Palawan sights
Honda Bay
Puerto Princesa's easy island-hopping bay, dotted with small islands like Cowrie, Luli, and Starfish — white sand, shallow turquoise water, sandbars, and snorkelling, all within a half- or full-day trip from the city.
About
Honda Bay is Puerto Princesa's most accessible island-hopping playground, a sheltered bay just north of the city scattered with small islands and sandbars that make for an easy, family-friendly day on the water. From Sta. Lourdes wharf, boats run out to a rotating cast of islands: Cowrie Island, with its beach bar and loungers; Luli ('lulubog-lilitaw', the island that 'sinks and rises' with the tide); Starfish Island; and various snorkelling spots over coral and seagrass where turtles are sometimes seen. The water is shallow, warm, and turquoise, ideal for swimming and easy snorkelling rather than serious diving, and the trip can be done in a relaxed half or full day, often as a counterpoint to the more demanding Underground River excursion. Boats and island fees are arranged at the wharf or through city tours, and the dry season brings the calmest, clearest water.
Good to know
Opening hours and entry fees vary by season — check before you visit.