snorkeling

Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur: Island Hopping Respite at Portlamon Bay

Posted on October 4, 2012

Vanishing Island, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur I was surprised to discover that there were other sights to see beyond the Enchanted River in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. The popular sapphire abyss overflows into a bay where some offshore attractions in the barangay of Portlamon offer respite when the Enchanted River gets too crowded with tourists. Pangasinan Island – a good spot to watch the sunset Following the river, I hired a bangka to take me around the bay. We passedRead More→

Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur: Bewitching Sapphire Abyss of Enchanted River

Posted on September 26, 2012

The bewitching waters of Enchanted River in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur From Bislig City, I ventured farther north to Hinatuan town. After settling down in a cheap lodging house, I immediately hired a habal-habal to take me to the biggest tourist draw to this part of Surigao del Sur. The Enchanted River is the exit way of a mysterious underwater cave system that overflows into a bay. True to its name, the mouth of the underwater cave is painted inRead More→

Perhentian Islands, Terengganu: Snorkeling for Sea Turtles and Black Tip Sharks! [SP]

Posted on August 6, 2012

Soaking up the sun at Turtle Beach in Pulau Perhentian Besar (Big Island), Terengganu From rainforest to reef, we shuttled northwards from Taman Negara to some of Peninsular Malaysia’s purest shores – the Perhentians, a pair of jungle-clad islands in the northeast state of Terengganu, near the Thai border. Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Small Island) is the more popular island with budget and midrange accommodations along its popular beaches such as Long Beach and Coral Bay, and more upscale options inRead More→

Swimming with Whale Sharks (Tukî) in Oslob, Cebu

Posted on December 31, 2011

A juvenile whale shark comes up to the surface to feed While whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), locally known as tukî in Cebuano, are occasionally seen in Visayan waters, it’s only in recent months that a group has been sighted frequently off the southeast coast of Cebu. Almost a dozen animals have checked in off the coast of Oslob since October 2011. While most of them are 12 to 15 feet long juveniles, a large adult measuring over 27 feet inRead More→

Coron: Crown of Palawan

Posted on August 31, 2010

An archipelagic spattering of limestone called Coron in northern Palawan has created a labyrinthine paradise of incredible seaside cliffs, coral reefs, white-sand coves, lagoons and brackish lakes. There’s much to see and do for the adventurer: feed reef fishes at Siete Pecados, snorkel along the underwater cliffs of Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes, challenge yourself to dive down and touch Skeleton Wreck, or play Survivor at secluded Banul Beach. Gazebo at Mt. Tapyas Viewpoint Cattle along the Airport Road Coron IslandRead More→