Vendors on Apo Island

There are 15 - 20 vendors on the beach on Apo Island, they sit around all day waiting for a new boatload of tourists to arrive so they can try to sell their sarongs and t-shirts. It is quite funny to watch when one of the bigger dive boats arrive, the vendors jump up and run over to the boat as it is pulling up on the beach, then they all stand in a line in front of the boat and hold up their merchandise.

All the vendors are basically selling the same t-shirts and sarongs so it does not really matter who you buy your souvenirs from if you are so inclined.

The vendors seem to take up the best spots where incoming tourists would have camped out while snorkeling and swimming, as you can see on this picture, every inch of shade is taken up by vendors and nobody else would be able to squeeze in there. It would make sense to make the tourists / customers feel more welcome in my mind.

The vendors on Apo are in no extent as bad as their counterparts in Boracay or Puerto Galera, the vendors in Boracay are notorius for not understanding a NO... The vendors on Apo Island get the point when you say no and move back in their prime spots in the shade.

Apo Island Pictures