DIY-ing the Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

After deciding to DIY our tour, we took the time to do some reading online to learn more about the interesting things about Honda Bay and the available transportation options going there.

Pandan Island in Honda Bay

Although most online articles would recommend DIYs for groups to save money, we still decided to push through even though there were only two of us. We wanted to have control of our time in Honda Bay and see the place at our leisure not like in organized tours where there are strict schedules and more limited time in exploring places.

So here’s how we organized our DIY tour of Honda Bay:

We saved an entire day (the third day) in our Puerto Princesa itinerary for Honda Bay. This is an island hopping activity so it will be better to allot more time for this just like the Underground River tour. Besides, the boat rental is good for the whole day so you can stay for as long you want and laze around the islands.

A guide map of Honda Bay and the entrance fee receipts

For transportation, we arranged a tricycle service to take us from the hotel to the Sta. Lourdes Wharf, the jump off point to Honda Bay. Right outside Go Hotel, there is a terminal where you can charter your tricycle. The day before the tour, we already hired the services of Kuya Rommel to take us to the wharf by 7:00am and pick us up in the afternoon. The round trip service cost Php500. You may contact Kuya Rommel at +63 928 563 0255 for your friendly and reliable tricycle service.

Before the pick up from the hotel, we ate breakfast and bought our packed lunch at the nearby Jollibee store. This was to save some cash and also to avoid food allergies in the middle of the sea.

On the way to the wharf, we stopped by a shop to rent snorkels and water shoes. We were hesitant at first as we have read online that these are not necessary. But the snorkels are essential to enjoy the underwater beauty of Honda Bay. It is also important to wear water shoes as Starfish Island is quite rocky and it will protect your feet from cuts and scrapes caused by the abundant shells and corals.

Upon arrival at the Sta. Lourdes Wharf, we approached the registration to record our names, pay the environmental fee of Php40 and terminal fee of Php3 per person, and hire our outrigger boat. We opted not to avail of the island lunch as we have brought our own food.

A view of Sta. Lourdes Wharf from the boat

There are two types of boats available for hire – the 3-cylinder and the 4-cylinder boats. The smaller boat costs Php1,300 for six persons and an additional Php216.67 per person for groups in excess of six. The bigger boat, on the other hand, is Php1,500 for six persons and an additional Php250 per person for groups in excess of six. Either type will be good for a tour comprised of any three island combination. The 3-cylinder boat we hired, named Shelrick, was big and spacious for two that we had enough space to lie down and nap on our way back from the island hopping.

Lu-Li Island marker

Our first island stop was Lu-Li, short for “lulubog lilitaw”. It was named as such because Lu-Li is actually a flat sandbar that appears and disappears depending on the tide. 

The flat and long sandbar of Lu-Li Island which sinks during high tide

Apart from the stretch of sand, there are stilted houses built on one side of the island and there is a nearby dense mangrove undergrowth. 

Houses on stilts

No fishing!

Lu-Li is great for swimming as the water is gentle and there is a diving platform for jumping and diving. Just be careful though as the sea floor here drops quickly. It is also nice for snorkeling and fish feeding so make sure to bring extra bread to feed the fish. Ryan, our captain/boatman, accompanied us while snorkeling and described the various types of fish we came across. Entrance to the island is Php60 per person. Ryan was the one who processed the payment for us.

The stars of Tabuan

Next stop was Starfish Island, aptly named because of the numerous starfish thriving in its shores. It is also called Tabuan by the locals. Just like Lu-Li, Starfish is also a sandbar made up of white sand with several palm trees and a mangrove undergrowth. At the southern side of the island, nipa cottages are available at a price for picnicking visitors.

The mangrove forest at Starfish Island and the cottages at the farther end

It was already crowded when we arrived at the island at around 10:00 AM. We avoided the crowd by going to the northern side of the sandbar. There it felt as if we had the entire island to ourselves. 

The northern side of the island

We took pictures until the mid-day sun started to sting our backs. We then went back to the southern side to dip in the cool waters and join the crowd of snorkeling tourists. 

The inviting waters of Starfish Island

Water shoes are definitely a must at Starfish Island as the shore is rocky and there are lots of hard corals and a few sea urchins. Swimming is really not recommended here but snorkeling shouldn’t be missed. This is because the island boasts of clear greenish waters and abundant sea life. Just ask your friendly boatman to guide you to the best snorkeling spots. 

Wear water shoes for protection!

Entrance to Starfish Island is Php50 per person.

Isla Pandan marker

Last stop was Pandan Island, named because there are lots of pandan trees here. It is an oval shaped island that offers a beautiful view of Honda Bay. Of the three islands we visited, this is the biggest and the most developed. Here you can find cottages for rent, massage huts, showers, residential houses, a seafood market, and a bar. It is quite crowded as it is a usual lunch stopover for hungry tourists. 

Pandan trees

Guide map of the island

Since Pandan has a long, beautiful white sand beach, we stayed here the longest.

We chose not to rent a cottage as they are quite expensive at Php400. So we looked for a clean and shaded spot where we could rest and eat our packed lunch. After eating lunch, we just lazed on the beach and enjoyed the picturesque view of the island.

The island is dotted with cottages for rent

Then we noticed a kayak parked idly at the shore. We asked Ryan to help us check if the kayak was for rent. We were told that we can use the kayak for free. Lucky! It was actually our first time and never thought that kayaking, even for pleasure, was strenuous and tiring. We had so much fun but had enough of the experience after half an hour.

The lonely kayak

Other activities to be enjoyed in Pandan Island include snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, playing beach volleyball, and getting a relaxing massage.

After seven hours, we decided we had more than enough for the trip. So we sailed back to the wharf and texted Kuya Rommel to pick us up at the wharf back to our hotel.

The beautiful white sand beaches, the inviting sea water, the colorful underwater life, the fun activities, and the friendly people make Honda Bay tour one of the top things you shouldn’t miss when in Puerto Princesa.

For those who are curious about the price difference of the arranged and DIY tours, here is the comparison:

Particulars	Rate per Person (in Php)
	DIY	Organized Tour
Transpo (Tricycle)	250.00	1,100.00
Environmental Fee	40.00
3-cylinder boat (2 pax)	650.00
Lu-Li Island Entrance	60.00
Starfish Island Entrance	50.00
Pandan Island Entrance	100.00
Packed Lunch (Jollibee)	80.00
Snorkels and Water Shoes	300.00	300.00
Boatman Tip	100.00	100.00
Total	1,630.00	1,500.00

As you can see, we have paid a little more compared to joining an organized tour but the delight and fulfillment we felt DIY-ing Honda Bay was worth more than Php130. For groups of three or more persons, DIY-ing will definitely be a lot cheaper and more enjoyable.