Just off the coast of Palawan’s capital city Puerto Princesa, Honda Bay is well-known for white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters complete with bobbing, wooden boats, and life-filled coral reefs. A true tropical paradise, it is scattered with numerous small islands, islets and sandbars, perfect for island hopping by traditional banca, a slim, wooden outrigger boat.

As well as relaxing under swaying palms on the soft sands of islands such as Starfish (famous for its orange sea stars), Lu-li, Bat and Cowrie, when cruising on Honda Bay, keeping an eye on the underwater world and its vibrant ecosystems is a must. Coral reefs are visible from above water, but snorkelling will allow you to enter a kaleidoscopic and bustling world. The bay is a Marine Key Biodiversity Area, full of incredible wildlife like sea turtles gliding around the reefs with the hundreds of species of tropical reef fish and, in the deeper water, dolphins, dugongs, oceanic manta rays and, at the right time of year, whale sharks.