Today the group did an island hopping tour. The view on the boat ride out was beautiful. The water here is so calm, it is like glass. We traveled by fishing boat to the nearby islands to go snorkeling. The snorkeling wasn't great, but there was some nice coral. It was refreshing to just get in and go for a swim.
After a bit of snorkeling we headed over to Bamboo Island to relax for a few hours. I love this place! It is secluded and remote. The beach is untouched. I spent most of the day in the ocean. Though, while another girl and I were swimming a ways from shore, a local came by on his boat and said there was a shark. I think he was serious, so we kept closer to shore after that.
For lunch the boat drivers cooked us chicken and fish over a little fire. They served it with baguettes, rice and salad. It was really good.
Most of the group got a sun burn today. My body was okay because I wore my coverup in the water, but my face is red.
It is crazy how we try so hard to be tanned yet here they try so hard to be white. All of their lotions are whitening creams. They try to stay out of the sun because light skin means greater class. It means you work inside and do not have to work outside. This is important to the people here. Even our tour guide uses whitening creams and avoids the sun to keep his skin light. Everyone always wants what they don't have. It is a reality check to see how irrational it is to try and have darker skin.
On the way back we stopped at another island to snorkel but I just felt like swimming instead.
For dinner we had coca cola pork ribs. Yum yum.