I spent about a week in the town of Dauin, about half an hour up the coast from Dumaguete. I love visiting and exploring smaller towns the most! Found a hostel online and stayed a few nights, wandered along the beach in the morning, snoozed mid day, had wood-fired pizza and locally brewed beer, met people who’ve made this dive resort town their home.

First, a journey to the Apo Island Marine Reserve to see and swim with the sea turtles…what an experience!

The scale of these corals is hard to capture. Being immersed in this world, for just awhile, truly something you can’t take for granted.

Later, I returned to the port for Apo Island, after hearing about the weekly market that set up on the road to the beach. This breakfast of puto maya and sikwate, because of the locals I chatted with that morning, was one of my favourites from the year-long trip!