The Island of Coron is a vast island surrounded with gigantic limestone cliffs and could only be reached by traveling via boat south of Coron town. It houses not only the cleanest lakes in Asia, but also boasts the variety of fauna surrounding the broad coral reefs encapsulating the island.
Debatably the most beautiful and scenic place to visit in the Philippines. It not only holds the cleanest lakes in the archipelago but also boasts 11 World War II Japanese ship wrecks and spectacular underwater caves – for the experience divers. Enjoy the breathtaking adventure as you explore Coron’s beauty — from its beautiful limestone cliff facade to the thrilling depths of its turquoise waters.
HOW TO GET HERE
Public Transport
- The easiest and most comfortable route is actually just taking a plane from Manila to Busuanga city airport. From there, you have to travel south via van to Coron town. And here – the adventure begins…
- Another option is to travel here from El Nido or Puerto Princesa – if you opt to visit those places first.
WHERE TO STAY
There are a wide variety of hotels, resorts, and lounges to choose from depending on your criteria of an adventure. Though it is recommended to stay in a hotel at the center of Coron town to expedite travel in the marketplace, the port, and to atm machines. In our case, we chosed to stay in Jazmine’s Place — neat, well-maintained, and is located at the center of town.
Coron
THE BUDGET
The listed budget only include expenses related to the travel and exclude miscellaneous expenses like food tripping, shopping, bars, etc..
Coron Island Tour: 1500php – Renting a private boat would be much wiser as you would have control with your own time of stay on a destination. This tour includes all you can handle on Coron Island depending on your liking. Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Siete Picados, Twin Lagoon, Twin Peaks, CYC, Banol Beach, Balinsasayaw Floating Restaurant, you name it! Just remember that the boatmen would need to return you around 5pm.
Reef and Wreck Tour: 3500php – This tour package is actually dependent on which wreck you prefer. If you prefer to go to beaches and snorkel, then its Malcapuya and Banana Island for you. If you want to go a little farther then its Lusong Gunboat, Sangat Gunboat, Pass Island, Black Island, and many more. You could visit Coron’s port and see the listing of places available and the prices for each. Note: Taking a private boat is better, though you have to bring your friends to make it cheaper.
Malcapuya/Banana Island/Bulog Dos Tour: 1200php ea – This is assuming that you would be a joiner with other groups going on island hopping. This includes all entrance fees and LUNCH!!! It would cost you much more renting a private boat though nothing stops you from doing so except your budget right?!
Mount Tapyas: FREE – If your located on the center of town, then its recommended to walk it all up. Rehydrate yourself and replenish water bottles because its a long way up.
Maquinit Hot Spring 400php – 300php is for the tricycle driver to drop you there and bring you back at the town. 150php200php(as of 12-Dec-2014) is the Hot Spring’s entrance fee for non-residents.
Hotel Accomodation 500php~1500php per night – If you’re a budget traveller, then hotels in town would be on this range. Though if you prefer resorts, then that’s another thing (ranges from 5k~26k per night).
CORON ISLAND
The Island of Coron – an island of infinite destinations. It is a vast island surrounded with gigantic limestone cliffs and could only be reached by traveling via boat south of Coron town. It houses not only the cleanest lakes in Asia, but also boasts the variety of fauna surrounding the broad coral reefs encapsulating the island.
To fully enjoy the island’s beauty, it is good to have at least your goggles and snorkeling tubes. Even better if you have your own fins and diving equipment, as you could find a lot of wrecks surrounding Coron! There are a lot more activities you could enjoy like kayaking, scuba diving, banana boat rides, and more… To the very least, feast your eyes on how nature rewards those who protect it.
Kayangan Lake
After a steep climb of 150 steps and a thrilling descent of another 150, you would be bewildered by the scenery. Presenting the ever-popular Kayangan Lake! Considered to be the cleanest and clearest lake in Asia, its fresh waters display crystaline and dazzling luster to whoever gazes upon them. No need for goggles in free diving!
Swim to your hearts content as you wander around the lakes natural beauty.
Undeniably Crystal Clear!
Barracuda Lake
Another fresh water lake in the island of Coron. It is considered to be the greenest but also one of the cleanest lake in the Philippines. The name is derived from the “King of the Lake” himself – the Barracuda fish! Known to be one of the craziest dive spots in the Philippines due to its thermoclines (a dynamic change in temperature will range from 28 to 38 degrees Celsius), you could visit the Barracuda’s domain around 35 meters deep. Moreover, it also has a Barracuda cave reserved only for certified divers. (http://www.coronwrecks.com/sites.htm#barracuda)
Jump Off!
Baraccuda Lake.
Skeleton Wreck
One of the 11 Japanese ship during the World War II. This wreck was hauled up near a sandy beach. The stern points directly away from the island and easily visible thru snorkeling or free diving. It also houses a lot of marine fauna like Zebra fishes! You can also feed this fishes with bread and enjoy your photographs surrounded with them.
This steel-hulled boat formerly around 25 meters long, now only consists of its ribs and keel.
Be overwhelmed with a mayhem of fishes surrounding this wreckage!
Above the Skeleton wreck lies a beautiful sandy white beach
Twin Lagoon
Famous for its challenging entry point. At low tides, you could easily reach the inner lagoon by swimming and kayaking. At high tides, you could reach it by diving below. Just be careful of the oysters and sharp stones above your head. On the other hand, you could just climb the stairs if you are not fond of diving. There is no resting area inside the lagoon, so its better to bring your life vest or any floating devices to aid you in navigating the lagoon.
Behold the entrance below!
Balinsasayaw Resort & Floating Restaurant
After a loooonng morning of swimming, its good to have your lunch on this Resort. They have a floating raft, complete with tables and shelter, which you could rent for only 100php. You could also dip in the waters to see a wide variety of fishes including the famous “Nemo” (clown fish).
I found Nemo!
Siete Picados
You may start your tour with Siete Picados as this is the closest from Coron Town. It may only seem as 7 islets scattered around, but they do have flourishing corals underneath. It’s good for snorkeling.
The seven islets surrounding several coral formations underneath.
CYC Beach
Though Coron features a lot of white sand beaches like the Malcapuya and Banana islands, the CYC beach is famous because it’s free and open to public.
Enjoy the pristine waters for free!
REEFS AND WRECKS
For those people who love to discover new things underwater, divers and non-divers alike – Coron offers you a boatload of surprises. From the eleven Japanese wrecks all around Calamianes Group of Islands, to the mayhem of corals surrounding these wrecks, you would definitely have fun!
Lusong Gunboat
This wreck was formerly a submarine hunter. The stern is visible on the open sea when low tides. A wreck great for snorkeling and free diving because of its shallow depth. Plus it it also fully covered with hard corals and playful fishes. A perfect place for water photography.
The Gunboat’s front end, along with several fishes making it their habitat.
The Gunboat’s rear end
Sangat Coral Garden
Just few meters from Lusong Gunboat, you would reach Sangat Island. It’s pristine waters and abundant corals provide a secure home for a lot of marine life and make them thrive in this area. If lucky enough, you could also spot green-sea turtles hovering around the area. Take note to take special care as the area have a steep plunge in depth after the coral formations accompanied by occasional strong currents.
A link between two worlds.
Pass Island
After an exhausting dive on wrecks and corals, you could find a haven island upon heading west. The Pass Island – a great place to stop off, have lunch, and just enjoy the view. You could snorkel your way to the giant clams in the area or just sit back and relax your lazy asses off. 🙂
Cottages are available for day and/or overnight use.Unexpectedly, there is a sari-sari store here and cellular signal is quite good. There is also a viewdeck atop the island where you could spot several tourist island destinations like the Black Island, North/South Bay, Pearl Farms, and more..
An isolated haven.
Life in a laid back pace.
Bulog Dos
Bulog – meaning ‘nothing’ or ‘bald’ (locally known as ‘kalbo’) is where the twin island got it’s name. It comprises of two giant rounded hills on top of a white sandy beachfront. It’s even near the high class Two-Seasons Hotel. Here you could snorkel and see a lot of marine species (if your interested) and a captivating view of the ocean amidst a far away island.
Take a short stroll around the twin bald islands of Bulog Dos!
Banana Island
Mostly, people tend to have their lunches here. Not only that it has a relaxing view, it also has hammocks in which you could swing your lazy asses around. 🙂 They do also have fresh coconuts which are harvested from the island itself, and free hammocks to swing on. Great meal, great view, and did I tell you that you could stay here overnight?! (just make sure you inform boatmen before even departing Coron).
Chill out and lay back on Banana Island.
Malcapuya
At Malcapuya, you could get up close to giant clams! Careful not to step or touch them or else it’s good bye hands/toes! 🙂 You may also see the occasional stingray and shark around the area.
Stingray….so small yet I’m not even sure if I could touch it.
Careful of not touching these things…though I haven’t seen one who has his arm chopped off, I wouldn’t dare!
TOWN PROPER
You may be wondering why Coron town is not located on Coron Island itself. Well, it’s because there are no flat surfaces to lay down a town at Coron Island, and it would take a large amount of effort to flatten limestone rocks!
Getting around the town is not difficult. The friendly tricycle drivers will be much willing to accompany you around the town. Minimum fare is only 10php though you could just rent their services privately depending on your destination. You could also opt to try renting a motorcycle and explore the town in your own pace.
Mount Tapyas
A good way to start your tour is to ascend Mt Tapyas. If you are not in a tour package, you could just walk your way here if your hotel is located near the center of town. With approximately more than 700 steps to climb, you would definitely need to have a stock of water and sun protection. It would be best to try climbing arou nd 4pm and wait for the sunset above. Upon reaching the top, you would be presented with a breathtaking 360 degree view of Coron town.
Conquering Mount Tapyas!
Maquinit Hotspring
After a tiring climb to Mt. Tapyas, locals say that this is the best time to immerse yourself on the only hotspring in Coron. It would take you about 20-30min tricycle ride (300php roundtrip) to reach Maquinit Hotspring. It is open at 8am to 10pm, though cut-off for accomadation is only until 7pm. Also note that bringing food is prohibited. Entrance fee is 150php for non-residents.
Immerse yourself on a relaxing bathe at Maquinit!
Lualhati Park
Coron’s boardwalk. Lualhati Park gives you a relaxing view of Coron’s port and seaside. You may wish to sit by the bay and watch the sunset end the day beautifully. You could also try their zipline by the bay if you wanted a little thrill thru your spine.
Souvenir Shops
Having proof that you went to Coron is must right?! The town is filled with souvenir stores with items ranging from wood carvings, t-shirts, food, prints, and many more.. One famous store in town is called the “Makulit” shop – where you could buy t-shirts of the athletic lizard (tuko). Another nice stop is the “Hilltop Print Shop” where you could choose from a mayhem of print outs to be placed on your shirts!
Mabentangen Forest Park
Considered to be the local’s favorite. It will only costs you 50php for the visit inside the park – consisting of a man-made pool with water flowing from the rainforest, and a rich number of forest flora and fauna could be found here.
Cashew Factory
For cheap and freshly made cashew nuts, why not visit the factory itself? It’s just one tricycle ride from town and will only take you 10-15 minutes to go to.
Dive Link Resort
Though not really on Coron town, this resort is by far the closest from the island via boat ride. It is one of the oldest resorts on Uson island. They offer really affordable rates for a resort, do have a nice sea-side view, an old-fashioned bungalow house, and serve REALLY DELICIOUS SET MEALS!!! These set meals really caught us off-guard as they have plentiful recipes for crabs, fishes, and meat. Something entirely new to our taste buds is broughted up every meal. A must try cuisine for an affordable price.
A scenic view from Dive Link’s cafeteria.
Coron Westown Resort
This resort is a little over a traveler’s normal budget (price starts at 5k php) though it’s really worth a visit if you have already done your tours on Coron Island or any other dive spots you have gone too. This is where you could experience a 5-star service at the midst of nowhere. Luckily, we had this booking for FREE – due to a cancelled flight! That’s one of the reason’s I always say ‘Enjoy the Surprises of Travel’. Check out some of the pictures below and feel free to comment. 🙂
With three large pools with varying temperatures and a bubble massage, simply sit back and enjoy.
More Places…
Since Coron is a place with infinite destinations, it would be impossible to list them all here. Though if you want to explore more of the culture and beauty of Coron, then here are some recommendations:
- Banana Island
- Malcapuya Island
- Black Island
- North/South Bay
- Calumbuyan
- Banol Beach
- Twin Peaks
- Hidden Lagoon
- Bulog Dos
- Culion
- Caluit Wildlife Safari
- Calumbuyan
- Kingfisher Park
- The 11 Japanese Ship Wrecks