Honda Bay island hopping is the one thing almost every visitor to Puerto Princesa ends up doing, and honestly, it deserves the reputation. It is not dramatic in the way El Nido is. There are no towering limestone walls closing in around you. What you get instead is warm, shallow, ridiculously clear water, a handful of small islands you can walk around in ten minutes, and a boat day that costs a fraction of what you would pay further north.
Here’s the thing though: a lot of people book it blind, get shuffled onto a crowded boat, pay fees they did not expect, and come back a little underwhelmed. That is avoidable. We have run this trip for guests more times than we can count, and the difference between a great Honda Bay day and a mediocre one comes down to about four decisions.
This guide covers all of them. Real 2026 prices, every island worth stopping at, how the fee structure actually works, and the small stuff nobody tells you until you are already standing at the wharf.
What Honda Bay Actually Is
Honda Bay sits on the eastern coast of Palawan, roughly 12 kilometres northeast of Puerto Princesa city proper. It is a wide, sheltered bay dotted with small islands and reef patches. Most of them are close together, which is exactly why the tour works so well as a half or full day trip: you are never more than about 20 to 30 minutes of boat time from the next stop.
Compare that to island hopping out of El Nido, where a single tour can involve well over an hour of open water between stops. Honda Bay is calmer, shorter, and much friendlier for families and nervous swimmers. If you are weighing up your whole Palawan route, our breakdown of whether Puerto Princesa is worth visiting puts this in context alongside the Underground River and the city’s other draws.
Insider tip: Honda Bay is a marine environment under active local management, and the island lineup does shift. Islands occasionally close for rehabilitation, and new ones open up. Always confirm the actual stops with your operator on the day you book, not from a blog post written three years ago.
How to Get to Honda Bay from Puerto Princesa
Every Honda Bay island hopping trip departs from Sta. Lourdes Wharf in Barangay Sta. Lourdes, north of the city. Getting there takes roughly 25 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and where in town you are staying.
You have three realistic options:
- Booked tour with transfers. Pickup from your hotel between about 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning, air-conditioned van, and you do not think about it again. This is what most package rates include.
- Private tricycle. Expect to negotiate around ₱300 to ₱500 one way for up to three people, more if you want the driver to wait. Fine for two travellers, hot and rattly for a family of five.
- Jeepney or multicab. The genuinely cheap option, usually well under ₱50 per person from the national highway. You will need to walk the last stretch to the wharf and time it yourself.
Once at the wharf you register with the local boat operators’ association, pay the fees, and get assigned a boat. If you booked a package, your guide handles all of this while you drink coffee.
Insider tip: Aim to be on the water by 8:30 at the latest. Boats bunch up between 9:30 and 10:30, and the difference between arriving at Luli Island first and arriving fourth is the difference between an empty sandbar and forty people queuing for the same photo. We arrived just after eight once on a Tuesday in February and had the whole spit to ourselves for nearly half an hour.
The Islands: What You Will Actually See
A standard Honda Bay tour hits three stops. Some operators do four. Here is what each one is actually like, minus the brochure language.
Luli Island
The name comes from “lulubog, lilitaw,” Filipino for “sinks and rises,” because the sandbar here disappears at high tide and reappears at low. That is the whole appeal, and it is a genuinely lovely one. Shallow, warm, calm water, a small stretch of sand, cottages for rent, and a little wooden jetty that photographs beautifully.
Because the water is so shallow, this is the friendliest stop for young kids and non-swimmers. It is also the stop most affected by tide timing. Ask your operator what the tide is doing before you commit to a schedule.
Cowrie Island
The most developed of the group. Cowrie has soft white sand, real shade from palms, a beach bar, massage huts, and usually some watersports on offer. It is where most tours serve lunch. If your idea of a good island day involves a cold drink and a hammock rather than fins and a mask, Cowrie is your stop.
It is also, predictably, the busiest. Walk two minutes past the main cluster of cottages and it thins out considerably.
Starfish Island
Known locally as Tabuan, this one has a long, thin sandbar and shallow flats where sea stars gather. It is a striking sight the first time you see it.
And now the part that matters: do not pick them up. Sea stars breathe through their surface tissue, and lifting them out of the water to pose for a photo does real damage. Local guides will tell you the same thing. If you want the shot, take it underwater with the animal where it is. We cover this and the wider set of reef rules in our guide to reef-safe sunscreen in Palawan, which is worth reading before any snorkelling day.
Pambato Reef
A marine sanctuary in the middle of the bay with a floating platform moored above it. You do not land on an island here. You tie up, get in the water, and snorkel over the reef directly. Visibility is generally the best of any stop, and it is the closest thing Honda Bay has to a proper reef experience.
Not all standard packages include Pambato. If snorkelling is your priority, ask specifically.
Pandan Island
Further out, quieter, and a longer boat ride: usually around 40 to 45 minutes from the wharf. Bigger beach, fewer crowds, more of an open sea feel. Some operators offer it as a swap or an add-on. Worth it if you have a full day and want space.
Honda Bay Island Hopping Prices in 2026
This is where people get caught out. The boat price is not the total price. Here is the realistic 2026 picture, in Philippine pesos.
| Item | Approximate 2026 cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Joined (shared) tour package | ₱1,500 to ₱2,200 per person | Usually includes transfers, boat, fees, lunch, guide |
| Private boat rental | ₱1,500 to ₱2,500 per boat | Rates rise with group size above 6 pax |
| Puerto Princesa environmental fee | Around ₱150 per person | Covers your whole stay in the city, not just this trip |
| Terminal fee at Sta. Lourdes | Roughly ₱5 to ₱50 per person | Small, but collected separately |
| Island entrance fees | Around ₱50 to ₱100 per island, per person | Charged at each stop unless prepaid |
| Cottage or table rental | ₱300 to ₱800 per group | Optional, shared across your party |
| Snorkel gear rental | ₱150 to ₱300 per set | Free with most full packages |
| Van transfer (private, round trip) | ₱1,500 to ₱2,500 per van | Split across the group |
All of these are approximate and set locally, so treat them as a planning range rather than a quote. Fees are reviewed periodically by the city and by the island operators.
Doing the arithmetic: a couple going fully DIY might land around ₱1,200 to ₱1,600 each once everything is added up. A joined package at ₱1,800 removes all the queuing, the negotiating and the lunch problem. For most travellers that gap is not worth the hassle saved. If you are budgeting the whole trip, our Palawan trip cost breakdown shows where a Honda Bay day sits against everything else.
Insider tip: Ask your operator for the all-in figure in writing over Messenger before you pay a deposit. A quote that sounds cheap and then collects ₱400 of “extra fees” at the wharf is the single most common complaint we hear about Honda Bay.
Joined Tour or Private Boat?
Both work. They suit different people.
Book a joined tour if you are one or two travellers, you do not mind sharing a boat with eight to fifteen others, and you want the cheapest per-person rate. You follow a set schedule and a set island order.
Book a private boat if you are a group of four or more, you have kids, you want to skip a stop or linger at one, or you simply want to leave earlier than the pack. Once you are at five or six people, the per-person cost of going private often lands close to the joined rate anyway, and you control the day.
So which is better value? Run the numbers on your actual group size. Four people splitting a private boat plus fees usually beats four joined tickets, and you get the empty sandbar at 8:30.
What to Bring
Short list, because Honda Bay does not demand much:
- Reef-safe sunscreen, applied before you leave the hotel. There is very little shade on the boat.
- A rash guard. Better protection than reapplying sunscreen all day, and cheaper.
- Cash in small bills. Card payment does not exist at the wharf or on the islands, and change for a ₱1,000 note is a struggle.
- A dry bag for your phone. Boats get wet, and the transfer from boat to shore is often a short wade.
- Water shoes or sandals you can swim in. Some flats have rocky or coral-fragment patches.
- Your own snorkel mask if you are fussy about fit. Rental masks are serviceable, not great.
Our full Palawan packing list goes deeper if you are still assembling your bag.
Best Time to Go
Honda Bay is at its best in the dry season, roughly late November through May, with March to May giving the calmest, clearest water. June to October brings the southwest monsoon and more frequent afternoon squalls, though the bay’s sheltered position means it still runs on plenty of wet-season days when open-water trips elsewhere get cancelled.
Boat trips are suspended when the coast guard raises a gale warning, so check the forecast from PAGASA the night before if you are travelling in the wet months. Our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Palawan maps this out across the whole island.
Weekdays beat weekends by a wide margin. Local families come out on Saturdays and Sundays, and Holy Week and the Christmas to New Year stretch are the busiest weeks of the year.
Mistakes First-Timers Make
Four things we see over and over.
Booking Honda Bay and the Underground River on the same day. They are in opposite directions and both are most of a day. Give each its own slot. Our Underground River guide explains why that one in particular needs an early start and a permit sorted in advance.
Assuming the environmental fee is a scam. It is not. It is a legitimate city fee, it is collected once, and it covers your whole stay. Keep the receipt.
Turning up with no cash. There are no ATMs at the wharf. The nearest reliable ones are back in the city.
Underestimating the sun. The bay is flat, bright and reflective, and boats have limited canopy. Palawan sun at midday is unforgiving even when there is cloud cover. The Philippine Department of Tourism’s official travel resources are worth a look for general advisories before you go.
Fitting Honda Bay Into a Palawan Trip
Most people give Puerto Princesa two nights: one day for the Underground River, one for Honda Bay, then fly or drive onward. That works well. If you have a spare evening, the Iwahig firefly watching tour is a lovely low-effort add-on that pairs neatly with a Honda Bay morning.
Travelling on from Puerto Princesa is easy enough. Domestic carriers including Cebu Pacific serve Puerto Princesa daily from Manila and Cebu, and vans run north to El Nido and Port Barton every morning. Our 5-day Palawan itinerary and 2-day Puerto Princesa itinerary both show how the pieces slot together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Honda Bay island hopping tour take?
Plan on 6 to 8 hours door to door. Typical pickup is between 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning, with return to your hotel by mid to late afternoon.
How much does Honda Bay island hopping cost in 2026?
A joined package generally runs around ₱1,500 to ₱2,200 per person including transfers, boat, fees, lunch and a guide. Going fully DIY can be a little cheaper for two people but involves paying each fee separately at the wharf and at every island.
Is Honda Bay good for non-swimmers and kids?
Yes, and it is one of its best qualities. The water at Luli and around most stops is shallow and calm, life vests are provided, and boat crossings are short. It is a much gentler day than open-water island hopping further north.
Can you actually see starfish at Starfish Island?
Usually, yes, in the shallow flats around the sandbar. Numbers vary by season and tide. Please look without touching, and never lift one out of the water for a photo.
Do I need to book Honda Bay in advance?
In peak season, from December through May, yes, at least a day or two ahead. In the low season you can often arrange it the night before. Booking ahead also gets you an earlier departure, which matters more than most people realise.
What is the environmental fee for?
It is a Puerto Princesa city conservation fee of roughly ₱150 per person that funds marine protection in the bay. You pay it once and it covers your stay, not each individual tour.
Can I do Honda Bay in the rainy season?
Often, yes. The bay is sheltered, so tours frequently run even when open-water trips elsewhere are cancelled. Trips are suspended during gale warnings, so build a spare day into your schedule if you are visiting between June and October.
Ready to Book Your Honda Bay Day?
CMT Ticketing and Services arranges Honda Bay island hopping with hotel pickup, all fees prepaid, lunch and a licensed local guide, plus onward transfers to El Nido, Port Barton and Coron when you are ready to move on. Browse our Palawan travel packages or message us on Facebook Messenger for a quick all-in quote in pesos. We reply fast, we take GCash, and we will tell you honestly if a different day suits the tides better.