After my first experience to Apo island’s underwater wonders in December, I absolutely wanted to see this little piece of nature again. Long story short, rainy season is definitely not the best time to set foot on Apo island if your time is limited.
First we arrived at the other end of the island. Apo suddenly appears so much bigger if you need to hike above two hills with full luggage. But the wind and rain had set off during our boat trip, which made it impossible to further surround the isand by banka. Bankas are traditional Filipino boats with side supports, which prevent boats from overturning on wavy waters. However, don’t expect your security to be strengthened during a storm. We arrived just in time not to feel too much in danger.
Finally, our stay on Apo island was even extended by one full day because of the south-monsoon influence. The little boats were just too dangerous for us to make the half-hour trip back to the mainland. So after a walk to the next beach and possible embarking port, we finally had to make a turn and check back in for another night.
Second difference, the slightly enforced snorkel experience. Apo island is famous for its turtles and dive sites. Even if you don’t dive, you definitely travel here to have a look at the turtles in shallow waters. In December, I went snorkeling every day all-day. But this time, even I was not adventurous enough to defeat the waves on my own. So we took a guide with reassuring buoys, which was really helpful to get in and out.
I totally missed all diving opportunities this time. But all imposed climbs and efforts against winds, rain, water and nightly heat were just too exhausting for me to accept the challenge of a wavy dive.
However, the lower temperatures during the day were a rather positive aspect of rainy season this time. Else carrying our luggage from one end to the other would have been even more difficult. And during our last day, it allowed us to comfortably hike along the so-called eco trail, giving us a beautiful overview of the island from one of the hill tops.
I still like this island very much and would come back for diving, which I wasn’t able to do this time. But I’d choose Filipino summer time for a future trip here… and not book any subsequent hotels on other islands yet!
At least, turtles! Interesting how the entire colour set seems to change between dry and wet season. Even the sea seems to be a much darker blue.
Apo changes completely from summer to rainy season! We caught the only right moment to snorkel for three days, and it was still quite rough. But turtles always show! 🙂