Chinese tourists in a life jacket completely freak out when the water starts to touch their knees. Oh man…

Tip of Wonders #03: The bar in this island has some outrageous prices (for Philippine standards), however, I saw many tourists pouring alcohol from their flasks so I guess it is allowed to bring your own booze to this Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour.

Honda Bay Island Hopping: Is It Worth It?

If your budget is super tight and you’re already planning on going Island Hopping in either Port Barton, El Nido and/or Coron, then the short answer is a rotund no.

Of all those places, the Island Hopping of Honda Bay is the least attractive one by far. However, if you have the time and money, I definitely recommend you to do it (after all, it is fairly cheap by all world standards) just to see a different side of Palawan.

In the end, I’m glad that my luggage ended up being delayed and I was forced to spend some extra nights in Puerto Princesa since otherwise I would have totally skipped Honda Bay and well, the pictures of the white sand banks I took that day remain some of my favorites from my Palawan trip.

Not bad at all for something that wasn’t even on my radar, uh?

Where to Stay in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Puerto Princesa has its fair share of budget hotels, party hostels and luxury hotels so there’s a little bit of everything for everyone.

Personally, I can recommend Shebang Hostel, a boutique hostel located a few minutes away from the airport, the customer service was amazing and they were very helpful in booking tours and transfers for me. Be sure to check them out!

You can make a booking for this and more properties via our  Booking.com Affiliate Link of Wonders ! Same price for you and a small pocket money commission for this website of yours.

Sweet deal, uh?

I hope you have enjoyed this article about the Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour. Don’t forget to subscribe in order to get more awesome updates and tips straight to your e-mail!

Have you ever visited Honda Bay in Palawan? Would you like to? What is your favorite island hopping tour in the Philippines? Share your thoughts and let me know what you think!

Until next time, my friends!

How to plan a Honda Bay Trip

The ultimate honda bay travel guide: plan your trip.

Discover the beauty of Honda Bay with our ultimate travel guide. Plan your trip to this tropical paradise with tips on the best islands to visit, when to go, how to get there, and more.

DESTINATIONS

Underground River

Best of Puerto Princesa & El Nido | 6 Days

Explore Puerto Princesa | 4 Days

Come to palawan, when to visit honda bay.

Honda Bay is open for visitors throughout the year, but the ideal time to visit is during the dry season from November to early May. This season is marked by moderate temperatures, low precipitation, and a steady wind from the east.

Some islands can be crowded regardless of the time of year, especially during public holidays, so plan accordingly to avoid the crowds.

Attractions You Should Consider Visiting:

• Cowrie Island
• Starfish Island
• Luli Island
• Pambato Reef

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

Embark on an unforgettable island hopping adventure and explore the tropical islands scattered throughout Honda Bay, including Luli Island, Cowrie Island, and Starfish Island.

Book Online

Discovering Puerto Princesa and Honda Bay in 4 days

Day 1: Arrival in Puerto Princesa – Explore the City Upon arriving in Puerto Princesa, take some time to explore the city and immerse yourself in the local culture. Visit historical landmarks such as the Plaza Cuartel or the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, or stroll around the Puerto Princesa Baywalk to enjoy the scenic view of the sea.

Day 2: Discover the Underground River Embark on an exciting adventure to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Marvel at the stunning limestone formations, and witness the diverse ecosystem that thrives within the cave’s chambers.

Day 3: Island Hopping at Honda Bay Indulge in a fun-filled day of island hopping at Honda Bay, located just a short distance away from the city center. Visit picturesque islands like Starfish Island and Cowrie Island, where you can swim, snorkel, or simply relax on the pristine white sand beaches.

Day 4: Departure from Puerto Princesa After a memorable stay in Puerto Princesa, it’s time to say goodbye and head back home. Take with you unforgettable memories of the city’s rich history, natural wonders, and warm hospitality.

Where to stay:

Honda Bay can be visited on a full-day trip; therefore, the best accommodation options are located in Puerto Princesa city, which allows you to do the island hopping in Honda Bay during the day and return to the city for the night. This way, you can enjoy the beauty of Honda Bay without compromising on the quality of your accommodation.

Among several accommodation options in Puerto Princesa, the best hotels are those located in the city centre near the Rizal Avenue, short distance from restaurants, bars and shopping malls.

Conveniently located 10-minute drive from the Rizal Avenue, Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa boasts a large outdoor pool and rooms, suites and villas with free WiFi. There is a fitness centre, 3 restaurants and on-site water sport facilities for guests to enjoy. Each room, suite and villa has a flat-screen cable TV, safe, seating area and a private bathroom comes with a shower and free toiletries.

Best Western Plus The Ivywall Hotel is strategically located along Rizal Avenue, the most renowned and bustling street in Puerto Princesa. The hotel boasts a well-equipped fitness center and an indoor pool, while guests can unwind with a refreshing drink at the bar. All rooms are thoughtfully designed with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, and a private bathroom with a shower and complimentary toiletries, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay for guests.

Hue Hotel Puerto Princesa is a modern and stylish hotel located near Robinson Malls. The hotel offers comfortable and well-appointed rooms, a rooftop infinity pool, a fitness center, and a restaurant serving local and international cuisine. Its design combines modern elegance with traditional Filipino elements.

Canvas Boutique Hotel Puerto Princesa is a unique and artistic hotel located near Puerto Princesa airport and within walking distance from Rizal Avenue. The hotel features vibrant and colorful rooms and common areas adorned with various art pieces and murals. The hotel also offers an outdoor pool, a spa, a restaurant serving Filipino cuisine, and a bar. Its design creates a fun and whimsical atmosphere, perfect for a creative and memorable stay.

What to bring along

Are you planning a trip to  Honda Bay Puerto Princesa? Don’t forget to pack these beach essentials to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable vacation.

• Swimsuit: Pack one or two depending on how often you plan to swim.
• Beach Bag: essential for carrying all your beach gear.
• Beach Towel: Pack a lightweight, quick-drying beach towel to dry off after a swim or lounge on the sand.
• Beach Pareo: Pareos are versatile and lightweight cover-ups that can be used as a scarf and shawl.
• Sunhat and Sunglasses: Stay protected from the sun's harmful rays with a sunhat and sunglasses.
• Refillable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated throughout the day with a refillable water bottle.
• A good book/Kindle: Relax and unwind with a good book or Kindle on the beach.
• Raincoat: Pack a lightweight raincoat just in case of an unexpected rain shower during your trip.
• Waterproof phone case : to take underwater pictures without damaging the phone.
• To prevent jellyfish stings, it is recommended to wear a wetsuit while swimming in Honda Bay. It's also a good idea to bring along a jellyfish sting neutralizer spray just in case.

A travel & food blog

Guide to Island Hopping in Honda Bay, Palawan

I’d been told by a friend that island hopping in Honda Bay is one of the most under-rated things to do in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. To be honest, I’d been to Puerto Princesa a few times now but I mostly just pass thru on my way to other destinations like El Nido , Port Barton or Balabac .

On my last trip, I decided to stay for 3 days in the city and booked for an island hopping tour in Honda Bay.

Starfish Island

Luli island, cowrie island, final thoughts, how to get to honda bay, island hopping tours in honda bay, reminder and tips, things to bring, where to stay in puerto princesa, what to read next:, my island hopping experience.

I booked a joiner tour via Travelicious Tours Palawan . As with the Puerto Princesa Underground River , a service van picked me up in the morning from my accommodation, along with other tourists.

The tour consists of 3 stops: Starfish Island, Luli Island and Cowrie Island.

First things first: we stopped by a rental shop for rash guards and aqua shoes. If you already have these, bring them so you won’t have to rent. Our guide said the aqua shoes are necessary because there are stone fishes in Starfish Island. If you aren’t familiar with stone fishes, well, they resemble stones and they blend in with the sand so they are fairly hard to see underwater unless you’re wearing snorkels.

I rented a pair of aqua shoes but skipped the rash guard.

We continued our way to the harbor. Here there are stores selling various equipment, food and water, as well as bread for fish feeding. We bought some items and then rode a boat for 20 minutes before reaching our first island.

Starfish Island is named as such because it houses the greatest population of star fishes in Palawan. Locals call it Tabuan Island.

Funnily enough, I didn’t a single one during the tour so I’m guessing their appearance is seasonal.

The sand here is ordinary. There are designated swimming and snorkeling areas. There are cottages where groups can have lunch.

I wore my mask and short fins and proceeded to snorkel. There are lots of brown corals. Because I’d been to a few great snorkeling areas already, it seemed unimpressive to me. However, I liked that there’s a variety of fishes including swordfish. Fish feeding is allowed so you can see them swarm to you.

After about an hour, we had our buffet lunch. The buffet lunch isn’t as grand as that in El Nido or Coron tours, but it was okay. The fish was fresh and the grilled liempo was delicious. There’s also an option to order ala carte items not included in the tour package, including seafood such as crabs. Fresh coconuts are also for sale for P50 each.

Luli Island is short for “lulubog/lilitaw” which pertains to how the island is only visible during low tide. There’s a huge restaurant here, platforms for jumping and a designation area for swimming. Unlike Starfish Island and Cowrie Island, fish feeding is not allowed here.

I actually just swam a little, watched other people jumping on the platform and snorkeled a bit. The water here wasn’t that clear and the waves were strong, but again there are schools of fishes you can see underwater.

Cowrie Island is named after cowrie shells. The island has lots of cabanas and cottages. There’s a snack bar in the center.

Again, I swam a little and snorkel around the area. This is my favorite snorkeling spot during the tour. It’s easy to get lost in the ocean. Once or twice I seemed to be swimming in a void of green until I’d find myself alongside a small school of fishes. It was really nice.

Overall, the Honda Bay island hopping tour was decent but it wasn’t spectacular. I guess how you experience it depends on your background. Because island hopping is one of my favorite activities and I’d been to great island hopping destinations in the Philippines, my bar is quite high and I have many options to compare with Honda Bay.

On the other hand, I met foreign tourists during the tour who were content with the experience.

Like I said, it’s a matter of opinion.

If you have spare time in Puerto Princesa, this is a decent activity to do for a day. However, if you’re on a tight schedule or if you’re a foreigner who’s only here for a limited time, I suggest visiting other spots in Puerto Princesa such as the Puerto Princesa Underground River or other tourist attractions in Palawan such as El Nido .

Take a flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Once you avail of a Honda Bay island hopping tour, a service van will pick you up at your accommodation in the city.

There are many travel agencies offering Honda Bay island hopping tour.

Here are the current rates for island hopping tours in Honda Bay ( Updated as of 2020 ):

*Discounted rates may also be given depending on the season (P1200). For exclusive tours, the itinerary may include Pandan Island for an additional fee of P900 per person.

Standard package includes:

• Round-trip van transfer from/to your accommodation in Puerto Princesa City
• Buffet lunch
• Motorized boat transfer to the islands
• Entrance fees to the islands

If you’ve already been to Puerto Princesa Underground River , just show them the environmental fee receipt you already paid for.

• From Puerto Princesa, it takes 45 minutes – 1 hour to reach the jump-off point for Honda Bay island hopping tour.
• Pick-up time is usually 7AM and 8AM. Drop-off time at Puerto Princesa City is 4-4:30PM.
• Wash-up can be done back at your hotel.

Here are the things you should bring on your Honda Bay tour:

• Water bottle
• Aqua shoes/fins
• Dry bag for your essential items
• Towel/change of clothes

There is water provided during buffet lunch but it’s still best if you bring your own for the rest of the island hopping tour.

If you’re staying overnight in Puerto Princesa, you can book discounted rooms in Puerto Princesa here.

Disclaimer : My tour was provided for free by Travelicious Tours Palawan. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Has this post on island hopping in Honda Bay been helpful to you? Let us know in the comments below!

Visiting Palawan? Check out the rest of our guides in Palawan:

• Ultimate Guide to Palawan
• Top Things to Do in Palawan
• Best Beaches in Palawan

Puerto Princesa :

• Guide to Puerto Princesa Underground River
• Island Hopping in Honda Bay
• Best Resorts and Hotels in Puerto Princesa
• Travel Guide to Coron
• Best Resorts in Coron Palawan
• Travel Guide to El Nido
• Best Resorts in El Nido Palawan
• Travel Guide to Balabac
• Island Hopping in Balabac
• Onuk Island

Port Barton :

• Travel Guide to Port Barton + 3 Days Itinerary
• Top Things to Do in Port Barton
• Island Hopping in Port Barton

Here are similar posts:

• Kuyba Almonica Meditation Garden in Puerto Princesa

Get discounts on your travels!

Enjoy discounts with KLOOK using our promo code: TARALETSANYWHERE

Katherine Cortes is a long-time backpacker and a freelance writer/editor. She likes beaches, snorkeling trips, and relaxing staycations (preferably with bath tubs!).

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Palawan / Philippines / Puerto Princesa / Travel Guides

Honda Bay Tour DIY Travel Guide – Puerto Princesa, Palawan

by LoveEatWander · January 27, 2019

Aside from sailing through the marvelous recesses of the world-renowned Underground River , another best thing to do in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is to wallow in its beautiful islands and rich marine life. Go and experience the amazing wonders of Honda Bay Tour.

If your idea of island hopping is swimming with the school of fish, seeing the amazing colorful corals, and basking under the sun while lying down on the vast white sand of the beach, then this is the activity you ought to consider doing.

Honda Bay frames the coastline of the Puerto Princesa. It boasts several islands which are excellent for snorkeling and beach bumming. Some of the islands that comprise Honda Bay are provided below:

Pandan Island Entrance Fee: Php50

This is the most famous attraction among islands where people can swim, snorkel, and enjoy different water activities such as kayaking and banana boat riding. This island is a little small but it takes pride on its powdery white sands. There are cottages for rent and some stores where you can buy food and drinks. There are also cordoned areas for snorkeling.

Snake Island Entrance Fee: Free

This island is characterized by the long sandbar connected to the main beach. Sari-sari stores and cottages are also available here. Some stalls sell fresh seafood; you can cook if you have the means to do so or you can also ask them to cook for you. There is a part of Snake Island where beachgoers can find a little bit of privacy – at the farther end of the sandbar where there are no cottages. There is also a good spot for snorkeling.

Pambato Reef Entrance Fee: Php50 (only to those who will snorkel in the area)

Pambato Reef is not actually an island but a floating, turtle-shaped cottage. It is a marine sanctuary that offers a beautiful view of underwater lives. Here, you will see beautiful corals and colorful species of fish. This part of Honda Bay is purely for snorkeling and fish feeding only.

Starfish Island Entrance Fee: Php50

The attraction of this island is the starfishes by the seashore. Other than that, nothing more.

Luli Island

Table of Contents

How to Get to Honda Bay Jump-Off Site

If you take advantage of Honda Bay tour that is being offered by different travel agencies, you do not have to worry as they will take care of everything from picking you up in your hotel to bringing you back. However, if you prefer DIY tour/s, below are the steps on how to go through with the Honda Bay Tour:

1. Charter a tricycle to Sta. Lourdes port or Honda Bay Wharf. This will roughly be an hour ride from the city. It costs approximately P500 – P700 for a round trip. There are some jeepneys and multicabs en route Sta. Lourdes wharf; fare is Php25. The problem with this is the transportation back to the city after the island hopping because you will have to walk for more than 1 kilometer back to the main highway and in order to catch a ride back to the city. Transportation back is very rare. 2. Getting to the port is the most challenging part especially during peak season as most boats are already taken by tour organizers. But if you want to try your luck go ahead and do so. Small boats cost P1, 300 and big costs P1, 500 for the whole day good for 6 people. If your group is more than 6, there is an additional fee of Php220 each.

Projected Expenses for Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

Travel agencies usually offer Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour for Php1,500 per person inclusive of the following:

• van transportation from hotel and back • boat ride • service of a licensed tour guide • buffet lunch • entrance fees to three islands (usually Pandan, Starfish, and Pambato Reef) • picnic table/cottage rentals

Now if you want to DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour, provided below are the projected expenses:

Travel Tips/Activities for Honda Bay Tour

• Make sure to book your accommodation within the city proper if you will take advantage of Underground River tour from a travel agency as they charge additional (from Php250 to Php2,500) for those whose hotels are outside the city.
• DIY is good for a group with at least 6 members. It is indeed a more affordable option and you will have more control over your time.
• We personally suggest that you take advantage of organized tour services to stay away from hassles and misfortunes especially if you are travelling in a small group.
• Buy food and drinks at the city proper to save money because the prices of commodities in the islands are 30% higher. Also, consider bringing bread for snorkeling, you will form your own legion of fishes when you do so.
• Bring your own snorkel set; rental costs Php100. If you are renting, make sure that the snorkel set fits you well or your investment will be futile. Renting aqua shoes is not necessary, just bring your slip-on.
• If you want to take advantage of the Underground River tour package, you may get in touch with our partner travel agency, Sole Adventours .
• For more virtual and interactive live updates, you can check our INSTAGRAM PAGE or follow us on TWITTER .
• Be part of Love. Eat. Wander. Facebook Community Page for more updates and travel tips or visit our YouTube Channel for videos.

B ook your Palawan Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour below:

Example Itinerary for Honda Bay Tour

7:00 AM – ETD from your inn/hotel. Tell the driver to take you to Sta. Lourdes wharf. 8:00 AM – Go to Tourist Information Office and rent a boat for your Honda Bay Tour. 9:00 AM – Pambato Reef 10:30 AM – Luli Island 11:00 PM – Pandan Island 12:00 NN – Snake Island / Prepare Lunch 02:00 PM – Starfish Island 03:00 PM – Back to Sta. Lourdes wharf /wash up 04:00 – Back to Puerto Princesa City / Hotel

*Provided IT is not absolute. Always seek for the boatman’s advice on which island must go first as they know the flow of current.

“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” ― William James

Thank you for dropping by!

Should you want to add/dispute something in this article, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!

Recent Posts

Facebook comments.

Tags: attire for honda bay tour honda bay and underground river tour honda bay and underground river tour package honda bay tour honda bay tour activities honda bay tour afternoon honda bay tour blog honda bay tour diy honda bay tour do it yourself honda bay tour inclusion honda bay tour packages honda bay tour palawan honda bay tour price honda bay tour rates honda bay tour review honda bay tour time underground and honda bay tour

You may also like...

Masbate Travel Guide: Ticao Island

September 21, 2017

Panglao Grande Resort Review – Bohol, Philippines

November 14, 2019

Manila Zoo Travel Guide – A Hell of an Enclosure

November 27, 2017

2 Responses

• Pingbacks 2

[…] can be the “schedule filler” during your Palawan trip. Compared to Underground River Tour and Honda Bay Tour that require one whole day, Puerto Princesa City Tour can be done in a half day. If you have an […]

[…] within Honda Bay, northeast of Palawan’s Puerto Princesa. It is a charming alternative for Honda Bay and/or Underground River […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Next story  Boracay DIY Travel Guide
• Previous story  Antique Travel Guide – DIY Tips and Expenses

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Find us on facebook.

Island Travel and Tours

Honda Bay Island Hopping

Proceed booking, already a member, don't have an account create one., or continue as guest, adding item to wishlist requires an account.

• Visit to three of the most beautiful islands of Honda Bay
• Splendid islands famous for white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and great snorkeling sites
• Rock formations inside the cave.
• Fun activities that allow you to get a glimpse of the wonders of the sea

Come to Honda Bay Islands for a full-day Cowrie Highlights – Honda Bay Island hopping tour tailored just for you. The activities include snorkeling in Pambato Reef, kayaking, swimming, relaxing on white-sand beaches, and banana boat riding. Mask and snorkel gears that are not included in the package are available at the Gear Shop near the Honda Bay Wharf. Pambato Reef , a floating platform in the middle of the sea, serves as the gateway to a wonderful underwater paradise. Your snorkeling at Pambato reef is also comprised of a short lecture about marine and reef ecology is conducted for tourists at the turtle-shaped ‘School by the Sea’ platform by the boatman as guides. The tour interpretation focuses on the importance of the marine ecosystem and in relation to the conservation of nearby ecosystems.

Luli Island is famous for three sandbars that rise and submerge with the tide.

Starfish Island , as the name implies, is a place where you can have fun finding varied sizes and colors of starfishes of various sizes and colors.

Aside from the usual activities, Cowrie Island offers a restaurant and a bar. just about 10 minutes boat ride. The island was named after the small-to-large sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk they called it “cowrie”. The island offers exciting day tour island experience for those seeking sand, sun, and sea.

Island hopping tours are serviced by boats operated by the Honda Bay Boatowners Association, Inc., one of the first community-based organizations that have been actively involved in practicing sustainable coastal and marine management, biodiversity conservation and resource protection.

• Start time/place — 07:00 AM | Accommodation in Puerto Princesa City
• End time/place — 05:00 PM | Return to original departure point
• A round-trip on shared air-conditioned tourist van transfer
• English speaking Local Tour-guide
• Entrance Fees
• Cottage Fee
• Terminal Fees
• Travel Insurance
• Picnic Lunch in Cowrie Island
• A one-time payment of the mandatory Eco Tourism Development Fee (Php 150.00/pax). The fee covers all tour destinations within Puerto Princesa City and valid for seven (7) days.
• Any bank fees or charges at your end
• Any kind of personal expenses or optional tours/meals ordered.
• Gratuities (optional: Tips for guides and drivers)

Day Tour: Cowrie Highlights – Honda Bay Island Hopping with Buffet Picnic Lunch

Pick up from your hotel between 7:00 am / 7:30 am

• Transfer to Honda bay wharf
• Guests manifestation | registration
• Pambato Reef | Luli Island
• Starfish Island
• Cowrie Island

12:00 PM — Picnic buffet lunch (in one of the islands)

• Last stop island destination, you get to stay longest here.
• Enjoy delicious buffet picnic lunch and relaxing.
• Guests can snorkel and see fishes and corals on this spot.
• Return boat ride to Honda bay wharf between 3:00
• Return to original departure point After the tour, you will be transported to your hotel (estimated arrival time 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm)
• What To BRING
• Terms & Conditions
• Beach towel
• Cameras and/or underwater camera
• Flip-flops or water shoes
• Sunblock lotion
• Cash for personal expenses
• Raincoat (just in case of rain)
• This tour is Group/shared tour arrangement and available all year round booking
• Pick up & Drop off to & from Accommodation is Free of Charge within the City of Puerto Princesa only.

-2 years old & below children are free of charge. [Infants must sit on laps]

-3-6 years old children are charge of 50% of the adult rate.

-7 years old & above are considered/charged of Adult rate.

Children must be accompanied by an adult

Adult pricing applies for optional upgrade to a private tour with minimum of 10 persons per booking

The duration of transfers are approximate, the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions

Prices may change without prior notice until finalized.

Immediately after submitting your reservation, you will receive a Booking Confirmation Order by email.

If your booking is accepted, a Voucher will be sent to you via email. The voucher will serve as your proof of purchase. You must provide the voucher to the appropriate service provider in order to redeem your tour, ticket, or package. Your reservation cannot be honored or redeemed without presenting a valid voucher.

In the event a travel product booked by you is not available, we will either refund you in full or suggest you an alternative travel product of similar pricing.

If you do not receive the automatic Booking Confirmation message within a few minutes after submitting payment, please check your Junk email folder just in case the confirmation email got delivered there instead of your inbox. If so, select the confirmation message and click Not Junk, which will allow future messages to get through.

If the Booking Confirmation message is not your in Junk email folder, please send us an email immediately at [email protected]. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that you have received the Booking Confirmation message and Voucher.

Whilst we try and ensure that all details, descriptions and prices which appear on this website are accurate, errors may occur. If we discover an error in the price of any travel products which you have booked we will inform you of this as soon as possible and give you the option of reconfirming your booking at the correct price or cancelling it. If we are unable to contact, you we will treat the booking as cancelled. If you cancel and you have already paid for the travel products, you will receive a full refund.

We reserve the right to make changes and updates to any information contained within this site without prior notice.

We reserve the right to make amendment including altering, postponing and cancelling the tour/transfer due to unforeseeable or unavoidable events beyond our control. These include: war, threat of war, riot, civil disobedience, government action, terrorist activity, natural or industrial disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, level of water in rivers or floods, technical or maintenance problems and closure of airports.

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these terms and conditions we regret that we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by reason of such events beyond our control.

Under no circumstances can we be held responsible for weather conditions. We accept no responsibility for weather conditions that may affect the delivery and implementation of the itinerary.

Some of the travel products or services on this website are provided by third party suppliers of travel products or services, which we have contracted with. When we are acting as an agent we have no liability in respect of the supply of any element of your booking, including any liability for illness, personal injury, death or loss of any kind, delay and inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by any provider of travel services or products or by other third parties.

Any claim must be brought against the relevant supplier of the travel services or products and where refunds are due to you from third party supplier of travel products or services, we will provide reasonable assistance to you in claiming such funds from them.

We strongly recommend that you do not travel without adequate travel insurance for your own protection and peace of mind. It is your responsibility to ensure that you purchase adequate travel insurance for your needs.

We reserve the right to change the boat/vehicle type, capacity without notice.

We reserve the right to reroute or change the order of the visits of any tours and to make any changes to the pick-up time.

No refund will be given for such substitutions or changes.

If you have a problem during your holiday it is of the utmost importance that you immediately bring it to the attention of the relevant person (for example the hotel manager, the tour guide, the driver) who will do their best to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved, you should contact our office to advise us of the problem so that we may endeavour to resolve it.

However, should a problem remain unresolved, a complaint should be made in writing within 30 days of your return home. We will not accept any liability for claims received after this period.

Our organization may issue a full or partial refund under certain circumstances:

In order to claim the refund, you must send an email to [email protected] and specify your name and booking number.

Refund requests must be received within 30 days from the date of tour/transfer  Beyond that, we will no longer entertain such requests.

It is your responsibility to obtain a visa (where required) and other relevant travel document at your own costs. You must be in possession of a valid passport required for entry, departure and travel through each destination point along the itinerary of the tour, (your passport must be valid 6 months after your return date), and be in possession all visas, permits and certificates including vaccination certificates, insurance policies, required for the whole of the journey.

Any information or advice given by us regarding visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc. is purely advisory, provided as a courtesy and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions as to the information provided.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of vouchers and other travel documents at time of going to issue, however we can not be held responsible for typographical errors, or errors arising from unforeseen circumstances.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all of the details on your travel documents are correct and to bring to our attention any error or discrepancy immediately.

In order to make your booking and ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly, and in accordance with your requirements, we need to use the information that you provide and pass this onto suppliers. This information may include your name, address, age, passport number and any special needs, disabilities, dietary requirements etc.

Luggage and personal belongings are yours and your party’s responsibility. Do not leave personal belongings unattended even for a minute, in the vehicles. We are not responsible for any loss, theft or damage to baggage or personal belongings during the tour/transfer.

Please ensure that small items such as mobile phones, purses and wallets are accounted for before the vehicle departs. We can not guarantee that once the driver has left you, that they will be able to return items left in the vehicle to you immediately. If an item has been left at the hotel then you can call the hotel and provide them with your home address along with their credit/debit card details so the hotel can arrange for the items to be returned to your home address.

You can cancel your booking for free within 24 hours after you have placed it.

After 24 hours, if you cancel some or all portions of your booking cancellation fees will apply.

A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation (please send an email to [email protected])

Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges under the terms of any insurance policy you may have.

Standard Cancellation policy for day trips, ferry and van transfers :

• Cancellation Made within 7 Days prior to departure date
• Non-refundable
• Cancellation Made within 8 Days or more prior to departure date
• 80% of payment is refunded

Amendment for day trips, ferry and van transfers :

• Any changes made to a reservation 7 days prior to the departure date will be subject to a minimum PHP 300 Amendment Fee (per change).
• Amendments can be made up to 8 days before the trip free of charge

Cancellation policy for tour package with hotels:

• 7 Days prior to departure date
• 8-10 Days prior to departure date
• 20% of payment is refunded
• 11-14 Days prior to departure date
• 45% of payment is refunded
• 15 or more Days  prior to departure date
• 65% of payment is refunded

The refund shall be processed within 5-15 working days from the date of cancellation.

What cannot be refunded:

Certain travel arrangements may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

1) Airfare is completely non-refundable and non-changeable 2) Promo packages with hotels are not refundable and non-changeable 3) Admission tickets, entry permits cannot be refunded once confirmed

If, after the booking is placed, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes, but it may not always be possible.

Where it is possible to meet your request, the cost will be recalculated in accordance with any new travel arrangements taking into account the prevailing prices, under occupancy supplements, any cancellation fees, amendment fees or other extra charges payable and a new booking confirmation issued.

There are travel products on this website where amendment fees will be charged on each occasion that the booking is amended. Please read each product “important note”.

You hereby waive any objection you may have to our use of electronic records with Discover, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or banks that issue credit cards should it be necessary for us to respond to a chargeback. You agree that we do business electronically by email, so email is accepted as the form of delivery of the services provided by us, so you agree to accept email as the form of delivery and instruct Discover, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and banks that issue credit cards that email delivery constitutes delivery of services in this transaction.

Any claim or dispute arising from or related to this contract will be governed by Philippines law and the courts of Philippines shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising out of it.

Terms and conditions updated on the 20th May 2022.

Related Tours

Sabang – Puerto Princesa City to Shared

Private Van Transfer San Vicente – Puerto Princesa City

• Negros Occidental
• Ras Al Khaimah
• Events in the UAE
• Random Ramblings
• Travel BooBoos
• 20 Before 2020
• All About Lady

Jul 31, 2014

• Honda Bay DIY Trip: Two Islands in Two Hours

0 comments:

Post a comment.

• Blog Archives

Blog Archive

• ►  August (1)
• ►  July (1)
• ►  May (1)
• ►  April (1)
• ►  November (2)
• ►  October (4)
• ►  February (1)
• ►  January (1)
• ►  December (1)
• ►  September (2)
• ►  August (2)
• ►  July (2)
• ►  June (4)
• ►  March (3)
• ►  February (3)
• ►  January (4)
• ►  December (3)
• ►  October (2)
• ►  September (1)
• ►  May (3)
• ►  April (6)
• ►  March (6)
• ►  January (3)
• ►  December (2)
• ►  November (6)
• ►  October (1)
• ►  September (7)
• ►  August (3)
• ►  July (5)
• ►  May (4)
• ►  April (3)
• ►  March (7)
• ►  February (7)
• ►  January (8)
• ►  October (7)
• ►  September (8)
• ►  August (10)
• ►  July (8)
• ►  June (7)
• ►  May (8)
• ►  April (8)
• ►  January (5)
• ►  November (5)
• ►  September (5)
• ►  August (6)
• ►  July (7)
• ►  May (5)
• ►  April (4)
• ►  March (13)
• ►  January (6)
• ►  December (7)
• ►  November (8)
• ►  October (9)
• ►  September (12)
• ►  August (9)
• Exotic Dining at Kinabuchs Grill and Bar in Palawan
• Mo's: Contemporary American Diner in Citywalk
• Nutella Bar in Eataly: Dubai's Newest Dessert Haven
• Featured in The Filipino Times
• The Ultimate Adventure at Ugong Rock Adventures
• Puerto Princesa Underground River: A Natural Wonde...
• The Big Summer Giveaway from Radisson Blu
• Wholesome Lunch at The Pavilion Downtown Dubai
• International Iftar Buffet at Millennium Plaza Hotel
• Traditional Iftar at Na3Na3 at The Address Dubai Mall
• Weekend Staycation at Centro Capital Centre
• ►  June (9)
• ►  May (10)
• ►  April (7)
• ►  March (10)
• ►  February (10)
• ►  January (10)
• ►  December (10)
• ►  November (7)
• ►  October (12)
• ►  September (13)
• ►  August (17)
• ►  July (10)
• ►  June (12)
• ►  May (11)
• ►  April (10)
• ►  March (11)
• ►  February (11)
• ►  January (13)
• ►  December (12)
• ►  November (13)
• ►  October (16)
• ►  September (11)
• ►  August (11)

Let's Connect on FB

Instagram Feed

A member of.

Total Pageviews

Top Mommy Blogger Philippines / Special Mom

We tried Seattle’s Best Coffee’s Tiramisu Cloud Cream Collection

8 Unique Things at The Abenson Alabang Flagship Store

Explored Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, Shinsekai and Shopped at Mega Don Quijote

Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka: Kyoto's Best Old Streets plus a visit to Fushimi Inari red torii gates

Do-it-yourself honda bay island hopping, puerto princesa palawan.

A few days before our previous trip to Puerto Princesa Palawan, our itinerary was set.  We have chosen Island Hopping than going to the Underground River because my husband and I were afraid that my son will not appreciate it because it’s dark inside.

This is our supposed to be itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival and chill in Blue Palawan then Iwahig Firefly watching (with dinner) Day 2 – Butterfly Garden then Honda Bay (Island-hopping & Splash House) Day 3 – Half-day city tour (with Mitra Ranch) , return to Manila

After Day 1, our itinerary got changed, we did  the city tour and then visited the Splash House in the afternoon.  The island hopping was removed in our itinerary because of lack of time.  Usually, island hopping is spent for a whole day.

After we have visited the Splash House which by the way now part of the Honda Bay island hopping destinations, my husband and I decided to pursue our Island Hopping adventure even for just 2-3 hours before our flight back to Manila at 1PM.  It’s impossible for some, but we were eager to do it because we don’t know when we will have another chance to go back to this beautiful place.

We asked the boatman who brought us to Splash House if he could pick us up the next day for 7am. He agreed and positioned his boat on the wharf that noon.  We also arranged a tricycle to pick us up at the hotel at 6 am. Our tricycle driver arrived at 6:30am and since Blue Palawan is just 15-30 minutes away from the Wharf, we arrived at exactly 7 am.

Unfortunately, the boat man who we talked to cannot be found when we arrived, and because we were in a rush, we decided to just pick another boat and paid P1,300 at the Honda Bay Information Center.

There were only 3 of us on the boat and we have 2 boatmen. They asked us where do we want to go and we just told them that we needed to go back at 10 am so if they can tour us to 3 nearest islands then it would be great.

Here are the 3 islands that we have visited:

STARFISH ISLAND – I am glad that we are early to do this trip because we were the first one to land on the island and had it all for ourselves.  Starfish Island is the smallest island that we have visited.

They said that it was named Starfish island because there are a lot of starfishes on the water.   The entrance fee is P50 per head.

LuLi ISLAND – LUlubog- LIlitaw is where the name of this island came from.

Ren was able to go swimming here.

When we arrived, there were a few guests already.  The sands are finer here compared to Starfish island.  While swimming, Ren saw a few fishes.  He enjoyed it so much. He didn’t even want to go out of the water.  But since we were in a rush, we just stayed for 30 minutes here. The entrance fee here is P60 per head.

COWRIE ISLAND – This was our last stop and it was the biggest island from all the other islands that we have visited.

It got it’s name from a mollusk called “cowrie”. I heard that those who got the tour ate here during lunch time and that they served really yummy dishes.

Since it’s the biggest island, there are a lot of activities you can do here.  There are cottages, chairs that you can rent and there’s even a spa area for massage. I think it’s like a mini Boracay.

The sands are finer here among the three islands that we have visited, so Ren and I had fun playing on the sands.  We paid P75 per head on this island.

Noel and I decided not to swim, so we just let Ren have all the fun.

We finished our island hopping at around 10 am.

For us, we prefer a DIY Honda Bay Island Hopping tour because you got the boat all for yourself. You can go anytime you want.  If you have other people with you, you have to wait for them right?

During this trip that Noel and I observed how Palawaneos treat tourists.  Based on our experience, all the people we have met here were surprisingly kind.  It’s a very different treatment from the other places that we have visited where the locals look at you like an ATM machine who dispense money in every move.

As I have mentioned I ask for a boatman to reserve us his boat but failed to be on the spot when we arrived so we got another boat.  He arrived when we were already on the another boat and he said it’s okay.  It was surprising because others will get mad for the inconvenience we have brought to them.  I promised him that when we go back I’ll just pay him for the inconvenience we’ve done.  Upon our arrival and I saw him, I gave him the money but he refused to get it.  He said that I don’t need to worry because it was his fault for not being at the area.  We know that they don’t have much and he needed the money even how small or big it was, but we were surprised that he refused to get it anyway.

These gestures made us want to go back to Palawan again and be with these people.  I heard that the boatmen only receives a little amount (as low as 10%) from the P1,300 trip which I think they don’t deserve.

Here was the breakdown of our DIY Honda Bay Island Hopping trip (for 3 persons)

Tricycle Rent (to and from the hotel) – P300.00 Boat Rental – P1,300.00 Terminal Fee – P 9.00 Environmental Fee- P120.00 Starfish Island Entrance Fee- P150.00 LuLi Island Entrance Fee- P180.00 Cowrie Island Entrance Fee- P225.00

Total Expenses=  P2,284.00 or P761.00 per head (tours are usually P1,300 per head)

I heard that the Pandan Island is a great place to visit too. I really hope we can go back to this place soon to check out the other islands including the Dos Palmas resort 🙂

RELATED POSTS:

June 20, 2019 at 2:57 am

Hi Levy, good day! Do you have available contacts for the boat man? Would like sana to contact them before my actual trip. Thank you.

June 20, 2019 at 3:19 am

there are a lot of boatman available in the area especially if you are early. I don’t have the contact number of our boatman that time.

January 16, 2019 at 7:10 am

Hi good pm ask ko lang kung anong hotel po kayo nag check in and yung tricycle po na nirentahan nyo that day lang po kayo nag plan?

January 16, 2019 at 1:20 pm

nag check in kami sa Blue Palawan. One day before ng araw na’to naghanap na kami tricycle para sunduin kami sa hotel.

November 18, 2018 at 11:07 am

Hi paano po pala pag 10 am na makarating sa wharf. May available pa po ba na boat?

November 19, 2018 at 3:41 am

depende sa araw kung wala masyadang tourist.

March 5, 2018 at 8:56 am

Hi! We will be coming to Puerto Princesa this holy week. We will bring our kids with us aged 18, 14 and 5 years old. I’m tempted to do DIY for Honda Bay instead of booking for an island hopping. Is it not difficult to look and rent for a boat especially we are coming during the holy week?

March 6, 2018 at 6:07 am

book a boat early in the morning

November 24, 2017 at 5:10 am

hi po.. may narerentahan na din po ba dun sa may pampang na life vest..

November 25, 2017 at 8:08 am

may life vest po lahat ng bangka

November 7, 2017 at 5:42 am

Hindi po kasame yung lunch nho? We have to buy our own lunch kapag DIY tour?

November 8, 2017 at 1:21 pm

February 1, 2017 at 9:12 am

Hi! tanong ko lang, hindi ba mahirap mka kuha ng motor boat? Worry kasi namin baka hindi kami mka kuha sng motorboat if hindi kami magpapa book for tours.

February 1, 2017 at 12:05 pm

2 years ago po, hindi naman mahirap especially if maaga ka dadating sa area better if before 7am

January 21, 2017 at 1:11 pm

Hi. From airport po, gaano kalayo yun sa wharf ng Honda bay? Pwede ba magpahatid kami mula airport papunta kung saan may Honda bay tour? And, how long po yung tour nyo? And, malapit po ba ito sa firefly? Thanks. 🙂

January 23, 2017 at 7:42 am

I think asa 30min lang from airport ang Honda bay, wala namang traffic. Yung tour if iri rent nyo buong bangka, depende sa inyo gano katagal, basta dapat 5pm nakabalik na ang bangka sa pier. Yung Firefly ibang area po.

December 26, 2016 at 10:28 am

always available po ba yung boats? or depende po sa gumagamit? hm did you paid sa boatman po?

January 5, 2017 at 10:16 am

kasama na lahat sa rate nung boat. Available yun palagi until 5PM.

August 31, 2016 at 2:50 pm

Hi! Would just like to clarify, there are no other available rates for the 3 cylinder engine aside from the 1,300? Does this mean if I only visit 1 island, I would still pay for 1,300 regardless of the island I choose?

Thank you 🙂

September 1, 2016 at 1:08 am

as far as I know, yes!

June 15, 2016 at 5:33 am

do you have contact dun s boatmen?

June 15, 2016 at 7:13 am

sorry I forgot to get their numbers 🙁

June 13, 2016 at 7:18 pm

May mga rooms avilable ba sila for an overnight stay? Like cheaper ones. Range ng rates po? Salamat

June 13, 2016 at 7:17 pm

May mga rooms avilable ba sila for an overnight stay? Like cheaper ones.

March 29, 2016 at 2:10 am

May mabibilhan din ba ng food sa Cowrie Island? 🙂

April 3, 2016 at 10:36 am

February 22, 2016 at 4:55 am

hi po, ask ko lng po san po kayo ngrent ng boat for DIY?

February 22, 2016 at 9:04 am

mayroon na sa pampang mga naka ready na boat for rent. May standard silang price kaya sure kayo na di kayo lolokohin.

July 25, 2016 at 2:06 am

Kahit anong oras ba pwede magtour? 11am kasi kami magdating whole afternoon freetime namin

July 25, 2016 at 6:29 am

depende po kung may available na banka

February 17, 2016 at 9:57 am

Hi! Kapag DIY – meron ba dun place where we can have lunch?

February 19, 2016 at 9:14 am

you can bring your own baon and dine at Cowrie Island. They have tables and chairs for rent.

January 30, 2016 at 2:41 am

This is great help. 11 of us are travelling and I was thinking of availing tour packages. Much better to have DIY and secure tip for the boatmen. ?

January 31, 2016 at 12:30 pm

Yes I suggest you do the DIY instead of booking with other passengers

January 22, 2016 at 8:36 am

Hi. I am still undecided if mag DIY Island Hopping kami or magpa arrange na lang tour. But based on the blogs na nabasa ko, mas cheaper ang DIY. Hesitant lang ako kasi baka sobrang ma hassle naman kami. We are 5 in the group. So I think mas makakatipid talaga if DIY. Your thoughts naman po Mommy Levy. Thanks so much!

January 22, 2016 at 1:10 pm

I suggest DIY na lang para hawak nyo oras nyo.

September 6, 2015 at 10:25 am

Hi, this is helpful for me, since my family is also planning to visit next year of March. By the way, I want to ask if you secured any permits for this hondabay trip? like in Underground River tour which is needed to secure permits pa.. Thank you.

September 7, 2015 at 1:54 pm

No we did not secured any permits.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

INSTAGRAM FEED

The Adventuress

telling stories through adventures

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

Your Itinerary to Puerto Princesa & El Nido (plus DIY budget tips!)

Updated March 12, 2022.

Considering the fact that Palawan is the biggest province in the Philippines, 4 days isn’t just enough to travel the entire province itself. So when my friends asked me to go there even if I knew within myself that I had been there already, I didn’t have any second thoughts of going back. This is my second time visiting the best island in the world together with my friends. We opted to book a flight months before our flight in order to get a cheaper price. We decided to stay in Puerto Princesa and El Nido Palawan for four days and 3 nights which I knew wasn’t enough. But if you also plan to travel to Puerto Princesa and El Nido, this travel guide is for you!

Table of Contents

My 2nd time visiting Puerto Princesa and El Nido

It was afternoon when my best friends and I were talking with each other, planning where our next destination would be. So we asked each other to look for a cheaper flight without having any thought of a place where we could visit. All of a sudden, they contacted me and told me that they wanted to visit Palawan. It would be their first time visiting the island yet in my case it would be my second time. But I didn’t care. Who cares anyway? I didn’t hesitate to answer them with “YES”!! Why not? I haven’t seen much of Palawan yet. Why couldn’t I come back? Later on, I just found myself booking a flight together with my friends which was good for 4 days and 3 nights. I felt really excited!

After months of waiting, we were at the airport and anticipating my flight number to be called on. A few hours later, it was finally our boarding time and ready to depart to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. My heart raced quickly as if it was my first time visiting! I got on the plane, walked through the aisle of it, sat on my designated seat, and waited for an hour to arrive on the island of Palawan.  I was on cloud nine! Finally! I was here again. For the second time around. I was here to make good memories again on this majestic and the best island in the world.

What Are the Top Places to Visit in Puerto Princesa and El Nido?

Puerto princesa .

• Honda Bay: This is an island hopping where you can get a chance to visit three islets. The island hopping can be done either half day or the whole day. 
• City Tour: This includes a visit to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Plaza Cuartel,Mitra’s Ranch, Baker’s Hill, Butterfly Garden, Binuatan Creations, City Baywalk Park, and Pasalubong Center. 
• Underground River, Puerto Princesa

El Nido is more of island hopping and visiting lagoons than anything. During our visit, we actually got a chance to visit some of the famous lagoons and islets around the island of El Nido. We got to visit Helicopter Island, Cadlao Lagoon, Hidden Beach, Small Lagoon, and Big Lagoon. 

Puerto Princesa & El Nido Package Tours

Many people have been asking me how it is easy for me to travel cheaply in Palawan. It has been one of the top destinations in the Philippines. In that case, thinking of traveling to this island is quite difficult without breaking a bank. But getting a package tour when in Palawan should also be considered. Sounds quite true. It’s quite expensive to travel around Palawan if you do not know how to do it cheaply.

Where to book?

I always consider getting a tour agency to make my trip less hassle and less worrying as well. Fortunately, I have found a good travel agency that catered and arranged our Palawan tours well. It’s really affordable and not only that, he guided us and made sure that we were doing fine and having fun at the same time. I came back to Palawan without expecting anything special but never had I any idea that it would be a memorable one indeed! I will surely book my Palawan tour again with this agency once I come back to Palawan again!

• Clarkent Affordable Tours : They are such a big help to us. They really helped us with our Palawan itinerary and made sure that we could make the most of our stay in Palawan in 4 days! You may contact them at 0955-294-6691 / 0977-250-3813 / 0946-398-7500 / 0918-624-3731.

Here are some of the other travel agencies that you may also consider:

• Isla Palawan Travel & Tours 
• Ceilo Tickets and Tours Palawan 
• Lexart Travel and Tours
• Palawan Travellers – Tour Package 
• Miya’s Travel And Tours
• Palawan Deal Packages 
• TripiditoTravel

Puerto Princesa and El Nido Itinerary 4D3N

Day 1: puerto princesa (free time).

• Staycation at Hillside Resort Palawan
• Go groceries at Robinson’s Supermarket
• Visit Immaculate Conception Church

Day 2: Honda Bay Tour

• Starfish Island
• Luli- Island
• Cowrie Island
• Depart to El Nido

Yes, you can also go island hopping in Puerto Princesa. If you are interested, you can avail the Honda Bay Palawan Tour Package!

Day 3: El Nido Tour

• Helicopter Island
• Cadlao Lagoon
• Hidden Beach
• Small Lagoon
• Depart to Puerto Princesa

DAY 4: Puerto Princesa City Tour 

• Immaculate Conception Cathedral
• Plaza Cuartel
• Mitra’s Ranch
• Baker’s Hill
• Butterfly Garden
• Binuatan Creations
• City Baywalk Park
• Pasalubong Center
• Back to Manila

Where to stay in Puerto Princesa? 

There are a lot of hotels and hostels that you can choose when staying in Puerto Princesa, but here are some of the following:

Hillside Resort 

Location: Sandiwa, Tiniguiban. This is where my friends and I actually stayed overnight. 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 1400 (USD 40) per night. 

Balai Princesa

Location: Socrates Rd, Barangay San Pedro 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 4000 (USD 80) per night

Southwind Resort Palawan

Location: South National Hwy, Puerto Princesa

Room Rates: Starts from Php 1500 (USD 30)

Panja Resort Palawan

Location: Bay Vista Rd, Bgy. Tagburos

Room Rates: Starts from Php 3300 (USD 66)

Cleon Villa Pension

Location: Pineda Rd, Barangay San Pedro

Room Rates: Starts from Php 1300 (USD 26) per night

Costa Palawan Resort

Location: F. Ponce de Leon Rd, Barangay San Pedro

Room Rates: Starts from Php 1500 (USD 30) per night

Holiday Suites

Location: North National Highway, 5300 Puerto Princesa. 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 2400 (USD 48). 

Hotel Fleuris 

Location: Lacao Street. 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 3500 (USD 70).

Blue Lagoon Inn & Suites

Location: Rizal Avenue Ext Interior Purok Malaya, Rizal Avenue 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 1200 (USD 24).

Where to stay in El Nido?

Focus rooms .

Location: Taytay – El Nido National Highway

Maligaya Beach Bungalows

Location: Corong Corong Beach, Palawan. If you are looking for beachfront accommodation, this one suits you! 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 8,100

Lagun Hotel

Location: Balinsasayaw Road, Bgy. Maligaya 

Room Rates: Starts from Php 6000

One El Nido Suite

Location: Lot 2 Bgy. Corong-Corong

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 3600

Frendz Hostel El Nido

Location: Osmena Street, Barangay Masagana

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 4400 

El Nido Moringa Resort

Location: Barangay Corong-Corong 

Room Rates: Starts from PHP  3,300

SANSE Boutique Hotel

Location: Abdulla Street 

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 2,800

Bulskamp Inn

Location: Osmeña Street

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 2700

El Nido Boutique Vacation Villas

Location: Sitio Lugadia Corong-Corong

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 1100

Country Inn El Nido

Location: Barangay Corong Corong

Dolarog Beach Resort

Location: Sitio Dolarog, Corong-Corong

Room Rates: Starts from PHP 4700  Note that the prices written above are subject to change. You may book your accommodation in Agoda if you want to get discounts!

Top Reasons to Visit the Beautiful Islands of Palawan, Philippines

People are so nice..

Everywhere you go, people will greet you nicely. Most of the people you meet here in Palawan – whether it is in Puerto Princesa or El Nido, are friendly. You would surely enjoy talking with the locals. staying on this island for a few days or weeks isn’t enough! More to that, Puerto Princesa and El Nido are not the only places that you can visit here, of course!

There is always something about this island that makes you wonder.

It always feels like the first time. As I mentioned above, I’ve been to Puerto Princesa and El Nido twice, but I’ve still had the same feeling as the first time I visited these places. 

‎You will learn a lot of things about the island.

Palawan is rich in culture, so once you visit here, you will be amazed at how they are rich in natural resources and every little thing that will make you certainly realize that Palawan is indeed the best island in the world.

Less traffic.

Palawan’s traffic is totally incomparable to Manila’s traffic. F rom what I have learned, the reason why there is less traffic there (most especially in Puerto Princesa) is that there are designated vehicles that can only operate according to the day that has been assigned to a certain vehicle. It is really organized.

‎Palawan has the lowest crime rate in the country.

Yes, you heard it right! ‎It is said to be that Palawan has the lowest crime rate in the country.

Get close to nature.

‎Surrounded by trees, Palawan is an island where you can really get closer to nature.

That “feeling” being on this beautiful island.

I just love being comfortable on this island. This indescribable feeling that I get every time I visit.

You get to appreciate nature more.

This island has taught me how I should appreciate nature more! It’s not just being able to see the beauty of it; in return, it is about being able to be more responsible and caring for taking care of it. Our nature shouldn’t just be taken for granted.

The amazing Philippines! Isn’t it more fun?

With its pristine beaches , beautiful lagoons, delectable food, accommodating people, and amazing scenery and landscapes, who would have thought that I am just in the Philippines?

Changes made in El Nido, Palawan

Note that this itinerary was made for our tour in 2018 and unfortunately, there are new rules and regulations for the island hopping tours and activities in El Nido.

New Rules & Regulations in El Nido

They have implemented that you can’t do combination tours anymore in order to limit the number of tourists going to each of the islands from Tours A, B, C, D more particularly in Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, and Secret Beach. You can’t visit these most popular islands on the same day.

If you plan to visit El Nido for a day , then that means you can only choose one tour either A, B, C, or D according to your preference. In addition to that, pre-registration is now required before you get to visit the Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, or Secret which they call the “Premium Spot”. You have to pay Php 200 for each spot as well. More to that , boats are prohibited to enter the lagoon thus renting a kayak is mandatory in order to enter the lagoon. Check out the sample itinerary below for your future Palawan trip.

El Nido Island Tours

• Big or small lagoon (user fee 200 per pax)
• Simizu island
• 7commando beachSecret lagoon
• Payong Payong island
• Cudugnon cave (entrance fee 100 per pax)
• Snake island
• Entalula island
• Cathedral cave
• Pinagbuyatan island
• Matinloc shrine (100 per pax entrance fee)
• Helicopter island
• Hidden beach
• Secret beach
• Tapiutan island
• Small lagoon (user fee 200 per pax)
• Nat nay beach
• Pasandigan beach
• Paradise beach

FAQs about Puerto Princesa & El Nido 

Does it cost a lot to visit palawan .

Actually, it depends on how much budget you have, how many days you are staying on the island, where you are staying, and eating. It really depends. It may either be costly or affordable. As I have said, there are so many travel agencies that offer cheap package tours. 

Where to find an affordable package tour?  

You can easily find some on Google. I listed some legit and highly recommended travel agencies in Palawan that you can check out. But if you have other preferences, make sure that the travel agency that you find is DOT accredited. 

Best time to visit Palawan?

The best thing about Palawan is they rarely experience typhoons so they have year-all-round tropical weather. 

Can I travel solo to Palawan?

Definitely yes. I have seen a lot of people who have done this before. But of course, it is going to be more costly on your end. 

Is it worth visiting the island?

Why not? Palawan is indeed one of the best islands not just in the Philippines, but also all over the world. 

Latest Posts:

3D2N Ninh Binh Travel Guide: A Solo DIY Backpacking Guide

Valley view homestay: best place to stay in sapa, vietnam, 3d2n sapa, vietnam travel guide: a diy solo backpacking guide, easy japan visa application guide for filipinos, how to apply for a chinese visa for filipinos (with or without itr).

A travel blogger in the Philippines and a K-pop enthusiast, Ara Patria (The Adventuress) pursues her passion and love for traveling. She’s been blogging for years, where she writes about her own travel experiences and promotes the wonders of the Philippines. Not only does she promote the beauty of her country, but she also focuses on promoting sustainable tourism. She dreams of traveling the world and inspiring other people through her own written works and captured moments with her camera.

The Adventuress is a travel blogger with a purpose. She aims to inspire other people through her personal experiences, stories, and lenses. Outside her blogging world, she is an education, an SEO specialist, and TEFL/TESOL certified.

Join her adventures!

About the Author

6 thoughts on “ Your Itinerary to Puerto Princesa & El Nido (plus DIY budget tips!) ”

I am so happy I stumbled upon this post! I’ve been dying to visit the Philipinnes! I was supposed to go last year but I only had one week off and at that time Boracay was closed (so we decided to wait)! I am starting to really look into it for November maybe! I love the details in this article and your pictures are beautiful!! Thank you for sharing 🙂

Please visit Palawan soon!

This is such a cool concept! And that place looks so gorgeous!

Thank you so much. Hope you can visit one day.

ohhhhhhhhh I soooooooooo need a beach in my life right now.

Let’s go to the beach beach beach

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Type your email…

Latest Posts

• Backpacking Guides
• Beauty and Lifestyle
• Food & Restaurants
• Hotels & Resorts
• International
• Kpop & K-dramas
• Personal Insights
• Philippines
• Press Release
• Solo Travel Guides
• Travel Guides & Tips
• Travel Inspirations
• Visa Guides

Recent Comments

• Ara Patria on Farm T-House: A Farm Staycation Camping Site in Laguna
• RayfromWildkamp on Farm T-House: A Farm Staycation Camping Site in Laguna
• Find out how to Apply for Chinese language Visa for Filipinos - on Beijing Travel Guide: 3 days Itinerary + Expenses
• Liezel on A DIY Travel Guide to Rotypeaks, Bukidnon
• Ara Patria on The Ultimate Island Hopping Guide in Balabac, Palawan

You may also like these

Eager Explorer

A quest to see the world and to get more out of life

Puerto Princesa: D.I.Y. Island Hopping in Honda Bay

Our last day in Puerto Princesa was dedicated entirely for an island hopping experience in Honda Bay. Again, we contacted Ricky Cayapas to provide transport services to bring us from the hotel to the Bay and back. On the way, we rented snorkels (PhP 150 each) and aqua shoes (PhP 150 per pair). Tip: Don’t bother renting aqua shoes — it was useless. Another tip: Rent from the ones along the highway to Honda Bay — these are sterilized and seemed to be of better quality than those in the Honda Bay port.

While I was a bit anxious about organizing a do-it-yourself tour in Honda Bay, I had little choice. We were only five in the group, and joining a group tour where we’d have to compromise time to spend in the islands wasn’t too appealing to me. So, I took my chances.

Upon arriving at the port, there’s an open-air terminal where you’d have to pay for the boat and other fees. You’d have to get a number at the entrance, then walk to the windows where the payments are processed. First, you pay for the boat: (PhP 1500), then for the environmental fee (PhP 40 per person), then the terminal fee (can’t remember exactly but it was less than PhP 50). Then, go to the wharf and wait for your boat. The dispatchers display the boat number using the boards, and you have to compare it with what’s on your paper. If you’re confused, it always easier to ask. 🙂 Off we were to a day of sun, sand and beaches!

Our first stop was Cowrie Island . Entrance was PhP 75 per person. If you head to the beach seeking for peace and quiet, this island will provide you all the tranquility that you need. There were just a few people around, perhaps because we arrived there before noon. It’s perfect for lazing around the sand the entire day. There’s not much to do, except to swim or snorkel, but there’s very little to see when you snorkel.

We headed then to Pandan Island . Entrance was PhP 100 per head, plus the rental of a table with umbrella of PhP 300. You can opt for a nipa hut costing PhP 500.

Managed by the Legend Hotel Puerto Princesa, this island is the most developed among all the others. It provides you with a wider array of activities, yet it also spelled that this island was crowded compared to the rest.

We planned to grab our lunch there, knowing that there were stalls selling seafood and having them cooked for you. But, having arrived a little late for lunch, there weren’t too many options left. I remember just eating grilled fish, mantis shrimp (not sure if the translation is right, but it was alupihang dagat ), crabs, and some kind of shells which made my throat itch. All in all, it was a good meal, except that it took such a long time for the food to arrive.

The sea is perfect for snorkeling, since it has an abundant assortment of fish. In fact, you can even feed the fishes! But if you are like me who likes snorkeling better than fish feeding, you can always snorkel around the area where somebody feeds the fishes, and it will surely be a feast for your eyes! I departed from the cluster of people, and soon found my feet getting warm, suggesting that I was in a deeper part of the sea. The entire experience was amazing: seeing corals of different shapes and sizes, while some fishes crossing their paths with yours!

Our last stop was Pambato Reef . Entrance was PhP 50 per person. I thought that we’d just jump into the water from the boat, then swim our way around. I didn’t expect that they’d create a structure to serve as a staging area for the swimmers.

Anyway, snorkeling here was more restricted compared to the others. I seemed to me that they do not allow people to snorkel without a life vest. Surprisingly, we needed to be guided by one of our boatmen. He got a buoy for me and my brother to hold on to so that he can direct us around. While I was already impressed with what I saw in Pandan Island, it was nothing compared to what I saw in Pambato Reef. That was the most spectacular marine life I’ve ever seen! There weren’t a lot of fishes, but the corals were fantastic! It surely was the best way to end the island hopping experience.

The other islands that you can visit are Snake Island , which boasts of a long coast line, Starfish Island, where an abundance of starfishes can be found, and Luli Island , one of the few islands that gets submerged in water whenever it’s high tide.

All in all, we paid a little more than five thousand pesos for the day (excluding the snorkel and shoe rentals). Not only is it cheaper compared to joining a group tour for PhP 1300 per head, or PhP 6500 in our case, but it also provided us with a boat to utilize as we wished.

I promised myself that I would end this post by making an appeal to all those who will go there. Please give something to your boatmen. There are usually two per boat, and each one gets only 10% of the boat rental: PhP 150, less than USD 4. It made me sick when I first learned this, knowing that I shelled out the same amount for my snorkel rental. Please be kind. If you are in anyway pleased with their services, give them something. Thank you in advance.

I’ll talk about the restaurants in Palawan on my next post.

Happy travels everyone!

Related Posts

Share this:

• Share on Tumblr

49 thoughts on “ Puerto Princesa: D.I.Y. Island Hopping in Honda Bay ”

• Pingback: Where to Eat in Puerto Princesa | eagerexplorer
• Pingback: El Nido Tour C | eagerexplorer
• Pingback: El Nido Tour A | eagerexplorer

wow..what a trip..thanks a lot for sharing

If you happen to go to the Philippines, visit Palawan! It’s one of the best provinces in the country 🙂 Thanks for dropping by too!

wow..I would dear.never been there ,,its on my list..thanks a lot

• Pingback: El Nido: Sights along the Shore | eagerexplorer

At what time did you start and end the island hopping? 🙂

We were there at around 8:30 am. Since we had to wait for the boat, we probably left the terminal at 9 am. We left the place at around 4 pm. The duration of the trip depends on you — which islands to go to and how much time you’d spend on each one. That’s the beauty of renting an entire boat!

Hope you have a great time in Puerto Princesa! 🙂

Hi Karen, I am glad I saw your blog on Honda Bay! Checking out our options for our trip in Jan 2014… We are a party of 9 adults. What is the max capacity of the boats? Can we fit in? Are there entrance fees in all the Island? Why did you choose these 3 islands over Snake, Starfish and Luli? Thanks a lot!

Hi Maribel,

I think that the regular boat can fit all of you. There were also bigger boats for bigger groups, but I’m not sure how much they cost. Just let the people at the terminal know how many you are, and they’ll assign an appropriately-sized boat for you.

Yes, there are entrance fees in the islands. It varies from PhP 30 – 100 per person.

I would recommend that you visit Pambato Reef. It’s really beautiful. We went to Pandan since we have no food with us, and they serve lunch, plus the island boasts of a lot of fish to see while snorkeling. One of the islands was closed — not sure if it was Snake or Starfish. We passed by Luli, but it didn’t look interesting so we didn’t dock anymore.

Hope this helps. Happy travels! 🙂

Thank you Karen! We will do a DIY of Honda bay too and see the Pambato Reef!

Enjoy! One more tip though, bring an underwater camera! I regret not being able to capture the beauty under the sea. Happy travels! 🙂

Hi karen, do you have contact numbers for your van and boat rental?? We’re going to palawan this october and still have no idea what other things to do aside from underground river tour and island hopping?? Any suggestion? Hehe thanks

Hi Jamaima,

We didn’t have a contact for the boat. Just show up at the terminal and they will assign one for you.

I recommend the services of Mr. Ricky Cayapas. His contact numbers can be found here: http://m.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/5732766/palawan+van+rental

The underground river and Honda Bay are the highlights of my Puerto Princesa trip. The first time I visited the province, I did a city tour. There’s the Crocodile Park, the Mitra Ranch and Baker’s Hill to see.

It actually depends on how long you are planning to stay in Palawan. If you have the time, why not visit El Nido? It’s five to six hours by land from Puerto Princesa, but the beaches are absolutely breath-taking!

Just let me know if you need more details. Happy travels! 🙂

We will have 4 day vacation in Palawan. Agencies rate are quite high compared if we will just DIY. Can you recommend accommodation good for 18 pax? Thanks!

For Puerto Princesa, I recommend both hotels I’ve stayed in.

Balai Felicisima has reasonable rates — P1400 for a room for two plus P400 for an extra bed. It’s walking distance from the highway where you can get a tricycle to bring you almost anywhere in the city. http://www.balaifelicisima.com/rooms.html

Palo Alto Bed and Breakfast is a bit more upscale. I love that it has a swimming pool. It has rooms good for around 8 pax, but I’m not sure of the rates. Contact them here for details: http://paloalto.ph/

Services of both hotels are superb. Hope you have a great weekend in Palawan! 🙂

this is a big help for us me and my fiance planning to visit honda bay on july 29 our plane arrival is 9am can we go directly visit to honda bay with that time?.

Yes, I think so. The airport is very near the city center (about 5 minutes), and from the center to the wharf is about 15 minutes. Besides, you have until 4 or 5 pm to hop around the islands. 🙂

Hope this helps. Thanks for dropping by, and happy travels!

thank you so much 🙂

Great blog Ms.Karen, nice!

Thank you, Hana, for the kind words! 🙂

Great blog; I enjoyed reading it! Keep up the good work!

A few comments for those that want to go island hopping in Honda Bay:

– To avoid disappointment to those that would like to visit Snake Island: this island is currently closed to visitors (and has been for a while now).

– Depending on the number in your party; consider going to Honda Bay by jeepney/multicab – it cuts down the transportation cost! A multi-cab from Bayan (downtown) to the wharf is around 30 pesos p.p. one-way. Multicabs that go to the wharf are signed Sta. Lourdes and/or Honda Bay Port.

Kind regards from PPC,

Thanks Barry for the additional info!

Happy travels! 🙂

You are very welcome, Karen! Am going island hopping again this week (I’m fortunate enough that the islands are only a 10-minute jeepney ride away from my home hehehe). Next destination; El Nido in September… Am looking forward to it!

Wishing you happy travels too, and thanks again for writing this excellent blog,

Barry PPC (like yourself a travel enthusiast!)

• Pingback: Palawan It Is | Island Hopping & Baywalk Strolling | thequirkyflong

Your blog is very informative. Thank you for sharing your experience to us. I’m planning to head PP this coming October on a DIY trip with my family. I would probably hire an agency to see the underground river as most reviews mentioned that getting permits and passes will cause tourists tremendous delay. However, I would want to plan the island hopping myself. I kinda don’t understand how the boat rental works in PP. I remember my trip to Coron, Palawan last 2012. We hired a boat for i think 3000 for a day and we can go to whatever nearby island we want to go to. It’s a different rate for malcapuya island though, as that is a really far one.

I wanna know if I could hire a boat good for 6 pax in PP. If so, how much you think it would cost me? thank you very much.

Hi Marjorie,

The boat rental was around PhP1700, about a year ago. This is good for your entire group. You’d have to pay for the entrance fees to the island separately, though.

Don’t miss the Pambato Reef! It simply is a must. Also, be kind to your boat men -they only get 20% of the rental.

Lastly, bring your own snorkel or rent on the way. These are sterilized and have better quality.

Great blog, thanks for sharing.

Planning to be in puerto princesa in January 2014 for 4 nights with my wife.

Any idea if this kind of boat rental is also available for just 2 adults?

Yes, I’ve seen just two people on the boat. You just have to rent out the entire boat, though.

Hope you have a great trip! 🙂

Hi! Can I have to contact number of Ricky? It’s only van rental right? We need transport to Honda Bay when we visit next year and figured renting a van would be more economical than renting 2 tricycles for our group. Thanks!

Hi Stephani! You may contact him through 09158003818, 09178443818 or 09282661234. Enjoy your Palawan trip!

my husband and I are scheduled to go to Puerto Prinsesa this summer, do you think it would be wiser to do a DIY Honda bay tour even if just the two of us? I find the packages I saw online very steep, and we want to have freedom while on an island hopping trip, i fear (exaggerated) being with pasaway tourmates hehe…

Sorry for the late reply. I think that the best way to explore Honda Bay is through a private boat, where you don’t have to consider your travel companions’ wants. Nothing beats having a boat at your command.

If you want to save some money, you could just hire a a tricycle to bring you to Honda Bay, instead of hiring an entire van. It would be cheaper, but it might be less comfortable.

Don’t miss out Pambato Reef. Enjoy your time in Palawan! 🙂

thanks ms. karen! 🙂

A wonderful destination. Thanks for liking my blog.

• Pingback: Nagsasa, Anawangin and Capones: D.I.Y. Camping and Island Hopping | eagerexplorer

I am planning on going to Puerto Princesa in June. There will be 12 of us. We are scheduled to be there for 4 days and 3 nights. We were thinking of staying at Daluyon Beach Resort which is in Sabang. Do you recommend or have heard of this place? My only concern is, i really want to visit beautiful islands like the ones in El nido. do you recommend i stay in Sabang the entire time or split with El Nido? Or is Puerto Princesa hopping tours enough? We plan to go zip line & underground river in puerto princess. Love the info you shared on the boat rentals. I think we will rent the whole boat for our group. it sounds like the best option since we have 4 kids and 8 adults with us.

I would advise against staying in Sabang. As far as I remember, the beach wasn’t open for swimming (or if it was, it was for a limited time during the day only). The resort you referred is also not beach-front. Sheridan is, but I didn’t see Daluyon on the coast.

I would also advise against splitting your time between El Nido and Puerto Princesa, as these two places are very far from each other. If you could allot all of those four days to El Nido, it would be feasible to enjoy your time there. Otherwise, just stay in Puerto Princesa. I highly recommend Honda Bay (especially Pambato Reef). Try Cowrie Island for a more private island than Pandan.

Hope you enjoy your time in Palawan! Happy travels! 🙂

appreciate your diy guide at honda bay for a budget of 5 adults do you know if its worth eat buffet or paluto

Paluto such as you ask the boatman bring food to the island or you buy them there? We just bought the food from Pandan island. It was good but not exactly the cheapest. 🙂

• Pingback: Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour | teacaketravels

Hello, its our first time that were going to visit the island, i just want to know if we can do the Honda Bay tour once we land on pp? we are bound at PP by 9am. were planning to do Honda Bay tour 1st day and travel by night to El Nido and do the tour 2nd day, then go back to PP for UGR. 3rd day. Hope to hear from you soon. thank!

I’m sure you could, especially if you do the tour on your own. If you feel that you’re short on time, you can always skip one of the islands. I still think that you shouldn’t miss out on Pambato Reef, as snorkeling there was simply great.

An unsolicited advice, though: El Nido in one day might just be too tiring. It takes 5-6 hours to get there from PP. If it were me, I’d skip one of the attractions in Puerto Princesa and spend that day in El Nido instead.

But you can always do what you wish. 🙂 Have a great trip in El Nido! 🙂

Hi! I really appreciate your blogs in puerto princesa, we are planning to visit the place on last week of june. Do you think it is safe to go on snorkeling and island hopping since rains are beginning to pour nowadays. Thanks so much. I hope i can have a reply soon. – mar –

I’m sorry, but you’ll have to trust your judgment on that. I am usually scared of turbulent seas, so I refrain from going to the beach (and doing island hopping) during the monsoon season. Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy your time in Puerto Princesa!

Happy travels!

HI Karen, Just want to ask if the multicabs pass the road where Robinsons Palawan is located. Can you tell me if we will be able to ride the multicab from the wharf going back to go hotel locate just beside Robinsons. Thanks, Che

Sorry for the late response. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried riding multi-cabs in PP. I remember that tricycles were available though. Hope this helps!

• Pingback: Puerto Princesa: Boating on the Underground River

Comments are closed.

Turn Your Curiosity Into Discovery

Latest facts.

15 Facts About World Health Day April 7th

8 Facts About International Day Of Light May 16th

40 facts about elektrostal.

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Was this page helpful?

Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.

Share this Fact: