From Santa Ana wharf, at around 8 AM, we cruised straight toward Samal Island’s little neighbor, Talikud Island where the famous Coral Garden is situated. Arriving at around 9 AM, We snorkeled and swam in the sparkling waters of Coral Garden, delighting in acres upon acres of rich coral reef and spectating on the beautiful sea creatures that abound therein.


In Coral Garden, we spotted a fisherman in his boat.  We summoned the fisherman and asked what bounty he has brought the hungry “boat people.”  He politely pointed to his early morning haul contained in a wooden box.  Inside were several jiggling parrot fish indicating that they have just been pulled from the bountiful sea nearby. “Tag pila, Noy?” (”How much?”), asked one of our boat’s crew to which the fisherman responded beyond my hearing range.  Negotiations ensued and apparently the fisherman was amenable to a discounted purchase of his catch.

Babusanta is a favored 'lunch beach' by island-hopping vacationers reaching Talikud Island. Fish grilling in the back of the boat, we headed to nearby Babusanta Beach, with its beautifully ruined pier, then partaking of our early lunch (around 10 AM) on board the boat.  Babusanta is a 15-minute cruise from the Coral Garden. There, we rented one of the cottages lining the beach for only Php 200 where we lounged and lazed about after taking our lunch in the boat.  There’s a good deal of people on Babusanta, it being the favored “lunch beach” of island-hopping vacationers.

After Babusanta, our next stop was to be Isla Reta Dos on the southern tip of Talikud Island.  This beach is known for its huge limestone cave and forested cliffs, apart from its beautiful white pebble beach and coral-laden environs.  On the way south on the coast of Talikud, we trailed past several kilometers of limestone cliffs, some with little caves, a beach with a very wide and long stretch of white sand, and then a small, albeit lonely lighthouse which was the only man-made structure on that part of the island. In all 20 minutes of travel, the Talikud coast was lined by coral reefs of varying density. Oh, that’s the paradise called Talikud Island. We reached Isla Reta Dos and spent a good deal of time thereon, it being my Dad’s favorite spot on Talikud.  There, we took time to snorkel some more, swam, went boating a fair distance, and explored the cliffs and the famous cave.