Coron in Palawan is special to me. My first out of town trip with my high school friends, that is outside Marawi City other than Iligan and Cagayan de Oro City, was in Coron. It was in 2015.

Coron is among the Calamian Group of Islands together with Culion, Busuanga and Calauit. What most travelers call Coron refers to Coron Town, which is located on the largest island in the archipelago, Busuanga Island.

When I received an invite for a destination wedding in Coron, I was ecstatic! Coron again!

Below is a suggested itinerary based on the 2 trips. If you’re not a diver like me, 3 days are good enough to see most of Coron and surrounding islands.

My first time in Coron was supposed to be a 2 full day trip. It was unfortunate that after patiently waiting due to delay, our flight from Manila was eventually cancelled because of sunset limitation. For this, I recommend you book an earlier flight to avoid such event as the Busuanga Airport doesn’t have runway lights thus flights can’t land after dusk.

Public transportation in Coron is either tricycle (tuk-tuk) or habal-habal. You may also rent a motorcycle or bicycle if you want to tour on your own. But for convenience and safety, it’s better to book your tours through the hotel or resort. Tour rates vary depending on where you stay. This variation among hotels in Coron Town is minimal. For island resorts, expect higher rates.

Day 1: Town Tour

• Rate: PHP 700/person
• Accommodation: Coron Westown Resort

If you have a half day extra, I always recommend to begin on a town tour. Get to know the people and the place. It’s not like you’re coming back again. So grab that opportunity to immerse in the culture.

Souvenir Shop

Yes, souvenir shop was our first stop. At first I thought it was weird. Until I realized that we wouldn’t have time to do it later. You might even forget to check it out after all the interesting and exciting activities you’re about to do.

It was a one stop shop where you’ll find everything in there. The popular item to bring home are cashew nuts.

Lualhati Park

There’s not much to do in this park to be honest. But the unobstructed scenic coastline is still worth a few minutes.

San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church is said to be the only Catholic church in the Coron Town Proper.

Mount Tapyas

The best time to go up is right before the sunset. Walk up 742 steps to the top of Mt Tapyas. Bring enough water as you will pour a lot of sweat. Being the second tallest mountain in Coron, the view of Coron town and the islands when you reach the top is breathtaking!

Maquinit Hot Springs

After wandering around town, it’s time to soak in those sore muscles in 39-41 C hot springs. The springs are located about 30 minutes outside of Coron Town. Maquinit Hot Springs is one of the few salt water hot springs in the world. Be warned though that the bathroom is not very pleasant.

For your second day, I recommend an Island Ultimate Tour, especially if you’re staying 3 days in Coron as it’ll cover most of the must-sees. This is based on my second time back in 2018.

Coron Island is about half an hour boat ride from Coron Town and is home to many of the top destinations in Coron.

Day 2: Coron Island Ultimate Tour

• Rates: PHP 3,200/person (tour) inclusive of entrance fees, lunch and drinks, and snorkeling gear + PHP 11,500 (speedboat for four)
• Accommodation: Two Seasons Island Resort; Guests have the option of sharing boat with other guests booking the same tour in order to share in the cost.

World War II Japanese Shipwreck

The Japanese ship known as Skeleton Wreck is shallow enough, 5 to 22 meters deep, that snorkelers like me can appreciate the wreck and coral reef that has formed on it. Thank goodness! This ship was hit by an airstrike during WWII by US air force.

Siete Pecados

A protected sanctuary, Siete Pecados is best known for snorkeling. The corals here are stunning! It was unfortunate that my Gopro ran out of battery 🙈

Kayangan Lake

If you hiked Mt Tapyas, a climb to Kayangan Lake is shorter. Halfway is a viewing deck overlooking Coron Bay. Stop and get a photograph as it has become the landmark of Coron. Either when going up or down, the line can be long.

Kayangan Lake is one of Coron Island’s seven fresh water lakes (70% fresh water and 30% salt water), and one of only two lakes that are open to public. It was awarded many times as the clearest and greenest lake in the Philippines. Take a dip to refresh yourself after the hike.

Atwayan Beach, CYC Beach or Beach 91

Depending on the tour operator, part of the island hopping is at least one of these beaches. All of them have white fine sand ideal for lunch or picnic, sun bathing and leisurely dips.

Twin Lagoon

Twin Lagoon is another must see in Coron. The first of the twin lagoon is salt water and it’s mainly a docking area for the boats. Toll collectors would paddle out to  boats to collect the entry fee.

To get to the second lagoon, swim your way under the limestones. That is, during the low tide. As you swim you will begin to feel the varying water temperature as fresh water and ocean water meet. It’s a good 3-meter distance. You may bring snorkel equipments to see the beautiful marine life under. It’s such a unique experience. But if it’s high tide, you’ll have to climb over a ladder.

Barracuda Lake

Because the name Barracuda made a ‘horrifying’ impression to some tourists, Barracuda Lake was named back to its old name, Luluyuan Lake. It’s the second fresh water lake in Coron that is open to the public. Like the hidden lagoon (second of the twin lagoon), there are layers of salt and fresh water because of its proximity to the sea. It’s best explored with diving to appreciate the surrounding towering cliffs from below.

Day 3: Calauit Safari Tour and Fireflies Watching

Rates:

• Calauit Safari – PHP 2,500/person inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and light snack, and entrance fee
• Fireflies Watching – PHP 950/person inclusive of buffet dinner

Accommodation: Coron Westown Resort

Malbato Church

It was an early call for the group as the Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary is roughly 70 km away from Coron Town. Our first stop was Malbato Church. Still part of Coron, it’s located uphill so be prepared to go up the paved stairs. It’s noticeable that the church is made from fragments of different bricks, hence the name. Bato means stone. The view atop is great. We were blessed to witness the sun rise.

Rio Playa Beach

From Malbato Church, we stopped by the Rio Playa Beach for breakfast.

Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary

There’s no need to go to Kenya to experience feeding giraffes. Yes! You can do it in the Philippines. I recommend you include this on your itinerary as it’s a totally different experience from that of typical zoos. You can see giraffes and zebras roam freely.

Black Island

Still in the far north of Busuanga is the Black Island. We almost didn’t make it as it was past 3 in the afternoon and the water was not calm. We were offered an alternative, but I insisted to go. It was roughly an hour when we reached the island. It’s called Black Island because of the towering black limestones on it. If you go to the other side of the island, there’s a cave which has a salt water pool where you may also swim. I wasn’t able to check it though as my family was too lazy already. Still, the boat ride was worth the risk. Also called Malajon Island, Black Island is indeed an addition to the pristine islands in the Philippines.

If your trip to Palawan includes an overnight stay in Puerto Princesa, I insist you do the fireflies watching there. I made few statements comparing both my experience. But, if you’re only staying in Coron, it’ll still make for a memorable night.

Truly, Coron is a paradise blessed with natural wonders. I hope you enjoyed reading. Till my next travel!

With ❤️,

Sugar