Honda Bay

Saturday Aug 2

Up early. The hotel staff come over to us to advise us our guide is ready. "Which one of you is Sir, Brian? " (as mentioned you are ALWAYS called "sir" here).....   "I am Sir Brian! " says he. :-)   "Your van is here!" 

We all piled in to the van for 7am and on the road for the Honda Bay tour. It is about a half hour from our hotel and it will consist of catching a boat in the harbour and hopping in a series to 3 Islands of which we will spend about 2-3 hours on each one.  Luli Island, Starfish Island, and Cowrie Island are the 3 islands and all supposed to be great for swimming and snorkeling.

We stop off to get some snorkeling gear and on the boat by 8am. Our guide is Bud and he tells us to remember his name by thinking "Budweiser"!  That little memory trick works and I manage to remember his name easily up until now! He is pretty outgoing and makes the day fun. He has 2 crew who keep the boat going and just do what ever is needed! Teaching people to snorkel, taking pictures, splitting coconuts...you name it they were up to it!

Our guide Bud holds court

Ioana & me -Keeping the sun off!

Another boat en route to Luli Island

Entrance to Luli Island

We arrive on Luli Island and pretty much immediately jump in the water. The water is really warm here;  being from the East Coast of Canada there are 2 times you go in the ocean water...once and never again (if you want to have children).  I am exaggerating of course but in Atlantic Canada you have to ease yourself in for sure. Here, not a problem so we all immediately give snorkeling a go.

The first Island is for beginners so there are quite a few of us in a more concentrated area but there is more than enough room and plenty of fish to see. The clams are huge....I think one would feed a family of 4. A few people bring some bread and the fish are more then willing to come right up and get it iut of your hand. We spend about an hour and a half here and after a few spring board dives into the bay off the little tower they have set up. I wish I had pictures!  Martin (Argentina) kicks it off and most of us give it a go after he survives! Next it is on to Starfish Island

Dining area at Starfish Island

With this island the area is a little more unstructured and there is a bigger area to dive.  Brian gets some great underwater shots below

Luciana gives the peace sign

Underwater shots from Brian

Name that fish - Photo courtesy of Brian Kulak!

After being in the water for a couple of hours and a bottle of sunscreen later lunch is ready. Bud is great cook, which in a competitive industry like Tour Guiding is a plus for him he says. Much is expected by people who book a day with him so he has learned by necessity. They have fresh coconut off the trees which they hack the top off so you can just drink the milk. Want to eat what is left? No problem; hack that in 2 and they make a spoon out of the husk

Food By Bud

After the meal Vivek and Sridhar get the crew guys to get some trick pictures done. Taken through the "V" carved out of of a coconut shell to get different effects.  Here are a few

Who knew Sridhar could jump so high

Harry Potter style

Now on to Island #3 Cowrie.... by this time I am pictured out and forget to take my camera to the beach. I think my description of the first 2 islands applies in a lot of ways. this is the busiest Island and has deeper water so snorkeling is not as good but the swimming is. They have inflatable trampolines, and several barges to swim out to.  The Island has more commercial stuff there, restaurant, massages, kayaks to rent etc.....

(James) finally gets to use his flippers 

Back to the hotel and everyone is bagged.  We hang around the pool  for a while and decide to just have dinner at the hotel. Nobody feels like driving anywhere. By 8 pm we have been in the sea water and pool water for about 7-8 hours that day! Prunes. It is a relaxing night and the trip will be continued tomorrow as we head to the Underground River. 

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