As much as I loved exploring the Puerto Princesa Underground River, to do so required me to do a lot of waiting around, which is fine, but it meant that by the next morning I was eager to spend the day up and moving!
The other main appeal of Puerto Princesa is the Honda Bay area – a collection of small tropical islands easily accessible from Puerto Princesa City Proper. You can hire a boat, but unless you already have a decent sized group ready and raring to go, it will be more cost effective to take a day tour. Costing around 1400 pesos ($39) with lunch included, it certainly isn’t an expensive day out!
The first stop on the three island day tour was by far my favourite. Named Starfish Island – it doesn’t take long to figure out how this particular island got its name!
There are so many Starfish littering the shallow waters surrounding this tiny island! Some Starfish preferred to hang out in the water itself, whilst others seemed to prefer hanging out on the sand.
I had heard that picking up Starfish can cause damage to them, but after doing a fair bit of research found that there is no scientific reason to avoid touching these amazing creatures. Obviously I made sure to handle them with care, but it was good to know that holding my new starfish friends would not hurt them.
It sounds strange, but despite how hard these creatures are – you can feel how alive they are too. They have small tentacle-like things inside each of their 5 limbs, which they can pick things up with!
See the lines in the limbs of the Starfish in the above picture? These are where their tentacle things (hello scientific terminology) can emerge and retract from!
I could have spent all day playing with these little guys! I don’t know why, but Starfish just make me happy!
After a while I began to get hot and decided it was time to jump into the water and see if Starfish Island was just as amazing from under the sea as it was from above.
Short answer: Of course it was!
I donned my snorkel and was off exploring more of this quirky little island.
The variety of wildlife was not as varied as it had been in El Nido, but I still enjoyed the snorkel just as much! I was especially happy to see more rainbow parrot fish.
Though there was less fish than in El Nido, there was also no jellyfish (a big plus for those afraid of stings) and the fish that were swimming around the place seemed much more chilled out when faced with humans in weird masks.
Starfish Island had already been amazing and there was still two more islands to explore! I was loving Honda Bay already. Stay tuned next post for more Filipino island adventures!
T H E L O W D O W N
Getting to Puerto Princesa: From Manila – book a direct flight with Cebu Pacific, from El Nido – catch a ‘van’ from the bus station
Starfish Island: Day trips around Honda Bay can be organised through Sheebang hostel and cost 1400 pesos ($39)
Sheebang Hostel: The most popular hostel in Puerto Princesa, this place could improve its cleanliness but is a great place to meet people
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 with 12-40mm M.Zuiko Pro Lens and Nikon Coolpix S31
Threads: I am wearing a bikini by Tigerlily Swimwear
Remember: Sunscreen and a few extra pesos for snorkel gear hire
Wish I could jump in too
Hopefully you can do it soon!
Now i want a pet starfish lol
Hahaha you and me both!
Aw such adorable little creatures!
They are so beautiful!
Wishing I could be there too. Great photos Ellen! 👍🏻❤️
Thank you John 🙂 another one for the list?
Yes indeed! But for now, stuck here. 😳
Hi Ellen! Seems like you’re having a love affair with the starfish. =D Your photos made me so excited… I can’t wait to visit Puerto Princesa this summer. <3
Hahaha I think you may right! Are you going to visit El Nido too while you are on Palawan?
No, we’ll explore Puerto Princesa alone this time. We’ve already been to El Nido, but will surely go back in a separate trip. =D
How neat! starfish island sounds amazing! <3
It’s amazing how they’re just lying around all over the place. And they’re hard? I always thought that they’d be soft, like jelly I guess, although the back of that one does look like tough leather.
Yeah they are really very tough! I was surprised too 🙂
Such amazing photos!
These photos are gorgeous and the starfish sound amazing!
Billie x
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
The starfish looks so cute and ‘squishy’~~
Haha that they do! The squishy part is all an illusion though!
Fun blog, Ellen. I haven’t seen that particular species of starfish before. Amused by the underwater shot of you and the starfish. –Curt
It’s pretty hard to take a serious selfie underwater haha!
You made the day for a lot of starfish. Brava!!
I don’t know about that! I think they more made the day for me 🙂
these shots are amazing 🙂
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Wow! lovely post:) x
Great Post!
Amazing post as always. Glad you enjoyed my hometown! 🙂
Why thank you! I really did love it – will have to come back one day 🙂
The starfish are so cute! I love that you’re able to be so hands on here. It probably helps that they’re everywhere. Also, that rainbow parrot fish is STUNNING.
If you love rainbow parrot fish then stay tuned! Lots more where that came from in my upcoming posts about the Maldives!
Reblogged this on GUM | Growing Up Millennial.
I LOVE STARFISH! This is amazing! I’m so glad you got to strap on a snorkel and fins and get up close and personal with them. Gotta love making new friends. 🙂
Hahaha glad you liked 🙂 If you love starfish then you better add Puerto Princesa to your bucket list!
Twinkling not just above the world so high, but also on land!
Another amazing trip by Ellen. Thank you for taking us along!
As always, it is my pleasure! Glad you liked my new starfish friends 🙂
I have never seen starfish with those big nubby black nobs on them!! Very strange, but cool. Did the swimsuit company give you a discount for modeling, or mentioning them? If not…think about that?
Me neither! They certainly are an interesting breed. As for the swimwear brand – no – I just love them so much! 🙂
@badfish – I used to have the same kind of starfish in a coral tank I kept. They are chocolate chip starfish. . . And those are the biggest ones I’ve ever seen!
Chocolate chip starfish is the best name ever!
I think so! I am sure they do not taste good but the name sounds like they do! HA!
Those starfish are so different from the ones we have here! Also, great photos. That camera takes nice underwater pics.
What sort of starfish do you get?
I’m not sure. I’ll have to look it up. The most common ones have five arms and they are usually red, thick, and about eight inches across.
Amazingly! I’ve never seen starfish up close like that and the colors on the fish were very beautiful. Sounds like a great way to spend a day.
I can’t wait until summer, so I can do some snorkeling here in California. One of my favorite activities! Starfish Island looks awesome, wish I could go there too 🙂
Any chance of a Filipino adventure soon? The flights may be pricey but once you get there it is a super cheap place to travel through!
My coworker was actually trying to get me to go to the Philippines with her later this year but we can’t both take off work, and I’m low on funds even for the flight. But, I am definitely planning to make it happen at some point in the future!
I’m so jealous right now, and am following you on Snapchat! If you think about it, it really is cool to have stars in the sky, and stars in the sea. To think that a live animal actually looks like that is mind-boggling sometimes.
I totally agree! So many animals on this earth are so otherworldly!
Good thing you’ve visited the one of the best islands here in the PH. Cheers for more travel!
Palawan really is amazing! I can’t wait to return to PH and explore more amazing islands!
Indeed. PH has numerous islets and islands that a must to explore.
I’m Filipino and I have never been to Puerto Princesa, I legit want to book a flight now!
Do it! It is such an awesome place to visit! Where do you live in the Philippines?
I’m from Manila, so it’s a few hours away via plane, definitely visiting this year! 🙂
Awesome! I know you will absolutely love it! 🙂
I love your blog! Great posts and pictures. You have seen so much so far, good for you! I’m in the same miss as you.
mission* as you.
How did you get started?
I started travelling after a bad break up (typical kinda story) and then started the blog about 18 months later as a hobby – it was a way to document my travels. Now travelling is my biggest passion! I love it!
Thats amazing! I guess after bad experiences something good comes out. Good for you. I hope to follow your footsteps
Absolutely! One door closes and another one opens and all that 🙂
Have you got any plans to travel soon?
Travelling through Cambodia and Vietnam at the moment!
Awesome! Feel free to give me some Cambodia tips at any time! 🙂
I just found out about your blog while searching for island hopping in puerto princesa. I couldn’t stop browsing your website! Sending love from the Philippines! <3
Awesome! Are you headed to Puerto Princesa soon?
Looks soooo fun!! love the cute looking starfish hehe!
They are so adorable! 😀
What a beautiful pics. The shot of the parrot fish(I think that’s the colourful one) just stunning!!!
Thank you for reading! Glad you liked my pics 🙂
Wow….what a life you are leading…I’m so jealous!
I am definitely a very lucky lady 🙂
Great blog. I am thinking of a major RTW trip in a couple of years, at the end of my career. You give me great ideas.
Thank you so much! This is one of favourite types of comments to get! I love to hear that people get ideas and inspiration from my blog 🙂
Planning to travel around the world next year. Your blog really help me
That is so wonderful to hear! Where will you be travelling?
I dont know yet from where i need to start.. Maybe start from Australia and new zealand
beautiful photos 🙂 it is nice to know you enjoyed my home country 🙂 we’ve been in puerto princesa in 2012, unfortunately my underwater cam malfunction and water sipped in 🙁 next year we will go back to philippines and start our asian travels and so as the places in the country 🙂 hope to see you there one day 🙂