Coron, Once Is Not Enough
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A panoramic photo at Bulog Dos sandbar (a trick shot taken by our boatman named Batman).
But that’s going ahead of the story.
There was nothing special or spectacular with the view during that thirty-minute van ride from the Busuanga airport to the town of Coron. Along the road, we could see cows, carabaos, farmlands, hills, and low mountains -- just the usual sight while traveling to some provinces outside of Metro Manila. The only difference is that there were fewer people, fewer tricycles, no buses, but lots of dogs along the highway.
On the first trip, we rode in a van with about a dozen backpackers, most of them young Europeans. As we approached the town of Coron, the driver drove along narrow streets, this time competing with dozens of tricycles (which is the town’s main mode of transportation). Some of the roads are like “eskinita” (or alleys). These were places where the backpackers chose to stay. OMG! I exclaimed in my mind. In what I saw from inside the van, these backpackers were probably paying less than $20 per day for bed and breakfast!
Right there and then, I began to worry about the kind of lodging that my nephew might have reserved for us. I felt I must have overdone my being a G.I. (Genuine Ilocano) when I instructed him to book us in any reasonably priced hotel, since we’ll just needed a room for sleeping anyway.
“While Coron is known for its lack, or even the absence, of town planning and infrastructure, I pleasantly discovered that many of our outings were mesmerizing, unique, adventure-filled, awesome and breathtaking.”
As the driver drove around town, I did not see any single street that could accommodate two trucks going in opposite directions. Not even the Busuanga highway beside which one of the few modern structures of Coron stands – a hospital. In a typical Filipino dry humor, the driver said, “This is our hospital. If you get admitted at 50-50, you might end up being 100.” That was adequate warning for any tourist to be always in tip-top shape while in Coron. It was so obvious that, infrastructure-wise, this town is so unprepared to meet the growing demands that come with its worldwide popularity leading to the influx of tourists!
What I saw in less than an hour had brought down my expectations of this trip. I remember my conversation with a friend some 12 years ago that the rich and famous would come here incognito on chartered flights and rented boats to enjoy an island or two just by themselves. I guess luxuriating in such manner is still somehow possible nowadays. I know someone who rented a cottage in an island for two people at $400 per night! But I won’t discuss it here because it is out of my league.
It was quite a relief to see that my nephew booked us in five-storey, decent-looking three-star hotel, perhaps one of two tallest structures in the middle of town. Filipino-owned Micasa Hotel is located along one of Coron’s major thoroughfares, but a road so narrow that it does not even have a sidewalk for people to walk on.
About our hotel, I realized that the owner and staff had responded to the negative reviews by customers, mostly written in 2017. The rooms were fully air-conditioned 24/7; the bathrooms were clean; the front desk guys and gals were courteous and honest and the breakfast could be “adjusted” according to one’s preference with prior arrangement and a modest tip for the kitchen staff. This hotel is also walking distance from all the places one would like to visit in this small town – the Central Plaza, the famous hot springs, souvenir shops, the oft-visited second tallest mountain, a small Catholic cathedral, the traditional market, restaurants, bay walk, and many high-end hotels along the bay. On the 5th floor is a penthouse where guests take their breakfast and enjoy the view of the sea.
And to top it all, this hotel is only a three-minute walk from what I consider as the tastiest and perhaps the most reasonably priced restaurants in town: Lolo Nonoy’s Food Station. “It is where all the tourists go,” said a guide. That was a hyperbole, but be warned: With a restaurant that can accommodate about 150 people at a time, one has to wait very long to get a seat between the hours of 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This was my experience on these two trips. Excepting the slow service on said hours, Trip Advisor gives Lolo Nonoy’s a “4” out of “5.” We tried another highly recommended restaurant, but the prices were higher and the taste paled by comparison.
We also ate at the expensive Season Two Hotel (by the bay) where my eldest son, Victor, and his wife, Jing, preferred to lodge (although their two children stayed with us at Micasa). The ambience is perfect with all those giant jellyfish chandeliers that changed colors every minute or so. The food looked very classy with 5-star presentation, but the prices were also 5-star. Taste-wise, I still prefer Lolo Nonoy hands-down. Well, as the Latin saying goes, “De gustibus non est disputandum,” yes, there is no debate about taste.
Jellyfish chandeliers inside Two Seasons Dining Hall
While Coron is known for its lack, or even the absence, of town planning and infrastructure, I pleasantly discovered that many of our outings were mesmerizing, unique, adventure-filled, awesome and breathtaking. One who likes the saying “life is not about how many breaths you take, but how much life takes your breath away” will find it here in Coron.
There are many tour companies to choose from. In my case, I took the oldest and biggest one (Calamian Tours) during my first trip, and a small start-up (Adventure Tours) the second time. Both were good, and about 70 percent of the destinations were the same. Yet I enjoyed the repeats even more the second time around.
I’ve seen many blogs by non-Pinoys, proclaiming that they saw or experienced something new each time they went back to Coron. Indeed, some of the 50 islets are barely inhabited, and most of them are not frequented by tourists. It certainly helps to search the companies, destinations, and tour packages on the internet. Descriptions of places, pictures, and tourists’ comments are abundant, so I will not repeat them here. Except for the information I got by word of mouth, I came tabula rasa. I consider this a good thing because I had the benefit of surprise.
The climb to Mt. Tapyas has 726 steps and is not for everyone. I failed to make the climb on my first trip, not even close. But the challenge to keep going the second time – especially from my three grandchildren – was enough motivation to get to the very top. My iPhone registered that I climbed 35 floors. Our group timed our ascent to view the sunset. But the sun was completely covered by clouds, so we just enjoyed the spectacular view of the town, the islands, and the sea. At my advanced age, it was an experience of a lifetime, a proud feeling of conquest.
One should not miss the chance to have a romantic and/or family picture near the entrance of the Maquinit Hot Springs. There are three ways to get there: (1) hiking, which is only 2.6 miles from our hotel, (2) hiring a tricycle (PhP300 or USD5.80) that will take you across a rough, bumpy and dusty road and the driver will wait to get you back to town, (3) joining a half-day group tour that includes Mt. Tapyas, a Catholic Cathedral, a souvenir shop, the town plaza and bay walk for PhP800 or USD15.53. In both (1) and (2), one has to pay an entrance fee of PhP150 or USD2.90. Since we were a group of 15, we knew what to do the second time around: Ask the tour company to bring all of us to Mt. Tapyas and to Maquinit Hot Springs and omit the other town destinations for just PhP3,700 or USD71.8, which meant a substantial savings.
Many tourists miss other picture possibilities at the Maquinit Hot Springs: A charming wooden bridge (shown here), a view of the sea, mangroves, schools of fish, and birds.
Everyone who endured the 163 PLUS 167 uneven stone stairs ascent up the mountain leading to and from Kayangan Lake declared that it was worth all the effort. I agree completely that it was a sacrifice worth taking. One could be dumbfounded by the most iconic view of Coron on the 163rd step. Up there is also a cave that is perfect for a photo-op. One must carefully go down to take another uneven 167 steps towards the lake. Then go up 167 steps again, rest and enjoy the view, before going down 163 steps to go back to the boat. That makes a total of 660 going up and down. The stairs were not there yet about a decade ago, so those who dared to go to this lake had to climb via the natural contours of the mountain. The biggest turn-offs of this otherwise enchanting destination were the dirty, badly maintained rest rooms. I suggest that before starting the climb up the mountain, use the restroom on the boat, which is far from ideal but still a better option.
Considered by experts as the cleanest lake in the whole of Asia, the water at Kayangan Lake is crystal clear and emerald in color. It makes a lot of sense that everyone who comes here is required to wear a life vest, whether or not he or she intends to swim. And why? Because once you reach the place, you will definitely want to take a dip in the deceptively shallow water. Depth: 20 feet to a sandy bottom with sharp rocks. Most local and foreign tourists put Kayangan Lake as their #1 favorite destination, although there are too many tourists during the peak season.
One should never miss the Twin Lagoon. The first of the two lagoons is an enchanting spectacle. The view of the lagoon is absolutely beautiful as it is surrounded by weathered limestone rocks and clear, turquoise water. When the tide is low, one could swim through a tunnel towards the second lagoon; and in high tide, it is accessible through a ladder built for the purpose. Utmost care should be taken here because the ladder is slippery. When I got to the second lagoon, I was almost knocked out by its stunning beauty and serenity! With the aid of my life jacket, I just lay still on the water, admiring the limestone cliffs and trees mystically growing on rocks. I laughed aloud when I saw a young guy post on YouTube, “The activity here is magpatay-patayan ka (pretending you’re dead).”
A view of the first of the Twin Lagoon during peak season (photo by Ernie Vergara)
At USD50+ (from PhP2,600) the combined Calauit Safari and Black Island tour is among the more expensive tours. These places are outside of Coron island, and Black Island is technically Malajon Island west of Busuanga. Tourists are advised to leave early because it takes 3.5 hours to reach the place. Departure time from the hotel is 7:00 a.m. sharp (although it used to be 4:00 a.m.). We took this tour during our second visit only because we had our grandkids with us. It turned out to be the favorite trip of our two youngest grandkids – Adrioni, 5, who until now is so engrossed with zebras, and Enzo, 2, who got high petting the turtles. This 3,800- hectare wildlife reserve used to enjoy a large variety of wild animals, mostly coming from Kenya. A lot of wild animals had not survived, but some of those left included 23 giraffes, 38 zebras, and around 1,000 Calamian deer. There were also crocodiles, a civet cat, porcupines, pythons, wild boar and a few other animals.
Feeding the giraffe is one of the activities at the Calauit Safari Tour.
One can easily fall in love with Black Island, so called because it appears black from afar. I expected to collect black sand samples, but the sand here turned out to among the whitest anywhere. More than the white sand are hidden caves and mini beaches. To fully enjoy this island, one must stay a whole day, which means spending a night in the area.
There are tours labeled “Ultimate Island Hopping,” “Ultimate Island Escapade,” “Ultimate Island Discovery” and the like. One must take these day tours, which include great buffet meals, to be able to enjoy Coron. The food is cooked aboard the boat while it sails from one destination to another. But these day tours visit only three or four islands at a time. To me, the real “Ultimate” would be a two-day tour to see and experience at least most of the major islands.
Considered by many as the best of the island-hopping tours are Malcapuya Island, Bulog Dos and Banana Island, mainly because of the stunningly blue and clear waters, white powdery sand and breathtaking scenery. On both of our visits, Malcapuya was the final stop before we headed back to Coron, which also meant “saving the best for last.” There are many things to do in Malcapuya: basketball, beach volleyball, swimming, hiking, or just dozing off in a hammock. This is where I took the most scenic photographs. Two of the ladies in our group also bought authentic, high-end pearls at one-third the prices offered in jewelry shops in downtown Coron, according to our guide.
There are no bananas in Banana island. Our guide brought us here to enjoy another sumptuous buffet lunch, with a group that serenaded visitors with popular songs of their respective countries or dialects. The ambience of this island is very romantic and it could easily pass as a lovers’ paradise.
Bulog Dos is my personal favorite for taking selfies or group pictures atop a sugary white sandbar. In fact, the sand here approximates the color of Boracay sand, which I keep in my sand collection. Bulog Dos is actually an islet. There are other things to do here: snorkeling, starfish hunting (but you have to return it to the water if you find one), or just going up the hill to take panoramic pictures. Another place where one can enjoy a sandbar is Ditaytayan Island, although it was high-tide and the water was waist-deep when we got there.
As an avid traveler, I’ve gone to places where “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” Once, on a 21-day European tour, some Americans in our group exclaimed, “ABC! ABC!”; they meant “another bloody castle.” This does not apply to Coron. This place offers varied experiences: snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, hiking, going up mountains, hot springs, bird watching, fishing, kayaking. There’s so much to do and one does not have to engage in various water entertainment or rides like the ones in Mexican Riviera resorts.
For snorkeling and enjoying the hypnotic beauty of marine life with all its colors, varied sea creatures, Lusong Coral Garden tops them all. Far second would be either Siete Pecados or Malcapuya Island where we enjoyed the amazing sight of giant clams and thousands of fish merrily gliding within a foot from our bodies.
For scuba diving, there are 13 different dive sites, but the more popular ones are Skeleton Wreck, Barracuda Lake and Cathedral Cave where the shipwrecks could be seen up close.
Those who love kayaking will not be disappointed. There are kayak rental places and a lot of these are where the boats park for lunch, like the beautiful and well-shaded Coco Beach, or the less frequented and smaller Banol Beach and Atwayan Beach.
Is Coron cheap? It all depends on you. If you want to buy souvenir items, the prices are pretty standard and cheap, but you can haggle. A decent, clean hotel room for two can be had for $25 on a low season and $40 on high season; by contrast, there are a few classy hotels that will cost you $400+ a night.
Are the tours reasonably priced? Definitely, especially if you compare tours in New Zealand or Western Europe. My experience is that the tours here are cheaper by as much as one-fifth.
Is Coron clean? Far from ideal, but Coron is cleaner than many major cities in Western Europe. At the very least, garbage collection is efficient and regular. But the town administrators could learn from the municipal ordinances mentioned in my other article in this magazine, “Boracay in Rehab.”
Is Coron safe? In my experience, yes. On my two trips totaling eight days, I never heard of any thefts, scams, pickpockets or forms of violence. It is also worth noting that Palawenos are generally law-abiding and that the province has the lowest crime rate in the country. A minor thing is that some tricycle drivers and vendors overcharge tourists. To avoid this, ask your hotel staff.
Do the tour guides and the boatmen ensure your safety? I would give them a “10.” They give special attention to everyone, especially to children and the elderly. They are also well-trained in first aid, cleanliness, diving/swimming, etc. Are the tour guides knowledgeable? I would give them an “8.” They don’t talk much, but if you ask them a question about the locality, they know the answer most of the time.
Will I go back to Coron again? Of course, I will! Perhaps next time, I will venture into the unbeaten paths of Culion, once a leper colony and dubbed as “a point of no return,” and the magical island of Linapacan, Palawan’s untouched paradise.
Here are a few more useful tips:
1. Wear comfortable water shoes that you can use for swimming, walking on rocks or hiking. When on tour, you need not bring any slippers or other types of shoes.
2. Bring a water bag to protect your cellphone, camera, wallet or store a towel and a shirt. Plastic cellphone protectors are not waterproof.
3. Wear light and quick-drying clothes.
4. Bring a waterproof camera to capture sea life.
5. Given no drastic weather changes, the first week of June is the best time to go. It is the start of the low season, therefore fewer tourists, and there is less danger of being stung by jellyfish.
6. Think safety always. The outrigger boats are safe, but walking across the boats’
uneven surfaces or transferring from boat to boat could be dangerous.
7. Keep a journal of every stop. After 3-4 days of visiting beaches, parks and other areas of interest, very soon you’ll get the names all mixed up.
8. If you’re traveling with a group of 12 or more, it is better to just negotiate with a company that will accommodate all of you in a single boat. You will have a better handle on your time and not be pressured to leave or stay in a place according the preset schedules.
Willie Vergara
Willie Vergara was a former Vice President of the Development Academy of the Philippines until he immigrated to the United States in 1996. He recently retired from the County of Sacramento and has traveled to 15 countries since then.
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