BUSUANGA BAY, PHILIPPINES

Busuanga Bay is proof that there is paradise on earth. Locals talk about this place with pride. They tell you stories with eagerness, with a smile on their face. The man who works at the bar at night and takes people out on jetskis during the day, grinning as we fly at top speed through the clear water, undisturbed, not a thing in the way. The dive master, who isn't much of a conversationalist, preferring instead to sit at the bow of the boat until it's dive time and he talks us cheerily through the wrecks, telling us tidbits about the types of fish we might see. 

There are numerous islands located near our hotel, Busuanga Bay Lodge. We spend an entire day exploring a handful of them. Having lunch in the shade, walking the entire length of uninhabited islands, snorkelling, falling asleep under trees. We dived on two other days, navigating various Japanese WWII wrecks and spending one afternoon hauling ourselves (in full gear) up slippery, rickety stairs built along rocks to make it to the other side where Barracuda Lake glimmers in the sun. We dive there in swimsuits only, marvelling at the visible thermal layers, swimming from cool patches into areas reaching 38 degrees Celsius, a temperature so high it's like moving through a very hot bath. We make it to happy hour every night, eat fish at every meal and awake every morning with satisfied smiles on our faces.

If you're going to the Philippines, go to Busuanga, Palawan. It does not disappoint. On the contrary; it exceeds.

We stayed at: Busuanga Bay Lodge, located on Busuanga Island, in northern Palawan. They have a variety of activities including jet skiing, sunset cruises (see above - one of the most powerfully captivating sunsets I've ever witnessed), scuba diving, water skiing, island hopping and snorkelling, game fishing, etc.

We ate at: it's pretty much a package deal, so all meals were eaten either on boats when diving or at the lodge.

We dived with:  D’Divers, Busuanga's in-house dive center. You'll have a great time diving with them, especially if you get Mensoy as your dive master!