Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

For this tour, we opted to do it ourselves and not get any group tour packages to save on expenses. We hired a van for pick-up and drop-off the wharf going to the Honda Bay for Php1300. We asked to be picked-up at 9am from our hotel. We passed by a rental shop for snorkeling gears and booties first. I think the booties are Php150 a pair and Php100 for the snorkels. You could also buy hear bread for fish feeding. I saw some also whom encased their cameras for water-proof protection. Arriving at the wharf, you first have to line up to their tourism office and they will give you your boat number. As it was already the peak time, we waited for about 30 mins on this step.

Here are the chronological order of our island tour..

COWRIE ISLAND. Entrance is Php75 per person. Very few people were here when we arrived. It was quiet and I can find solitude here. It has also a bar in the middle of the island were you can order drinks and food.

PANDAN ISLAND. Entrance is Php100 per person. This is the famous spot for eating lunch. Various cottages may be rented out but make sure to be here before noon time as all the cottages gets filled up very fast. We only got an umbrella cottage just enough for four persons for Php300.

PAMBATO REEF. Entrance is Php50 per person. This ain't an island but a station for drop off to their reef. I think this is the main reef sanctuary of the area.

LULI ISLAND. Entrance is Php50 per person. An island with picturesque view and long stretch of sand bar, at least for this Honda Bay islands.

For the complete list of our expenses on this tour, you may go to this link:

Puerto Princesa City Itinerary with Budget

Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

We booked this tour through our hotel along with our reservation to them. I think you need to reserve and give your names at least one month before your trip as they are accounting the number of visitors per day. It costs us around Php1500 per head with free hotel pick-up and buffet lunch. We were picked by the van at around 7am and we are the last to be picked up before heading to the wharf. It was about 2hrs travel from the city proper to the wharf going to the underground river. We had one stop on the middle of the route. At the wharf we had to queue and wait for the next available boats. I think the earlier you were there the better as many tourists may queue and hinder your fast travel. We waited about more than 30 minutes before plying our route to the underground river which is about 30 mins boat ride. 

the view at the wharf going to the vicinity of the underground river

Arriving at the vicintiy of the underground river, we were awed with the spectacular view of the limestone formations of the area. Another queue is on the main banca that will tour you inside the cave with seating capacity of 8 persons (I think there also a seating configuration bigger than 8 pax). 

nice shore and sand! this is where your boat will dock

the cave that you see is the entrance to the underground river

before going back, make sure to mingle with these friendly "bayawaks", they are huge!

We ate lunch at the resorts along the beach near the wharf. It was buffet and the food is okay but nothing special though. Try tamilok when you got there. It's Php100 per serving and you could share this along with your friends. There are vendors selling these in the area. 

We were back at the hotel at around 5pm since our fellow van-mates did rock climbing which damaged at least 2 hrs of our time. This is just the setback of group tours, you may have conflict with your fellow tourists. We were not properly informed though about this.

Puerto Princesa City 4D/3N Itinerary and Budget

Royal Oberoi Resort Hotel, Puerto Princesa City

We stayed here for 4 days and 3 nights during my last visit to the city last November 2012. Here are some of my reviews for this accommodation:

• Their reservation through email was very quick and hassle free. The owner, Mark, responds to my queries almost everyday. You can even ask for the tally computation for better understanding.
• Their facade isn't that inviting that you couldn't even imagine that it was a resort hotel inside. Just like a typical subdivision gate.
• The location was a bit off the city proper, about 30 minutes travel by tricycle and the (rough) road leading to the place is creepy and dark at night.
• Their entire vicinity is really huge - the pool, the garden and the restaurant/events place. Everything is well-kept as well and enough attendants to assist and guide you when you need them.
• Their pool is huge and quite deep for Asians like us. I think the shallowest is around 5 feet deep. Though they don't change the water everyday, I can see that they put treatment chemicals every night to the pool.
• Their restaurant is also huge! It is actually two floors but I think we can only access the ground. It is non-aircon but the air is enough to keep us cool and be one with the environment. You got to try their burger and pizza!
• The rooms are tidy as well. I appreciate their decorations and fixtures that made the room more pleasing to the eye. We had the villa type and my only concern is that there is only one aircon (at the second floor) and their shower area drainage wasn't that properly placed. Aside from that, everything is fine.

Here are some of my captured photos of the place...

the double bed at the second floor

the balcony looking through the outside of the resort

view from the second floor loft 

the second floor bed and sofa set

shower area located on the first floor

master bed at the ground floor

our delicious welcome drinks!

the pool and the pool-bar at night

their restaurant

my free breakfast

free breakfast on my last day

I highly recommend this accommodation if you want to have a quiet time during your stay in Puerto Princesa City. Definitely we will be back to this place!

Puerto Princesa City Itinerary and Budget