Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour Itinerary

As said in the previous post, there are many islands, islets, sandbars, shoals, coral cays, and whatever those other things are called.., within Honda Bay. Accordingly, the island hopping tours offered are not all the same - it depends on what your tour company or guide offers, and/or (for those who have prior knowledge) what you want to see/do. On this tour, I just said yes to what the tour company proposed!

We went to just 3 islands (Starfish, LuLi and Cowrie) and I was the one who chose and arranged these with our guides. The "beaten path", seasoned travelers would say, but best for groups with first timers!

Just 3 islands out of many was too few, yes. But believe me, one day was not even enough!

Pushback from the Sta. Lourdes wharf was about 930AM. Note, we left the city center about 730ish..,

Those 'cargoes' on foreground, I later realized, were part of the boxes that contained what would soon become our buffet lunch at Starfish Island! As before, tour companies here really prepare hefty meals!

The 'masking tape' on each container are "labels". You may not be able to read it in the photos, but the writing says "Harbour Bay". That means "Harbor Bay Travel & Tours". They have been expertly herding us around since yesterday (well, 7 of us excluded since we weren't able to reach Palawan in time). But "so far so good" said my companions who took the city tour yesterday, and all of us today! They better be, since we will still be with them until tomorrow, for the underground river, etc., tour. They're experts!

It was a gloomy day.., and still near the wharf.., our younger companions got alarmed seeing this..,

If you saw a sunken ship as you embark on a sea bound tour.., would you not also become perturbed?

Whah hehehe! There was a bit of silence, a pause, but our Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour proceeded just the same. We were already there, right? And there was no turning back hahaha! Surely my dearie youngsters must have had some chilling thoughts in their minds, at least for a few fleeting moments!

Good the tour guides 'came-on' by telling us facts, figures, stories and histories about Honda Bay. That occupied everyone's easy-to-get-bored brains! Because, as you can see in the map above, this first leg of the tour, from Sta. Lourdes Wharf to Starfish Island is about 9kms which took us some 30 minutes!

One of our realizations was the name Honda Bay, which was already so even before Americans came. Contrary to what many folks assume, that name is not Japanese in origin but Spanish (silent H daw)! Interesting actually, because it reminded me of "Rio Hondo" in Zamboanga, which means "Deep River"!

What is "Honda" or "Onda" (silent H nga kasi pag Español, di ba?)! Ah I'm not telling here. Isip-isip!

LuLi Island in the distance. Yep, just passing by, as our first island destination was Starfish Island.

You probably already know that Luli is an abbreviation or contraction of "LUlubog LIlitaw" coined by its owners due to the nature of the island that "sinks" during high tide and emerges or "floats" at low tide!

Let's get back to Luli later as that was our second island destination.

As I said above, we only went to three islands, but we enjoyed in them, and the whole daytime was not even enough. Well, for you my dear readers who want to go on a "Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour", be aware that there are island choices - at the very least, they openly advertise nine islands out of many!

You would be a fool to try covering those nine in one day! I think the best thing is google them up and read online about each of the many islands. Example: 10 years ago, I very much enjoyed Snake Island!

Anyway, I'll tell you my notes on the 3 islands we visited on this tour. In my next blog entries!