A scattering of seafaring tribes and one of the richest marine habitats in the world are found in a cluster of 163 islands set between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. The islanders are a superstitious and romantic lot who mostly live in small villages built on beaches, and fishing in home-made outrigger canoes. On our journey among these mariners, we stay in fishermen villages, and also partake in fishing. We also enjoy tropical nature by snorkelling among the coral reefs and the shipwrecks, kayaking in the mangroves, birdwatching on two isles, and walking up some steep bluffs for high viewpoints of the coastal landscapes – browse the pictures on this page for a visual introduction.