Puerto Princesa Firefly Watching: Best Bay Cruise & Dinner Review

So, you are dreaming of an unforgettable evening in Puerto Princesa? That could just be Palawan’s capital, by the way. That is an incredible place. Very many people visit for some firefly watching cruise, it’s almost a must-do thing! Really, it can feel like stepping into a magical movie. What this review hopes to do is give some insight into the experience, it might help to determine if it really meets your expectations, right?

What to anticipate on the Firefly Watching Tour

The tour very often begins in the late afternoon or very early evening, actually to catch that transition, you know, that gradual shift from daylight to nighttime. Next, you’ll typically be transported from your lodging, in some respects in a van or bus, more or less out to Honda Bay. Next the jumping-off point for many of the firefly watching locations is there, or just virtually somewhere pretty nearby.

As I was saying, after arriving, there is the boarding part onto a local boat; usually, this is like a motorized outrigger canoe. These boats are, you know, traditionally employed by Filipino fishermen, still though they are rather well-suited for navigating those calm river waters. Finally, the actual cruise takes a little bit over 30 to 45 minutes, I think that takes you up the river into the mangrove areas where those fireflies just happen to hang out. Keep in mind that timings may be subject to change slightly, perhaps, depending on the specific tour operator, I feel.

Just so you know, as you head deeper into those mangroves, usually, what tends to happen is the natural darkness increases; often this heightens the anticipation of, like, actually seeing them. Very many guides are knowledgeable of course, they are good in such a way that they point out different constellations, basically; really that gives some information related to the local flora and fauna. Any decent guide will explain a little bit about, like, those life cycles and what could be those habits of the fireflies, right? So be patient to listen and learn too it’s almost educational as much as, like, relaxing.

Experiencing the light show

And so, you arrive, the darkness kind of envelopes the area around you, like that. Clearly that anticipation then culminates as you, in effect, witness those fireflies beginning to light up! Really they create, like, a shimmering, twinkling spectacle. That is very wonderful. Typically these tiny insects just synchronize their flashes, or by the way, you know that transforms those mangrove trees into glowing, twinkling Christmas trees. That sight is genuinely magical. By the way, it is, like, often accompanied by that quiet lapping of water against, you know, the boat and that nature sounds around you, still too it really adds to, well, it makes a nice immersive experience!

And stuff tour guides also may attract the fireflies closer to your boat. They might do this just a little; seemingly employing a small red light! They use it sparingly, though it makes such an impact as a matter of fact. So, this enables better viewing without those harming the fireflies or too disrupting their natural behavior, right?

Some firefly watching cruises could be just a bit gimmicky you know, maybe some music that isn’t very appropriate. So this happens too it’s almost worth making your own enquiries or that to be more certain. Any guide that’s loud and noisy is not a good one, you probably already knew that! Yet a quieter more environmentally minded trip is typically something rather preferred by those that wish to reduce impact and enjoy nature more I feel, in a way.

Dinner by the Bay

Many firefly watching tours include dinner as something rather incorporated into that package, just a little; and frankly, this just makes it very convenient. Typically, that meal is provided at a local restaurant; seemingly this is near that docking area or arguably somewhere that could be quite scenic by the bay, more or less. By the way, for the dinner experience itself, that is typically pretty standard fare Filipino cuisine; usually a buffet-style layout; like your typical dishes, basically; so including grilled seafood, we can expect that rice and vegetables are likely to feature.

Frankly, some options arguably provide better culinary experiences than are other restaurants or options. Clearly, this all can really affect those tour rating and reviews. So, maybe doing some prior checking or reading to decide is sensible, in fact. Then that’s how you know that the dinner actually matches those other amazing parts to, like, the evening! Basically, you may also be wondering that, you know, they cater to special dietary requirements in some cases. Clearly that means you maybe needing to just inform that tour operator in advance as a matter of fact, they ought to really make arrangements for anyone, is that right?

Choosing a Tour Operator

You may be thinking how many tour operators there are just offering very similar sounding firefly watching cruises. Still that attention to the detail makes a very significant difference actually. Therefore, researching and so comparing your options has real value, you know! In the meantime, reading reviews can, I think, provide real insight. It will really provide you an understanding of what happens for that quality level of, like, those customer experiences you will likely have.

Clearly it will be beneficial just a little if you ask about those boat sizes. Clearly you don’t want to be, you know, crammed in such a way; seemingly that makes those conditions uncomfortable for the other parties. This also possibly disrupts that experience for all concerned I think. Often you find smaller groups rather enhance that intimate feeling to those enjoying such nature much more effectively, by the way! Don’t dismiss such things. So those that limit that numbers ensure that all are not in that position actually of competing for good views of those fireflies, you know!

I want to say that there could be consideration given to those environmental practices. Arguably, some tour operators are so very much committed to something rather sustainable like tourism, really they employ these practices in such a way to minimize environmental impact. This really makes for good ecotourism practice to choose a company with, I feel! After that you can just support really responsible tourism, which is cool I feel. So in many ways the questions must be asked around how fireflies have an impact on the ecosystem!

Some important tips

Well before attending on one of those tours, you can make, clearly there could be these small preparations to better really enhance something that is the overall adventure! You may find this to be extremely useful in, like, practice too. I want to say apply that mosquito repellent you know! Remember what I mentioned about, like, being along river areas next to mangroves, basically! What that typically is, is that are natural breeding areas to allow mosquitoes that they just thrive in so many ways. It’s just a great way to prevent getting any bites, really!

It’s quite nice that you may feel just inclined to put some insect repellent on because in that area there may be a good chance you find something annoying will bite you! You may choose any products that contain DEET (very commonly something that proves really effective) so always that may reduce exposure to some mosquito bites to your skin actually; or, if you so wished you might prefer a natural, well a nice, natural product instead! Just seemingly reapply all in accordance to, or maybe some guidance so that its application actually remains as really something that works through the evening. In practice, a good precaution that will make such an adventure way, way nicer.

Also avoid using bright flashlights too! And so, doing this really diminishes that experience for your other tourists or it seemingly causes real disturbance when these fireflies put something together I feel! Also that bright light really disrupts natural behavior of, like, the insects which are then also being visited. Some torches ought really only be employed just when it could be necessary just so that some navigation that helps ensure personal safety on and around the boat will not cause, in fact, a distraction! It will be far less damaging that way! Now that might, could be seen to mean using just a torch sparingly.

As I was saying when going always use that camera’s best low light settings or when this really is something very much allowed just make, really that camera uses it without anything employing a flash to it in the field in which one finds it! This prevents startling all so close to the bugs next to these river sides! What happens after will almost mean very disappointing photos regardless! Still very worthwhile if some other photos just are seen to have more interest taken without needing to damage to things at these sides of that stream.

Other considerations for your trip

Well those weather forecasts really can come into it on, like, those riverbanks or such a beautiful location! So any firefly trips almost go ahead unless conditions are simply, absolutely unsafe! It must be seen in the future those real, actual storm occurrences could be avoided so, too it’s almost best not really risking things too much anyway, for many! Really these river excursions in rough waters, too it’s almost best if you think that some cancellations also really do always come so close by!

It seems, so also be prepared also to take it easy on that occasion in question, that it needs cancelling anyway, it won’t be going anyway, actually! Yet these can happen any month to, well even that rainy time and therefore still might come by! However also make it certain that some providers let this just not create major cost troubles by perhaps, clearly that providers allow for an alternative option day or simply allow returns, by then too, it is something that always exists actually! You may get to go on time really.

Remember how also that these dark clothes still work almost better too as so many photos can get pulled off. They, next may almost ensure so very bright just in order something’s achieved which will mean the better chance so that something snaps too where everything would come with a better result than it did on, almost daytimes also and it ensures better outcomes also for anything to snap! It gives any item very worth having at times around what still almost feels simply awesome really now almost like also there are no items not snapped really next with it.

In a nutshell, the Puerto Princesa firefly watching bay cruise could be so, too it’s almost great in such a way that a singular encounter could present an incredible experience, to some! Very in actual fact it then really can provide wonderful views next from some amazing river or banks! Just for an average human actually there might sometimes feel a certain kind of disturbance on any given river though next, too there exists only an actual little need so a firefly could still stay in there! It also has really wonderful appeal regardless next when simply seen alone, by then so only see something amazing for it’s sake also.

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