Get up at 5:30am, room like a sauna. I sit by the sea watching the fish, feeling the furnace starting to build in heat. By 7:30am there is more water pouring out of me than the dried waterfalls in the area.

We gladly give our room key back and stand by the roadside. By the looks of things out room was part of some bus depot. Lorries and full buses whizzing by, horns peeping. We get the next bus to head south in order to change at Bato, for a connecting bus to Moal Boal. Looking forward to getting there as this horrid little town has left a bad taste. Once we change buses we arrive at Moal Boal within a few hours. Grabbing one of the local tricyles with a small cabin attached. The 2 of us squeeze in and we ask the driver to take us to a backpacker hostel we have read about at Panagsama Beach a kilometre away. He mentions a home stay on route but the room look like they have been nailed together without IKEA instructions. The hostel is only a short walk away but it is full. Turns out to be a blessing as we find a great place near the beach for 1000 pesos. (£7.50 each). This is luxury. Change out of sweaty clothes and find our next laundry lady. Looking for lunch, we find a great bar called Chilli's and take a well earned beer. No Filipino food so settle for spicy wings and a pizza. Chilled little town, reminiscent of Koh Phangan back when I travelled there on my last trip. Loads of beach bars and a great vibe unspoilt by Ibiza muppets.

We grab our snorkelling gear and jump in. Good quality reef close to shore with a deep wall dropping off. Spot 2 turtles, lots of pipefish and more sardines than I can count. A wall of them blocking any visibility. We bump into a Canadian free diver we met at the airport who has become trapped in paradise. I have the added company of a yellow and black pilot fish that takes us back to shore. Craig goes exploring as I go back to Chilli's to skype and drink beer whilst watching turtle's surface. I lose track of time as sunset approaches.

I spot Craig near the home stay on the beach. We book flights to Borneo. For dinner we find a Mexican American restaurant. Not really finding proper Filipino food, except for Adobo, which seems to be meat in soy sauce. It all seems to be chunks of meat. We head to Chilli's which seems to be the main bar. Putting our names on the board we play Pool whilst drinking the local San Miguel lager.