I sketched this next to the room we stayed in the Ravenala resort where there is a bar – but which was never open…not complaining though…revellers would have kept us up if it was. I sketched this after we went to see the sardine run and turtles off Panagsama Beach. To anyone living in or visiting the Philippines, I would NOT recommend it! It was too crowded (you get flippers in your face), you don’t need a guide (which we were conned into paying for), people (guides and visitors) are not following environmental ordinances, it was noisy (with people screaming “OMG I swam with the turtles”), people were trampling on coral and taking selfies with GoPro’s (getting far too close to the turtles), with divers, snorkelers and free divers colliding…everything stressing the turtles which were literally being chased around. It was a horrible experience – the environment there is being over exploited. We later had a snorkel off the beach next to Ravenala – where there is a spectacular reef and was so much more peaceful.

Wed-7-Jan-2026