If you are looking for water adventure at Palawan, you can treat yourself at Honda Bay which is from the Spanish word "Hondu Agua" meaning deep water.
Honda Bay is at the northern part of Palawan and water extends to the South China Sea. It has 12 islands/islets (still a growing number) and has a sanctuary of colorful fishes (some are domesticated) embraced by it's crystal clear blue and green water. The sand is perfect and since the bay has equally beautiful islands, it is not congested even during peak season. It is perfect for snorkeling and diving.
We visited only 2 islands at Honda bay. The Pandan Island where we spend hours of snorkeling and Snake island where we spend another 3 hours of snorkeling! Other islands that we saw (during our boatride) are the luli island (Lulubog-Lilitaw), the sandwich island, bat island, dos palmas, and a certain maria -i forgot the name.
At the otherside is the White beach located at the southern part of Palawan running towards Sulu Sea. It is a public beach where local folks usually spend their weekends with their family. Though it's public, the place is still breath-taking with its mangrove forest, white shores and blue water. It is typical for discovery dives since is has a steady current and the water is almost as straight as a platform.
Aside from the usual sun quests and swimming, you can also try other activities like banana boating, snorkeling, fish feeding and scuba diving. I suggest you visit the Snake Island if you want to snorkel or dive because it cradles schools of fish at a depth of 10 ft or even less. Don't forget to bring your underwater camera to capture the scene!
We had our first scuba diving experience at white beach (the course is called discovery dive) under the supervision of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) licensed dive master. It has been a wrong connotation that swimming skills is a requirement for scuba diving. It is definitely wrong! Unlike swimming, scuba diving is not a sport. It doesn't need high skills since its main purpose is to let you relax and enjoy the underwater scene. And it is definitely safe since your dive master will guide you under the water until you have completed the 5 course open dive and is issued of a diver's license. You will be educated and trained first before you can do your first dive.
The course would introduce you to the safety gears - your wet suit, the mask, the regulator, eight kilogram waish weight, gauge, compressed air tank, fins, and inflate/deflating vest.
You will also be taught of basic skills so you could enjoy the dive. Here are some:
Breathing through the mouth with the use of the regulator. This should be deep and relaxed breaths.
Clearing the mask - inhale through your mouth and blow through your nose while your head is tilt and pressing the mask against your forehead to let the water out
Clearing the regulator - blow and breathe. Or press the regulator while sticking your tongue in the air passage and then breathe after.
Equalizing pressure - pinch the nose the blow gently (you will feel like your ears will pop) or you could swallow instead of blowing
Hand signals - for ok, go up, dive down, no air, relax, problem, short of air, inflate, deflate and gauge measure
Retrieving your regulator - right hand swipe backward
Drop back dive - use the regulator in breathing. Pinch your nose using your thumb and 4th finger, push your mask against your eyes using your second and third finger. Support your head by putting your left hand at the back of it. And drop at the water backwards.
Relax and enjoy
I never thought that I would be enjoying the dive very much though I had some difficulties also under the water. Nonetheless, it was an awesome experience.
