Honda Bay Island Hopping, Palawan, Philippines

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping – DIY Guide

Last Updated on December 11, 2023

Honda Bay is one of Puerto Princesa’s main attractions thanks to the many beautiful islands present in the bay. From stunning beaches to crystal clear water, spending a day in Honda Bay is an incredible experience.

Island hopping in Honda Bay is on most tourists’ bucket lists when visiting Palawan and makes a perfect day tour or half-day tour from Puerto Princesa City.

Most tours include a stop on Cowrie Island, Starfish Island, and Luli Island, plus Pambato reef for snorkeling. You can also add Pandan Island to your itinerary if you want to.

Many tour operators offer the tour but it’s cheaper to organize a Honda Bay tour “do it yourself” and it’s not so complicated. Keep on reading to discover all you need to know to plan your DIY Honda Bay Tour.

At a glance – How to organize your DIY Honda Bay Tour:

  • Step 1: From Puerto Princesa, take a jeepney or tricycle bound for Santa Lourdes Wharf.
  • Step 2: From the pier register at the local association.
  • Step 3: Pay for the boat, and the fees for each island you plan to visit.
  • Step 4: Rent snorkeling gear.
  • Step 5: Get on the boat and enjoy your day.

HELPFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

FLIGHT DEALS

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

HOTEL DEALS

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

CAR RENTAL

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

ACTIVITIES

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

VACATION RENTALS

HELPFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

FLIGHT DEALS

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

HOTEL DEALS

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

CAR RENTAL

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

ACTIVITIES

Honda Bay Tour and Island Hopping - DIY Guide

VACATION RENTALS

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on any links and make a purchase,  I’ll get a small commission, at no cost to you.

Honda Bay tour do it yourself

Honda Bay Tour: Do it yourself – Step by step

Step 1: Take a jeepney or tricycle to Santa Lourdes Pier

Organizing your Honda Bay tour is super easy. In the morning, to get to Honda Hay from Puerto Princesa, take a jeepney bound for Santa Lourdes Pier, the jeepney passes the main road in Puerto Princesa. It will be written “Santa Lourdes Pier” on it so you’ll know which one to stop. It’s the cheapest option, the fare is only 50 pesos each way.

On your way back you might have to wait a little for a jeepney to arrive, but don’t worry they run until late. If you don’t want to wait, you can walk to the main road from the pier, from there you’ll easily find another jeepney going back to Puerto Princesa.

The ride takes around 30 minutes.
You can also hire a tricycle for the day for around 700 pesos. The driver will come to pick you up at your hotel, wait for you at the pier, and drive you back to Puerto Princesa.

Step 2: Register at the wharf

From Santa Lourdes Pier, register at the local tourist association to rent the boat.

Contrary to many island hopping in the Philippines where you negotiate directly with the boat owner, island hopping in Honda Bay is a tad different. The boat owners organized themselves and created a cooperative so they can all benefit equally from tourism. So when you register they will assign a boat to your group and the prices and packages are fixed.

If you’re alone or in a small group you can easily find people to share a boat with and split the coast. The Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour is a popular attraction, there are always a lot of people at the wharf.

Step 3: Pay the fees

The next step, once you have registered, is to pay for the boat, the islands’ entrance fees, and the environmental fee (the same as the one for the underground river, you only have to pay it once, so don’t forget to keep the receipt). You’ll also need to decide which islands to visit, as prices are not the same depending on which island you visit.

The boat rental costs 1300 pesos good for 6 persons, inclusive of 3 islands and 1 snorkeling spot. Check out the total cost breakdown at the end of the article. They also have bigger boats for up to 20 people.

Step 4: Rent snorkeling near

If you don’t have your own equipment, you’ll find everything you need at the wharf. You’ll only need a mask and snorkel, it costs 150 pesos. If you want you can also rent fins and a life vest.

Step 5 – Get on the boat and have fun

The Honda Bay island hopping tour is a lot of fun, be prepared to see beautiful beaches and crystal clear water. Do some snorkeling, lounge on the beach sipping on a coconut, maybe eat some fresh seafood, and come back with one more great experience.

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

Starfish Island

Starfish Island - Honda Bay tour do it yourself

Starfish Island is by far the most beautiful island in Honda Bay. The water is crystal clear and full of huge starfishes, hence the name and the sand is white and thin. The island is shaped like a horse-shoe and basically is a big sandbar. In the middle is a lush mangrove and at the tip, there are some nippa huts and many trees to cool down in the shade, sipping on a fresh buko (coconut). There you can also get some ice candy, red horse or fresh seafood and just relax on the beach.

Entrance fee: 50 pesos

Luli Island

Lulli Island - Honda Bay tour do it yourself

Luli Island is also a big sandbar with a big restaurant right in the middle. It’s really crowded, the area where you can swim is really small and there’s absolutely zero shade. So not the best island for me.

Entrance fee: 70 pesos

Cowrie Island

Cowrie Island - Honda Bay tour do it yourself

Cowrie Island was my favorite island during my Honda Bay Tour. It’s relatively big, with enough space to find some quiet spots. There are a bar and restaurant serving a buffet lunch and you can do some water activities (jet ski, banana boat, kayaking…).

Entrance fee: 100 pesos

Isla Pandan

This privately owned island offers a beautiful white-sand beach, sparkled with nippa huts. There, you can get a massage on the beach, fresh seafood sold by local fishermen and indulge in some water activities.

Entrance fee: 1250 pesos

Honda Bay Island Hopping Price

Jeepney from downtown PP to Santa Lourdes pier: 50 pesos

Mask and snorkel rental: 150 pesos

Boat: 1300 pesos good for 6 – 3 islands and 1 snorkeling point

Lunch buffet: 150 to 200 pesos per head, depending on the island – There are cheaper options for lunch on Starfish Island.

Entrance fees: 320 (total) per person for Starfish, Lulli and Cowrie Island, and for the reef. Add 1250 pesos per person if you want to go to Pandan Island.

Environmental fee: 150 (it’s the same as for the underground river, you just pay once for both)

As you can see, it’s much cheaper to visit Honda Bay on your own rather than via a tour operator, and it’s not much more complicated. Once you’re at the pier it’s the same. It’s even better to not do a Honda Bay tour and to do it yourself, as you get to choose how long you stay at each place.

Honda Bay tour do it yourself

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour – What to pack

  • Sunscreen and a hat
  • Swimsuit and beach towel
  • Water shoes (or shoes you can wet)
  • Water and snacks
  • Camera
  • Waterproof cellphone case

Honda Bay Palawan Beach Resorts

If you are wondering where to stay to visit Honda Bay, as you might have gathered, Puerto Princesa is your best bet. If you want to stay by the beach, there are a couple of beach resorts nearby, here are some of the best ones:

  • Microtel by Wyndham Puerto Princesa featuring an outdoor pool, restaurant and bar, and rooms with sea views.
  • Costa Palawan Resort featuring 2 pools, a spa, private beach, and a garden with an onsight restaurant and bar.
  • Astoria Palawan featuring a private beach area, a 35 m infinity pool and a children’s playground, a delicious restaurant, and water activity rentals.

You’ll also find a couple of cool vacation rentals in the area.

Puerto Princesa Island Hopping Tour – My honest opinion:

Overall, Honda Bay is really, really, really crowded and the snorkeling is not that great. The visibility is bad and 80% of the reef is dead. So, in my opinion, when visiting Palawan, you can skip Honda Bay and spend more time in Port Barton, Taytay. or El Nido The island hopping there is much better and way less crowded, especially in Taytay. Palawan has so many deserted and amazing beaches that visiting Honda Bay is just a waste of time.

Don’t get me wrong, island hopping in Honda Bay and snorkeling in Puerto Princesa is a nice thing to do. The islands are pretty and the beaches paradise-like, but if you’re short on time, there are many better options in Palawan for island hopping.

Other things to do near Puerto Princesa

Aside from island hopping in Honda Bay, there are plenty of places to visit near Puerto Princesa.

Private Sunrise Trek at Mt. Magarwak – Book your tour here – If you like the outdoors, take a sunrise hike of Mt. Magarwak and see the sun rises above Honda Bay, visit Nagtabon Beach and relax at a hot spring on the way back.

Hiking in Batak Tribal Village Tour – Book your tour here – Learn more about Palawan’s indigenous people with a day trip to a nearby Batak tribal village that you can reach after a 1.5-hour hike through the jungle. The tour is part of the Sustainable Tourism Project aimed at preserving the culture and living traditions of the Batak people.

Tabon Cave Tour From Puerto Princesa – Book your tour here – You can also take a day trip to visit Tabon Caves where you’ll find many archaeological remains and can enjoy the stunning landscape.

For a nighttime activity, take a firefly-watching tour in the mangroves of the Iwahig River – Book it here

If you are tired of the beach, hike through lush jungle to reach the remote and stunning Estrella Falls, at the foot of Mount Victoria, known for its fauna and flora. Book your excursion here

Related articles to help you plan your trip to Palawan and the Philippines:

Like it? Save it for later – DIY Honda Bay Tour: 

Honda Bay do it yourself travel guide