Friday, July 31, 2015

Budget Itinerary for Honda Bay

I will be posting my Do-It_yourself Itinerary for Honda Bay alone.

This trip is for 3 days and 2 nights tour good for 2 pax only.

DATE
TIME
ACTIVITIES
EXPENSES FOR BOTH
MY
 EXPENSES
PARTNER’S EXPENSES
REMARKS

9:30 AM
Honda Bay with Sir Rolly  via Trike
0907-804-7887
500
250
250
He will meet up us at the hotel.

10 AM
Arrival at Sta. Lourdes Wharf for Honda Bay

Swimming Gears rental


300

 150


150


Ø Let’s just share gears.
Ø Booties and snorkel




Boat Rental good for 6:




Terminal Fee

1,300




80


650




40


650




40

Visit 3 islands we want. If this is still available. 1,500 will be the next boat rental fee.

Environment Fee


10:30 AM to
11:00 AM

Starfish Island



100

50

50

With travel time
Entrance Fee

11:30 PM to 12:30
Luli Isand
120
60
60
With travel time
Entrance Fee

12:45 PM to 2:00 PM
Off to Cowrie Island

Buffet Lunch
150

400
75

200
75

200
With travel time
Entrance Fee

2:00 PM
Arrival in the Sta. Lourdes Wharf
Off to City





2:30 PM
Arrival in Puerto Princesa






Tip: If you want to do the Honda Bay island hopping and the city tour at the same day, you need to take the early flight of any airline of your choice. My partner and I arrived in Puerto Princesa at around 9 in the morning, therefore we have the whole to do these activities on the same day.


I hope you'll find this informative. 

Thank you for reading.

Lots of Love: BONCHON :)

Cowrie Island


This is the last but not the least island that we are going to visit here in Honda Bay. There is still Dos Palmas, Pandan Island and the Pambato Island that we need to visit on our next trip here in Puerto Princesa in God's perfect time.

Back to Cowrie island. Our bankero told me that on this island that they are plenty of cowrie shells. They are kind of shells that are very shiny and that one that we always see on souvenir shops.

Example of Cowrie shell that I copy from google images

Of all the island we visited they are the only one who offers buffet lunch worth 200 pesos. Isn't it cheap? For more information just click on this link: Cowrie Island website

We weren't able to explore the island because we are so hungry and a bit tired. And it was raining.

All I can say about this island is: the beach is super nice and sand is very fine. It is a family friendly resort because of their amnesties. It is also worth visiting if you do your island hopping.




Next page I will be posting is our budget itinerary for Island Hopping alone.
Just click the link here: My DIY Budget Itinerary

LuLi Island

The Lumilitaw Lumulobog Island of Honda Bay. I didn't exactly get or experience appearing and disappearing part of the island but I find this island also beautiful.


We didn't have plenty of pictures here because of the rain. 

As you can see, I wore my rash guard. Yes, I did go for snorkeling. I am so jealousy of my yabz. Good thing is I was able to bring my Speedo head cap to protect my hair. And I didn't regret it, snorkeling here was the best. I have done snorkeling here in Davao, at Isla Reta, at Boracay and at Balicasag, Bohol. I have seen plenty of different fishes let them eat bread on my hands, but here in LuLi island I have seen the most beautiful, huge and very much alive corals that I have never seen before. It look like the fishes have a their own community or city. So beautiful. 

Here in LuLi island the only variety of fish that I saw was: "Dalagang Bukid". Which can be eaten, but on this island they are well protected. Fishermen are not allowed to go fishing on this area which is the good thing.

Flags to notice the island

:)

If you don't have a waterproof camera like us, you can rent a gopro camera in the wharf, which we didn't. (sayang!!)

Highly recommended if you want to go island hopping in Honda Bay

Last stop: Cowrie Island


Starfish Island

The beautiful starfish island :)






To tell you frankly, I am not fond of starfish, because I don't like them. I find them a bit creepy. And I don't really like anything that crawls, it feels eerie to me. That's why I am a bit hesitant to come to this island, because this place has obviously PLENTY of STARFISH. That's why its called Starfish Island.

Good thing our bankero insisted to go here. I never expected that this island would be beautiful. Did I say beautiful??? 

When we are approaching the island all I can say WOW! WOW! ang GANDA!! 

The island's sand is between two water, that is why is has a snake like effect. My pictures does not justify how beautiful this place is.

Beautiful Starfish Island of Honda Bay

The fine sand between two beach water. SUPER NICE!!

US with the mangrove as background

Water on the mangrove side is not for swimming, our bankero didn't explain why.

Starfish
This is the first time I was able to touch and hold a starfish. They are not creepy at all. At least I was able to conquer my fear. :)




Our bankero is very artistic.

My yabz was able to do some snorkeling, he said there are plenty of fish in the island.

We weren't able to explore the island because it started to rain very hard.

To all my readers out there, I highly recommend you to visit this place, you won't regret it, you have my word.


Next Stop: LuLi Island




Honda Bay Island Hopping Preparation

Now we all set for our Island hopping at Honda Bay.

A little info: Some travel and tour agency even the head of my department who already visited Puerto Princesa told me that Honda Bay and City tour cannot happen in 1 day. Sorry, guys but we done it. We were able to visit and do our island hopping and city tour in just one day. Thank you to our tricycle drive kuya Rolly for helping us out with our tour. I will be posting Kuya Rolly's cellphone number if you want to hire him as your tour guide in Puerto Princesa.

It was a clear and sunny when we arrived in Puerto Princesa, good day to go on island hopping.

Honda Bay is about 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the traffic) from the city proper. But before entering the Sta. Lourdes Wharf where the drop off for Honda Bay Island tour, Kuya Rolly stop on a Snorkle rental for the island hopping.

Stopover for Snorkle gears rentals

Booties for 150/pc
 These booties is very helpful when your doing your island hopping. It will protect your feet from rocks and corals with sharp edges. A must rental.

Snorkle and mask a really must must rental

Me and yabz only rented one booties and snorkle gears, since I cannot do snorkling because of my rebonded hair. :(

After the stopover, when immediately went to the Sta. Lourdes Wharf for boat rental and island hopping.

Sta. Lourdes Reception. 
This where you need to go for the boat rental and pay for registration fee.

Honda Bay huge tariff

Our boat rental worth 1,300
We were able to get the 1,300 boat rental all for ourselves. :) Island hopping here we go!

Yabz enjoying his pictorials in front of the boat

The wave going to our first island tour is very strong. And it was really a bumpy ride.

And as you can see, a nimbus clouds is slowly forming.
The Pambato Reef
We were not able to go to Pambato Reef, because it was not part of our package. But what I was able to read on some blog, its was said that its Honda Bay's small version of Tubbataha Reef.

After 15 to 20 minutes of rock and roll sail, we are final arrived in our first destination: 


Kuya Rolly's Tricycle and his Cellphone number

Tour with Kuya Rolly is highly recommended. If you able to watch Amazing Race Philippines in TV 5, he was the one who gave the challengers their clues to move on to the next round of the race. 

Clear view of his number:
> 0916-341-8572 for globe subscribers
> 0907-804-7887 for smart subscribers

Start of Island hopping:Starfish Island
Budget Itinerary for this post will be on this link: My DIY Budget Itinerary

Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa 4th year Anniversary Travel Bonding Celebration.



Puerto Princesa Underground River Drop Off


Its our 4th year anniversary, congratulations to us yabz yabz hehehe! :)

Anyhow, its been a long time since I made a blog about my travel. I haven't finished my blog on our Ilocos Norte and Sur 3rd year anniversary, but let's assured that I will write about it pretty soon.

Well, lets talk about our Puerto Princesa, Palawan trip today.

First of all, this is not the original plan. Our original was to go to Baguio and climb Mt. Pinatubo. Yes, you read it right, I want to climb a mountain, hehehe.. I just want to try something new. Since I believed that I cannot conquer Mt. Apo, the highest Volcano here in the Philippines, I decided to climb Mt. Pinatubo instead or Mt. Pulag. Mt. Pulag climb will be happening this October, 2015. Watch out for my DIY Mt. Pulag climb, I will be posting it soon after our adventure.

Lets go back to our Puerto Princesa topic. Puerto Princesa has always been a dream to me. I never imagined in my life that I able to go to this beautiful place. I can only read and see this place on books and magazine. And Cebu Pacific Airline made this dream a reality, thank you for their promo flight I was able to book and visit the place and its our ANNIVERSARY!! :)

Since I am from Davao City, I left Davao last July 30, 2015 at 9PM bound to Manila. I was so happy my flight wasn't delayed but I experienced the worst turbulence in my life. The good thing was the plane that brought us to Manila was the biggest one, I don't know what the model it was called, since I don't know anything about airplanes. 

I arrived in Manila at around 11PM. My yabz pick me up and we had our midnight snack at Burger King, my very first Burger King, his treat, hehehe.. Thank you yabz.

Then we left NAIA terminal 3 and look for a hotel near Taft. And we found one and sleep.

On July 31, 2015 our Anniversary day! :)

We left the hotel around 5:30AM and arrived at NAIA terminal 3 around 6AM, and we checked in thru Cebu Pacific Kiosk and we were able to get the 3A and 3B seats. Since we don't have any check in baggage, we went to the 2nd floor of the airport and had our breakfast at Jollibee and I bought some candies and chocolates at Mini Stop.

After breakfast we immediately went to our boarding gate. And while waiting, we took some selfies with my new monopod which I brought at CDR-King at the airport. worth 250, I don't really remember the exact price. But its okay, its part of my budget but not the trip budget.

Using my new Monopod with shutter at its handle
Our flight was Cebu Pacific 5J 637 bound to Puerto Princesa. We left Manila at exactly 8:05 AM and arrive in Puerto Princesa Airport at around 9:15AM


Sea of clouds from my window of Cebu Pacific 5J 637
Finally Palawan

One of Palawan's Island
One of Palawan's beautiful green mountains

Puerto Princesa City

Touch down Puerto Princesa Airport
Finally we are here

Obligatory selfie on the airport #1: My yabz

Obligatory selfie on the airport #2: ME

When we got out of the airport, we went to the area were tricycles and van drivers are waiting. And we saw the Palawan Uno Hotel Card. BTW, van transfer in some (maybe all) hotel in Puerto Princesa are for free.

Our hotel is about 10mins with traffic from the airport. I will talk about our hotel (just click on this link):

When we arrived on our hotel very very early to their time of check in, but the receptionist or their manager allowed us to check in early since our room is already available free of charge. YEHEY!!

We went to our room (320) arrange our things on what to bring in our island hoping and city tour. When we are finished we went downstairs and the tricycle driver I contacted was waiting for us outside the hotel. 

Next page: Honda bay Island Hopping: Off to Honda Bay Island Tour

Budget Itinerary:

DATE
TIME
ACTIVITIES
EXPENSES FOR 2 PAX
MY EXPENSES
PARTNER’S EXPENSES
REMARKS
7/30/15
9:15 PM
Departure to Manila
-
200

Terminal Fee








11:00 PM
Arrival in Manila
-





Midnight Snack: Burger King



Treat of my partner


TOTAL EXPENSES:
-
200


7/31/15
12:00 MD

Hotel outside of the NAIA 3
-          Taxi to the hotel
-          Taxi to 2nd hotel




64.50
74.50



32.25
37.25



32.25
37.25



No available room.
Check-in


Hotel Rate
790
395
395
Matrimony bed
Free Wifi
Free bottled water
Flat screen TV
H/C Shower
Free Toiletries

5:00 AM
Check out
Taxi back to the NAIA 3

74.50

37.25

37.25









6:00 AM
Check in

Breakfast at Jollibee



Buy food for the trip at Mini Mart


218






109



116


109


Breakfast steak and Breakfast Tapa with Large Pineapple Juice








8:00 AM
Departure in Puerto Princesa





9:05 AM
Arrival in Puerto Princesa








TOTAL EXPENSES:
1,221.50
810.75
610.75