Puerto Princesa / Honda Bay
Philippines · Asia Pacific
Honda Bay sits just north of Puerto Princesa city on Palawan island, sheltering a scatter of coral-ringed islands inside a sheltered lagoon. The reefs here are among the least disturbed in the Philippines, with nurse sharks resting under coral tables at Starfish Island, bumphead parrotfish grazing the outer slopes, and extensive seagrass meadows hosting dugongs and sea turtles. Visibility regularly exceeds 20 metres and currents are gentle, making this an ideal destination for all skill levels. The wider Palawan seascape sits within the Coral Triangle and holds some of the highest marine biodiversity on the planet.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
37 species across the dive sites here
Bluefin Trevally
Seen Mar 2024
at Pandan Island Wall
Least concern
Banded Coral Shrimp
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Banded Sea Snake
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Least concern
Black Coral Tree
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Bluespotted Stingray
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Least concern
Brain Coral
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Least concern
Chromis Damselfish
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Least concern
Clownfish
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Least concern
Cushion Starfish
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Feather Star
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Giant Clam
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Critically endangered
Gorgonian Sea Fan
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Green Sea Turtle
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Least concern
Lionfish
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Least concern
Longfin Bannerfish
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Least concern
Magnificent Anemone
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Massive Porites Coral
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Least concern
Napoleon Wrasse
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Endangered
Nurse Shark
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Vulnerable
Peacock Mantis Shrimp
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Reef Whitetip Shark
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Vulnerable
Scorpionfish (various species)
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Sea Turtle (Green & Hawksbill)
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Least concern
Seagrass Filefish
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Least concern
Soft Coral
Seen year round
at Pandan Island Wall
Staghorn Coral
Seen year round
at Starfish Island Reef
Critically endangered
Table Coral
Seen year round
at Cowrie Island Reef
Endangered
Tawny Nurse Shark
Seen year round
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Vulnerable
Bumphead Parrotfish
Seasonal visitor
at Starfish Island Reef
Vulnerable
Dogtooth Tuna
Seasonal visitor
at Pandan Island Wall
Least concern
Dugong
Seasonal visitor
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Vulnerable
Golden Trevally
Seasonal visitor
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Least concern
Great Barracuda
Seasonal visitor
at Pandan Island Wall
Least concern
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Seasonal visitor
at Starfish Island Reef
Critically endangered
Nudibranch
Seasonal visitor
at Cowrie Island Reef
Robust Ghost Pipefish
Seasonal visitor
at Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
Least concern
Sea Turtle (Green)
Seasonal visitor
at Pandan Island Wall
Least concern
Dive sites
Starfish Island Reef
nurse shark · bumphead parrotfish · green sea turtle · cushion starfish
Cowrie Island Reef
reef whitetip shark · banded sea snake · massive porites coral · table coral
Pandan Island Wall
napoleon wrasse · dogtooth tuna · great barracuda · gorgonian sea fan
Luli Island Nurse Shark Flats
tawny nurse shark · sea turtle (green & hawksbill) · dugong · golden trevally