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Perpie in Pinas 2017 – 4 Days in Coron, Palawan

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Palawan, the Philippines: The Most Beautiful Island in the World
Conde Nast Traveler

It was originally voted as the number 2 island in the world according to its readers, but this article in Conde Nast Traveler appears to be playing favorite, as it placed Palawan even to the highest spot.

Who am I to say no and disagree, when I myself, together with my husband, finally came to visit Palawan. Coron in particular, which is a natural paradise on earth, we’re obviously impressed.

It’s no wonder Palawan ranked as the most beautiful island in the world this year, as the clear aquamarine water, limestone cliffs, and lagoons of the island province of the Philippines are only the most basic highlights. Palawan is home to nature reserves on both land and sea, with dolphins just offshore, marine gardens of giant clam, sea turtles nesting on white sand beaches, 600 species of butterflies, and lush palm forest like a Gilligan’s Island fever dream.
– Cynthia Drescher, Conde Nast Traveler contributing editor

kayangan lake

Photos I put together from various sources that have spoken good things about Coron: thelostkids.ph, hisandhervoyage, outoftownblog, journeyfreaks, weekendsidetrip, luxeadventuretraveler, journeyera, jellyjourneys. Our shots don’t serve much justice that all I can say is— it’s better for you to see Coron for yourself!

Palawan: The Last Frontier

Dubbed as the last frontier of the country, Palawan is the largest island in the Philippines located between the South China Sea and Luzon group of islands.

Barely developed and untouched as of this writing, Palawan counts around 1,780 islands and islets. It features astonishing seascape every first-time visitors can be amazed on.

Stunning white beaches and turquoise lagoons, unique limestone rock formations, mountains, jungles and a diverse wildlife—all these make Palawan a dream destination for scuba diving, hiking, kayaking, island hopping, snorkeling, or just even chillaxing in this tropical place.

Coron & El Nido

Coron and El Nido are the two major places in Palawan that majority of all travelers want to visit. Given of course that Palawan constitutes many islands, the sea divides Coron and El Nido, thus making them not as easily accessible as everyone would think.

Here’s the map to give you an idea.


That’s Palawan. Coron is here…and El Nido is over there.

Both Coron and El Nido host limestone cliffs that create a wonderful karst scenery similar to Halong Bay in Vietnam.

The difference here is, Coron is more laid back and particularly more famous among the scuba diving enthusiasts for its well-preserved Japanese ship wreck. El Nido on the other, is becoming more of a go-to place for beach party-goers (the next Boracay or a better version, so they’d say).

Days Best Spent in Coron

Six days is what we actually spent in Coron. But I wouldn’t count the day we arrived, as we spent the whole day waiting for our flight from Manila. And of course the last day wouldn’t be counted either, as we left Coron early morning.

This leaves us with 4 days that were really spent touring around the town proper, island hopping, conquering the enchanting Coron, and chillaxing in our hotel resort.

So I’d say that the best way to enjoy Coron to the fullest is by taking these tour packages, which can be quite a lot and daunting when you have the least idea of what to expect. I will tell you more about it, but for now let me share with you first more about Coron.

About Coron

Coron is considered a municipality in Palawan that consists of a town sharing the eastern part of Busuanga island, an island that is really called as Coron, and over 50 islets in the Calamian archipelago, which stretches from Tara island in the northeast to Canipo island in the south, thus separating the South China sea from the Sulu sea.

Coron mainly thrives on fishing and tourism nowadays, but had former industries such as manganese mining and rattan and basket-weaving that had gradually declined due to the ensuing depletion of its natural sources.

Currently tourism is the top industry, thanks to its local beaches, dive sites, and other natural tourist spots. With a dozen sunken Japanese warships at depths between 10 and 40 metres, Coron is becoming a favorite diving destination in the world.

The Tagbanwas

The Tagbanwa, Calmiananen and Cuyonon tribes are the original Coron inhabitants. The Tagbanwa people in particular, is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the country. It is believed that they descend from inhabitants who lived over 20,000 years ago (called the Tabon man).

The Tagbanwa people were awarded ancestral domain over 22,000 hectares of land and sea in Coron island in 1998. Thus, it gives them the right to manage the area and preserve its rich marine and land resources, while continuing to live their lives according to their culture and traditions.

There are actually 13 lakes in Coron island but only 2, the Kayangan and Barracuda lakes, are open for public. The indigenous Tagbanwas are very cautious as they consider Coron island as a sacred ground.

Aside from fishing and tourism thanks to the entrance fees they earn, the Tagbanwas also gather Balinsasayaw nests, which is made of the bird’s saliva that can be found from cliffside caves. These nests are the important ingredient for the expensive and rare bird’s nest soup.

Coron Town Tour

A half day tour, this first package we took gives an option to explore Coron town by visiting its landmarks such as Mount Tapyas and Maquinit hot spring.

Lualhati Park & Coron Town Proper

The tour started in the afternoon with exploring the town center and visiting the Lualhati Park, the bay walk area where bancas for island excursions are normally docked in.

Mount Tapyas

Then, we went on to take over 700 steps to reach the viewing deck in Mount Tapyas. Mount Tapyas is the second tallest mountain and one of the most dominant land features around the town of Coron in Busuanga Island, Palawan.

The timely ascend to the top on late afternoon rewards successful climber with a view overlooking the town and enchanting Coron island from afar, along with a dramatic sunset stealing the show.

It’s a predictable and supposedly easy climb, but due to humid heat I cannot bear myself from sweating a lot, conquering Mount Tapyas was surprisingly too much for me. I stayed behind somewhere halfway, at the nth step, waiting for hubby as he continued on.

Good for him for chasing the sunset view over that mountain top!

Maquinit Hot Springs

The next stop over is what I’d consider the highlight and could have been my favorite, if only it wasn’t crowded and we spent a bit longer.

The unique and natural saltwater Maquinit hot springs provides a charmed setting along the mangrove forest and shore, as well as a relaxing effect on mind and body.

Maquinit hot springs is a two-tiered circular pool whose waters are said to be fed by volcanic activity. One of the world’s few saltwater hot springs, the water here is hot, running as high as 104 F.

Beach Hopping Tour

The neighbouring islands of Malcapuya, Banana and Bulog Dos boast a beautiful scenery of clear waters and white sand beach. This is what you’d expect from this tour—nothing else.

Malcapuya Island

The tour started early morning at the Lualhati bay view, which from there we took our tourist boat to set forth for a 2-hour journey to Malcapuya island.

Malcapuya island consists of a long stretch of white powdery sand with shallow crystal blue waters stretched for a few meters into the sea. The snorkeling area of Malcapuya is a bit far off from the shore, which makes it an ideal destination for swimming and just lounging under the hot midday sun.

With rest huts and an air-conditioned bungalow available, it is possible to stay in the island at least overnight (but make the arrangements in advance).

It is quick to compare the Malcapuya island to Boracay, particularly its unspoilt beauty before the modern development and madding crowd.

By noon we left Malcapuya island and went on for a 30-minute boat ride heading to Banana island.

Banana Island

Banana island is privately owned but open to tourists, with better amenities and overnight accommodation options available through the several cottages scattered around the island. Compared to Malcapuya, Banana’s beach is shorter and the waters, though also as clear, are deeper. Officially the island is called Dicalabuan, but its shape resembles to a banana, hence its other name.

The scorching heat allured us to take a dip into the waters, but then the hammock seemed to have been calling me to take a nap instead. I love taking naps by the beach!

If not for hubby taking candid shots of me lounging away in the hammock and waking me up, I would have slept away and stayed in that island overnight. Of course, we had to leave and visit the last island on our itinerary.

Bulog Dos Island

Just five minutes away, we headed off to Bulog Dos island. The word “bulog” means bald, which aptly describes the bulge/view point in the island that resembles of a bald head.

A beautiful snorkeling spot with myriad of colorful fishes along the ridge, it also has a sandbar that connects to Two Seasons resort, which occupies the other part of the island. This quick 1-hour visit to Bulog Dos island ends our tour.

Coron Island Ultimate Tour

After the beach hopping tour, we went on for another one. This, my friends, is the highlight of our entire vacation in Coron. At last, we’re off to “pay tribute” to the infamously enchanting Coron island.

As expected, we took our boat at the docking site in Lualhati park and set off to the first stop of the tour.

Siete Pecados Marine Park

The Siete Pecados Marine Park is not only a go-to snorkeling site thanks to its shallow waters and rich marine life, but it also has a story to tell. Legend has it that there were seven sisters who went swimming against their mother’s wish. As a consequence, all sisters drowned and afterwards seven islets sprouted from the sea.

After snorkeling at Siete Pecados, off we went to the most famous, postcard beauty in Coron—the Kayangan lake.

Here’s our snapshot of this infamous Coron karst formation, without me & hubby to distract you!
Kayangan Lake

Kayangan lake is much sought-after by most travelers, motivated to capture this most photographed scenery that can only be found in Coron. Standing at the viewpoint, the shot that is actually being taken here is Coron bay, which serves as the majestic gateway to this secretive-Kayangan-lake-no-more.

Here’s another shot but this time with us in the center, and the lagoon as our back drop. We’re now amongst the lucky ones!

On the way to the lake, we were welcomed by islets of limestones in different shapes and sizes. By the time the boat docked along the bamboo stilts, a small group of Tagbanwas were also there.

We’re quite unsure though as to whether they’re warmly welcoming us, or they’re meant to be stern gatekeepers keeping a sharp eye on every tourist coming in and out of their ancestral territory. Either way, we quietly thanked them for allowing us to visit their paradise that they’ve indeed protected well.

A 10-minute climb took us first to the view point. Then another steep steps down, we got our way to the crystal-clear waters of Kayangan lake nestled into the mountain walls.

Kayangan lake is touted to be the cleanest and clearest not only in the country, but also in Asia. As we stood closely at the stilt, we can already see its surface plenty of interesting rock formations and teeming with small fishes awaiting eager swimmers.

The lake is a cunning mix of both fresh and salt waters. Diving into the deep gives a rather surreal experience. If you’re a good diver, you’d come across the Awuyuk Kayangan cave that would lead you to a narrower entrance into the heart of it with a small opening at its ceiling allowing the sun to take a peek.

We could only spend a few hours here, as the lake cannot accommodate a huge stream of visitors as well. It was then almost lunchtime when we went on to our next hang out.

Banol Beach
Source: wikimedia.org

Banol beach consists of a small stretch of sandy white beach with aquamarine water and surrounded by splendid background of limestone cliffs.

The beach is open for public and a popular stop for lunch during island tours. It is another ideal place for snorkelling and kayaking, or just like us after a sumptuous seafood lunch, you can also just opt to swim or wade along the shore.

Twin Peaks Reef & Barracuda Lake

After Banol beach, we sailed away and anchored off somewhere around in the middle of the sea. We apparently stopped by at Twin Peaks reef, another snorkeling and diving spot teaming with colorful corals and a variety of reef fishes.

After that short snorkeling in Twin Peaks reef, we went to our next stop. The Barracuda lake is a freshwater lake taking place in a former crater 4o meters deep and surrounded by sharp limestone cliffs.

It is named after its elusive resident barracuda fishes. The lake is equally famous for its thermocline, thus making it known as an unusual dive site.

We’re definitely not divers, so I suggest you to check out this blog post to see stunning photos underneath the lake.

Twin Lagoon

Not so far from Barracuda lake, off we went to our last destination. The Twin lagoon coastline is splendid and its bay mystifying as you approach.

The first lagoon is where the boats dock. The way to the second lagoon is accessible through a small crevice underneath the rock, or during high tide a ladder over the rock.

Source: islandhoppinginthephilippines.com

The waters in the twin lagoons may sometimes be blurry, but this is due to the mix between salt and fresh water. The water temperature in the lagoon also changes, a similar phenomena we experienced in Barracuda lake.

My Travel Notes
How we got there

We flew from Brussels all the way to Manila, with a brief stopover at Bangkok. We enjoyed flying via Thai Airways. Not only we got the best price, the service was fantastic overall. The Thai food is yum as always. The flight attendants are courteous and friendly. The stopover in Bangkok was super convenient.

Flying from Manila to Busuanga via Cebu Pacific was an entirely different experience, and you must be already warned. Don’t expect departing on-time and arriving on-the-dot when you take local flights in the Philippines.

We’re supposed to arrive in our hotel at noon, but we ended up spending almost the entire day at the airport. We arrived in our hotel almost dinner time.

TIP: Arrange for transport service before you arrive with your hotel. No taxis available, but only vans that are more likely meant to fetch arriving hotel guests. If you’re lucky, some van drivers could accommodate extra passengers when more seats are available.

Where we stayed

We stayed at Coron Westown Resort. It is located 4 kilometers aways from the town proper, so it is relatively calm and quiet here. It has 2 large outdoor swimming pools, with kiddie pools available as well. Our room has a nice view overlooking the sea. Staff is helpful and accommodating.

Food is relatively good in this hotel. Interestingly though, we preferred to have two dinners at the other hotel facing in front of it, Coron Soleil Garden Resort. Both resorts are owned and run by the same management, but we find the latter cosier as it is less busy and crowded. We also had most of our dinners outside, but don’t expect gourmet food. Coron is relatively undeveloped island so food is mostly simple and rustic and there’s no many choices in terms of variety.

What to do

Surely a visit to these top spots in Coron:

  • Kayangan Lake
  • Twin Lagoon
  • Barracuda Lake
  • Siete Pecados Marine Park
  • Twin Peak Reef
  • Banol Beach
  • Malcapuya Island
  • Banana Island
  • Bulog Dos Island
  • Mount Tapyas
  • Maquinit Hot Springs

There are still some interesting sights that we could have visited, as well as things to do, if only we made time for it:

  • Diving in sunken Japanese wrecks
  • Snorkeling in Skeleton Reef
  • Visit other islands and beaches—Atwayan beach, Smith beach, North Cay beach, Kalitang beach (Sangat Island), Cheron Island, Malwayuyo beach, Cabo beach
  • Stay on a private island resort *eyes on Two Seasons, Club Paradise Or Huma island*
  • Visit to Calauit Safari Park
  • Historical walking tour in Culion Island, a former historical leprosarium under the American occupation
  • Experience Coron through Tao expedition

Coron is one sleepy little town that offers beauty in its island nature and teeming marine life. Don’t expect night life or sophisticated facilities. It’s all about this rough island adventure, a unique opportunity to get a personal insight into the rustic, unassuming life in a tropical archipelago.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY ?

Interested to include Coron on your travel bucket list then?


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